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CSSS organises a Colloquium by Dr Atrayee Saha

CSSS organises a Colloquium by Dr Atrayee Saha

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CSSS organises a Colloquium by Dr Atrayee Saha
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CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF SOCIAL SYSTEMS
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY


cordially invites you to the


THURSDAY COLLOQUIUM


on
31st AUGUST 2023 at SSS II,
ROOM NO- 013, 3:00 pm- 5: 00 pm


“Agriculture and Ritual practices: Dharmapuja in West Bengal”

 

by

Dr Atrayee Saha
CSSS, SSS, JNU

 

Abstract: Dharmapuja is one of the dominant ritual practices among the marginalised caste groups in the rural economy of West Bengal. Dharmapuja holds its significance as the ritual practice and way of reunion among the farming community belonging to the marginalised caste groups in the state. The paper is based on detailed ethnographic study of understanding the agricultural cycle with the ritual practices that take place in the rural economy and the significance of Dharmapuja as a practice which dominates the rural society in the state. The paper is based on author’s fieldwork in two villages of Bardhaman district of West Bengal.


Dr Atrayee Saha is currently working as Associate Professor in the Centre for the Study of Social Systems, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University. She has dealt in understanding and analysing social relations in terms of cultural, political, caste and class interaction, place of religion in rural economy, impact of technology and innovation on farming community. Her research area falls in the interstices of rural sociology, agrarian studies, social inequality, issues of local governance, political economy and place of religion in rural society. She has conducted field work in rural areas of West Bengal, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. She has published in journals like South Asia Research (Sage), Critical Sociology (Sage), Sustainability Science (Springer Nature), Contemporary Voice of Dalit (Sage) and in Encyclopedia of Global Security Studies (Springer Nature).

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.