National Seminar

on

“Mass Media and Modern Indian Culture”

24th and 25th February, 2017

Organized by

UGC-sponsored -Department of English and Publication Committee,

North Lakhimpur College (Autonomous)

Khelmati, North Lakhimpur, Assam, in collaboration with North Lakhimpur Press Club.

There are a number of examples of mass media being financed and controlled by individual private enterprises or political parties. Because of the sheer amount of money filtered to these institutions by this affluent class with vested interest, they create programmes to suit their political motives and design their presentations in a way that catches the public eye. It is observed that these mass media institutions become subservient either to the propaganda of a particular political party or to the selfish motives of an influential individual/ individuals instead of catering to the idea of common good. As a corollary, the welfare of the many gets blurred by the profits of a few. Hopefully, this seminar will be effective in highlighting the ways in which the various sections of the society can contribute to change this status quo. The following issues will be specifically discussed in the seminar—

Themes of the Seminar:

-The role of mass media in the growth of civilization

-The impact of mass media on Indian culture

-Sociopolitical responsibility of mass media.

-Objectivity in mass media

-Political interest in mass media

-Competition in mass media and its impact

-The social and ethical responsibility of a journalist

-Post-Truth Politics and Social Media

-or any other related issue

Proposals / Papers submission:

Proposals for presentations, workshops and poster presentations in English, Hindi, and Assamese dealing with the sub-themes of the seminar mentioned in the post as well as any other related aspects are invited. The abstract should be about 300 words and 

please send it to massmedianlc@gmail.com

 The abstract in English may be prepared using MS-Word according to the following format:

Title of the paper : Bold – in the title format, Times New Roman Font-14.

Name of the author(s) : In Capital letters, Times New Roman Font - 12.

Address : Full address with email id and phone number should be given.

The abstracts in Hindi and Assamese may be prepared using similar fonts in Adobe Pagemaker.Abstracts will be published in the Seminar proceedings. Selected full papers are likely to be published with ISBN number separately. 

Last date of submission of abstract: 15-02-2017. 

Last date of submission of full paper: 20-02-2017. 

The full papers within 3000 words should be sent to massmedianlc@gmail.com .

-Dr. Sarat Kr. Doley

Dr. Arabinda Rajkhowa

International Conference on  

History, Culture and Identity: Australian Studies in India and Australia

4-5 February, 2017

Venue: Astor Hotel Conference Room, Kolkata

Extension of deadline for abstract submission: 31.12.2016

How are Culture, identity and history re-shaped or re-interrogated in a cosmopolitan and globalized world order? In a world dominated by global political economy and new challenges of hegemonic ascendancy, it seems difficult to accept monolithic formations of history, culture and identity. History is being continuously re-written in terms of the discovery of new regimes of locational or regional priorities. This in turn redefines the overarching frame of culture and identity. In other words, the epistemic variables of cultural, political and economic ideologies bring about new modes of articulation.

Since the 70s of the last century, there has been a gradual renewal of cross-cultural linkages between Australia and India, beginning with a gradual and unabated flow of Indian migrants to Australia. This leads to the formation of various Bengali/Gujrati/Punjabi cultural societies and even Bengali/Hindi language schools in Melbourne and Sydney. The Bengali Association of Victoria (BAV), based in Melbourne, is largely responsible for establishing a meaningful cultural relationship. Gujrati Societies or Punjabi Associations have also been established along similar lines. Specific programs such as Literary Commons! (Monash University) – which brings indigenous from both countries together through their storytelling – and TRAMJATRA (RMIT) - interlinking Melbourne-Calcutta tramways - may also be regarded as significant markers of this growing cultural relationship. In Australia, the Australian Government organized such events as Utsav Australia or Indian Art Exhibitions (Museum Victoria) from time to time, thereby continuing this trend of cultural exchange.

In Kolkata Book Fair, Australia was honoured as the “Guest of Honour Country” (2006) and the “Focus Country” (2007). Moreover, Australian Government’s decision to open Uranium sales to India has brought the two countries closer in defence and security sectors. On cultural and literary fronts, the role of Australia India Council has further negotiated the formation of new establishments in terms of cultural exchanges.

Such transactions have generated new perceptions of both countries, thereby recognizing commonalities and differences: commonalities in the context of regional proximity, British colonialism, participation in World Wars, shared linguistic legacy etc; and differences in terms of settler history, configurations of Aborigine or indigenous history, cultural clashes etc. Such commonalities and differences may help us to discover new discursive strategies to locate evolving patterns of history, culture and identity of two distinctive role players in the Asia Pacific region: Australia and India.

