Addressing Our Ignorance

The transcript discusses the widespread ignorance about Asian history, even among those from Asia, as highlighted by author Pankish Mishra. His book, 'From the Ruins of Empire,' addresses this gap in knowledge. The discussion covers common reactions to this ignorance, the author's personal journey to understanding, and how Western-centric knowledge systems shape our historical understanding. It critiques nationalist and imperial histories for excluding diverse perspectives and emphasizes the book's aim to address these gaps.

What motivated Pankish Mishra to write his book 'From the Ruins of Empire'?

• To promote his literary career

• To criticize modern intellectuals

• Ignorance about Asian history

• A desire to explore Western history

Who is Liang Chicha, as mentioned in the video?

• A famous Western historian

• China's foremost modern intellectual

• An Indian political leader

• A renowned European philosopher

What is a significant reason for the common ignorance about Asian history?

• Insufficient educational resources

• Complexity of Asian cultures

• Western-dominated historical narratives

• Lack of interest in history

How have Western social sciences influenced historical education?

• By eliminating historical biases

• By encouraging diverse perspectives

• By focusing on nationalist and imperial histories

• By promoting global understanding

What is a common characteristic of nationalist histories?

• They focus on a single nation's viewpoint

• They include all global perspectives

• They emphasize economic history

• They are primarily written by Asian scholars