From dak at sarai.net Mon Feb 2 22:50:57 2004 From: dak at sarai.net (dak at sarai.net) Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2004 18:20:57 +0100 (CET) Subject: [Sarai Newsletter] February 2004 Message-ID: <1044.203.94.199.28.1075742457.squirrel@mail.sarai.net> CONTENTS: February 2004 3rd Media Publics & Practices Seminar Series: Edgy Product, by Chris Csikszentmihalyi, MIT Media Lab 4th Media Publics & Practices Seminar Series: A Public Shower For Delhi - Skateboarding, Art and the Urban Field, by Christoph Schaefer, Artist 14th Day of Freedom From The Censor: Panel discussions and readings 18th The Delhi Seminar Series: Tenementality in Delhi - Sweepers and the Cultural Economy of Housing by Omar Kutty, University of Chicago Film @ Sarai: Focus on Censorship 6th Empire of the Censors, Parts I & II 13th New (Improved) Delhi, dir. Vani Subramanian Sunder Nagri (The City Beautiful), dir. Rahul Roy 20th Tales of the Night Fairies, dir. Shohini Ghosh ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Friends, February at Sarai is a time when we pause for a moment, amongst the daily rush of all our busy schedules, to reflect on the year gone by, on the events, accomplishments and processes continued and initiated in the past year. For February is a time to celebrate the anniversary of Sarai’s public existence. Even as we complete three years in the public domain this year, we find ourselves face to face with an increasingly worrying trend - of an effort to curb and modify expression in many spheres of public life, through strictures, prohibitions, marginalisation and force. This February, we at Sarai decided to raise our voices by focusing on censorship through discussions, debates and readings from a banned book, on a day that has in recent times failed to meet with the approval of the guardians of morality, and through month-long screenings. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MEDIA PUBLICS AND PRACTICES SEMINAR SERIES Tuesday, February 3, 2004, 3:30 pm Edgy Product Chris Csikszentmihalyi, MIT Media Lab Contemporary technology design rests upon one of two major rationales: Productivity or Entertainment. In part because of a paucity of imagination, the restrictions of the market and the acquired interests of scientists and engineers, most of the spectrum of human experience is not addressed through technology. At the Computing Culture group, several projects are underway that seek to redress this problem by injecting both politics and poetry into software and hardware to create edgy, contentious technologies. Chris Csikszentmihalyi is the Fukutake Assistant Professor of Media Arts and Sciences and directs the Computing Culture Group at the MIT Media Lab. He has worked in the intersection of new technologies, media, and the arts for ten years - lecturing, showing new media work, and presenting installations in both Europe and North America. Interested in cultural narratives, his work typically aims to create a new technology to embody a particular social agenda. His most recent piece, "Afghan Explorer," is a technology designed to defend the First Amendment by creating a tele-operated robot reporter that bypasses American military censorship. It recently won an AICA award for Best Web Art. His previous piece, "DJ I, Robot" won the Special Award for new media at the Split Film Festival, and was nominated for the "Best Artistic Software" award at Berlin's Transmediale. His "Natural Language Processor" was commissioned by the KIASMA Museum in Helsinki, Finland. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- MEDIA PUBLICS AND PRACTICES SEMINAR SERIES Wednesday, February 4, 2004, 3:30 pm A Public Shower For Delhi: Skateboarding, Art and the Urban Field Christoph Schaefer, Artist Christoph Schaefer will present and talk about his works starting from early video installations in a Hamburg discotheque ("Promised Land", 1989), to hedonistic interventions into public space ("Melrose Place", Vienna, 1994), to the recent "Post-Fordistic Cows". He will relate these projects to observations and experiences made in the last three months of his residency in Delhi - at Sarai and the Cybermohalla - and in Kolkata. Plus a bit of Skateboard philosophy and a chance to see his film "Revolution Non Stop". Christoph Schaefer lives in Hamburg and works on urbanism, gardens, theme parks, fashion and everyday life, in art spaces and in collective and individual interventionist projects. As part of the Park Fiction group, he participated in Documenta11. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ URBAN CULTURES & POLITICS: THE DELHI SEMINAR SERIES Wednesday, February 18, 2004, 3:30 pm Tenementality in Delhi: Sweepers and the Cultural Economy of Housing Omar Kutty, University of Chicago ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FOCUS ON CENSORSHIP: FESTIVAL OF FREEDOM FROM THE CENSOR "Against Censored Film Festivals, Banned Books and Vandalized Libraries" Censorship has been a lot in the news lately. First it was the various (continuing) measures that the Films Division of the Government of India adopted and is continuing to adopt to ensure a 'sanitized' Mumbai International Documentary, Short and Animation Film Festival (MIFF) in February 2004. Then it was the Government of West Bengal's decision to ban Taslima Nasrin's recent book "Dwikhondito" ("Split in Two") and finally, it was the attacks on academics in Pune by Shiv Sainiks and vandalization of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, also in Pune, by the 'Sambhaji Brigade'. Clearly, the freedom of expression, publication, thought and research in India is under severe stress at the moment. At times like this it becomes all the more important to take a clear and categorical stand against censorship (no matter where it may come from) and in favour of free speech. It is with this in mind that we at Sarai have decided to hold a month-long focus on censorship in February (in keeping with the forthcoming Sarai Reader's theme of 'Crisis/Media') and to celebrate the 14th of February as a day of Freedom from the Censor. The Focus on Censorship theme at Sarai will also include film screenings that echo and support the efforts of Campaign Against Censorship (CAC) to initiate a parallel film festival "Vikalp 2004" in Mumbai, featuring films rejected by the MIFF. CAC is an initiative founded mainly by documentary filmmakers as a response to the censoring of MIFF 2004. February 14, 2004: DAY OF FREEDOM FROM THE CENSOR On every 14th of February (Valentine's Day) for the past few years the guardians of morality in several Indian cities have tried to censor public spaces and behaviour by atacking young people. We at Sarai decided to take the initiative to resist this tendency by observing the 14th of February as a 'Day of Freedom from the Censor'. In a day-long celebration of the freedom of expression at Sarai we feature 3 open colloquiums: i - A panel discussion on threats to freedom of thought and expression in research and academic publishing (11:00 am - 1:00 pm) ii - A panel discussion on the censorship of documentaries at MIFF by the CAC (2:00 pm - 3:30 pm) iii - Readings and a panel discussion focussing on the ban of Taslima Nasrin's book 'Dwikhondito' (4:00 pm - 6:30 pm) A CD on "Censorship, Law & Freedom of Expression" compiled by Alternative Law Forum, Bangalore, will also be released. ------------------------------------------------------------------- FILMS @ SARAI: FOCUS ON CENSORSHIP The schedule of films to be screened at Sarai is as follows: February 6, 2004, 4:30 pm EMPIRE OF THE CENSORS, Parts I & II, 115 minutes BBC Documentaries on Film Censorship in Britain ------------------------------------------------------------------- February 13, 2004, 4:30 pm NEW (IMPROVED) DELHI - Director's Cut (2003), 6 minutes Directed by Vani Subramanian 'Vikalp' Screening (in collaboration with the CAC) As the capital city of New Delhi sets out to 'feel good and look better', no space remains for the poor and their slums. A short work propelled by an acapella chorus welcomes you to "New (Improved) Delhi". AND SUNDER NAGRI (THE CITY BEAUTIFUL) (2003), 78 minutes Directed by Rahul Roy 'Vikalp' Screening (in collaboration with the CAC) Sunder Nagri (Beautiful City) is a small working class colony on the margins of India's capital city, Delhi. Most families residing here come from a community of weavers. The last ten years have seen a gradual disintegration of the handloom tradition of this community under the globalisation regime. The families have to cope with change as well as reinvent themselves to eke out a living. "The City Beautiful" is the story of two families struggling to make sense of a world, which keeps pushing them to the margins. Radha and Bal Krishan are at a critical point in their relationship. Bal Krishan is underemployed and constantly cheated. They are in disagreement about Radha going out to work. However, through all their ups and downs, they retain the ability to laugh. Shakuntla and Hira Lal hardly communicate. They live under one roof with their children but are locked in their own sense of personal tragedies. