25 Years of CJMC, Visva-Bharati

28/05/2025

The two-day seminar on Gig Economy and Digital Platform Workers in Semi-Rural India: Challenges, Communication and Policy Perspectives concluded on an enriching note. With Professor Biplab Loho Chowdhury chairing the valedictory session, Mr Sangam Tripathy and Dr Arpan Paul shared their respective inferential remarks, followed by an extended vote of thanks by Simran Parveen, Research Scholar, Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication, Visva-Bharati. Wrapping up the year-long silver jubilee celebrations, this two-day event had been a successful facilitator of a healthy academic exchange through dialogues, insights and experiences put forth by individuals from the field. Enthusiastic participation from the students also contributed to the overall success of the event.

26/05/2025

Following the first deliberation of Day 2 (May 23, 2025), students of the Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication, Visva-Bharati participated in a roundtable discussion with session chair Dr Arup Kumar Baksi and discussant Mr Arindam Basu. This discussion aimed to collate first-hand experiences of the students who participated in an interactive workshop on Day 1 with the gig workers. Mr Basu expounded upon the idea of iterating stories of gig work and gig workers to comprehend their situations better. Emphasizing upon the narrative of localisation and how it resonates with gig work has also been an aspect of prudence. Dr Baksi highlighted aspects of economies and markets in which gig workers operate, examining consumer relations and reinforcement of policy frameworks.

26/05/2025

The second day (May 23, 2025) of the Centre's collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES)- India Office focused upon deliberations highlighting the reports of certain surveys aimed towards reflecting the conditions of gig work. Mr Sangam Tripathy, Advisor, Indian Federation of App Based Transport Workers (IFAT), in the first session presented the PAIGAM report, elaborating on the various factors that require adequate consideration about the nature of gig work, extending suitable affiliation and identity to the workers as employees with the intention to be organised within an unorganised sector. The speaker's thought provoking insights provided a deeper understanding of the issues concerning gig work and also proposed recommendations that are necessary to be addressed.

26/05/2025

Day 1 (May 22, 2025) of the Centre's curtain closure seminar, held in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) - India office, culminated in a students' workshop. Students from Semester II and PhD scholars engaged with Santiniketan- Bolpur-based gig workers, along with the FES representatives where processes were initiated to creatively frame social media campaigns highlighting solutions to a gig worker's plight. It had been a captivating and intellectual rendezvous that engaged students in different impromptu activities on a given theme.
A significant aspect of this workshop had been learning directly from the gig workers about their working conditions, benefits and how they would imagine their workplace to be. Their feedback at the end of the workshop had been both an encouragement as well as a necessary call for action for their betterment.

23/05/2025

The second panel discussion of the day one (May 22, 2025) at the Centre's collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES)- India office witnessed an insightful academic deliberation on 'Communication Practices, Gendered Realities and Digital Labour Activism'. Chaired by Dr Mausumi Bhattacharyya, In-charge, Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication Visva-Bharati, this session too had panellists from across disciplines including Dr Anamika Moktan, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics and Politics, Visva-Bharati; Dr Tanushree Paul, Assistant Professor, Women's Studies Centre, Visva-Bharati and Dr Surhita Basu, Assistant Professor, Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication, Visva-Bharati. This discussion offered depths into the representation of women and gender minorities in the gig economy, the feminisation of jobs, and identifying potential opportunities as well as challenges affecting gig work. Aspects of discussion also centred around gendered disparities, algorithmic control and legal ambiguities that add to the nature of the already existent informal distress affecting this job market.

23/05/2025

The first panel discussion of the day (May 22, 2025) at the Centre's curtain closure event, in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES)- India Office took place at Lipika Auditorium, Visva-Bharati. Titled 'Understanding the Digital Platform Economy in Semi-Rural India', the discussion had the gracious presence of panellists from across disciplines. Chairing the session was Professor Biplab Loho Chowdhury, Professor, Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication, Visva-Bharati and panellists - Dr Soumyadip Chattopadhyay, Associate Professor at the Department of Economics, Visva-Bharati; Mr Partha Pratim Mitra and Dr Arpan Paul, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication Visva-Bharati. The discussion focused on drawing highlights into studying and contemplating the nature of the digital platform economy prevalent in semi-rural India. Esteemed chair Professor Biplab Loho Chowdhury marked the inception of the discussion by emphasizing how gig work is witnessing rising prominence in contemporary markets and further made space for other panellists to delve deep into knowing about the conditions of gig work, reviewing existing policies and frameworks and related aspects.

22/05/2025

Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication, in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) - India Office, successfully inaugurated its curtain closure event - a two-day seminar on Gig Economy and Digital Platform Workers in Semi-Rural India: Challenges, Communication and Policy Perspectives. It had the gracious presence of Anup Srivastava, Senior Program Adviser, FES India; Mr Partha Pratim Mitra, Former Principal Labour and Employment Advisor, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, Former Director General, V.V. Giri National Labour Institute, New Delhi; Professor Md. Sirajul Islam, Principal Vidya Bhavana, Visva-Bharati; Professor Biplab Loho Chowdhury, Professor, Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication and Dr Mausumi Bhattacharyya, In-charge, Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication Visva-Bharati. Following the lamp lighting and traditional reception, dignitaries shared significant addresses and keynote speeches centred on the theme of the seminar.

21/05/2025

We are delighted to announce the schedule span of the days following the curtain closure event of the Centre's year-long silver jubilee celebrations in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), India office. Themed on the gig economy and its communication perspectives in the periphery of semi-rural India, the event intends to place quality discussions, engaging workshops and esteemed panellists across sessions in the following two days. Join us to witness and experience a set of enlightening deliberations, as the Centre strives to perpetuate such academic exchanges for another 25 years and more.

06/05/2025

To mark the curtain closure event of CJMC's year-long Silver Jubilee celebrations, the Centre, in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), is all set to organise a two-day event, titled "Gig Economy and Digital Platform Workers in Semi-Rural India: Challenges, Communication and Policy Perspectives". Scheduled on May 22 and 23, 2025 at Lipika Auditorium, Visva-Bharati. It intends to influence academic dialogue surrounding the discourse around the gig economy and its diverse dynamics. Spanning across key addresses, panel discussions, interactive workshops and policy roundtables, the event aims to critically regard issues in the contemporary employment landscape, questioning workers' agency, rights and issues prevailing in this specific work structure in a semi-rural setting. Join us as we bring together academics, policymakers, and practitioners to engage in meaningful discussions and collaborative explorations.

13/03/2025

12/02/2025

Sharing key takeaways from Plenary Session 6 of the esteemed International Conference on 'Innovative Paradigms in Communication & Media: Bridging Global Perspectives,' organized by the Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication (CJMC) at Visva-Bharati. Here are snapshots of Wajiha Raza Rizvi, who shared insightful perspectives on 'The Gaze and Gender: Visual Pleasure in Pakistani and South Asian Cinema,' and Professor Biswajit Das, who presented his deliberation on 'Empowering Women: Consuming and Producing Feminism through Indian Media.' A special thanks to session chair Prof. Joya Chakraborty for leading the discussion. Grateful for their invaluable contributions to this enriching discourse.