Themes

This international conference welcomes Australian and Indian scholars from across disciplines to disseminate their ideas on how Australia and India can build a greater understanding of each other in terms of historical, cultural and strategic relationships.

This conference will be supported by Monash University and Oxford University Press.

The conference will address, but not strictly limited to, the following issues:

HISTORY AND CULTURE

Dialogue of Cultures

Traces of Culture

Re-writing History

Race and Identity

War History

Sports

Tourism and Cultural Exchange

LITERATURE AND THE ARTS

Colonial/Postcolonial/ Contemporary Writers

Literature and Socio-cultural Activism

Aboriginal Literature

Literature and Films

Arts and Environment

Verbatim Theatre and Community Theatre

Diasporic Literature

POLITICS, FOREIGN POLICY AND LAW

Nationalism

Environment and Security

Judicial Activism

Federalism

Terrorism and Conflict Resolution

International Relations

Gender Issues

Human Rights

Land Rights, Property and Environment

Immigration and Citizenship

GLOBAL ECONOMY

Liberalisation and Economic Reforms

Economic Paradigms in Bilateral Relations

Trade Union Movement

Tourism

ENVIRONMENT

Biodiversity and Conservation

Ecotourism

Ecological Sustainability

Climate Change and Culture

PEDAGOGY AND PRAXIS

Teaching Australian Studies

Australian Studies: Syllabus Formation

Australian Studies: Research and Methodology

Teaching Asia in Australia

Abstracts may be emailed to Prof.Deb Narayan Bandyopadhyay: debnarayan@gmail.com

Secretary, 

Indian Association for the Study of Australia, Eastern Region

Registration Fees (international): 100 AUD

Registration Fees (Natioinal): 1500 INR

Registration Fees include conference kit, lunch, tea and refreshments during the conference.

CALL FOR PAPERS: 

"Gendered Voices" Conference 2017

Date: January 31, 2017

Location: United Kingdom

Subject Fields: 

Cultural History / Studies, Humanities, Law and Legal History, Sexuality Studies, Women's & Gender History / Studies

Calling all postgrads and early career researchers!

Following the success of our 2016 Symposium, the Gender and Sexuality Cluster of the South West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership is pleased to announce the upcoming interdisciplinary conference on the theme of ‘Gendered Voices’. Taking place on 18th/19th May 2017 at the University of Bristol, we invite submissions from all postgraduates and early career researchers (including postdocs) from SWW DTP-affiliated universities (Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Aberystwyth, Bath, Bath Spa, Southampton and Reading).

We welcome submissions from any discipline, as we aim to bring together researchers from across the academic spectrum to discuss different perspectives on gender, sex, sexuality, and the body. The theme ‘Gendered Voices’ could include, but is not limited to:

●     Voices of protest

●     Gendered expression, e.g. through theatre, performance, and song

●     Literary voices; art and literature as a mode of communication

●     Voices in history

●     Unheard/hidden voices

●     Voices of authority; in the law, hierarchies, domestic spheres, etc.

●     Virtual voices/ online identities

We will accept both twenty-minute papers and ‘flash paper’ sessions with five minute presentations, where researchers can present a research problem, reflections on their work or a short summary of their thesis. We invite you to submit abstracts to genderandsexualitycluster@gmail.com by Tuesday 31st January.

For a twenty-minute paper please submit a 250 word max. abstract, and a 100 word max. abstract for a flash paper. Please include your name, department, university and position in the email, as well as the type of paper you are submitting. We will reply to all applicants by Monday 29th February. General registration will open in March. Attendance is free and lunch and refreshments will be provided.

We hope that the day will spark productive and engaging discussions across disciplines and we look forward to meeting you all!

Please contact us at genderandsexualitycluster@gmail.com with any questions.

All the best,

Tabitha Johnson-Stanmore (Bristol University), Jassi Sandhar (Bristol University) and Abby Johns (Cardiff University). 

Contact Info: 

If you have any questions, please contact Tabitha Johnson-Stanmore and Jassi Sandhar at genderandsexualitycluster@gmail.com. 

For more information on the Gender and Sexuality Research Cluster, visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1480323905609568/ and our Twitter page at: https://twitter.com/swwgender

Contact Email:  genderandsexualitycluster@gmail.com

URL: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1480323905609568/

Two Day National Conference on

DR. B. R. AMBEDKAR’S PERSPECTIVES ON STATE, SOCIETY AND

ECONOMY: REVISITING HIS VISION AND MISSION

22nd -23rd February – 2017

Organized by Dr. B.R Ambedkar 125th Year Birth Anniversary Celebrations Committee,

University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-500046. Sponsored by University for Potential Excellence

(UPE) - University of Hyderabad & ICSSR, New Delhi.