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 20, 2004, 4:30 pm TALES OF THE NIGHT FAIRIES (2002), 74 minutes Directed by Shohini Ghosh 'Vikalp' Screening (in collaboration with the CAC) Five sexworkers - four women and one man - along with the filmmaker/narrator embark on a journey of storytelling. "Tales of the Night Fairies" explores the power of collective organizing and resistance while reflecting upon contemporary debates around sexwork. The simultaneously expansive and labyrinthine city of Calcutta forms the backdrop for the personal and musical journeys of storytelling. The film attempts to represent the struggles and aspirations of thousands of sexworkers who constitute the DMSC (Durbar Mahila Samanyay Committee or the Durbar Women's Collaborative Committee) an initiative that emerged from the Shonagachi HIV/AIDS Intervention Project. A collective of men, women and transgendered sexworkers, DMSC demands decriminalization of adult sex work and the right to form a trade union. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- That’s all for the moment. Do look out for more details on scheduled programmes, and for the release of 'Sarai Reader 04: Crisis/Media'. Cheers, Ranita Chatterjee Programme Coordinator The Sarai Programme Centre for the Study of Developing Societies 29, Rajpur Road, Delhi 110054. www.sarai.net Ph: +91 11 23960040, ext 20 +91 11 23942199, ext 307 From dak at sarai.net Tue Feb 3 15:41:47 2004 From: dak at sarai.net (The Sarai Programme) Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2004 15:41:47 +0530 Subject: [Sarai Newsletter] Fwd: Media Art Presentation @ Sarai Message-ID: <200402031541.47062.dak@sarai.net> Dear Friends, Due to unavoidable circumstances Christoph Schaefer's presentation is postponed to Wednesday, the 25th of February, at 3:30 pm. Any inconvenience caused is regretted. Cheers, Ranita ---------- Forwarded Message ---------- Dear Friends, Sarai invites you to a presentation A PUBLIC SHOWER FOR DELHI: SKATEBOARDING, ART AND THE URBAN FIELD by Christoph Schaefer, Artist on Wednesday, February 4, 2004, 3:30 pm at the Seminar Room, CSDS, 29 Rajpur Road, Delhi 110054. Christoph Schaefer will present and talk about his works starting from early video installations in a Hamburg discotheque (Promised Land, 1989), to hedonistic interventions into public space (Melrose Place, Vienna, 1994), to the recent Post-Fordistic Cows. He will relate these projects to observations and experiences made in the last three months of his residency in Delhi and Kolkata, at Sarai and the Cybermohalla. Plus a bit of Skateboard philosophy and a chance to see his film Revolution Non Stop. Christoph Schaefer lives in Hamburg and works on urbanism, gardens, theme parks, fashion and everyday life, in art spaces and in collective and individual interventionist projects. As part of the Park Fiction group, he participated in Documenta11. Cheers, Ranita Chatterjee Programme Coordinator The Sarai Programme Centre for the Study of Developing Societies 29 Rajpur Road, Delhi 110 054 Tel: (+91) 11 23960040 (+91) 11 23942199, ext 307 Fax: (+91) 11 23943450 www.sarai.net From dak at sarai.net Mon Feb 9 19:02:51 2004 From: dak at sarai.net (The Sarai Programme) Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 19:02:51 +0530 Subject: [Sarai Newsletter] Invitation for 14th February - 'Day of Freedom from the Censor' Message-ID: <200402091902.51692.dak@sarai.net> Dear Friends, Sarai invites you to a 'Day of Freedom from the Censor' Saturday, the 14th February, 2004 at the Seminar Hall, Sarai - CSDS, 2:00 pm - 7: 30 pm On every 14th February (Valentine's Day) for the past few years the guardians of morality in several Indian cities have tried to censor public spaces and behaviour by atacking young people. We at Sarai decided to take the initiative to reflect on this tendency by observing the 14th of February as a 'Day of Freedom from the Censor'. The 14th of February will feature a day long celebration of the freedom of expression at Sarai. The Programme for the event is as follows Session 1 : Framing the Censor 2:00 pm-3:30 pm Release of the CD Rom Resource Pack on Censorship and the Law in India Produced by the Alternative Law Forum, Bangalore The Censor as Prosecutor Free Speech , 'Fearless' Speech and the Law in India Lawrence Liang Alternative Law Forum, Bangalore The Censor in the Library Scholarship, Academic Research and Censorship Ananya Vajpeyi, Writer and Researcher South Asian Languages and Civilizations University of Chicago Discussion/Questions/Responses Tea Break Session 2 : The Censor As Film Critic 4:00 pm-5:45 pm The Censor and the Documentary Film Maker : MIFF and Vikalp (Campaign Against Censorship) - Sanjay