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Vijay Prashad

ヴィジェイ・プラシャド

Vijay Prashad

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1967-01-01 （Kolkata, India）
Nationality
India, United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Kolkata (birth/early life) → United States (Hartford, etc.)

Career

Occupations
author, journalist, historian, political commentator, executive director
Active Years
1989-
Affiliations
Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research (Executive Director), LeftWord Books (editor), Trinity College (former professor), Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (senior non-resident fellow)
Memberships
US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (advisory board)
Influenced By
Bernard S. Cohn, Frantz Fanon (intellectual comparison)
Influenced

Education

The Doon School
Country: India
Early schooling in India (details not specified)
Pomona College
History
Degree: BA
Period: 1985–1989
Year of Graduation: 1989
Country: United States
Earned BA (1989)
University of Chicago
Anthropology
Degree: PhD
Period: 1990–1994
Year of Graduation: 1994
Country: United States
PhD dissertation supervised by Bernard S. Cohn

Awards

Indian-American Achiever Awards (GOPIO-Connecticut)
2011
Organization: GOPIO-Connecticut
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Karma of Brown Folk

2000 essays / race studies

A collection of essays critically examining immigration, race and class.

raceimmigrationcritique of colonialism

Untouchable Freedom: A Social History of a Dalit Community

2002 history / sociology

An academic work on the social history of a Dalit community.

castesocial historydiscrimination

The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World

2007 history / international relations

Re-examines international order from the perspective of the Third World and anti-colonial movements.

anti-imperialismThird World studiescritique of colonialism

Arab Spring, Libyan Winter

2012 political analysis

A critical analysis of the Arab Spring and its aftermath, with focus on Libya.

Middle East politicscritique of interventionrevolution and counterrevolution

Uncle Swami: South Asians in America Today

2012 social commentary

Essays on the condition of South Asian communities in the United States.

immigrant societyrace and identity

Red Star Over the Third World

2019 history / politics

Examines Soviet and Chinese influences and relations with the Third World.

Cold War historysocialist movementsinternational relations

Washington Bullets

2020 political commentary

A critique of US foreign policy, coups, and proxy interventions.

US foreign policystudy of coupscritique of imperialism

The Withdrawal: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and the Fragility of U.S. Power

2022 political analysis

Co-authored analysis on US withdrawals and the fragility of American power.

American hegemonywar and withdrawalinternational politics

Bibliography

  • The Karma of Brown Folk (2000)
  • Untouchable Freedom (2002)
  • The Darker Nations (2007)
  • Arab Spring, Libyan Winter (2012)
  • Uncle Swami (2012)
  • Red Star Over the Third World (2019)
  • Washington Bullets (2020)
  • The Withdrawal (2022)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
political essayshistorical / scholarly writingMarxist analysis
Recurring Motifs
anti-imperialismThird World perspectivecritique of capitalismlabor and class

Legacy

Recognized as an intellectual voice for the Global South and anti-imperialism, Prashad has also faced controversy and criticism over some political stances (notably relating to China and international issues). Through his writing and activism he has influenced leftist movements and scholarly debates.

Academic Societies

  • Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research (institution)
  • Monthly Review (contributor)

Quotes

  • Prashad is our own Frantz Fanon.
    Source: Amitava Kumar (appraisal) (2014)

Trivia

  • Nephew of Brinda Karat, a Marxist Indian politician.
  • Has publicly identified as queer.
  • Serves as Executive Director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research.