Questions for the future on the basis of today`s lessons: a conversation with Dipesh Chakrabarty

Resumen

In this particular COVID time, even in the face of early hopelessness, we set out to think together about our expectations for the world and the kind of life we want to lead in it. Summoned in what José (Pepe) Tranier has coined the “Network of Peripheral Educatxrs”, and provided the circumstances were favorable in evading geographical distance, a group of academics from three Argentine State Universities decided to start a few conversations with some of the great names in our libraries. We hoped these important people would help us review the contemporary political, social, academic, pedagogical, and cultural settings. Inspired by the possibilities that became available in these turmoiled times, we aimed high and wrote to people we deeply admire. Such is the background of our encounter with Dipesh Chakrabarty, this amazing Bengali historian who has made huge contributions to Poscolonial theories and Subaltern Studies. Even if his lucidity could have been anticipated by his credentials, the warm, kind tone of our early correspondence was unexpected, and enhanced the interest in the fore coming discussions. We hereby share a conversation we immensely enjoyed: it is worth reading on account of the social and political importance of the contents discussed, the stature of the interviewee and the force of the pedagogies of the affections implied.