STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

The Student Presentation Panel for IGC 2024 was the first panel on Day 2, moderated by Ms. Damini Kulkarni and Mr. Manoranjan Ghosh. The first presentation was conducted by Riddhi Rohatgi, Taniya Madan, and Zoya Parwani on the topic of “India’s Health Divide: Gender, Economy, and Society,” wherein they showcased the nuances and intersections within the healthcare system in India and the way it differs with the social positions that individuals occupy. They focused their presentation on gender-based violence, mainly female sexual violence, and utilized three different cases, Bilkis Bano, Nirbhaya, and Hathras, to impress upon this point. Further, they tried to understand and analyze the varying public outcry and reception they garnered and the possible reasons for them. They studied them qualitatively, concluding with the suggestion of the need to understand and provide medical care and provisions to all victims indiscriminately.

Idika Joshi and Madhumita Lokanandan then followed it with their presentation on “Why are most Sports Mascots Male? Decoding Gender Narratives, Sustainability, and Social Responsibility in Mascot Representation.” Throughout the duration of their presentation, they focused on the intersection between gender and sports and the manner in which Sports Mascots, as good luck charms and providers of a collective identity, have over the years been used to reinforce masculine characteristics, biases, and social constructs while strengthening stereotypes concerning the lives and practices of indigenous populations. They explored the history of Sports Mascots, their role, and the possible reasons for the existence of primarily male mascots. They further proposed the possibility of using these mascots to promote sustainability and to communicate and promote good attitudes while stating the need to modernize these mascots to complement the contemporary needs of society.

The third student presentation, titled “LGBT-inclusive Development in India for Sustainable Development,” was centered on how to make LGBT-inclusive development in line with the main principle of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is "Leave No One Behind." The lecture underlined the need to shift from the gender binary to a gender spectrum. It highlighted the voices and needs of LGBTQ+ persons, who continue to face discrimination and lack of acceptance. The talk emphasized how important it is that grassroots policies be created to solve the housing, healthcare, and education issues that the LGBT population faces. While noting that there is still much work to be done, it promoted the development of national and state committees to guarantee that LGBT voices are heard in the formulation and execution of policies.

The fourth student presentation was titled “Queer Empathy, Liberal Activism and the Complexity of Sustainable Responsibility.” It advocated the use of a feminist ethical framework in liberal activism, placing particular emphasis on the interconnection of social concerns and an inclusive understanding of nature. The presentation challenged standard sustainability models that stifle queer voices and devalue local knowledge networks, advocating instead for a non-hierarchical approach to LGBTQ and ecological campaigning. It criticized the instrumental approach to sustainability and promoted decentralized resource management and decision-making. It promoted a more localized and context-specific approach to sustainable development and emphasized the value of knowing and respecting diverse, marginalized, and LGBT populations. It criticized the predominance of Western paradigms in the discourse on sustainable development and called for a more complex and varied approach to the creation of knowledge in this area.

The panel concluded with the last student presentation by Aditi Madavgane, Aniya Kulkarni, and Nandini Garimella, whose presentation, “From Grindstones to Cultural Phenomenon: Bahinabai's Ovis in the Ecofeminist Discourse” centered around the figure of Bahinabai, a woman from Maharashtra, and her ovis, that offered a unique perspective to locate the ecofeminist discourse. They further explored the themes of her works that revolved around the interconnected relationship between women and nature, nature as a nurturing force, and her daily life, presenting an exciting glimpse into the Indian ecofeminist perspective.

This concluded the student presentations of the 6th International Gender Conference 2024, hosted by Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts and DePaul University, all of which dealt with various aspects and intersectionalities of Gender and Sustainability across disciplines.

DAY 1

The International Gender Conference (IGC) of 2024 commenced with Dr. Shweta Sinha Deshpande, the Director of SSLA, welcoming all guests and speakers and introducing the theme for this year’s conference: “Bridging the Gap: Advancing Sustainability through Gender-Inclusive Solutions.” Dr. Deshpande talked about the need to understand gender as a lens through which to look at and examine the world while understanding the intersectionalities that exist within. She also reflected on the need for such a conference that incites and allows for discourse regarding everyday issues and topics, especially when considering themes of this year’s conference, like gender and sustainability, which should be looked at as both broad and specific. She then went on to talk about the way both affect different spheres of life over time and space, which further necessitates the contemporary need to value and understand traditions across cultures concerning sustainability that pre-existed.

