Posted by Nayi Dishayein Winter Schools 2019 @ Sambhaavana Institute, Himachal Pradesh [Dec 19-30]:
Registrations Open
About the Winter School
Sambhaavnaa Institute has for the last seven years been organising a participatory, reflective and perspective-building program on ‘Rethinking Development’ called Nayi Dishayein. This program aims to interweave theory and practice, focusing on building a varied and dynamic understanding of some of the pertinent issues facing our society today. In this program, we work with young participants to:
- Deconstruct, and critically examine, the notion of development – to understand it as a field of ideas. We shall converse with a plethora of narratives and discourses surrounding this notion, and the ways in which they are constructed.
- Examine the root causes of growing inequity in the distribution of wealth and resources and opportunities, and its impacts on nature and people, in a society fractured along the lines of gender, caste, race, class, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, knowledge, and language.
- To stretch our imaginations, and re-examine and challenge our beliefs, views, convictions, and privileges resulting from the enduring power structures that stem from the social markers of caste, gender, religion, and class; and how they are linked with the notion(s) of development.
- Examine how the State and its institutions of policy-making and governance influence these power structures and vice versa.
- Assess possibilities of transformation through people’s actions, through exposure to, and dialogue on, a range of initiatives/movements towards a more just society.
The themes of the program are explored using interactive lectures, group work and group discussions, cinema, theatre of the oppressed, songs of resistance, fieldwork, self-reflections, and importantly, sharing of lived experiences by activists.
Who is the program for?
If you are in the age group of 21-28 years and seeking an engagement with the above deliberations, or you are just figuring out how to frame the questions you would want to ask yourself or trying to understand the interconnections between different issues that you see around yourself, then please join us for an intensive collective churning on them – to open up ‘nayi dishayein’ in both your thinking and … hopefully, living.
Language
Primarily English, and some Hindi.
Contribution for the Program
We hope that participants would contribute an amount of Rs. 7500 / – towards workshop expenses, inclusive of all onsite workshop costs: boarding, lodging, and all the materials used in the workshop. Need-based partial waivers are available; we have a very limited number of partial waivers, so, please apply for a waiver only if you really need it. Please do remember that there may be others who need it more than you.
How to apply?
Please complete one from amongst the three field exercises detailed below, and then fill the application form. The field exercise is compulsory for your application to be considered. There are 2 methods to submit your exercise. You can choose either of these.
Method 1: You can make a brief video, looking into the camera, articulating your experiences, specifically as per the requirements of the exercise. The video has to be at least 3 minutes long. You can share this video on WhatsApp with Bindu on 8626990663.
Method 2: Write in about 500 words, please note that we will not be assessing the exercise on the basis of language, grammar or efficacy of presentation. We are interested in your reflections, interpretations, and analysis of ‘social realities’.
Exercise 1: Locate one person in your neighbourhood who is an ‘unorganised sector’ worker, and speak with them about his/her life, the nature of his/her work, wages, family, who else earns in their family, the living conditions of their family, and so on. Find out about his/her background in terms of caste, region, class and other socio-cultural markers. Share with us your reflections on their life and working conditions, and if and/or how it could be changed for the better in your opinion?
Or
Exercise 2: Follow the garbage trail from your place of residence to the final place that it rests. Locate one person in the life-cycle who manages your garbage, and speak to them about the nature of their work, their wages, their family and who else earns in their family, the living conditions in their family and so on. Provide a description of the garbage trail and any insights you obtained from it. Share about the garbage worker as well as your reflections on his/her life and working conditions, and if and/or how it could be changed for the better?
Or
Exercise 3: Visit a government school in your neighbourhood. Interview some students and teachers about their experiences at school, and get their views on the current education system in the country. Observe the working conditions, the general infrastructure, and the general atmosphere in the school. Do a comparison with the kind of school you attended. What do you think ails ‘education’ today and what could be done to change things around?
Please fill the application, given here.
Note: There is a sincere request we have to make. If you fill the form and get a confirmation for your participation, please do not make cancellations at the last moment, unless there are unforeseen circumstances. So, while filling the form, please try to make sure you do not have anything else planned in advance for the dates of the workshop. It takes some time to process the forms and begin our preparations for the workshop. If you back out after the confirmation, it sends our preparations for a toss, in addition to the time and effort we are expending. Also, many other people who are eager to attend miss out on the opportunity. We shall really appreciate your consideration; and hope you understand the need for such a request.)
Dates and Venue
19th December to 30th December 2019, Sambhaavnaa Institute, VPO – Kandbari, Tehsil – Palampur, District – Kangra, PIN 176061, Himachal Pradesh
Getting to Sambhaavnaa: Click here.
Contact Info
For more information please Whatsapp or call Shashank – 889 422 7954 or email: programs@sambhaavnaa.org
For the official website, Click here
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