Monday 30 November 2015

Magic Competition and Festival at Puri 8-10 April, 2016


For details contact:  Bapu Lenka 91 9861093317

Intolerance against mainstream media: Cartoon and Meme

Intolerance is growing against mainstream media. Alarmingly.
Here are some cartoons and meme* posted in social media which are very critical of media. We can debate over the causes. But what scares me are the consequences. Without a credible, acceptable and respectable mainstream media the world will descend to media anarchy, thanks to the ease of creating and disseminating content over Internet. This might inflict unthinkable damage to the present world and social order.
(Meme is an activity, concept, catchphrase or piece of media which spreads, often as mimicry, from person to person via the Internet)




Friday 27 November 2015

National Conference on Media and Public Policy at IIM, Kashipr, 21-22 Jan. 2016

National Conference on Media and Public Policy in India
by Centre of Excellence in Public Policy and Government
Indian Institute of Management Kashipur
Date
21-22 January 2016
Concept Note:
The Centre of Excellence in Public Policy and Government at Indian Institute of Management Kashipur is organising its First Annual National Conference on Public Policy during 21 and 22 January 2016. The theme of this year’s conference is Media and Public Policy in India. The conference is intended to enhance knowledge domain in media as well as public policy in Indian context. Hence, we welcome papers from multiple disciplines and different domains in media and public policy.
Subthemes:
The specific subthemes of the conference will be, but not limited to
  • Print Media and Public Policy
  • Electronic Media and Public Policy
  • New Media and Public Policy
  • Social Media and Public Policy
  • Community Media and Public Policy
Papers may address either public policy in general or any specific policy such as health, education, sanitation, gender, conflict resolution, natural resources and development.
Call for Papers Guideline:
  • Title of the paper must not be more than 15 words.
  • Name of the author with footnote.
  • Position, affiliation, email and mobile number should be mentioned in the footnote.
  • Abstract should be written in English(United Kingdom) within 250 – 300 words.
  • There should be 4 – 5 keywords followed by abstract.
  • Font type- Times New Roman.Font Size- Title (14), Abstract (12), Footnote (10).
  • 1.5 spacing with 1 inch margin in all sides.
  • Submit in MS Word document.
  • Full paper must be within 5000 – 6000 words including references, tables and figures.
Travel and Logistics:
Paper presenters will be provided rail fare (2AC/3AC/Sleeper). Accommodation will be provided for three nights stay only, in double occupancy as per our institutional norms.
Registration:
There is no registration fee for paper presenters. However, it is mandatory to register to present your paper in the conference. Registration form will be sent to the selected paper presenters and collected back through email.
Publication:
All the papers will be published as a Conference E-Proceeding with ISBN number. Selected papers may be developed for publication along definite themes. We are currently in discussions with a few leading international publishers to produce an edited book of selected conference papers.
Important Dates:
Last date for abstract12 December 2015
Date of Intimation14 December 2015
Last date for full paper31 December 2015
Conference date21-22 January 2016
About the Institute and COE-PPG:
Indian Institute of Management Kashipur commenced operations from July 2011 with Post-Graduate Programme in Management. The institute also offers Executive Post Graduate Programme, Fellow Programme and Executive Fellow Programme in Management. The Centre of Excellence in Public Policy and Government (COE-PPG) of the institute is a platform to serve as a bridge between policy makers, government agencies, civil society, industries and academia by supporting scholarly research, training programmes and other capacity building activities.
Nearest Place for Visit: Jim Corbett National Park:
Jim Corbett National Park, the oldest national park in India is just 32 kilometres away from IIM Kashipur. Hence, you may visit the park on 23 January 2016 in a group. We are planning for it in a group, but paid.
Contact Persons:
Dr Bidu Bhusan Dash, 
Academic Associate in Communication
Cell No- +917830666700 
Mr Anas Raushan, 
Academic Associate in COE-PPG, 
Cell No- +919760444087
Contact Email: coeppg@iimkashipur.ac.in

Thursday 19 November 2015

National Seminar at Hindol College, Dhenkanal, Odisha

Dept. of Economics Hindol College, Khajuriakata, Dhenkanal is organising a National Seminar on an interesting and very thought provoking subject: Relevance of Physical Sciences in Social Science on 27 and 28 Dec. 2015.
Persons interested to present papers may send abstract to the Organising Secretary by 27 Nov. 2015.
For details contact:
 Jayanta Narayan Pati,
Organising Secretary,
Hindol College, Khajuriakata, Dhenkanal, Odisha 759020.
Mobile: 9437730903
E Mail: jayanta_pati2011@rediffmail.com

Job Opportunity in Dhenkanal District


Dhenkanal District Administration requires Additional Programme Officers (APO) Under MGNREGA for Kankadahad, Odapada, Bhuban, Parjang and Kamakhyanagar Blocks
Total No. of Posts: 1 each for every Block
Educational Qualification: Master Degree in Mass Communication
Last Date For Applying: December 5, 2015

