Anveshi organized the seminar on

Development Beyond the State

on 19th and 20th January 2018 at Osmania University guest house, ICSSR small seminar hall. 
The objective of the seminar is to have informed discussions regarding the roadblocks, impasses and crises that we encounter as we think about, theorize, and practice our different activisms in contemporary India.  It is to simultaneously re-examine the implicit boundaries of our disciplines and frameworks of thought as they facilitate our understanding of the contemporary moment.
  • What would adequate social, cultural, religious development be like if imagined beyond the overarching figure of state driven planning and development agendas, their language, drive and limits?
  • How should we begin to comprehend what development means when it applies to ourselves and other privileged groups, and not to some poor soul whose life needs to be uplifted?
  • What would be a norm or ideal of development which is appropriate to our concrete situation as thinkers and activists?
  • How do we understand and conduct ourselves with respect to the nation/development/crises around us today?
  • What are the changes in society that are invisible to us because of our own academic/ideological blinkers?
These questions don’t imply that state led development plans have failed, or that the development of the poor is not an issue.  They only suggest that while the development of the state and the populations addressed by it are the subject of widespread critical discussion, how we as academics, administrators and activists need to hone our own perspectives remains in the shadow.  This seminar turns the light back on us.
There will be presentations by ​senior academics and activists ​who have been called upon to reflect on their perspectives regarding the dimensions of development that go beyond state programmes and administrative welfare.  These presentations will be followed by discussions.
We are glad to announce that there has been a heartening response from the fields of education, minority politics, religion, language and culture.  The aim is to have a good discussion of the papers.
The ​concept note ​ may be accessed here, the tentative schedule may be seen here, for the informal report click here
You are invited to attend, and please inform others who may be interested in these academic deliberations.

 

Please send a mail to the following addresses confirming your participation, sessions (and lunch) you will attend.
r.srivats@gmail.com
mirapamadhavi18@gmail.com