How Colonialism Still Controls Our Minds

In this thought-provoking episode, historian Ayesha Jalal explores the intellectual crisis of postcolonial South Asia, the legacy of colonial education, the decline of critical thinking, and the struggle between tradition and modernity among South Asian Muslims. The discussion dives into language politics in Pakistan, the role of Urdu and mother tongues, the reformist visions of thinkers like Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Muhammad Iqbal, and Deputy Nazir Ahmad, and how colonial frameworks continue to shape intellectual life in South Asia. From authoritarianism and state-controlled narratives to the decline of creative education and the need to reconnect with Persian and Urdu intellectual traditions, this conversation questions why critical thought has been systematically sidelined in both Pakistan and India. A deep conversation on history, identity, education, religion, and the future of Muslim intellectual thought.

How Colonialism Still Controls Our Minds | Ayesha Jalal

Razi Raziuddin