Colonialism, Modernization and the Asian Identity

"Professor Irfan Habib was invited by the Japan Scientists Association to give the memorial lecture for the fortieth year of its foundation as a guest speaker. This paper “Colonialism, Modernization and the Asian Identity”was delivered at the International Symposium on Exchange and Cooperation of Science and Technology in Asia held on December 11, 2005 in Tokyo. On the following day he visited Kyoto University and delivered the same paper at the South Asian Study Society. Professor Habib is well-known all over the world as a historian of the medieval Indian history, especially Mughal Indian history. He has, however, been prolifically writing not only on the medieval history but also on the whole range of Indian history from the ancient to modern periods. A British historian says that Professor Habib is a national treasure of India. He is widely acknowledged as the most distinguished historian of contemporary South Asia. I, as one of the coordinating members of his invitation, am very happy to introduce here his impressive and comprehensive paper read in Japan. "Asian civilizationscolonialismmodern Asiaimperialismsolidarit