Beyond Orientalism (The Work of Wilhelm Halbfass and its Impact on Indian and Cross-Cultural Studies

Wilhelm Halbfass (1940-2000) was one of the leading Indologists of his generation and perhaps the most insightful scholar of Indian philosophy in the last century. Born in Germany, he spent most of his professional life in North America where he taught Indian philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. In his monographs he thoroughly reshaped our understanding of Mimamsa, Advaita Vedanta and Vaisesika, and of the cross cutting issue of karma and rebirth in Indian philosophy and religion. Undoubtedly, his greatest and most widely known contribution to South Asian and Cross Cultural Studies remains the monumental book India and Europe, which gives a vivid and fascinating historical account of the encounter, dialogue and controversial interaction between the Indian and Western intellectual traditions. His premature death has deprived South Asian Studies and related fields of a major voice.

About the Book

The ground plan for the present volume is unique in Indological studies. Twenty-three scholars from seven countries were invited to respond to issues elaborated in one or more of Wilhelm Halbfass own critical essay on Edward Said's Orientalism and related topics. The following individual contributions are grouped under four headings: Cross-Cultural Encounter and Dialogue, Issues of Comparative Philosophy, Topics in Classical Indian Philosophy, and Indian Religion, Past and Present. In four illuminating essays, Halbfass himself responds to each of these contributions, thus entering into direct dialogue with his respondents.

About the Author

Eli Franco is Professor of Indology at the Institute for Indology and Central Asian Studies, University of Leipzig, German.

Karin Preisendanz is Professor of Indology at the Institute for South Asian, Tibetan and Buddhist studies, University of Vienna, Austria.