CfP: Special issue on ‚The Indian National Emergency (1975 – 1977) and its afterlife: creative engagements and the cultural politics of memory‘4.4.2026 {en}

The Indian National Emergency (1975 – 1977) and its afterlife: creative engagements and the cultural politics of memory

Special Issue Proposal – CFP

This Special Issue is a follow up to a panel organised at the 2025 ECSAS (European Conference for South Asian Studies) in Heidelberg on Emergency and Its Afterlife. Panel convenors (Dr Deimantas Valanciunas, Vilnius University, and Dr Clelia Clini, London Metropolitan University) would like to invite proposals for articles for a special issue on creative engagements with the Emergency.

Often described as “India’s first dictatorship” (Jaffrelot and Anil 2020) and “Indian democracy’s darkest hour” (Prakash 2017), the National Emergency (1975 – 1977) is one of the most controversial and debated moments in modern Indian history. Imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the 21 months-long period was marked with suspension of political procedures, civil liberties, media censorship and violation of human rights. The Emergency has left a lingering impact on Indian politics, and its afterlife has been especially scrutinized with reference to the current political landscape and the rhetoric of a “second undeclared emergency” (Ganguly 2024, Prakash 2019). And yet, for decades the Emergency has remained at the margins of the collective memory of India, finding a reflection as a “counter-memory” (Merivirta 2019, Tarlo 2003) primarily through the creative sphere. Since the vast majority of research on the representation of the Emergency focuses on literature, a broader interdisciplinary approach is necessary to fully understand the impact and effect of this period. Therefore, marking 50 years since the beginning of the Emergency, this Special Issue proposes to expand the discussion on representations and memories of the Emergency and its aftermath through various cultural forms. This Special Issue aims to put in dialogue research on how different forms of cultural production and media (including film, television, literature, music, visual culture, performative arts etc.) both from India and the diaspora, have dealt and continue to deal with the long shadow of this traumatic period of modern Indian political history, as well as its impact on creative expressions in contemporary culture.

We especially encourage contributions on visual and performative arts, and creative engagements with the Emergency in the diaspora.

Please send your proposals (200 – 250 words) and a short bio by May 24th, 2026 to:

Dr Deimantas Valanciunas deimantas.valanciunas[at]fsf.vu.lt
Dr Clelia Clini c.clini[at]londonmet.ac.uk

Source: CFP: Special issue on ‚The Indian National Emergency (1975 – 1977) and its afterlife: creative engagements and the cultural politics of memory‘, H-Net: Humanities & Social Sciences Online, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 US.