NOTION
OF NATIONALISM IS TROUBLESOME: SAYS K.V.NAGRAJ
In the inaugural session
of the two-day International Seminar on ‘Reinventing Nationalism, Secularism
and Plurality, Media Discourses and Deconstruction’ held at BKB Auditorium,
Gauhati University, Professor K.V.Nagraj of Mizoram University in his
presidential address said, “The topic selected for the seminar is very
sensitive and touchy. And despite these, we have to discuss it. Because, notion of nationalism is troublesome
in terms of aggression and violence and there is a need for the introspection”.
Professor Nagraj added, “Nationalism
takes many forms like cultural, religious and linguistic whereas patriotism is
geographical in character subdued by the notion of nationalism.”
Commemorating the 50 years
of Media Education in the entire North East region, the Department of
Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University which is also in its Golden
Jubilee year has organized this two-day International Seminar starting from
today in collaboration with the Department of Mass Communication, Mizoram
Central University.
Gracing the occasion as a
Chief Guest, Dr. Mridul Hazarika, the Vice Chancellor of the host University
said, “Secularism is facing a tremendous challenge with the changing pattern of
education for which we got to look at secularism from different perspective
than what the term defines genuinely.”
Speaking on the importance
of the topic, Hazarika added, “As we move forward, the issue we have today may
not be relevant tomorrow. But the issues of secularism and nationalism will
need a critical evaluation. And hence, these are extremely relevant topics that
need to be focused upon.”
“Media literacy is of
utmost importance in this changing notion of nationalism today. Otherwise, it
is pitiful to see the loss of credibility of media before the public”, said Dr.
Bhabesh Chandra Goswami, the Vice Chancellor of Cotton University who was
invited as the Guest of Honour in the seminar.
He emphasized that in
order to understand media in changing discourse of nationalism; we have to
understand the origin of India which is about the social reform of the systems
like Sati through the medium of newspaper like Brahma Patrika.
The guests from all around
the globe including participants and the international delegates were present
in the seminar.
Dr. Hemanta Kr. Nath,
Secretary of the University Classes, GU gave the welcome address.
The inaugural session also
witness the release of book entitled ‘Decoding Communication for Development:
Emphasising India’s North East’ in the presence of all the dignitaries.
Speaking to GU Times, the
Editor of the book released, Dr. Ankuran Dutta, HoD of Communication and
Journalism, GU who is also the organizing secretary of the Seminar said, “The
book is fragmented into the sub themes of conceptualizing communication for
Development, which is an attempt to understand the concepts associated with C4D
as well as define how it can be incorporated into curriculum in the academic
sector.”
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