Kak, Rahul Roy, Saba Dewan, Amar Kanwar (Independent and Documentary Filmmakers) Discussion/Questions/Responses Tea Break Session 3 : The Censor as Moralist 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Censorship Myths and Imagined Harms Shohini Ghosh, Filmmaker, Media Storm, Faculty, MCRC, JMI Homeless Everywhere : Taslima Nasrin's Response to the Banning of 'Dwikhondito' in West Bengal and Bangladesh Translated and Read by Debjani Sengupta, Delhi University Reading Taslima Nasrin Tanika Sarkar, Historian, Delhi University Shuddhabrata Sengupta, Sarai Shohini Ghosh, Mediastorm & MCRC, JMI _______________________________ Censorship has been a lot in the news lately. First it was the various (continuing) measures that the Films Division of the Governement of India adopted and is continuing to adopt to ensure a 'sanitized' Mumbai International Documentary, Short and Animation Film Festival (MIFF) in February 2004. Then it was the Government of West Bengal's decision to ban Taslima Nasrin's recent book "Dwikhondito" ("Split in Two"). Then, there were the attacks on academics in Pune Shiv Sainiks and vandalization of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, also in Pune by the 'Sambhaji Brigade' , and most recently, an exhibition of paintings in Surat was attacked and the government of Madhya Pradesh has expressed its intention of removing what it calls 'offensive' books and periodicals from libraries. We have also had reputed publishing houses withdrawing books from circulation under threat. Behind this is a context where textbooks have been doctored, films have been banned, books prohibited, paintings not allowed to be exhibited in galleries and withdrawn from museum displays, performances disrupted and writers and journalists sent to prison for contempt of court, or disrespecting legislative priviledges Clearly, the freedom of expression, publication, thought and research in India is under severe stress at the moment. At times like this, it becomes all the more important to take a clear and categorical stand against censorship (no matter where it may come from)and in favour of free speech. It is with this in mind that we at Sarai have decided to hold a month long focus on censorship in February (in keeping with the forthcoming Sarai Reader's theme of 'Crisis/Media') and to celebrate the 14th of February as a day of Freedom from the Censor. _____________________________ The Focus on Censorship in February theme at Sarai will include film screenings that echo and support the efforts of Campaign Against Censorship (CAC) to initiate a parallel film festival 'Vikalp 2004' in Mumbai, featuring films rejected by the MIFF. CAC is an initiative founded mainly by documentary film makers as a response to the censoring of MIFF 2004 . Details of films to be screened is as follows: February 13, 2004, 4:30 pm NEW (IMPROVED) DELHI - Director's Cut (2003), 6 minutes Directed by Vani Subramanian 'Vikalp' Screening (in collaboration with the CAC) As the capital city of New Delhi sets out to 'feel good and look better', no space remains for the poor and their slums. A short work propelled by an acapella chorus welcomes you to "New (Improved) Delhi". AND SUNDER NAGRI (THE CITY BEAUTIFUL) (2003), 78 minutes Directed by Rahul Roy 'Vikalp' Screening (in collaboration with the CAC) Sunder Nagri (Beautiful City) is a small working class colony on the margins of India's capital city, Delhi. Most families residing here come from a community of weavers. The last ten years have seen a gradual disintegration of the handloom tradition of this community under the globalisation regime. The families have to cope with change as well as reinvent themselves to eke out a living. "The City Beautiful" is the story of two families struggling to make sense of a world, which keeps pushing them to the margins. Radha and Bal Krishan are at a critical point in their relationship. Bal Krishan is underemployed and constantly cheated. They are in disagreement about Radha going out to work. However, through all their ups and downs, they retain the ability to laugh. Shakuntla and Hira Lal hardly communicate. They live under one roof with their children but are locked in their own sense of personal tragedies. February 20, 2004, 4:30 pm TALES OF THE NIGHT FAIRIES (2002), 74 minutes Directed by Shohini Ghosh 'Vikalp' Screening (in collaboration with the CAC) Five sexworkers - four women and one man - along with the filmmaker/narrator embark on a journey of storytelling. "Tales of the Night Fairies" explores the power of collective organizing and resistance while reflecting upon contemporary