This edition of the Recently Published Book Spotlight is about Dr. Sabrina D. MisirHiralall’s text Confronting Orientalism: A Self-Study of Educating Through Hindu Dance. MisirHiralall is an editor at the Blog of the APA who currently teaches philosophy, religion, and education courses solely online for Montclair State University, Three Rivers Community College, the University of South Carolina Aiken, and St. John’s University. She is a Kuchipudi Indian classical Hindu dancer who frequently presents and dances in higher education as she confronts Orientalism through a variety of pedagogical spaces. Aside from several journal publications and the abovementioned text, she also served as the lead editor for Religious Studies Scholars as Public Intellectuals, which is published in the Routledge in Religion Series.
What is your work about?
Confronting Orientalism: A Self-Study of Educating Through Hindu Dance is about how I employ Kuchipudi Indian classical Hindu dance to teach primarily non-Hindus in higher education about Hinduism with postcolonial realities in mind. This goal arises from my dance experiences and the historical era of imperialism. How do I, as a Kuchipudi dancer, use Hindu dance to educate non-Hindus about the Eastern literature of Hinduism? For non-Hindus, I often feel the power of the exoticizing gaze when I dance, which might very well block the educational intention of the dance. This exoticizing gaze prevents the understanding of the traditional nature of the dance and the introduction to Hinduism as a world religion. My problem is moving the exotic gaze of non-Hindus to an educational gaze that seeks to learn about the ethics of Hinduism in a manner that takes into consideration the multiple perspectives of the complex society we live in today.
Which of your insights or conclusions do you find most exciting?
The main question is how can I use Kuchipudi Indian classical Hindu dance to provoke an educational gaze that overcomes exoticism and moves beyond the isolation of religion and culture? Essentially, I must employ a postcolonial pedagogy with sensitivity to the diasporic nature of religion and culture and the legacy of colonization. It is imperative for me to confront exoticism in an effort to transform the exoticism to something educational. How can I present a de-Orientalized pedagogy that changes the fundamental Western assumptions that Orientalizes the East? To accomplish this task, I must deconstruct Orientalist interpretations and then reconstruct de-Orientalized interpretations to prevent Orientalism from thriving. How can Kuchipudi dance live on in a hybrid space today but yet retain the traditions of the past? Overall, this occurs through a creative process in the pedagogical space of hybridity that remains sensitive to the ideals of religion and culture. How can Kuchipudi dancers maintain fidelity to the Hindu ethic of dance without a belief in culture as pure and untainted since culture is unstable because it constantly changes? This is a part of the development of a faith-based religious Hindu epistemological framework that does not seek to indoctrinate non-Hindus. These questions focus on my problem of exoticism that emerges based on my scholarly work that is linked to my personal experiences as a Westerner of Eastern descent who maintains an Eastern Hindu dance practice.
Your project is unique from many others in its direct application to an activity that you voluntarily choose to do. I’m curious about the genesis of this project. When did you start dancing/doing philosophy, and what experiences in each led you to see how intertwined they are?
I move into depth with an answer to this question in my text as I point to how I began to dance and when my formal dance education commenced. Essentially, I danced my whole life. My formal dance education inspired me to think philosophically about ethics and how it pertains to my life. Tyson E. Lewis, my mentor who taught at Montclair State University during my graduate studies, urged me to begin my philosophical doctoral research with who I am. He helped me to see how my identity as a dancer intertwines organically with my identity as a scholar. Monica Taylor, from Montclair State University, introduced me to self-study as a research methodology. Dorothy Rogers provided me with a space in the once joint Philosophy and Religion Department to share and discuss my initial research. I began to engage in an ongoing self-study research project for dance as a pedagogical practice. In addition, I began an ongoing self-study to explore improvement-aimed pedagogy for undergraduate education in the disciplines in which I teach.
What topics do you discuss in the work, and why do you discuss them?
In the first chapter, I briefly introduce my personal narrative as I position myself as a self-study researcher. I explain Edward Said’s theory of Orientalism as the central concept that informs the text. I turn to Edward Said, Homi Bhabha, and Ashis Nandy to understand three particular postcolonial de-Orientalized pedagogical spaces in which I teach in the second chapter.
I focus on the nature of the gazes that emerge through my self-study data in the third chapter. I relate how Laura Mulvey’s notion of the male gaze is relevant to my phenomenological experience and also offer criticism of Mulvey’s theory. Mulvey focuses on the female as an object of male fantasy as she deals with the sexualization of the female body. Since I am my own subject and object, Mulvey’s theory of the male gaze is relevant for me. E. Ann Kaplan’s notion of the imperial gaze provides a postcolonial theoretical view within gaze theory. David Morgan’s notion of the sacred gaze is relevant for my project because it provides a method for individuals to employ to maintain a gaze that I warrant as a Hindu dancer. Overall, I hope to contribute to the literature on gaze theory as I confront the male gaze and the imperial gaze with a de-Orientalized educational gaze that acknowledges the phenomenological moments that promote or block the ability to engage in teaching and learning.
