Organized by Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policies, TISS

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) was established in 1936 as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work. In 1944 it was renamed as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and it was declared Deemed to be a University in 1964. Since its inception, the Vision of TISS has been to be an institution of excellence in higher education, committed to respond to the changing social realities through the development and application of knowledge, towards creating a people-centred, ecologically sustainable and just society that believes in equality and social justice and protects and promotes the human rights and dignity of all. In pursuance of its vision, TISS continues to bring necessary changes in the contents of its teaching, research, and extension activities so as to contribute to the creation of competent and committed professionals capable of playing an active role in the task of ending poverty and eliminating indignities and brutalities of all kinds at all levels.

The Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policies:

Upholding the view that social exclusion of all kinds not only generates among people inequality, indignity, conflicts and violence but also perpetuates them for a longer period of time, and the result of which often directly affects the rights and dignity of certain castes and communities in India such as the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and religious minorities, both in their everyday life and in matters of accessing state sponsored development benefits, the University Grants Commission (UGC) under its X Plan established number of Centers for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policies (CSSEIP) in various academic institutions in India to understand through research the structures and process of social exclusions, and the effects of various inclusive policies and programmes introduced by the state in accordance with certain special provisions provided in the Indian Constitution. Towards realising this goal, the CSSEIP was established in TISS, Mumbai in March 2007. Since then the Centre has undertaken number of research on issues pertaining to such castes and communities. In 2014, the Centre introduced an integrated M.Phil-Ph.D. programme in Inclusive Development and Social Justice. The primary purpose of the programme is to building the research capabilities of students interested in understanding-through scientific research and in a more nuanced way-what happens to state's commitment to the constitutional idealism such as social justice when the state becomes the signatory to those so called development projects directly affecting the lives and livelihood of the very castes and communities whose rights and dignity it proclaims to protect and promote, and when the state law and order machineries fail to prevent those dominant castes and communities violating the rights and dignity of the less powerful ones.

Another major academic activity of the Centre is its annual seminar. The primary purpose of this initiative is to bring together research scholars and academics to debate on issues and challenges of those castes and communities facing exclusions of one kind or the other and the outcomes of various inclusive policies introduced for the purpose. It is also to debate on the ways forward. The Centre's M.Phil/Ph.D. scholars play a major role in hosting this event.

Seminar Theme:

India constitutes multiple communities. These communities are differentiated not only by their caste, tribe, religion and ethnicity based identity but also by their regional and linguistic background. The modern state provides to all citizens access to welfare and representation in various decision making bodies at various levels. In the last 70 years, India has become one of the emerging economies. Yet, India continues to face inequality both between and within communities with regard to accessing basic needs of life such as food, shelter and dignity. While certain communities have managed to absorb the fruits of growth, others remain deprived. The plight of certain communities such as the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Religious Minorities is far more grave as they continue to face multiple forms of exclusion, discrimination and violence. Although there are numerous legal and legislative mechanisms in place based on certain special provision provided in the Constitution, they continue to face challenges in accessing those provided by the state. Thus it becomes imperative to reengage ourselves in understanding why certain castes and communities have historically remain excluded, and despite number special provisions to protect and and promote their interests, they continue to remain the most excluded, discriminated and brutalized and do not get what are due to them as citizens of the country. Therefore, the theme of the 2018 Annual Seminar of the Centre is “Structures and Processes of Social Exclusion and Inclusion”.

Seminar objectives:

In the above context, the focus of the seminar will be on the following objectives:

1. to understand the structures (caste, tribe and religion based), processes, and forms of social exclusion, discrimination and violence experienced by people of certain castes, tribes and religious minority communities,
2. to understand how the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Religious Minorities face their issues and challenges in their daily social life, and while trying to access their due Constitutional rights;
3. to understand the effectiveness of the exiting inclusive policies and programmes in protecting and promoting the interests of the excluded castes, tribes and communities.

Broad Sub-themes of the seminar:

1. Conceptualizing discrimination, exclusion and inclusion based on caste/ethnicity and religion.
2. Changing structures of power relation within and across castes, tribes and religions.
3. Issues of and challenges faced by the SCs, STs and Religious Minorities in their daily life situation and while accessing state sponsored development benefits.
4. Changing forms of indignities and atrocities meted out to the excluded castes and communities.
5. The power and status of women among excluded castes and communities and their role in addressing the issues and challenges of their castes and communities.
6. State's protective and inclusive policies and programmes, their outcome, the challenges faced in the implementation and in availing of their benefits, and the ways forward.

These are merely the broad sub-themes of the seminar. The participants of the seminar are free to decide their own title of the paper, but to see that the chosen title is directly related to any one or more of these themes.

Instructions for submissions:

• Submissions on the above themes are expected from those engaged in teaching and research including Mphil and PhD scholars.
• The abstract should be concise and within 500 words. It should have at least a working title, what it tries to attempt (objectives), and a brief outline of methodology used in the proposed paper.
• The completed papers should be within 3000 to 3500 words.
• All submissions must entail the full name of the participant, his/her educational qualification and contact details. 

• All abstracts and completed papers must be sent to <csseipsem2018@gmail.com>

Important dates:

• Announcement of seminar 19th March.
• Last date for abstract submission - 30th March 2018
• Notification of selection of abstracts - 4th April 2018
• Submission of full paper - 19th April 2018
• Seminar dates - 27th and 28th April 2018

Seminar Venue:

The venue of the two-day seminar is: Board Room (ground floor), G10 Building, New Campus, TISS, V.N. Purav Marg, Deonar Form Road, Mumbai - 400088.

Accommodation:

The cost towards accommodation will be met entirely by the seminar participants. We will be able arrange two kinds of accommodation for the participants. One is the TISS student hostel having multiple bunk beds. This is a non-AC accommodation with a common bath room facility. Each bunk bed costs Rs.350/- per day per person. This kind of accommodation is available for both male and female participants separately.

The other kind of accommodation is the TISS guest house. It is a twin-sharing room with attached bath room. In each room two guests are accommodated. The AC room of this kind cost Rs.2006/- (including GST) per person per day. The non-AC room cost Rs.1344/- (including GST) per person per day.

Those interested in staying in any of the above mentioned accommodation during the seminar days are requested to specify their check-in and check-out dates and times writing to the below mentioned seminar volunteers at the earliest.

Food:

As mentioned earlier, besides the morning and evening tea and snacks, a simple vegetation lunch will also be provided to each registered participant on both the days of the seminar out of the registration fee. However, please note, the cost towards break fast and dinner on all days of your stay on campus has to be met by yourself. Breakfast and dinner available in the TISS dinning hall at a subsidized price. The seminar organizing committee will assist you on this matter.

Registration fee:

All participants of the seminar whose "Abstracts" have been accepted for presentation in the seminar are requested to make online payment of Rs.900/- towards "Registration Fee" before 8th April 2018 using the following link:

https://support.tiss.edu/conf_regi_form/

Out of this amount, the following will be provided to each seminar participant: Each registered participant will get a seminar folder consisting of a booklet of all abstracts accepted for the seminar, a pen and a note pad, and also an ID card. Tea and snacks both in the morning and evening and a simple vegetarian lunch will be provided on both the days. At the end of seminar the participants will also get a certificate of participation.

Contact our Organizing Committee Volunteers for any assistance:

Mr. Arjun (9674867397), Mr. Chandramani Piyush (7070589200).

Seminar Coordinator: Prof. Avatthi Ramaiah, 022-25525352, ramaiah@gmail.com