Prof. GianMario Besana, from DePaul University Chicago, followed Dr. Deshpande and talked about the need to understand the impact of gender in our lives and went on to talk about the themes of gender and sustainability from an intersectional lens. He also proposed the idea of looking at gender inclusivity as understanding women to be possible change-makers at historic moments. He impressed upon this by listing examples like women's leadership fostering sustainable practices and women, who are usually left with the duty of rearing children, embuing sustainable practices within the new generation like those of sustainable garbage disposal.

Dr. Sheetal Ranjan, from Montclair State University, agreed with the previous speakers and professed her delight at this partnership between the three institutions for arranging such a critical discourse that is so relevant in the contemporary scenario. She added emphasis on the need to examine sustainability with a gendered lens while stating her interest in the proceedings of the next two days and awaiting the wide variety of perspectives and conversations to follow, especially with the participation of students.

Keynote Address

During his welcoming address at the International Gender Conference, Ambassador Pavan Verma highlighted how India has a particular respect for the feminine principle, represented by the concept of Shakti, which is unparalleled by major faiths around the globe. Women had important roles as goddesses and consorts to male deities from the period of the ancient Indus Valley civilization until the Vedic era, demonstrating respect for both genders and the natural world. However, there is a significant difference between religious philosophy and women's treatment. Though theories such as Sankhya recognized gender equality, interpretations such as Manusmriti limited women to inferior positions. However, ancient literature like Arthashastra portrays women as monarchs' counselors and guardians. It is critical to bridge the gap between theory and practice, recognizing the inherent relationship between women and the environment in order to create a more fair and sustainable future.

Dr. Vibhuti Patel followed with her keynote speech, where she stated the importance of understanding the social, political, and historical contexts when looking at sustainability from a gendered perspective. She acknowledged the historical contributions of working-class women and talked about several dates in history that are important concerning women’s rights and positionality today while addressing the importance of the same within the contemporary scenario, which had worsened recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She also placed particular emphasis on UN Goals and the need for gender equality to achieve them.

Panel 1: Gender, Environment and Climate Change

The first panel of the conference, titled ‘Gender, Environment and Climate Change,’ moderated by Dr. Priyadarshini Karve, sought to explore environment and climate change through a gendered lens and understand their intersections.

Dr. Chindu Sreedharan was the first speaker of the panel, and he talked about the interaction between gender, climate change, and journalism. He focused on disaster journalism for his presentation, wherein he addressed women's role in journalism and the gender disparity that exists within those statistics. He talked about disaster journalism as being a very male-dominated field due to the number of risks involved while also talking about the published content being mainly rooted in male perspectives. He also touched on the fact that disasters differently affect different populations, and due to the display of only a singular perspective on the frontlines, there is a lack and even silencing of several voices, mainly gender-based in this case.

Dr. Padmini Ray Murray examined the complex interplay between technology and the law. She argued for a move toward "design justice," which puts the demands of the community ahead of those of big business. Ray underlined the value of approaching technology from the standpoint of systems design and co-designing infrastructure to address issues facing the community. She criticized the idea of "tech neutrality," emphasizing how it exacerbates inequality. Initiatives like an interactive 3D game and a feminist server, which support data ownership and democratize information access, are examples of Ray's feminist methodology in action. Ray emphasized how technology can empower communities and promote environmental sustainability through creative methods, including locally-owned health narratives and community-owned data archives. Her observations demand that the way that technology is used to solve urgent global concerns be rethought.

The crucial topic of cooking energy was covered in detail in Dr. Priyadarshini Karve's talk at the International Gender Conference's session on gender, environment, and climate change. Dr. Karve emphasized how women predominate in the culinary arts and the adverse effects that conventional biomass and fossil fuel consumption have on human health and the environment. Despite efforts to introduce cleaner alternatives such as LPG, rural families continue to rely on wood fuels due to their versatility and usefulness. Program designers and end users don't communicate well thus solutions that meet user demands are required. Since the adoption of LPG frequently transfers responsibilities to women, Dr. Karve questioned the gender dynamics of energy control. In the context of climate change, bridging the gender gap in energy usage between renewable and non-renewable sources in rural households is a challenging task. According to her ideas, energy transition initiatives should use a comprehensive strategy that prioritizes the demands of users and gender parity.

