Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi (31st July, 1907-29th June, 1966) is known for his interdisciplinary approach in research in science and social sciences. But he has been wrongly cited for the centralisation of the social sciences and dismantling of the disciplines within social sciences. The disciplinary study and interdisciplinary approach are two different things. The interdisciplinary approach can be employed in the disciplinary studies and it is very important in comparative analysis as well. Kosambi had nowhere rejected the disciplinary studies during his lifetime. This article is written to protect the essence of the various disciplines in sciences and social sciences in Goa and elsewhere in India. Currently, the trend is going on where the disciplines such as political science, sociology, history, economics, etc. are being unified under one discipline of social sciences or liberal arts in private universities. The similar trend aims to enter in the public universities thereby reducing the relevance of the social sciences and limiting the opportunities of employment in teaching and learning in higher education.
Kosambi graduated in mathematics and also opted for courses like war science, history, German and English. Such combinations were offered by the colleges in Mumbai such as Ramnarain Ruia College. Students could opt for statistics, economics, psychology, French, etc. without diluting the importance of the major discipline. In last 15 years, the discipline of philosophy has been in crisis in many colleges and universities across the country. The number of students taking admission to philosophy has substantially declined. Some departments have been closed. Same thing happened with philosophy in the colleges in Goa. The remaining disciplines in social sciences may meet the similar fate in the near future.
For instance, the recruitment of faculties in the discipline of political science from the allied subject of international relations has alarmingly increased in India. The Centre for Political Studies of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been known for its international reputation for its political science courses. Despite this, many faculties from the international studies have been recruited in the political studies programme. The situation is quite similar in Mumbai University and Pune University. The case of Goa University is not an exception to this trend.
Why do they want to integrate or merge the courses in political science or social sciences at large on the name of interdisciplinarity? The answer is simple. For example, political science is a core philosophical and theoretical discipline in the social sciences. It engages with theoretical questions around castes, religion, secularism, regionality, language and class. It subjects contemporary issues to the philosophy of liberty, equality and justice. In Indian context, the overemphasis on international relations in the discipline of political science marginalises the philosophy and theory of political science.
The glorification of interdisciplinarity helps in simplification of political science. Instead of putting concerted efforts in the particular discipline, many believe that social sciences can be studied with the help of ChatGPT or any medium of artificial intelligence (AI). Some also dare to think that any correspondence course is also enough to teach social sciences and join the chorus to popularise the interdisciplinarity and AI. What about the students who study these courses in regular mode and aim to achieve the positions in teaching? What about the students who travel from distant areas of Sanguem, Canacona or Pernem to attend the lectures regularly? Interdisciplinarity should not become the shortcut for positions in higher education for the few from the closed circles.
Having different degrees do not qualify someone to be interdisciplinary. Kosambi’s mathematical and statistical approach influenced his research in history, genetics and linguistics. His empirical analysis largely relied upon mathematical analysis. He did not drift away from his discipline of mathematics while embarking on the study of microliths to discover prehistoric sites. His numismatics was mathematical analysis of the ancient coins. His theory of orthogonal decomposition is very useful to identify and select essential vectors or matrices for historical investigation. Any random interdisciplinary study proves futile if not rooted in the disciplinary discourse. The discipline gives you an opportunity to feel the subject of inquiry.
For Kosambi, studying history was not merely an interdisciplinary endeavour. It was a lived experience of mathematics that guided him to inquire into the prehistory of Deccan. It is true that the invention of AI or data science has roots in Kosambi-Karhunen-Loèvetheorem. For him, there is a difference between the artificial and the experiential. He considered the language, genetics or coins as the feeling subjects of scientific inquiry and not the artificial availability of data. His interdisciplinarity was not artificial. He dealt with the real things.
Combining, integrating or centralising the social sciences in the name of interdisciplinarity does not fit into the Kosambi’s framework of scientific research. Artificial interdisciplinarity will only depoliticise the science and social sciences. Therefore, it is important to be cautious about artificial interdisciplinarity.
(Dr Nawoo Varak teaches Political Science at Government College of Arts, Science and Commerce,
Khandola, Marcela-Goa.)
