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February 2008
[[CONTENTS]]
A reading/discussion session by
Priya Sarrukai Chabria on her new book Generation14
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'Why not Comics?'- The Comic Book Event
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Thinking with Images:
A Workshop with Harun Farocki, Filmmaker and Artist
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Blog Sangat: Bloggers Meet
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Film @Sarai
India Untouched
Directed by: Stalin K, Curated by: Chandra Nigam
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Announcement:
Call for applications for posts of Fellow and Associate Fellows (CSDS)
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Dear Readers,
February is the month where you should to be with us as the events that we bring you are as unique as they can be. We have a reading on a sci-fi novel, a celebration of the comic book culture in Delhi, a workshop with one of the renowned filmmakers of our times, a thought provoking documentary feature, a bloggers meet and an announcement.
Hope you will make yourself available for the events and access the particulars announced.
Best,
Mitoo Das
Programme Coordinator
Sarai, CSDS
Email me at: mitoo@sarai.net
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A reading/discussion session by
Priya Sarrukai Chabria on her new book Generation14.
Introduced by Vivek Narayanan
Venue: Seminar Room
Sarai, CSDS
Date: 4th February 2008
Time: 3:30 pm
About Generation 14:
In a world where memory is forbidden and sexuality taboo, Clone 14/54/G is unique. Haunted by her past lives and caught in a struggle between the forces of oppression and those of liberty, language and love, she keeps a secret journal. Intense, poetic and erotic, Generation 14 is a dazzlingly imaginative and bizarre political satire. Set in the 24th century the novel journeys through highpoints of India’s history to explore ideas of its plural identity and what it means to be human in today’s polarized world. This extraordinary novel is unlike any other coming from the subcontinent, and heralds a new generation of fantasy writing from India. It is a serious and vivid reflection on repression and the fragility of freedoms.
Priya Sarukkai Chabria is a poet and novelist. Her publications include the novel The Other Garden (Rupa&Co, 1995) and Dialogue and Other Poems (Indian Academy of Literature Golden Jubilee Imprint, 2005, reprint 2006) and as editor, the anthologies All Poetry is Protest (2006)and Open Spaces: 50 Poets 50Poems.(2007). She edits the website Talking Poetry India at www.openspaceindia.org.
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'Why not Comics?'- The Comic Book Event
Date: 5th of February
Time: 5:30- 7:00
Venue: World Book Fair
Pragati Maidan
Conference Hall No.6, Room No.1
(Entry by Gate no.2)
Comics in India has a history that extends a little more than 40 years, but it is only now
that we are witnessing a rise in public interest towards them, with publishing houses taking the form in its modern renditions more seriously, and more readers turning into creators. In this scenario, it is imperative for a platform to exist through which a new understanding about comics might emerge.
Sarai-CSDS, The French Embassy and the FIRC (French Information Resource Center)
invite you to an evening celebrating the comic book culture in New Delhi, as well as the culmination of a nine-day workshop on comic books and graphic novels. Jointly produced by the YP foundation (The Youth Parliament), the event will include a first-of-its-kind dialogue between comic book artists and publishers. Join us in trying to understand the economics and the art of comics in India and be witness to a dialogue that will give you a sense of what the future holds!
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Thinking with Images: A Workshop with Harun Farocki, Filmmaker and Artist
Introduced and Moderated by Raqs Media Collective
Sarai-CSDS in Collaboration with the Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi
8th and 9th of February, 2:00 PM - 8:30 PM
(8th February - at MMB, Kasturba Gandi Marg, New Delhi)
(9th February - at Sarai CSDS, 29 Rajpur Road, Civil Lines, Delhi 110054)
Harun Farocki's work provokes us to re-think our relationships to history and the politics of representation. His body of work, spanning documentary & essay films, installations and writing, is an invitation to consider the task of image-making as a philosophical undertaking. This workshop invites filmmakers, artists, writers, philosophers, political theorists, historians and activists to engage with this body of work? Through two days of intense film viewing and conversation with Harun Farocki himself. The workshop will be introduced and moderated by Raqs Media Collective.
There will be two public screenings at Max Mueller Bhavan and Sarai respectively each day after the workshop.
