Graphic by Sana Amin/The Gazelle

Recently, there have been discussions on various levels at NYU Abu Dhabi to expand and reform the curriculum. There is the possibility that we will have new majors such as Legal Studies as well as Philosophy, Politics and Economics. There have also been discussions about new concentrations such as African Studies. This is fantastic. More choices will allow students to focus on what they are passionate about, and the university will be able to attract professors from various specific fields. However, there is one glaring omission from these discussions of new majors and concentrations: South Asian Studies.

It is incomprehensible, at least to me, why we have not developed a South Asian Studies program. The reasons are obvious, but I’ll still point them out. South Asians form a significant part of Abu Dhabi and UAE, both in terms of population and culture. Historically, the UAE has been an important location for the South Asian diaspora, which is evident from the fact thatmore than 50 percent of people living in this country come from South Asia. Research, literature and art based on the experiences of South Asian expatriates are expansive. Being in a country like the UAE offers an incredible opportunity to understand the South Asian diaspora better. We lose as a research-based university if we refuse to tap into the experiences of the local South Asian community in the UAE.

Of course, research can be done without necessarily being guided by a department or a major. But establishing South Asian Studies as a major or a concentration means that funding will be allocated to ensure that this area of study is being worked on competently. And, perhaps more importantly, it will allow the university to attract professors who are dedicated to South Asian Studies and its many subsets. We already have some professors at NYUAD who have expertise in various fields concerned with South Asia such as postcolonialism and South Asian literature. Why not provide these professors with the platform and funding that will allow them to focus on issues concerning South Asia? Most schools have departments or specialized fields of research that enhance their reputation. NYUAD could play an incredible role in contributing to our understanding of the South Asian diaspora.

Language is also an important component of this issue. Most people I have talked to while walking around in Abu Dhabi speak Urdu or Hindi. This is not to say that most people speak Urdu or Hindi in the city, since it depends on which part of the city you are in. Implementing a language program that focuses on South Asian languages makes sense, since students have access to native speakers both inside and outside NYUAD to practice with. This is true for Urdu and Hindi as much as for other languages such as Pashto and Tamil.

I’m not oblivious to the region’s politics regarding South Asians. Perhaps introducing such a major or a concentration is slightly controversial. But if we are to value academic freedom and the fact that we are a leading research university, then I think we need to take a long, hard look at the opportunity we are ignoring by not giving attention to South Asian Studies.