Ms Anuja Bali, speaking for rural women, highlighted their disproportionate susceptibility to environmental concerns. Bali lamented the absence of female perspectives in decision-making procedures, which resulted in inadequate resolutions and sustained gender inequalities. She attacked corporate social responsibility programs for taking a hierarchical approach and failing to take into account the unique requirements of women. Bali emphasized the several difficulties that women encounter, such as poor sanitary facilities, uneven pay, and a lack of secure transportation. To bring about significant change, she called for women to be meaningfully included in decision-making.

Policy expert Mr Karthik Ganesan spoke at the International Gender Conference on Gender, Environment, and Climate Change, emphasizing the crucial role that women play in efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt to them. Women mostly use non-motorized and public transportation, according to Ganesan, who underlined the gendered impact of transportation regulations. He promoted gender-neutral transportation upgrades to improve women's safety and mobility, pointing to subsidies as a successful strategy to encourage women to use public transit. Ganesan also emphasized the need for women to be included in decision-making by highlighting the disproportionate consequences of air pollution on women and children, especially from biomass cooking. Ganesan celebrated women's tenacity in the face of adversity and their leadership in local climate change initiatives, such as Mandakini's radio campaign to put out forest fires. In conclusion, he emphasized the critical role that women play in community self-help organizations and agricultural solutions, and he urged increased recognition of their contributions to efforts to build climate resilience.

Panel 2: Global Voices: Understanding Gender in the Context of Environmental and Climate Change

The second panel of the conference was titled: “Global Voices: Understanding Gender in the Context of Environmental and Climate Change” and was moderated by Dr. Sheetal Ranjan. The first speaker of the panel was Dr. Margarita Alario, who talked about the environmental sustainability crisis as also being a crisis concerned with gender equality. She emphasized how human encroachment on animal habitats led to the rapid spread of viruses, devastating wildlife populations, and leading to several environmental crises, the consequences of which become a contemporary concern. She also took great care in contesting the notion of ‘crisis as the great unifier’ and instead stated the different ways in which crisis affects different populations. Dr. Alario also specified the manner of the journey that led to the development of an environmental crisis into a gender crisis.

Dr. Abby Cordova followed Dr. Alario with her presentation, which focused on migration and its increasing rates due to climate change and domestic abuse in the areas of Latin and Central America. She addressed the reception of migrants in these areas and their changing perceptions due to the changing circumstances and needs. She highlighted the current trend of increased migration in women, unlike before, due to increasingly worse climatic conditions and disasters. She also stated the inability of these migrants to benefit from the policies made for them and instead suggested the implementation of better and more empathetic policies. She highlighted the precarious position the gender of these migrants places them in as they become more vulnerable to other kinds of violence, like sexual violence.

Functioning within a similar understanding, Dr. Paloma Amar and Ms. Francis Blanco made their presentation concerning gender-based violence in New Jersey and its disproportionate nature. They presented their efforts, which were more rooted in funding programs to prevent such violence that provide people with legal, educational, and cultural support and services that may help their circumstances. They emphasized the need to support and encourage self-sufficiency in the form of financial independence by combining entrepreneurship and business development. Their model consisted of primary prevention at the community level by providing culturally sensitive programs based on providing all kinds of required support and services.

Dr. Lora Forsythe discussed the relationship between gender inequality in agricultural systems and climate change. She underlined the serious hazards to gender that are made worse by violence and socioeconomic injustice. Forsythe used a gendered perspective to describe the three categories of vulnerability: exposure, adaptive capability, and sensitivity. She emphasized the need to have adaptive capacity in order to counteract unhealthy coping strategies. She emphasized the value of enhancing human capital and livelihoods and pushed for women to have equal access to and control over resources. In order to address structural concerns, participants in the Q&A session discussed policy-level solutions, focusing on gender mainstreaming techniques and including women in decision-making processes. Forsythe's observations highlighted the need for revolutionary legislation and women's movements in order to properly address gender inequality brought on by climate change.

