The Centre de Sciences Humaines is pleased to invite you to the CSH Workshop

by

Dipankar Gupta

Sociologist

Future Seekers in Aspirational India

Picture: Courtesy Arthur Crestani, “Klock Tower, Longing for a home that looks close to heaven”, Gurgaon, 2017.

Abstract: In this presentation I would like to begin with some of the major socio-economic trends in urban and rural India in order to set the context for the current aspiration-driven churn in our country. It is necessary to appreciate how extensively the transformation of the rural economy has contributed to urban aspirations. Next, I should like to discuss in sequence the linkages between education, jobs and skills in contemporary India and what constraints young people encounter as they set out to meet their future. There is certainly a lot of promise in the air but there are also apprehensions which are real. At the same time, it should also be clear that earlier explanatory approaches that relied heavily on caste or traditional norms have little traction in understanding social processes that accost us now. Much of the data presented will be from secondary sources, such as the Agricultural Census, the National Census, MSME, the National Sample Survey, the National Census, Manpower Data, India Human Development Report. But through it all, it is actual field experiences that were inspirational points that alerted the speaker to look at macro data sources to understand the magnitude of the issues involved. It is the blending of first hand with secondary data that together will make for the bulk of my talk.

Speaker: Dipankar Gupta was formerly Professor at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Prof. Gupta’s research career started with work on the Shiv Sena. He later conducted a number of field-based studies concerning issues ranging from ethnicity to caste to farmers’ mobilization to modernity and agrarian distress. Professor Gupta has also been involved in an advisory capacity in several educational and research institutions, such as Visvabharati and Pondicherry University, the National Security Advisory Board, the National Broadcasting Authority and the Punjab Government Reforms Commission. Prof. Gupta has published a number of books, edited volumes, and journal articles. His latest book is entitled From ‘People’ to ‘Citizens’: Democracy’s Must take Road and was published by Social Science Press in 2017.

More info:
julien{dot}levesque{at}csh-delhi{dot}com

For registration:

RSVP mentioning your full name to be sent (before Monday, 20 January, 12 p.m.) to: neeru{dot}gohar{at}csh-delhi{dot}com

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