Dale Luis Menezes: Interviewed by Devsurabhee Yaduvanshi on the scholarship on the Goa Inquisition

Devsurabhee says, “His recent article on the misuse of the Inquisition for fomenting politically motivated religious sectarianism is not only an interesting read, but has far reaching repercussions on how history is perceived and its potential future reformation. This article was the focus of our conversation, and it was intriguing to say the least! He also suggested logistical solutions to overcome hurdles in conducting thorough and unbiased research.”

Reading A. K. Priolkar in 2020

By DALE LUIS MENEZES

How should we read A. K. Priolkar in 2020? Or, more importantly, how should we understand ‘his’ interpretation of Christianity and the Inquisition in Goa? Two important aspects of Priolkar’s methodology need to be borne in mind: the ideological context of the mid twentieth century when he wrote, and his reliance on a sparse collection of facts. (more…)

Misuse of History: The Inquisition

By DALE LUIS MENEZES

If there is one thing that unites all in Goa, it is misinformation about the Inquisition. The extent of this misinformation was recently demonstrated on the Goanet listserv by the author, Alan Machado when he pointed out the falsehood, or “fiction,” that is passed off as historical facts. Catholics are misinformed because any attempt to confront this most shameful chapter of history is met with right-wing abuse and the ire of secular liberal ideologues. Hindus are also misinformed because this right-wing propaganda is the main vehicle through which they receive information about the Inquisition. The result is suspicion and animosity amongst the two communities—the end goal of right-wing politics. Such a politicization of this history eerily reminds us of the communalization of the ‘Muslim invasions.’ (more…)