In the fourth chapter, I specifically aim to show how the Divine is the ground source of Oneness according to Hinduism. My self-study data analysis shows that I need to focus on Hindu metaphysics for two primary reasons. First, I begin every presentation, regardless of the pedagogical space, with a description of the complexities of Hindu metaphysics that conveys the belief in One Supreme Being because there is a misconception in the West that Hinduism is a polytheistic religion. Second, I feel a sense of Oneness as I live my life as a Hindu, which corresponds to a Hindu metaphysical view that there is One Supreme Being who manifests in different forms, at different times, for different purposes.
Next, in the fifth chapter, I focus on religious epistemology as a valid epistemological framework. I refute the claim that the Hindu epics are mythology. My goal is to rehabilitate the Hindu epics as a part of Hindu history and as a valid part of an Indian educational curriculum. I focus my attention specifically on the Hindu epic the Ramayana because the Ramayana is often seen as mythology due to the seemingly fantasy-like characters. While I share archaeological evidence of the historicity of the Ramayana, I do not aim to prove the Ramayana is history. The idea of the Ramayana is in and of itself historical and thus plays a crucial role in the religious epistemological development of Hindus. I point to how Orientalists moved the educational curriculum of India from authentic Indian history, based on the Hindu epics, to an Orientalist curriculum that aimed to change the religious epistemological framework of Indians. My faith in Hinduism is evident as I dance the epics, because I do not view the epics as mythology. I present the conclusion in the sixth chapter.
The concept of a “de-Orientalized educational gaze” sounds like one that produces the gazer as open to learning from many different religions, cultures, and your dance performances in virtual classrooms. If this is right, what attitude do you take towards your audience that helps to put them in this frame of mind? Do you think there are implications here for other forms of performance?
A de-Orientalized educational gaze is one that does not engage in Orientalism. I do not assume that the viewers of the dance have a basic foundation of Hinduism. For this reason, I provide a basic introduction to Hinduism before I dance. The dance is not merely a performance and the viewers are not simply audience members. Rather, the dance is an educational opportunity for students, within and beyond academia, to learn about Hinduism.
De-Orientalized pedagogy is a postcolonial pedagogy that has implications across many disciplines. For example, philosophers may engage in a de-Orientalized educational gaze as they discuss texts with careful attention to misrepresentations and misconceptions. Western scholars who especially teach Eastern philosophy need to pay attention to this to prevent Orientalism from thriving. I encourage Western scholars to use primary texts for this reason. In addition, religious studies educators should employ a de-Orientalized pedagogy as they look for misrepresentations particularly in textbooks. Too often, I see that Orientalism occurs in religious studies academic textbooks because in many instances, the authors do not understand the religions that they write about. I especially witness this with Hinduism. When this occurs, I usually have my students read the Orientalized text coupled with a de-Orientalized text that points to primary resources. We then aim to confront Orientalism through class discussions. Also, educators should consider a de-Orientalized educational gaze as they reveal the hidden curriculum that is often disguised in education courses. A de-Orientalized educational gaze here serves to unveil the hidden power structures at play that may serve to prevent students from thriving to their potential. I elaborate on this in my text. In regards to other performances, there is an opportunity for a de-Orientalized educational gaze to develop if the art form stems from a religious and cultural tradition.
What effect do you hope your work will have?
I hope that my text will shed light on the misconceptions of Hinduism particularly in the West. My project provides an interdisciplinary contribution. It is relevant for philosophy and religion because it focuses on religious epistemology coupled with phenomenology. Educators have the opportunity to learn about postcolonial pedagogy that considers teaching and learning in an interreligious and intercultural society. Dance educators may also consider how the dynamic of Hindu dance as a sacred art differs from dance forms that are regularly taught in a secularized setting. In particular, Hindu dance educators learn how to teach about Hinduism through Hindu dance in a variety of pedagogical spaces.
Do you see any connections between your professional work and personal life?
Since I am a self-study researcher, my professional and personal life is deeply intertwined. My lived experiences are a part of my self-study data. I am very blessed that my “work” is not really “work” but rather it is essentially me living my life. As a scholar, I feel called to teach and publish which is a part of me fulfilling my dharma (duty) on earth and walking a path towards moksha (liberation) upon death. In my professional work, I hope to leave a personal legacy that will live on after I depart from the sacred earth.
How has your work influenced your teaching?
My text sheds light on the need for a de-Orientalized postcolonial pedagogy when teaching about religion and culture. Thus, when I teach religious studies courses, I employ a postcolonial pedagogy coupled with contemplative pedagogy. I also integrate parts of my text to center attention on the misconceptions of Hinduism that often develop in the West. In addition, my students view my YouTube channel, which supplements my text. Usually, my students encourage me to share more of my scholarly identity with them. They motivate me to publish more and develop additional supplementary materials for teaching.
