▁was ▁on ▁rural ▁society ▁in ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁China , ▁he ▁subsequently ▁turned ▁to ▁studies ▁of ▁national ism , ▁imperial ism , ▁and ▁orig ins ▁of ▁modern ▁historical ▁conscious ness . ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁about ▁his ▁work ▁on ▁Asian ▁relig ions ▁and ▁environmental ▁sust ain ability , ▁Ian ▁Johnson ▁called ▁him ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁original ▁think ers ▁on ▁culture ▁and ▁religion ▁in ▁Asia ." ▁He ▁serves ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Association ▁for ▁Asian ▁Studies ▁which ▁has ▁a ▁global ▁membership ▁of ▁about ▁ 7 0 0 0 ▁sch ol ars ▁( 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 0 ). ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁Du ara ▁went ▁to ▁The ▁Do on ▁School ▁in ▁India ▁and ▁studied ▁history ▁at ▁St . ▁Stephen ' s ▁College , ▁Del hi . ▁After ▁obtain ing ▁B A ▁and ▁MA ▁in ▁history ▁from ▁St . ▁Stephen ' s ▁College , ▁Du ara ▁received ▁his ▁M . ▁Phil ▁in ▁Chinese ▁Studies ▁from ▁J aw ah ar l al ▁Ne h ru ▁University . ▁He ▁then ▁completed ▁his ▁Ph D ▁at ▁Harvard ▁University ▁in ▁History ▁and ▁East ▁Asian ▁languages ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁ ▁Career ▁Du ara ▁has ▁taught ▁at ▁Pr inc eton ▁University , ▁George ▁Mason ▁University ▁and ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁M ell on ▁Fac ulty ▁Fellow ▁at ▁Stan ford ▁University . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁he ▁taught ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Chicago ▁where ▁he ▁was