Mapping Aijaz Ahmad’s intellectual legacy: a thorough expedition

Abstract

This article examines the intellectual legacy of Aijaz Ahmad, primarily through the insightful dialogues conducted by Vijay Prashad. It comprehensively investigates and highlights Aijaz Ahmad’s significant contributions, with a particular focus on his main ideological positions. Drawing from a multitude of sources, this work enriches our understanding of Ahmad’s profound impact on the existing body of knowledge. Ahmad’s exceptional analytical proficiency shines through in his critical assessments of imperialism and his active engagement with postcolonial discourse. Through the judicious application of an interdisciplinary approach, this comprehensive work serves to encapsulate the intricate and multifaceted nature of Aijaz Ahmad’s intellectual legacy, resolutely cementing his stature as a preeminent luminary and influential commentator within the realm of academia.

Keywords:

• Aijaz Ahmad
• Critic
• Communist
• Imperialism
• Post Colonialism

Acknowledgements

The authors convey heartfelt appreciation to Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, the former MLA in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, for introducing them to the writings of Aijaz Ahmad during their interactions as part of the author’s doctoral research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 The phrase ‘Nothing human is alien to me’ is attributed to the Roman playwright Publius Terentius Afer, commonly known as Terence. He wrote it in his play ‘Heauton Timorumenos’ (The Self-Tormentor). This statement has since been used to express the idea that one should be open to understanding and empathizing with all aspects of human behaviour and experience.

2 A. Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me: Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad', (2020), pp. 9–10.

3 Ibid., p. 11.

4 M. Levinson, ‘The Discontents of Aijaz Ahmed,' Public Culture, 6:1 (1993), pp. 97–131.

5 Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me–Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad’, p. 12.

6 Ibid., p. 17

7 A. Hourani. Arabic thought in the Liberal Age 1798-1939 (Cambridge University Press, 1983).

8 Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me–Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad’, p. 17.

9 Ibid., p. 18.

10 Ibid., p. 19.

11 The Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case, also known as the Rawalpindi Conspiracy Trial, was a significant political trial in Pakistan’s history. It took place in 1951 and was a pivotal event in the early years of the newly established state of Pakistan. The trial resulted from a conspiracy by a group of military officers and left-wing civilians who were accused of planning to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan. For more details see. A. Malik, ‘Alternative Politics and Dominant Narratives: Communists and the Pakistani State in the Early 1950s' in State of Subversion (Routledge, 2023), pp. 102–129.

12 Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me–Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad’, p. 30.

13 H. Alavi, ‘The Crisis of Nationalities and the State in Pakistan', Journal of Contemporary Asia 1:3 (1971), pp. 42–66.

14 Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me–Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad’, p. 31.

15 Ibid., p. 32.

16 A. Ahmad, and V. Prashad, The Political Marx: Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad (LeftWord Books, 2023).

17 Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me–Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad’, p. 35.

18 Ibid., p. 42.

19 A. Ahmad, ‘Right-wing Politics, and the Cultures of Cruelty', Social Scientist (1998), pp. 3–25.

20 Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me–Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad’, pp. 46–7.

21 Ahmad, ‘Right-wing Politics, and the Cultures of Cruelty’, pp. 3–25.

22 Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me–Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad’, pp. 46–47.

23 B. Warren, ‘Imperialism and Capitalist Industrialization', New Left Review, 81:1 (1973), pp. 3–44.

24 D. Harvey, ‘The ‘New' Imperialism: Accumulation by Dispossession' in Karl Marx (eds), (Routledge, 2017), pp. 213–237.

25 K. Shapiro, The Myth of the Multitude. Empire's New Clothes: Reading Hardt and Negri (New York: Routledge, 2004), pp. 289–314.

26 Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me–Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad’, p. 64.

27 Ahmad and Prashad, The Political Marx.

28 Ibid.

29 H. Alavi, 'The State in Post-Colonial Societies Pakistan and Bangladesh, New Left Review, 74 (1972), p. 59.

30 The term ‘governing elite’ is often associated with Friedrich Engels, who was a philosopher, social scientist, and collaborator of Karl Marx. Engels used this term to refer to a select group of individuals who hold influential positions in a society’s government or ruling structures. The concept of the governing elite can be contrasted with the broader ruling class.

31 Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me–Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad’, pp. 70–71.

32 A. Ahmad, In Theory: Classes, Nations, Literatures (Verso, 1994).

33 A. Ahmad, ‘Imperialism of Our Time', Socialist Register 40 (2004).

34 Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me–Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad’, pp. 105–110.

35 Ibid., pp. 111–121

36 A. Ahmad, ‘Fascism and National Culture: Reading Gramsci in the Days of Hindutva', Social Scientist, (1993), pp. 32–68.

37 A. Ahmad, ‘In the Eye of the Storm: The Left Chooses', Economic and Political Weekly (1996), pp. 1329–1343

38 Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me–Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad’, pp. 147–161.

39 A. Ahmad, ‘Islam, Islamisms and the West', Socialist Register, 44 (2008).

40 Ibid.

41 A. Ahmad, ‘India: Liberal Democracy and the Extreme Right', Socialist Register, 52 (2016).

42 Ahmad, ‘Nothing Human is Alien to Me–Aijaz Ahmad in Conversation with Vijay Prashad’, pp. 180–188.

43 Aijaz Ahmad, ‘Fascism and National Culture: Reading Gramsci in the Days of Hindutva’, pp. 32–68.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Waseem Ahmad Bhat

Waseem Ahmad Bhat is a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Political Science, University of Kashmir. He received a master's degree in political science in the same department. His area of research is ‘State Politics with special reference to Jammu and Kashmir Party Politics and Communist Movement'. He is the recipient of ‘Mualana Azad National Fellowship’ awarded by University Grants Commission, New Delhi. He has contributed research papers and articles of National and International repute. He has presented papers in various National and International conferences. Email: [email protected].

Shazia Majid

Shazia Majid is a Post Doctoral Fellow (ICSSR), at Department of Political Science, University of Kashmir. She has contributed papers and book chapters in reputed national and international journals. Email: [email protected].

Bilal Ahmad Mir

Bilal Ahmad Mir holds the position of Senior Research Fellow (SRF), in the Department of Political Science, University of Kashmir. His academic work has featured in various esteemed national and international journals. Email: [email protected]