8th February - 6:30 pm at MMB, Kasturba Gandi Marg - 'Videogram of a Revolution'9th February - 6:30 pm at Sarai CSDS, 29 Rajpur Road, Civil Lines - 'Prison Pictures' & 'Respite'
For more enquiries, write to dak@sarai.net
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Blog Sangat: Bloggers Meet
Date: 13th February, 2008
Venue: Sarai, CSDS
Time: 2:00 pm
Blog Sangat
is a continuation of the blog workshop we had in December. Here we invite Hindi bloggers to share their experiences and ideas on blog writing and the problems they face while blogging. This meet can also work as a catalyst for blog enthusiasts who will get an opportunity to interact with some of the initiators of Hindi blogging. This programme is open to all.
You can write to dak2sarai.net to be a part of this event. This will help us to organize the meet better.
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Film@Sarai:
India Untouched
Director: Stalin K
Length: 110 mins
Language: Hindi, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalm with English sub-titles
Curated by: Chandra Nigam
Date: 15th February, 2008
Time: 4:30 pm
Venue: Seminar, CSDS
About the Film:
India Untouched will make it impossible for anyone in India to deny that untouchability is still practiced today. Director Stalin K and his spent four years traveling the length and breadth of India to bear witness to the continued exclusion and segregation of those considered as 'untouchables'.
Accepted wisdom in India holds that caste only exists in 'backward' rural areas, but the film exposes caste discrimination across all sections of societies-within the urban middle classes, poor and prosperous villages, the communists in Kerala, other religious groups such as Sikhs, Christians and Muslims and within some of India's most revered academic and professional institutions. In an age where the media projects only one image of 'rising' or 'poised' India, this film reminds us how for the country is from being equal society.
Traveling through eight states and four religions, this film is perhaps the deepest exploration of caste oppression ever undertaken on film.
About Chandra Nigam:Chandra is an advocate at the Tis Hazari Court and a coordinator with the Legal Cell, SAFAR.
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Call for applications for the posts of Fellow and Associate Fellows (CSDS)
The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies invites applications for the following regular and visiting faculty positions:
Fellow(12000-420-18300)
Associate Fellow(8000-275-13500)
There are two faculty positions and two positions for Visiting Fellows. Visiting positions are for only one year and carry salary protection for those in service.
Areas of Specialisation:
Faculty positions are meant for scholars who work under the following rubrics that the Centre has focused on:
· Democratic politics and social change
· Development, alternatives and futures
· Culture, state and society
· Ethnicity, diversity and violence
· History of ideas and social practices
· Indian political thought and theory
Under these rubrics, the Centre would like to encourage the following emerging themes:
· Globalisation and democracy
· Identity, culture and nationalism
· Media and popular culture
· Gender and society
· Law and society
· Urban experience
· Peace and security
· Environment and society
The Centre will also consider any outstanding scholar who proposes research on a theme not mentioned above.
Qualifications:The essential qualification
for all positions is a demonstrated capacity to undertake high quality, independent research. Evidence of published work of high quality shall be considered more important than formal academic record, degrees or experience.
In addition, the desirable qualifications
for the various positions are:
Fellow:Doctoral degree or equivalent published work in the relevant field AND research/teaching experience of 5years
Associate Fellow:Good academic record with doctoral degree or equivalent published work.
Preference:
The Centre will give preference to women scholars, scholars from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, other Backward Classes and minority communities. If you belong to any of these categories, please mention it clearly in your CV.
Selection Procedure:
The candidates short-listed by the Centre will be asked to appear for an interview with the Selection Committee. The Selection Committee is free to consider scholars who may not have applied for a higher position, or may not appear for the interview.
Application:Applications on plain paper, specifying the position applied for, should be sent to the Director, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, 29 Rajpur Road, Delhi 110 054 in an envelop marked “ Faculty Positions”. Please indicate if you would wish to be considered only for a visiting position.
The application must be accompanied by:
· Curriculum Vitae including academic record and a full list of publications (copies of certificates not required at this stage)
· Two samples (chapters from the book or research articles) of published work
· A short statement (of about 500 words) of current and proposed research
· Names and addresses of three referees
Last date of receipt of applications:
February 29, 2008:
Emailed or faxed applications will not be entertained.
Enquiries:Ms. Jayasree Jayanathan,
Administrative Officer
Phone: 23942199, 23951190 Fax: 23943450
Email: csdsmain@csds.in; jaya@csds.in
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[[END OF NEWSLETTER]]
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Directions to Sarai: We are 10 minutes from Delhi University, and 5 mins. from the Civil Lines Metro Station.