A number of important questions were brought up during the Gender, Environment, and Climate Change panel's Q&A session. In answer to Ms. Katheryne Pugliese's inquiry on meeting the unique needs of LGBTQ people, the statement stressed the need to offer inclusive services, educate providers, and grow programs that cater to LGBTQ groups. Michelle Crespo asked about the connection between gender-based violence and anti-immigrant sentiments, emphasizing the necessity for advocacy and education programs to counteract false beliefs. When it came to strategies for combating gender-based violence, it was recommended that grassroots initiatives headed by LGBTQ people be given the freedom to create and modify solutions. The topic of reducing gender inequities was also discussed, with an emphasis on the value of inclusive policies and practices, women's movements, civil society, and political will in the fight against inequality brought on by climate change. These observations emphasized how cooperative efforts are necessary to handle intersectional difficulties successfully.

DAY 2

Panel 2: Gender, Livelihoods and Migration

In her talk on the gendered nature of migration, Dr. Suchita Krishnaprasad concentrated on employing migration as a means of subsistence. She emphasized how migration, which men's need for income has traditionally fueled, frequently limits women's ability to find employment because of caring obligations. Women are seen as augmenting family incomes and mainly traveling with their families. Women choose work-from-home opportunities while having comparable qualifications, and a sizable portion of them work in healthcare and caregiving professions. Due to factors including dangerous working conditions, lack of written contracts, and absence of maternity benefits, migrant women frequently find themselves in the unofficial sector. Social conventions have a significant influence on women's migration decisions, which limits their prospects. She underlined that in order to assist migratory women in pursuing employment, safe housing, reliable transportation, and childcare facilities are essential.

The talk by Prof. Tania Das Gupta highlighted the intersections between gendered experiences and women's oppression, especially in nations that welcome immigrants. She stressed that although patriarchy affects all women, some additionally have additional difficulties as a result of racial concerns. She illustrated how migratory women workers, who were frequently temporary migrants, lost their employment as a result of institutional failures using the example of wildfires in North America. When they are jobless or deported, these migrant workers, who are primarily women in caregiving roles, face housing difficulties and depend on support from friends and family. She talked about how colonialism and capitalist exploitation have left indigenous communities vulnerable to mercury poisoning. Her talk emphasized the need to address the particular difficulties encountered by migrating women, particularly those who come from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.

Ms. Kavita Murlidharan, the last speaker on the panel, presented her perspective as a journalist regarding the migrations she’d written about in Tamil Nadu that explored the historical and contemporary way that divinity was utilized to cope with disease outbreaks. She talked about the challenges faced by women during migration due to their inability to care for and provide for their families. She also spoke about marginalized communities and women from those communities being more vulnerable to changes that led to migration, like urbanization and industrial pollution, due to the disproportionate effect of migration. She concluded by further emphasizing the need for understanding migration through a gendered lens as well as increased dialogue regarding the same.

These speakers were then followed by a fruitful Question and Answer session consisting of discussions revolving around the intersection of democracy and the gender gap, the cyclic oppression and lack of opportunity faced by Indian migrant women after being employed in the informal sector, and the understanding of migration as a structural issue. This marked the end of the second Panel of Day two of the International Gender Conference 2024.

Panel 3: Paper Presentations

The paper presentation titled “Learning to be Gendered: Imprints of Community Environment on Gender Socialisation” highlighted how different community settings have a pervasive impact on gender socialization. Gender norms are shaped in large part by family dynamics, peer pressure, school policies, community contacts, and role models. These impressions eventually affect people's development since they frequently result in opportunities being restricted, discrimination based on gender, and problems with body image. Initiatives for gender resocialization were proposed, highlighting the necessity of community members, educators, and parents intervening to question and alter deeply ingrained gender preconceptions. The presentation emphasized how crucial it is to amend laws and raise public awareness in order to combat gender inequality and build more welcoming environments where people may transcend conventional gender stereotypes.