Concept Note

Dr. B.R Ambedkar is one of the key architects of modern India. He played a vital role in the making of the independent Indian nation-state. His visionary outlook on building multiple modern institutional ideas such as secular democratic polity, socialist economy, social transformation and gender equality are guiding principles the Indian constitution, mainly drafted by him. The unique position enjoyed by India as the biggest democracy in the world today and its persistence as a flourishing, free and successful democracy is primarily because of the spirit and practice of the Indian Constitution carefully crafted and instilled by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The transformation of the country from being a feudal society into a progressive modern nation is mainly attributed to the  foresightedness of Ambedkar’s visionary outlook.

The state and civil society across the globe in general and India in particular is celebrating the 125 years of Dr BR Ambedkar birth anniversary. Though his father worked for the British Indian Army, young Ambedkar was subjected to multiple forms of discrimination and humiliation in school and society on everyday basis. Despite of the odds he topped the matriculation examination. After completing his college education, he went to London and to the United States to pursue his higher education. He had obtained his doctoral degree in economics. Though he was a student of economics, he grappled with the philosophy and sociology of caste, theoretical and methodological foundations

of graded inequalities in the Indian society. Perhaps, it is not an exaggeration to say that he is the only leader in modern India who achieved highest educational qualifications despite his low social ranking and humble economic background. 

As we are in the era of globalization of capital and culture, Indian political economy and cultural diversity is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Most of the marginal social groups are experiencing further exclusion from multiple social, political and economic institutions. At this critical historical juncture, it is important to re-visit some of the postulates and propositions within

Ambedkar’s social, economic and political philosophies.

Dalit society, political parties and civil society organizations across India, starting from Punjab to Kerala, started incorporating his ideological perspectives and are owning his image and imagination to understand and address most complex issues of the contemporary Indian society. The main reason for growing popularity of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar lies in stresses on scientific-rational approach towards analyzing and finding solutions to caste based social hierarchies and other graded social systems of inequality in the Indian society. The ultimate goal he wished to achieve through his vision and mission is to 1Dr BR Ambedkar was born on 14th April 1891in a Dalit family in a town named MHOW (Military Headquarters of War) in present day Madhya Pradesh transform Indian society into a social democracy with economic egalitarianism.

Further, Dr.B.R. Ambedkar has been the only undisputed leader and icon who championed the cause of Dalits, who were historically subjected to multiple forms of oppression and discrimination in diverse spheres of life. Dr. B R Ambedkar, who inspired millions of the oppressed communities across the globe in general and India in particular, deserves fitting academic tribute through convergence of scholars to understand his life, times and works in a comprehensive manner. The University of Hyderabad, one of the leading public universities in India, joins the Nation in celebrating 125 years of Dr. B R Ambedkar’s legacy by organizing a two day national conference on 22-23 February 2017.

The following sub-themes are proposed for deliberation in the conference:

1. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s social philosophy, methodological approach and critical reflections
2. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's perspective on Caste
3. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's perspective on Religion
4. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's approach towards the idea of nation-state
5. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's vision on Indian economy
6. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's ideas on Education
7. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's ideas on Gender
8. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's ideas on Minorities
9. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's ideas on Adivasi
10. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's views on Science and Technology

Call for Paper:
Academicians and research scholars are invited to contribute a paper covering the above themes.
The paper should be in a standard format with 8000 word limit. The abstract of the paper should
be limited to 300 words. Name of the Author and institutional affiliation should be mentioned in
the abstract page.4
Soft copies of abstracts on the conference theme should be e-mailed to gnrajuhcu@gmail.com
on or before 10th January, 2017. The authors will be intimated about the status of abstract by email. Full length paper should be submitted on or before 10th February, 2017.
Timeline:

Last Date for submission of Abstract: 10th January 2017
Acceptance of Abstract: 15th January 2017
Last Date for submission of Full Paper: 10th February 2017
Date of conference: 22-23rd February 2017

Outcome of the conference: The ultimate aim of the conference is to deliberate on the themes
and perspectives of Dr. B R Ambedkar and publish three volumes based on the conference
proceedings.

Accommodation & Travel Allowances: Accommodation will be provided to the out station
participants. Travel Allowance will be reimbursed according to the University of Hyderabad
norms.


Conference Coordinator:
Dr. Nagaraju Gundemeda
Associate Professor
Department of Sociology
School of Social Sciences
Hyderabad Central University
Hyderabad -500046
E-mail: gnrajuhcu@gmail.com or ngss@uohyd.ernet.in
Mobile: +91-8332814204