An International Lecture Series (Online) on the theme ‘Celebrating Diversity: Plural Epistemologies and Life Worlds’ is being organised by the Department of Sociology, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) as part of the centenary year celebrations. The lecture series will continue till March 2021. Prof. Bula Bhadra (Sociologist) and Prof. Bandana Purkayastha (Sociologist) delivered a lecture on ‘Intersectional Feminism: Contributions and Challenges’, on 28th November 2020.“We seek to reclaim the sense of celebration, exuberance and vibrance as we engage with diversity around us and as we do so, we look to the ordinary, the mundane and the everyday as our muse”, reads the concept note of the lecture series.The lectures were held on Fridays and Saturdays in the months of October and November 2020. Till now, ten lectures spreading across the two months have been delivered by speakers from diverse academic and non-academic fields. The lecture series explores the academic/ aesthetic/ artistic/ literary/ scientific/ personal interpretations of the idea of diversity and its entwinement with our selves.The speakers addressed the main theme ‘diversity’ in their respective fields such as in academics, social activism, art, photography, architecture, poetry etc.The inauguration of online lecture series was on October 2nd , Gandhi Jayanti day, on the topic ‘Hundred Years of Jamia: Celebrating Diversity.’ Prof. Mohini Anjum (Sociologist) and Prof. Inayat Ali Zaidi (Historian) were the main speakers of the discussion, who highlighted the national and international contributions of the Jamia Millia Islamia and how Jamia is sensitive to the concept of diversity.The following other lectures were delivered:Dr. Indu Prakash Singh (Author) on ‘Diversity in the City’, 9th October 2020.Dr. Gauri Bharat (Architect) on ‘Celebrating Architecture of Plural Lifeworlds’, 16th October 2020.Raghu Rai (Photographer) on ‘Heart as Sensor’, 23 rd October 2020.Rajesh Badal (Journalist and Filmmaker) on ‘Wo Subah Phir Ayegi’, 31st October 2020.Dr. Kumkum Srivastava (Anthropologist) on ‘Food as Metaphor in Sufi Poetry’, 6th November 2020.Prof. Rajesh Misra (Sociologist) on ‘Diversity vis-à-vis Unity: Some Substantive,Conceptual and Epistemological Issues’, 7th November 2020.Ms. Renuka Sondhi Gulati (Artist) on ‘Diversity in Art’, 20th November 2020.Prof. Mohammad Talib (Sociologist) on ‘The Educational Challenges in LocatingDiversity and Uniqueness in Our Collective Life’, 21 st November 2020.Prof. Bula Bhadra (Sociologist) and Prof. Bandana Purkayastha (Sociologist) on ‘Intersectional Feminism: Contributions and Challenges’, 28 th November 2020.Prof. Manisha T. Pandey, Head, Department of Sociology said that the lecture series is an exercise to celebrate differences as diversity is the very condition of life itself. She also said that the best part about this lecture series is the involvement of all the faculty members as moderators of different lectures and also the research scholars of the department, who have been engaging themselves as rapporteurs, making flyers, taking pictures of the talks and giving vote of thanks.Dr. Shareena Banu, Assistant Professor, is the coordinator of the lecture series.