The paper presentation, "Weaponizing the Environment: Interrogating Gender, Nature, and Power in Contemporary Conflicts," used examples from the Manipur conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war to examine the intersection of gender, nature, and power in contemporary conflicts. Women were found to be disproportionately affected by environmental deterioration, having to deal with issues including scarcity of supplies and dangerous ways to get water. In order to adequately address these concerns, the presentation stressed how crucial it is for policy efforts to acknowledge women's autonomy and empowerment. It also emphasized the necessity of an integrated framework that uses intersectionality to confront oppressive institutions and advance climate justice while recognizing the diversity of perspectives and communities impacted by conflicts.

Ms. Saba Afreen presented the next paper presentation titled: “Empowering Women in Seed Enterprise Development through Self-Help Groups: A Pathway to Sustainable Agriculture,” which was based on a project in Odisha concerning a seed enterprise unit owned and managed by Women Self Help Groups. It focused on mobilizing women farmers and providing them with the training to manage and maintain their crops, which, in this case, was held in Hyderabad. Extensive training sessions and capacity-building sessions were conducted under this project to ensure good crops by motivating and educating the farmers. It was based on the model of working from the community level and then further leading seed production to different states and levels. Ms. Afreen further specified through this project and paper, the large-scale impact that it had on tribal women farmers and the role of women in sustainable development goals by engaging in sustainable agriculture run only by women (as sole decision makers).

Dr. Truptee Borulkar and Ms. Siya Borulkar followed Ms. Afreen with the paper presentation “Weaving Gender Equality: Assessing the Impact of Traditional Sustainable Artisanal Practices to Empower Women,” wherein they talked about handicrafts as an integral part of Indian culture and the role of women in that industry. This paper and research were based in Aurangabad and dealt with the lives of women working in this industry and their reception by society. Dr. Borulkar explained the challenges faced by these women while working and the altered sense of independence and self-sufficiency that they occupied towards the end of the study, which also led to upward social mobility. In this way, this paper by Dr. Borulkar presented a dialogue between traditional sustainable practices and women's empowerment.

The paper presentation "Shifting Dynamics: Female Autonomy and Injected Urbanism in Bihar" examined how gender roles and power dynamics are changing in Bihar's rural and urban areas. It spoke on how the lines separating urban and rural communities are becoming blurred and how traditionally metropolitan traits are also present in rural places. The changing power dynamics brought to light the growing involvement of women in governance and decision-making roles, especially in light of the migration of males to metropolitan regions. The presentation focused on how women's rising autonomy and influence, which are defying established gender stereotypes and driving societal change, are a result of their increased access to government programs and their active participation in times of crisis like the COVID-19 epidemic.

Dr. V. Sebastian then presented the final paper presentation of the Conference titled: “The Bar Dance Girl as Subaltern: Female Resistance by Subversion of the Male Gaze,” which focused on resisting the Male Gaze and the reclaiming of control by the bar dancers. Dr. Sebastian focused on the lives of these women who worked in dance bars due to the lack of any other alternatives and were thus alienated from society due to their ‘immoral’ actions. He emphasized the violence they faced in their profession by presenting the case of Leela and talked about the ‘Male Gaze’ they were regarded by, which viewed women as bodies for men’s pleasure. To subvert this understanding, he proposed a subalternate way of understanding their dance as an act of exerting control and dominance by earning money through capitalizing on the men’s desires and setting boundaries as acts of resistance.

Engaging questions posed during the question and answer session following the paper presentations gave more insight into the papers presented. Dr. Trupti explained how her research came about, stating that it was a result of her in-depth knowledge of the financial hardships that underprivileged groups in the Maratha region experienced. She provided a nuanced view of community relations and underlined the collective efforts made to handle post-COVID difficulties. An additional question explored the intricate correlation between India's crime rates and dance clubs. The presenter emphasized the financial and societal conditions that push women into this line of employment, highlighting more general concerns about abuse and poverty that influence their decisions. A question was asked regarding whether there is a choice competition in relation to the kinds of seeds being used for production. The presenter answered by saying that repetitive usage of indigenous seeds has a significant impact on agricultural systems' output. On the other hand, new seed systems and hybrid types have the potential to increase production if they are promoted and made available. Productivity may be significantly raised by giving farmers access to these seeds and assisting them in growing and repurposing their own.