debates around sexwork. The simultaneously expansive and labyrinthine city of Calcutta forms the backdrop for the personal and musical journeys of storytelling. The film attempts to represent the struggles and aspirations of thousands of sexworkers who constitute the DMSC (Durbar Mahila Samanyay Committee or the Durbar Women's Collaborative Committee) an initiative that emerged from the Shonagachi HIV/AIDS Intervention Project. A collective of men, women and transgendered sexworkers, DMSC demands decriminalization of adult sex work and the right to form a trade union. Cheers, Ranita Chatterjee The Sarai Programme Centre for the Study of Developing Societies 29 Rajpur Road, Delhi 110 054 Tel: (+91) 11 23960040 (+91) 11 23942199, ext 307 Fax: (+91) 11 23943450 www.sarai.net From dak at sarai.net Mon Feb 23 18:24:26 2004 From: dak at sarai.net (The Sarai Programme) Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 18:24:26 +0530 Subject: [Sarai Newsletter] Launch of Sarai Reader 04 & 4th Anniversary Celebration Message-ID: <200402231824.26155.dak@sarai.net> SARAI - 4th Anniversary Celebration 1. Evening, February 27, 2004, Friday, 6:30 pm "What is it that Flows Between Us : Stories From Shadow Cities" - a spoken word performance by the practitioners of the Cybermohalla 'Compughar' Media Labs at Lok Nayak Jay Prakash Basti, Ajmeri Gate, and the Dakshinpuri Colony, Ambedkar Nagar. The performance is based on texts written by the Cybermohalla practitioners. - In collaboration with Ankur - Society for Alternatives in Education Sarai Interface Zone, Basement - CSDS New Building 2. Afternoon, February 28, 2004, Saturday, 3:00 pm This Year/This City A public conversation between activists, media practitioners, researchers and concerned citizens on how they have witnessed Delhi in 2003-2004, to be followed by an open discussion. Sarai Interface Zone, Basement - CSDS New Building 3. Evening, February 28, 2004, Saturday LAUNCH OF SARAI READER 04 : CRISIS/MEDIA Programme 6:30 pm Introducing Crisis/Media - Shuddhabrata Sengupta Readings of two extracts from the book 7:00 pm 'Trial by Media' : The S A R Geelani Trial and the Media Nandita Haksar, Advocate, Human Rights Activist (All India Defence Committee for S A R Geelani) Seminar Hall, CSDS new building ------------------------- Ranita Chatterjee The Sarai Programme Centre for the Study of Developing Societies 29 Rajpur Road, Delhi 110 054 Tel: (+91) 11 23960040 (+91) 11 23942199, ext 307 Fax: (+91) 11 23943450 www.sarai.net From dak at sarai.net Thu Feb 26 19:58:53 2004 From: dak at sarai.net (The Sarai Programme) Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 19:58:53 +0530 Subject: [Sarai Newsletter] Positions Available Message-ID: <5.0.2.1.2.20040226195720.00a7caf8@wheresmymailserver.com> The Sarai programme of the CSDS is looking for researchers for its media-city project called Public and Practices in the History of the Present (PPHP). PPHP is an interdisciplinary engagement with the circulation of old and new media forms (film, cable TV, music, print) in cities. It looks at networks and their sites: media markets, film halls and multiplexes, as well as changing forms of distribution and exhibition. It takes the form of sustained field and archival research on media history and media publics in India. An important part of the work includes research on intellectual property law in the media, its practice in courts, enforcement agencies and law firms. The core of our work is in Delhi. All applicants must be resident in Delhi during the research period. Selected applicants will work in collaboration with a team of existing PPHP researchers. We are looking for researchers in three areas: - Cinema: field research and documentation on networks of production, distribution and exhibition in Indian cinema, with a particular focus on Delhi's film trade. We seek applications displaying an interest and familiarity with pertinent academic work in anthropology, film and cultural history. Media Property Regimes: Field based research looking at enforcement agencies (law firms, advocacy, police, investigators) involved with intellectual property and its discourse. Information Politics: Field and secondary research into practices of identification (I.D cards, biometrics), privacy issues, private security agencies, and lobby groups in industry. We expect applicants to have field research experience, and be bi-lingual in Hindi and English. For the legal research post, a critical engagement with intellectual property discourses will be appreciated. These are not permanent positions. Please send an application that includes a