Theater Festival at Khurda, Odisha


Saturday 14 November 2015

Article: Civil Society and Good Governance


Good Governance and Civil Society
Dr. Mrinal Chatterjee
mrinalchatterjeeiimc@gmail.com
What is Governance?
Governance, simply put is to govern.  However, the concept of governance is broader than government.  Governance involves government, civil society and the private sector in managing the affairs of a nation, which means that the responsibility for managing the affairs of a nation is not limited to government alone, but includes a wide variety of stakeholders including: union and state government, local governments; the private sector; non-governmental and community-based organizations (NGOs/CBOs), the media, professional associations and other members of civil society. However, government is the major stake holder in governance.
8 major characteristics of Good Governance
  1. participatory,
  2. consensus oriented,
  3. accountable,
  4. transparent,
  5. responsive,
  6. effective and efficient,
  7. equitable and inclusive and
  8. follows the rule of law.
Good governance assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making and implementation. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society, balancing between growth and distribution, present and future resource use. When governance fails, social tension mounts, leading to anarchy.
What is Civil Society?
Civil society is seen as a social sphere separate from both the state and the market. The increasingly accepted understanding of the term civil society organizations (CSOs) is that of non-state, not-for-profit, voluntary organizations formed by people in that social sphere. As per the World Bank “the term civil society to refer to the wide array of non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that have a presence in public life, expressing the interests and values of their members or others, based on ethical, cultural, political, scientific, religious or philanthropic considerations. “
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) therefore refer to a wide of array of organizations: community groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), labor unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, and foundations”.
Civil Society is gradually becoming important as there is growing agreement that civil society, civic culture, and social capital are all important for strengthening democracy and enabling conflict resolution.
A question often asked is: what is civil society’s  stake in good governance? The answer is simple: public welfare, which in a way include its own welfare.
What can civil society do to promote/help/ensure good governance and democracy?
The answer is: lots. As Individual and as part of a community. Through heart and head. Through emotion and intellect. As part of the civil society one should have empathy towards our people. There has to a kind of bridging not mere bonding. There has to be a sense of oneness and a sense of justice.
Civil society, which is responsible and responsive-must try to understand how development can happen. It must look for what is needed, and not what is wanted. And it must help the under privileged to stand on their feet.
Here are 9 points on what can civil society do:
1.      Limit and control the power of the state: Civil society actors should watch how state officials use their powers.  They should raise public concern about any abuse of power.  They should lobby for access to information, including freedom of information laws, and rules and institutions to control corruption. 
2.      Expose the corrupt conduct of public officials: To expose the corrupt conduct of public officials and lobby for good governance reforms.  Even where anti-corruption laws and bodies exist, they cannot function effectively without the active support and participation of civil society.
3.       Promote political participation: NGOs can do this by educating people about their rights and obligations as democratic citizens, and encouraging them to listen to election campaigns and vote in elections.  NGOs can also help develop citizens’ skills to work with one another to solve common problems, to debate public issues, and express their views.
4.      Develop the other values of democratic life: Civil society organizations can help to develop the other values of democratic life:  tolerance, moderation, compromise, and respect for opposing points of view. Without this deeper culture of accommodation, democracy cannot be stable.  These values cannot simply be taught; they must also be experienced through practice.  
5.      Lobby for the needs and concerns: Civil society is an arena for the expression of diverse interests, and one role for civil society organizations is to lobby for the needs and concerns of their members, as women, students, farmers, environmentalists, trade unionists, lawyers, doctors, and so on.  
6.      Provide new forms of interest and solidarity: Civil society can strengthen democracy is to provide new forms of interest and solidarity that cut across old forms of tribal, linguistic, religious, and other identity ties.  
7.      Inform the public about important public issues: Civil society can help to inform the public about important public issues.  This is not only the role of the mass media, but of NGOs which can provide forums for debating public policies and disseminating information about issues before parliament that affect the interests of different groups, or of society at large.
8.      Mediate and help to resolve conflict: Civil society organizations can play an important role in mediating and helping to resolve conflict.  
9.      Monitor the conduct of elections: This requires a broad coalition of organizations, unconnected to political parties or candidates

However, please note that civil society is not in tension with the state.  Because civil society is independent of the state doesn’t mean that it must always criticize and oppose the state.  In fact, by making the state at all levels more accountable, responsive, inclusive, effective—and hence more legitimate—a vigorous civil society strengthens citizens’ respect for the state and promotes their positive engagement with it. 
A democratic state cannot be stable…unless it is effective and legitimate, with the respect and support of its citizens.  Civil society is a check, a monitor, but also a vital partner in the quest for this kind of positive relationship between the democratic state and its citizens.
Caveat
Members of Civil Society need to be public minded. Don’t only look at yourself. Look at the society and its sustainable development. The problem is we want this to happen. But when it comes to us, we don’t do our bit. We all can help bring in good governance, if we do our little bit- honestly.
Therefore, let us pledge to be Just, honest, vocal, proactive and engaged with society.
***
(Excerpted from a talk delivered at Bhubaneswar on 14.11.2015)