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Ontology of Information as a Right in the Right to Information Movement in India

Ontology of Information as a Right in the Right to Information Movement in India

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Ontology of Information as a Right in the Right to Information Movement in India
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<strong>Centre for the Study of Social Systems School of Social Sciences</strong> <strong>CSSS Colloquium</strong> <strong>Dr. Gitika De</strong> (Hindu College, Delhi University) presented a paper on <strong>Ontology of Information as a Right in the Right to Information Movement in India</strong> Date :<strong> February 11, 2016</strong> <strong>Abstract:</strong> This paper is an exploration of the ways in which rights-driven social movements constitute themselves through an analysis of the processual, contextual, and phenomenological bases of a right to information. Unlike more familiar social, political and civil rights, information as a right is a nebulous idea, making it imperative to ascertain the possible ontology of such a right.Drawing on archival records of the Right to Information Movement and ethnographic fieldwork in Rajasthan, I show how (a) the claim to a right to information was made meaningful through civic engagement orchestrated by social movement mobilization, (b) an interpretation of information among social agents was generated through contestations within a habitus of normative and power relationships and networks and the specific conjuncture of civic mobilization, and (c) information as a right functions in the dynamic contestation between the state and societal groups in the latter's claim to other social rights. <strong>Bio : </strong>Gitika De is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Hindu College, Delhi University, and was ICSSR Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, JNU (2014-16)researching the interface between social movements, lawmaking and policy with a focus on the Right to Information movement and its legislative and policy outcomes. Her research interests are in the broad areas of Political Sociology, Sociology of Social Movements, and Indian Politics.Her most recent publication is, 'Whose Land is it Anyway? Property, Law and Rights in the Land Acquisition Question in India', Journal of Land and Rural Studies, 4 (1), 2016, New Delhi: Sage.

A warm welcome to the modified and updated website of the Centre for East Asian Studies. The East Asian region has been at the forefront of several path-breaking changes since 1970s beginning with the redefining the development architecture with its State-led development model besides emerging as a major region in the global politics and a key hub of the sophisticated technologies. The Centre is one of the thirteen Centres of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi that provides a holistic understanding of the region.

Initially, established as a Centre for Chinese and Japanese Studies, it subsequently grew to include Korean Studies as well. At present there are eight faculty members in the Centre. Several distinguished faculty who have now retired include the late Prof. Gargi Dutt, Prof. P.A.N. Murthy, Prof. G.P. Deshpande, Dr. Nranarayan Das, Prof. R.R. Krishnan and Prof. K.V. Kesavan. Besides, Dr. Madhu Bhalla served at the Centre in Chinese Studies Programme during 1994-2006. In addition, Ms. Kamlesh Jain and Dr. M. M. Kunju served the Centre as the Documentation Officers in Chinese and Japanese Studies respectively.

The academic curriculum covers both modern and contemporary facets of East Asia as each scholar specializes in an area of his/her interest in the region. The integrated course involves two semesters of classes at the M. Phil programme and a dissertation for the M. Phil and a thesis for Ph. D programme respectively. The central objective is to impart an interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of history, foreign policy, government and politics, society and culture and political economy of the respective areas. Students can explore new and emerging themes such as East Asian regionalism, the evolving East Asian Community, the rise of China, resurgence of Japan and the prospects for reunification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, the Centre lays great emphasis on the building of language skills. The background of scholars includes mostly from the social science disciplines; History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, International Relations and language.

Several students of the centre have been recipients of prestigious research fellowships awarded by Japan Foundation, Mombusho (Ministry of Education, Government of Japan), Saburo Okita Memorial Fellowship, Nippon Foundation, Korea Foundation, Nehru Memorial Fellowship, and Fellowship from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments. Besides, students from Japan receive fellowship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.