one-page statement, and a CV by email to research at sarai.net by April 10th 2004. Send either plain text or rtf files only. From dak at sarai.net Thu Feb 26 20:16:57 2004 From: dak at sarai.net (The Sarai Programme) Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 20:16:57 +0530 Subject: [Sarai Newsletter] Positions Available! Message-ID: <5.0.2.1.2.20040226201637.00ad6068@wheresmymailserver.com> The Sarai programme of the CSDS is looking for researchers for its media-city project called Public and Practices in the History of the Present (PPHP). PPHP is an interdisciplinary engagement with the circulation of old and new media forms (film, cable TV, music, print) in cities. It looks at networks and their sites: media markets, film halls and multiplexes, as well as changing forms of distribution and exhibition. It takes the form of sustained field and archival research on media history and media publics in India. An important part of the work includes research on intellectual property law in the media, its practice in courts, enforcement agencies and law firms. The core of our work is in Delhi. All applicants must be resident in Delhi during the research period. Selected applicants will work in collaboration with a team of existing PPHP researchers. We are looking for researchers in three areas: - Cinema: field research and documentation on networks of production, distribution and exhibition in Indian cinema, with a particular focus on Delhi's film trade. We seek applications displaying an interest and familiarity with pertinent academic work in anthropology, film and cultural history. Media Property Regimes: Field based research looking at enforcement agencies (law firms, advocacy, police, investigators) involved with intellectual property and its discourse. Information Politics: Field and secondary research into practices of identification (I.D cards, biometrics), privacy issues, private security agencies, and lobby groups in industry. We expect applicants to have field research experience, and be bi-lingual in Hindi and English. For the legal research post, a critical engagement with intellectual property discourses will be appreciated. These are not permanent positions. Please send an application that includes a one-page statement, and a CV by email to research at sarai.net by April 10th 2004. Send either plain text or rtf files only. From dak at sarai.net Fri Feb 27 00:48:29 2004 From: dak at sarai.net (The Sarai Programme) Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 00:48:29 +0530 Subject: [Sarai Newsletter] Positions Available Message-ID: <5.0.2.1.2.20040227004806.00a954c8@wheresmymailserver.com> The Sarai programme of the CSDS is looking for researchers for its media-city project called Public and Practices in the History of the Present (PPHP). PPHP is an interdisciplinary engagement with the circulation of old and new media forms (film, cable TV, music, print) in cities. It looks at networks and their sites: media markets, film halls and multiplexes, as well as changing forms of distribution and exhibition. It takes the form of sustained field and archival research on media history and media publics in India. An important part of the work includes research on intellectual property law in the media, its practice in courts, enforcement agencies and law firms. The core of our work is in Delhi. All applicants must be resident in Delhi during the research period. Selected applicants will work in collaboration with a team of existing PPHP researchers. We are looking for researchers in three areas: - Cinema: field research and documentation on networks of production, distribution and exhibition in Indian cinema, with a particular focus on Delhi's film trade. We seek applications displaying an interest and familiarity with pertinent academic work in anthropology, film and cultural history. Media Property Regimes: Field based research looking at enforcement agencies (law firms, advocacy, police, investigators) involved with intellectual property and its discourse. Information Politics: Field and secondary research into practices of identification (I.D cards, biometrics), privacy issues, private security agencies, and lobby groups in industry. We expect applicants to have field research experience, and be bi-lingual in Hindi and English. For the legal research post, a critical engagement with intellectual property discourses will be appreciated. These are not permanent positions. Please send an application that includes a one-page statement, and a CV by email to research at sarai.net by April 10th 2004. Send either plain text or rtf files only.