UGC SPONSORED Two-Day NATIONAL SEMINAR
on
Education, Marriage and Bridal Industry
Midnapore College, established in 1873, is a Govt. sponsored college, affiliated to Vidyasagar University. Up to 1984 it was affiliated to University of Calcutta. The College has great history of meritorious service to all walks of life during its affiliation with University of Calcutta. The College had notable contribution to the Freedom Movement of India. The present affiliation with Vidyasagar University is an impelling efflorescence in variegated academic, cultural and social activities. It is now one of the best colleges in West Bengal. The College offers Under-graduate Honours in 20 subjects and Post Graduate in Physics and Chemistry. The College was accredited A+ in 2004 by NAAC and bestowed 'Colleges with Potential for Excellence' status in 2010 by the UGC. Collaborating NGO Sanlaap was formed in 1987 and registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860. Sanlaap is developmental organization working towards correction of social imbalances which manifests in gender injustice and violence against women and children. This organization is working against trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and prostitution. Department of Bongli: The Department of Bengali started its illustrious journey in 1940 when University of Calcutta approved the inclusion of Bengali as pass subject. The Department Started teaching Bengali as Honours subject since 1963. Renowned teacher Dr. .Manmohan Dutta, D. Lit. from University of Calcutta graced the Department. Late Bishnu Basu, eminent playwright. Dr. Animesh Pal, an expert in folk literature and well-known writer and Ashok Bhattacharya (aka Beetashok Bhattacharya) renowned poet and literary critic profoundly contributed to the rich academic heritage of the Department. Alumni of the Department have excelled in their career. Department of History: The Department of History started its joyrney with the approval from the University of Calcutta to teach the subject of History as a pass subject in 1940 and it was upgraded to Honours Department in 1958. It is a great pride for the department that two eminent historians Prof. Narendra Krishna Sinha (formerly Ashutosh Professor of Medieval and Modern Indian History, University of Calcutta) and Prof. S.B. Chaudhuri (formerly Vice chancellor, University of Burdwan) started their illustrious academic career from this college. Dedicated teachers like late Nirmalendu Dasgupta, late Amiya Sen, late Dr. Korak Kumar Chaudhuri (formerly Professor, C.U.) and Binod Shankar Das graced the Department in the past. Alumni of the Department have made the College proud through their academic endeavour.
The Seminar has essentially an inter-disdplinary approach. It is an attempt to discuss and analyze present-day socio-economic scenario at the backdrop of marriage customs & ceremonies, matrimonial advertisement, media activities & commercial enterprises, girl trafficking related to fake marriages dowry deaths - all interconnected elements of this sort. There is subtle nexus between 'sacred' customs of marriage and marriage related commercial activities. Actually, latter is riding over the popular & cultural sentiment related to marriage to expand its own periphery. Consumerism thus has totally absorbed the idea of marriage to serve its own interest. Media plays a great role in this connection. The seminar is an attempt to explore the real picture behind the curtain.
Themes of the Seminar
I. Bridal Industry
i) Marriage vis-a-vis Growing economy
ii) Late capitalism riding over traditional
sentiment of Marriage
iii)Marriage ceremony and Consumerism
II.History of Marriage
i) Marriage as reflected from traditions mythology, literature
ii)Evolution of the concept of marriage in Indian
context
III.Media and Marriage
i) Popular electronic media-its obsession with marriage
ii) Creation of an ivory tower like consumer
aspirations among the middle class and aspiring middle class
IV. Violence against women
Female foeticide, girl trafficking, domestic] violence,
dowry deaths, other crude forms of| violence and harassment frequently directed against women
Call of papers
The seminar will have a paper reading session. Interested academicians, researchers and activists are requested to send the abstract of their papers within 12th January, 2012. The abstract should be typed in MS Word and sent via email to aparnitab@yahoo.com or in soft copy in CD to the persons of contact. Full paper should reach via email or in soft copy on and before 19th January, 2012.
- Invited Speakers:
Prof. Ravinder Kaur,
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences,
I IT Delhi- Prof. SamitaSen,
Director, School of Women's Studies, J.U.- Ms. MadhurimaMukherjee,
Research Assistant, School of Women's Studies,
J.U.- Prof. Sanjoy Mukhopadhyay,
Department of Film Studies, J.U.- Dr. Aishika Chakraborty,
Associate Prof. of History, BRC College- Ms. Indrani Sinha,Director, Sanlaap, NGO
- I Advisory Committee:
Prof. Ishita Mukherjee,
Director, Women's Studies Research Centre, C.U.- Prof. SamitaSen,
Director, School of Women's Studies, J.U.- Prof. Sanjoy Mukhopadhay,
Dept. of Film Studies, J.U.- Dr. Sujata Maity,
Director, Women's Studies Centre, V.U.- Dr. Bani Ranjan De
Head, Deptt. of Bengali, V.U.- Prof.Ujjayan Bhattacharya,
- Head, Deptt. of History, V.U
Organizing Committee:
Dr. P.K. Chakraborty,
Principal (President)
Mr. Sudhindranath Bag,
Teacher-in-Charge, Morning Section (Vice-
President)