Indian Media Saturday, Oct 13th, 2007

SACREDMEDIACOW and the
Centre for Film and Media Studies present:

INDIAN MASS MEDIA
AND THE POLITICS OF CHANGE

One-day conference for Postgraduates & Early Career Researchers
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)
Khalili Lecture Theatre
Saturday, Oct 13th, 2007
10:00-18:00
(followed by a party)

Opening address: Prof Paul Webley (Director of SOAS)
Keynote Speaker: Prof John Hutnyk
Endnote Speaker: Prof Laura Mulvey

The conference jointly is organized by SACREDMEDIACOW, an independent student-led research centre on Indian media, and the Centre for Film and Media Studies at the School Of Oriental and African Studies. Having said that, SACREDMEDIACOW is not really a centre for India media research (perhaps, a periphery of Indian media research would be a more appropriate title), but more of a Collective.

Bengali Films at Goldsmiths

Tuesday's CCS Film Night 6pm–9 pm RHB SH/Cinema Goldsmiths

Its 150 years since the 1857 uprisings, 60 years since Independence (for Pakistan and India) and 40 years since Naxalbari (see, dialectics!)... In a kind of angular appreciation of these anniversaries, the film slot for CCS in Autumn term 2007 will be a series of great Bengali films.

We will start with Satyajit Ray's "The Chess Players" on the 2nd of October

Then Mrinal Sen's "The Guerrilla Fighter on the 9th of October

Followed by more Mrinal Sen:
16 October - Aakaler Sandhane
23 October - Antareen (will start one hour later because of Keith Hart's Inaugural Lecture in IGLT (at 5.30)

Then in the following weeks, some Ritwik Ghatak, films by Arparna Sen and one by Buddhadeb Dasgupta - dates to be announced (but its nearly every tuesday at 6)

All welcome.

1857/2007: Imperialism, ‘Race’, Resistance

1857/2007: Imperialism, ‘Race’, Resistance
an international conference on the 150th anniversary of the 1857 uprisings
Saturday 6 October 2007 10.30am – 6.00pm
SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, London WC1H 0XG

Speakers include: Indian human rights lawyer Nandita Haksar, who most recently has defended the accused in the Parliament Attack case; writer, film-maker and anti-war activist Tariq Ali; historian and writer on colonialism and patriarchy Kumkum Sangari; radical historian from Pakistan Mubarak Ali; Editor of Indian left monthly Liberation Kavita Krishnan; spokesperson of Cageprisoners Adnan Siddiqui; eminent civil-liberties lawyer Gareth Peirce; Iraqi Democrats Against Occupation spokesperson Hani Lazim, historian and writer on British imperialism John Newsinger; feminist educationalist Rubina Saigol from Pakistan
Organised by South Asia Solidarity Group, The 1857 Committee and the Centre for South Asian Studies, SOAS

1857
saw a sustained and widespread uprising against British rule in India. Although dubbed the ‘Indian Mutiny’ in many colonial history books, the uprising, which spread across much of the northern half of South Asia (at that time called India, now including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) and lasted almost two years, had all the characteristics of a war against imperialism and for independence.

The aim of this conference is not only to remember what happened in 1857, but to highlight the continuities and parallels with the situation in South Asia and globally today. We will be looking at 1857 as one of the high points of continuing popular anti-imperialist resistance, in which people identifying with different communities and religions but sharing many aspects of culture consciously came together to resist an aggressively racist colonial power. In the process we will talk about contemporary imperialism, racism and the rise of the religious right, and the struggles against them in South Asia and here in Britain.

Currently the rise of intense anti-Muslim racism in Britain (along with other developments, like the rise of Hindutva in India) has polarised South Asian communities. It is urgent to reclaim our shared history of anti-colonial struggle and draw parallels with the British state’s current role in imperialism and war.
Some of the key themes of this conference include
The repressive state in Britain and South Asia and the construction of ‘terror’
People’s resistance to corporate capital from the East India Company to today
Land alienation, globalisation of agriculture and people’s struggles for resources
‘Divide and rule’, the religious right and popular movements against communalism
Changing strategies of state intervention and control: ‘culture’ ‘race’ and gender

Register now for the conference as places are limited. To register for the conference, complete and return the form below. For more information contact: sasg@southasiasolidarity.org