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Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak Clarifies Remarks Following JNU Controversy Over Pronunciation of W.E.B Du Bois
On May 24, renowned scholar Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak responded to the controversy that emerged following one of her talks at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi. The issue arose from a question-and-answer session on May 21, where Spivak corrected a Dalit student’s pronunciation of American sociologist W.E.B Du Bois’ last name.
Videos of the session showed Spivak interrupting the student, Anshul Kumar, who introduced himself as the “Founding Professor of the Centre for Brahmin Studies” and questioned Spivak about her self-identification as middle-class. The incident sparked criticism, with some accusing Spivak of shutting down the student over his pronunciation.
In an interview with The Hindu, Spivak clarified her intentions, stating, “I was not picking on people’s accents. I stressed the pronunciation of Du Bois’ last name because he was Haitian, not French.” She emphasized the importance of acknowledging Du Bois’ heritage accurately.
Spivak further explained that the interaction with Kumar could have been different if he had been polite and clearly stated his Dalit background and his intention to interrogate Brahminism. “It wasn’t that he was not allowed to finish the question,” she insisted, defending her handling of the situation.
The incident has highlighted ongoing debates about academic discourse, class, and caste dynamics within Indian universities. Spivak’s clarification seeks to address concerns and reaffirm her commitment to respectful and informed scholarly engagement.
