What Is Transcultural Studies?

The canonical forms of studying of ‘culture’ have its roots in the colonial enterprise, where the forces of the empire engaged with the concept of cultures as geographically, ethnically, and linguistically contained systems. This perspective is reflected in the academic and artistic works produced from the early 1800s to the mid-1900s. This notion of culture is firmly entrenched in the imperialist mindset, which primarily views cultures through their differences, a strategy employed to politically isolate and dominate large populations under the guise of "civilising" them.

 

Transcultural studies seek to challenge this narrative. We ask, "Are cultures truly so isolated and developed in separation from one another?" 

 

Throughout history, people, goods, materials, languages, and ideas have consistently been in motion and in contact with regions beyond their origins, and thereby always in flux. While in our current globalised world, connections and exchanges between cultures have become more apparent, this is by no means a new phenomenon.

 

Consider something as commonplace as the word "orange." Its origins can be traced back to the Old French term "pomme d'orenge," meaning "orange apple" or "Chinese apple." This term entered the French vocabulary due to trade with what is now China, and the French word itself was borrowed from the Arabic word "naranj" or "nāranj," which, in turn, was influenced by the Persian word "nārang." The Persian term can be traced back further to the Sanskrit word "nāraṅga," which itself can be traced back to the older Dravidian term 'naru.' 

 

Alternatively, consider the Silk Road, which existed from around 200 BCE to the 14th century CE, connecting contemporary China and Europe. It facilitated the exchange of goods like silk and spices and allowed the sharing of cultural practices and ideas across diverse regions. Or consider the impossibility of the European renaissance without the mathematical developments in the Arab world in the 13th Century.

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Similarly, the spread of Buddhism from ancient India to China and Southeast Asia in the 6th century BCE significantly influenced art philosophy, and religious practices in the regions while also undergoing  adaptations and transformations. It's important to note that Buddhism, while primarily dealing with the teachings of the Enlightened One, presents diverse tenets in India, China, Nepal, Tibet, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia. Attempting to uphold a narrative of the purity of the origin of Buddhism would entail disregarding years of evolution of the ideas that constitute Buddhism. However, we often encounter narratives of cultural and linguistic purity, frequently promoted by jingoistic nationalists and right-wing thinkers who refuse to acknowledge the intricate interweaving of cultural fabrics. A transcultural approach allows us to challenge such polarising political narratives often deployed in conversations regarding migration, refugees, and wars/genocides based on ethnicity, and race.

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These are just a few examples of cultural entanglements in human history. By recognising these transcultural connections, we gain a deeper understanding of the intertwined nature of human history and evolution of cultures, thereby challenging the notion of cultural containment that has historically dominated anthropology and cultural studies and has seamlessly permeated contemporary geo-politics and oftentimes even conversations with friends and family. We aim to employ a "'transregional outlook' based on the perspective that cultures are not confined within ethnically closed, linguistically homogenous, and territorially bounded domains. Instead, they are shaped through transformations and entanglements resulting from contacts and relationships among various agents, concepts, and institutions” (Transcultural Studies Heidelberg).

 

Resources:
 

https://www.asia-europe.uni-heidelberg.de/en/studies/ma-transcultural-studies.html

https://lithub.com/color-or-fruit-on-the-unlikely-etymology-of-orange/

https://www.britannica.com/money/topic/Silk-Road-trade-route