The International Gender Conference of 2024 was concluded with a brief note of thanks from Dr. Suchetana Banerjee to all the speakers and to the students who were a part of the IGC teams and helped ensure the smooth functioning of the conference.

Course Title: Project Ecology- an experiential learning program
Course Code:
Number of Credits: 4
Level: 2
Student intake: Upto 25 students

Introduction:

The last few decades have seen a drastic shift in the way humans relate to the natural world around them. At the heart of the present environmental and climate crisis is a loss of connection with nature, especially in cities. The United Nations declared 2020–2030 to be a Decade of Ecosystem Restoration. Urban green spaces, if restored to bio-diverse gardens and food-growing hubs, can serve as powerful tools for experiential learning. Through these green spaces we can teach ecological thinking, lessons about interdependence in life and food security, and practical skills in sustainable living to students and citizens. The knowledge, if scaled-up to multiple gardens and stakeholders, can translate into building healthy communities, which is the long-term vision of Project Ecology. This program is seen as an opportunity to encourage young people to find creative, compassionate solutions for the eco-climate crisis. With the average university student spending hours in classrooms, an ecologically-enriching green space can play a significant role in helping them explore their role as stewards of our planet.

Project Ecology is designed to enable experiential learning for the students. A unique collaborative program, it will be conducted by SSLA in collaboration with an NGO partner- Society for Christ Jesus, and Technical Partner- Ecosphere Connect (an ecological consultancy). Additional collaborations will be made as required. The course will be offered as a blend of classroom and field sessions, as well as provide opportunities to students to engage with the various communities the NGO partner works with such as the caregivers program, after-school tuition for underprivileged students.

*The course is offered for 120 hours over 2 semesters. The final grades will be incorporated at the end of the second semester of the course

Learning Objective: (using Blooms taxonomy) The broad objective of this program is to enhance environmental literacy through experiential learning and equip students to be stewards for community-nature outreach, with the following specific objectives:

1. To understand the role of urban biodiversity using scientific and citizen science tools, for supporting resilient food-webs for human and ecosystem health.
2. To develop practical skills in ecological farming, designing urban wildlife habitats, and experimenting with various growing techniques.
3. To understand and revive traditional home remedies using herbal plants for health.
4. To interpret one’s ecological footprints and demonstrate various sustainable-living practices such as a waste-to-food model using composting methods.
5. To translate their learnings for community outreach to build sustainable communities.

Learning Outcome (s)

1. The students will be able to understand the significance of biodiversity, the interconnectedness of life, learn scientific monitoring techniques, interpret their findings, and draw linkages between biodiversity and human health.
2. The students will demonstrate tangible green skills and improve environmental literacy through experiential learning.
3. They will summarize and interpret traditional ecological knowledge, such as documenting forgotten home herbal remedies using herbs grown in the garden.
4. They will reflect on their ecological footprint, develop values of environmental responsibility, and explore potential lifestyle changes by demonstrating an understanding of sustainable-living practices.
5. The students will be able to demonstrate community service.

Pre-learning / Pre-requisite: None

Course Outline:

Pedagogy

1. Hands-on, field-based learning activities
2. Interactive classroom sessions
3. Exposure visits
4. Interactions with the community
5. Guest lectures by Subject-Matter Experts
6. Group Projects

Books Recommended:

Campbell N.A., Biology 8th ed. Masanobu Fukuoka, The one-straw revolution Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants Peter Wohleben, The hidden life of trees Michael Lewis, INVENTING GLOBAL ECOLOGY: Tracking the Biodiversity Ideal in India (1945-1997) Additional reading material, field guides, and online resources will be provided as required.

Suggested Assessment/ Evaluation Methods (4 credits- 100marks):

Group Projects
Class Presentations
Individual Assignments
Class participation

Benchmarked against similar courses in other national/ international universities /organizations - Not applicable

Justification for change in an existing course / or a new course:

Expert: Prerna Agarwal
Consultant/ Advisor: Dr. Barry Rodrigue
Signature of Dean:
Date: