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CSSS is organising a talk by Nita Mathur

CSSS is organising a talk by Nita Mathur

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CSSS is organising a talk by Nita Mathur
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Centre for the Study of Social Systems

School of Social Sciences

 

CSSS Colloquium

 

Nita Mathur

(Professor in Sociology, IGNOU, New Delhi, CAS Visiting Fellow, CSSS, SSS, JNU)

 

Will be presenting a paper on

 

Everydayness of Consumption: Negotiating Aspirations, Choices and Identity

 

Date & Time: November 16, 2017 (Thursday), 3.00 pm

Venue: CSSS Committee Room (Room No: 13), SSS-II

 

Abstract: The objective of this presentation is twofold: first, to examine the complexities of everyday life of urban middle class, particularly youth, as they negotiate their aspirations and anxieties within the restraints and constraints that surround them; and second, to examine the complex relation between identity, ideology and consumption practices in the middle-income section of society. The key interrelated questions are: Are consumption decisions governed by utility and price considerations? Are they premised on the notion that consumption is critical to identity construction in the present day? Whether and in what way does consumer culture compromise/accommodate/challenge the ideals of austerity and self-sacrifice as also people’s nostalgia for ‘traditional’ ways of life.

Bio: Prof. Nita Mathur teaches sociology at the School of Social Sciences, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi. She has been visiting scholar at Maison des sciences de l’homme (MSH) Paris, and visiting faculty at the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi and School of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi. Her books, Cultural Rhythms in Emotions, Narratives and Dance, Santhal Worldview (ed), and Consumer Culture, Modernity and Identity (ed) deal with the central issue of social construction of identity. Some of her critical publications in national and international journals are in areas of consumer culture and the middle class, folklore and performance studies, and tribal language and culture. She is currently pursuing research on lifestyle choices and construction of modern identities. At IGNOU, she has coordinated programmes and courses (jointly) and teaches the course: Research Methodology to M Phil and Ph D students.

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.