Talk:Michael Witzel

Incorrect Translations and Related Matter
The distinguished Indian archaeologist B.B. Lal pointed out that Witzel incorrectly translated a well-known passage and hung a whole story on this passage to push his pet theory. He was so upset by the lack of ethics shown by Witzel that he titled his paper "Should One Give up All Ethics for Promoting One's Theory?" Here's a link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/29757583?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

More of similar unethical behavior is summarized in Agarwal's paper that appeared in Journal of Indo-European Studies, Vol. 31, No.1-2: pp.107-185, 2003: http://www.jies.org/Discussion/MichaelWitzel.pdf

LogicalistAnalyst (talk) 02:12, 22 May 2019 (UTC)
 * BB Lal pursues one travesty of a scholarship (and I am being mild). Even, if his allegations are true, it will be a case of pot calling the kettle, black. ~ Winged Blades Godric 19:41, 2 June 2019 (UTC)


 * And, V. Aggarwal, seriously?!  ~ Winged Blades Godric 19:44, 2 June 2019 (UTC)
 * Yeah, well, JIES put it up on their web site in the interest of fairness. They made a mistake, obviously. -- Kautilya3 (talk) 20:53, 2 June 2019 (UTC)

Accusations of racism
Witzel has frequently been accused of racism, based on both his published works and comments made in public. Tok Thompson notes:

[According to N.S. Rajaram],

He argues that

Adluri and Bagchee cite Lincoln's opinion:

In their view,

They add:

Witzel has also been a controversial figure at Harvard University:
 * Students have accused him of being a "tyrant"
 * There has also been "friction" between him and other professors in the department, and graduate students have complained that Witzel has "behaved unprofessionally."
 * An online petition accusing Michael Witzel of being an "Aryan supremacist" has asked Harvard University's administration to "terminate" its association with Witzel and "disband" his department.

LogicalistAnalyst (talk) 02:48, 22 May 2019 (UTC)


 * Look, I can appreciate some of what you're saying, but ultimately, this is just too lengthy. Please condense your explanation to address the removal of the sourced material only. Thank you. El_C 03:49, 22 May 2019 (UTC)


 * The article is written like a self-promotional document at an academic department. It needs to be pruned down and made readable for the general public.


 * Also, the serious criticism by Bruce Lincoln, Tok Thompson and others needs to be made a part of the story. PhilipSamueli (talk) 16:29, 22 May 2019 (UTC)


 * Some comments:
 * Tok Thompson (2013),, Journal of Folklore Research - so, that's one critical scholarly review of one book by Witzel. Does that make him a racist? And who's Tok Thompson?
 * N.S. Rajaram (2014), Recycled racism in a new bottle, the pioneer: not WP:RS
 * Vishwa Adluri and Joydeep Bagchee, Theses on Indology - self-published; not WP:RS
 * "no writer attributed" june 5, 1996), (Former Sanskrit Chair Remains Controversial Students Grumble in Spite of Changes, thecrimson.com - The Harvard Crimson, an undergraduate student's newspaper. Any other source available?
 * Jonathan A. Lewin (june 7, 1996), Sanskrit Dept. in Disarray, Students, Officials Say, thecrimson.com - idem
 * Janamejayan, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, (2011), Citizens to End Racism in Academia: Sign and Fwd. petition against Witzel, Harvard U., janamejayaneconomics.wordpress.com - seriously?
 * WP:CHERRYPICKING and POV-pushing. Joshua Jonathan  - Let's talk!  18:02, 22 May 2019 (UTC)

N.S. Rajaram is a fringe academic fraud, masquerading as a scholar. His article over here gives significant impressions, in the regard.

Thompson is reliable and accurate but a single source ain’t sufficient for incorporating such a laden word, in light of our BLP policies.

Adluree and Bagchi - WBre Since, we are going by self-published papers, read this by Jürgen Hanneder. ~ Winged Blades Godric 19:51, 2 June 2019 (UTC)


 * - WBre? Joshua Jonathan  - Let's talk!  06:44, 3 June 2019 (UTC)
 * Sorry, weird stuff. &#x222F; WBG converse 07:38, 3 June 2019 (UTC)

Witzel's mostly self-published
Vishwa Adluri and Joydeep Bagchee, authors of The Nay Science (Oxford Univ Press, 2014) allege many of Witzel's publications are actually self-published and recycled works:

LogicalistAnalyst (talk) 14:55, 2 June 2019 (UTC)


 * Best example of what? Joshua Jonathan  - Let's talk!  15:05, 2 June 2019 (UTC)
 * Ah, right:
 * Talking about WP:CHERRYPICKING. The suggestion that Witzel's [publications are irrelevant, or lack scholarly status, is misplaced. Ironic, by the way, to use a quote from a self-published paper to create this suggestion. Joshua Jonathan  - Let's talk!  15:19, 2 June 2019 (UTC)
 * Andrew Nicholson, Review of The Nay Science: A History of German Indology by Vishwa Adluri and Joydeep Bagchee:
 * To remind you: Nicholson is the academic author who was ungratefully plagiarized by Malhotra. Joshua Jonathan  - Let's talk!  15:27, 2 June 2019 (UTC)
 * Wait, the long passage quoted above is not in Nay Science. Where did it appear, if at all it did? -- Kautilya3 (talk) 21:14, 2 June 2019 (UTC)
 * Theses on Indology, a self-published paper (oh irony). Joshua Jonathan  - Let's talk!  06:45, 3 June 2019 (UTC)
 * To remind you: Nicholson is the academic author who was ungratefully plagiarized by Malhotra. Joshua Jonathan  - Let's talk!  15:27, 2 June 2019 (UTC)
 * Wait, the long passage quoted above is not in Nay Science. Where did it appear, if at all it did? -- Kautilya3 (talk) 21:14, 2 June 2019 (UTC)
 * Theses on Indology, a self-published paper (oh irony). Joshua Jonathan  - Let's talk!  06:45, 3 June 2019 (UTC)

"Laurasia" and "Gondwana"


Does Witzel not know that, in India, it is the "Gondwana" myths that rule the day? The "Laurasian" myths are dead! -- Kautilya3 (talk) 20:58, 2 June 2019 (UTC)

Request for changes to be added to the article
Michael Witzel's article is filled with extremely misleading summaries that portray him as a massive critic of hindu sectarianism. While it may be somewhat accurate, it's a bit misleading since Witzel has also made it clear that against all forms of sectarianism and not hindu sectarianism specifically. Also, there's far too much attention given to him regarding the california textbook controversy which again somewhat gives a misleading impression of him. I have some changes I would like to make and just wanted to inform everyone. If they have an issue my edits they can bring it up under this headline. Krao212 (talk) 19:38, 6 January 2021 (UTC)