in DIALOGUE

Dr. Md Zakaria Siddiqui, Associate Professor at JMI  with extensive research experience in the areas of health, nutrition, women and work interacted with PhD scholars. The session bgan with a discussion of his key thesis on the correlation between socio-economic status and obesity; regional differences in calorie deficit based on the respective epidemological condition. After which he discussed suitable journals, methods, literature and datasets with students. He also shared his general observations regarding a shift in the research objectives to meet publication mandates and job markets rather than policy issues and moral responsibilites

Post courtesy: Anjali

The session began with a brief delineation of the history and politics of May Day itself, from which parallels could be drawn to current-day labour movements, including the most-recent Noida labour unrest. This was followed by tracing the history of various labour regulations, its limitations, and issues related to its implementation, placing it in contexts of colonial, post-colonial and neoliberal India. On the whole, the discussion touched upon the many evolving needs of labour (as a class and as individuals) in an ever-changing world of work.

Post Courtesy: Anjana

Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Jayanti was commemorated on the 14th of April at Shamiyana, bringing students together to reflect on the legacy of Babasaheb. The discussion highlighted his contributions towards the upliftment of marginalized communities as well as his advocacy for women’s rights across all social strata, including upper-caste women. Students also engaged with his progressive views on water policy, emphasizing his belief that access to water is a fundamental right. 

The conversation underlined the importance of observing this day as a national occasion for everyone beyond caste boundaries, while also acknowledging the continuing challenges in ensuring due recognition of Dr. Ambedkar in public spaces. His remarkable intellectual achievements at a young age and his commitment to using education for social welfare were deeply appreciated. 

The event concluded on a warm note with a cake-cutting and distribution of snacks, as students gathered in unity to celebrate and carry forward his vision.

Post Courtesy: Pallavi

Prof. Jonathan Shapiro Anjaria (Professor of Anthropology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA) gave a talk on Qualitative Research focusing on his unique experience of carrying out an ethnographic study on cyclists in Mumbai. He took the scholars through the different aspects of embodied research, covering processes such as note taking and observing and feelings such as empathy and challenges, giving a sense of how he connected details from lived experiences to the wider patterns and policy implications. 

Dr. Satyaki Dasgupta (Assistant Professor, Christ University, Bangalore) led an online informal interactive session with PhD scholars working in areas of labour and gender. He briefed regarding his research work and related processes. He also gave detailed insights and suggestions to each of the participants in their respective area of research. These discussions engaged with themes such as working with national-level datasets like PLFS, EUS, and ASI, as well as topics including feminisation in agriculture and sanitation workers, among others.

Dr. Satyaki also shared useful inputs on strategically using social networking platforms like X for placement opportunities, accessing information on conferences and publications, and broader academic networking.

Post courtesy: Anjana

As part of the International Women’s Day celebrations, the CDS ICC hosted an online seminar by Prof Sundari Anitha (University of Sheffield, UK) on the topic “Domestic Violence in Young Women’s Non-Marital Intimate Relationships: Dismantling and Challenging Community and Institutional Conducive Contexts.”

The seminar focused on emotional violence, particularly in the form of coercive control, as experienced by young women in romantic relationships. The talk generated significant discussion within the CDS community, with students reflecting on its implications. Many participants noted that the session helped them better articulate and name forms of harm that are often overlooked unless they manifest as sexual or physical abuse. The talk further reflected upon what difficulties women face in leaving such abusive relationships and how institutional support can be a source of  major assistance in this process.

Post Courtesy: Aishwarya

Students had an informal discussion with Dr. Abhilash T. The talk delved into the history of caste-based bills, the controversy surrounding UGC's new equity regulation, its link to institutional accountability in student suicides  and concerns over the bill's vague provisions. 

Students had an informal discussion with Dr. Debjani Dasgupta regarding qualitative research . They discussed research interests and received helpful suggestions on refining the research questions, making it policy relevant etc. Aademic opportunities abroad were also discussed

Prof Thiagu led a discussion on the question of "Recognition v/s Redistribution" based on the works of Nancy Fraser in the context of gender politics - noting how contemporary social justice struggles prioritize recognition over redistribution, but how identity politics alone are insufficient and addressing gender gaps requires redistribution of resources

Students interacted with Subin Dennis, Economist and Researcher at Tricontinental Research on the topic Imperialism and the Attack on Venezuela. Aspects covering the social, cultural, poiltical and economic implications of imperialist attacks in the past and present were discussed.

Students interacted with Professor Reetika Khera from IIT Delhi, a leading advocate for MGNREGA. The discussion was regarding  the new amendments to the MGNREGA Bill.

Students had an informal interaction with Prof Neetha N about research in her area of expertise Gender, Labour and Migration. She is associated with Centre for Women's Development Studies, Delhi.

A second round of book discussion on Desperately Seeking Shahrukh Khan by Sharanya Bhattacharya was organized by the Gender reading group. 

Chapters 6 -8 were discussed

Scholars at CDS and SCT had the opportunity to interact with Prof. Barbara Harris-White on two of her popular works:

• Rethinking Institutions: Innovation and Institutional Change in India’s Informal Economy (Modern Asian Studies, 2017)

• Chapter 7: Caste and Corporatist Capitalism from her book India Working

She engaged with scholars to understand how Caste and Institutions featured in their research and how they reflected with her work.

A panel discussion was held with the Panelists : Prof. M. Parameswaran, Prof. Thiagu Ranganathan, Dr. Chidambaran G. Iyer.  It focused on the relevance of the scholarship and their contribution to the history of economic growth.

The documentary, 'Churning the Earth,' (produced by Srishti Films and Kalpavriksh, for Vikalp Sangam), explores the countercurrents led by people resisting widespread ecological destruction, social injustice, and economic deprivation, by constructing alternatives such as community-led ecotourism and conservation, local governance initiatives, sustainable farming practices, etc. The screening was followed by a discussion.

A book discussion on Desperately Seeking Shahrukh Khan by Sharanya Bhattacharya was organized by the Gender reading group. 

This session discussed the first section in the book,  how deeply relatable the observations and experiences were

The discussion also explored “network” in the third chapter, where participants reflected on how Shahrukh Khan represents a unique case in terms of image-building and cultural symbolism.

A joint session was held with Sree Chitra Scholars to screen the 1971 Chomsky-Foucault debate which focused on the existence of innate human nature. Chomsky argued for a universal human nature guided by ideals, justice, fairness while Foucault countered that such concepts are deliberate constructions of historical and institutional contexts, making any such universal, innate claim problematic.

Following the screening, participants engaged in a discussion, projecting the philosophers' positions onto contemporary issues.

The Discussion Committee organised a panel discussion to commemmorate the 156th Birth Anniversary of Gandhi.

As part of Armaadham (CDS’s Onam celebration), students gathered to discuss the mythology surrounding the canonical Mahabali and Onam. The lively discussion brought forth the festival’s significant political underpinnings and highlighted the importance of questioning the stories we often take for granted. 

Students interaction with Akhil Gupta based on his work Future of Futurity