You can ask Dr. Sabrina D. MisirHiralall questions about her work in the comments section below. Comments must conform to our community guidelines and comment policy.
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The purpose of the Recently Published Book Spotlight is to disseminate information about new scholarship to the field, explore the motivations for authors’ projects, and discuss the potential implications of the books. Our goal is to cover research from a broad array of philosophical areas and perspectives, reflecting the variety of work being done by APA members. If you have a suggestion for the series, please contact us here.
Dr. Sabrina D. MisirHiralall is an editor at the Blog of the APA who currently teaches philosophy, religion, and education courses solely online for Montclair State University, Three Rivers Community College, and St. John’s University.
Nathan Eckstrand
Nathan Eckstrand is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Sam Houston State University. He was previously a Visiting Assistant Professor at Fort Hays State University and Marian University, and before that a Merton Teaching Fellow at Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA. Nathan previously served as editor-in-chief of the APA Blog, where he has worked since 2017. His dissertation, written under Fred Evans and defended in September 2014, is called “The Event of Revolution: Theorizing the Relationship between the State and Radical Change” and studies concepts of revolution from the Early Modern period to the present day. Nathan is also co-editor of Philosophy and the Return of Violence: Essays from this Widening Gyre, and has published articles on Deleuze, Foucault, Fanon, and Said. His most recent book, Liberating Revolution: Emancipating Radical Change from the State, is now available from SUNY Press.
Thank you for giving this interview. It is fascinating to think about body-movement as a form of philosophy. In my experience within the Eurocentric and Anglophone traditions commonly taught in curricula structured by coloniality, mainly only walking — and maybe fighting — get taken up into philosophical learning in the formal space of classrooms, with the exception of some places where yoga as philosophy is taught. Are there other movement forms taught commonly in philosophy? I would like to know. I am speaking of deliberate and thought-through movement forms, not attention to the bodily dimensions of knowing, ethics, politics and so on.
It seems important to think about philosophy as it could be opened up through attention to movement forms, and your book seems to explain a framework for doing so with respect to your tradition. Have you experienced students and non-dancers developing a different understanding of “care for wisdom” as a result of taking dance with a rich and articulated tradition seriously? Do you think that there are other ways that philosophy could open up as a result of taking dance and other movement forms as philosophical practices in their own right? How might they become part of philosophy departments, through what alliances and connections?
Thanks for posting this again.
One may integrate bodily movement forms with attention to the technicality of bodily movement into philosophy. This focuses more on the form of the bodily movement, which I am concerned about, but not concerned about perfecting in Hindu dance. Yoga is an example of a movement form that may be used philosophically in a manner that examines the nature of the bodily movement practice. Contemplative educators apply a contemplative philosophy to thinking about movement practices. See this link: http://www.contemplativemind.org/practices/tree
Yes, students and non-dancers often develop a sensitivity for Hinduism through Hindu dance. I see that they de-Orientalize their Orientalized views of Hinduism. Even atheists and agnostics have said to me that they have a phenomenological experience when they witness me dance. They express to me that it is evident that I believe in the historicity of Hinduism. They acknowledge my epistemological views as an epistemological way of knowing.
The fine arts could definitely be part of philosophy. Embracing the fine arts opens up possibilities for thinking about aesthetics and ethical dimensions.
Philosophy departments could create alliances that serve to engage in non-traditional forms of philosophy to show how philosophy is relevant in different spheres. For instance, when I present and dance for philosophy departments, I teach about Hindu philosophy to confront Orientalism and also discuss ethical questions that arise through the dance. Each pedagogical space warrants a particular type of pedagogy as I discuss in my book. Thus, the classroom space, lecture hall space, and theatrical space will require a different pedagogy to teach philosophy. Philosophy departments may embrace contemplative movement practices such as yoga. They may form an alliance with contemplative organizations such as The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society. http://www.contemplativemind.org/about Such alliances would allow philosophy departments to think about engaging in philosophy to explore movement practices as well as spiritual practices.
Thank you for your warm reception to my interview.
Thank you, Dr. MisirHiralall.
This is interesting! I look forward to more posts like this on the Blog of the APA.
Sincerely,
Jeremy
Thank you so much. I sincerely appreciate your interest in my book.
Have a wonderful day.
Best Wishes,
Sabrina 🙂
I found this book refreshing and honest as you tackle difficult questions such as how to confront racism and cultural appropriation with students who come from different backgrounds while also being mindful of their positionality in the classroom setting. There are students from the different culture at Geethalayam Bharatanatyam, and we all are being educated equally through Hindu dance.
Thank you so much! I appreciate your commentary. You might be interested in my third book that recently was published this past April. Here is a link: https://www.springer.com/in/book/9783030706180
It is entitled, “Devotional Hindu Dance: A Return to the Sacred.”