Interface, the Academic Forum, is the medium through which students across disciplines share, discuss, and debate their ideas and concepts. We feel it is important to have a space where inter-disciplinary interaction enhances the quality and increases the scope of discussion. The issues Interface takes up range from what we consider ‘mundane’ experiences of everyday life to those considered traditionally important. The medium through which this is conducted is wide. Ranging from talks and panel discussions by prominent academicians and journalists, we have also had students host discussions which we feel can facilitate as much interaction and learning. Interface hosts movie screenings, workshops, slam poetry performances, heritage walks, installation exhibitions curated and created by students.
Creating spaces where open discussion and dialogue is possible has become a difficult but necessary task especially today. We hope to create a space where students feel free to express dissent in a constructive manner, to go beyond acceptable discursive boundaries, to question the categorisation of the ‘other’, norms that dictate ‘right’, ‘wrong’ , a ‘taboo’, and what makes it such.
Staff Advisors
Convener: Priya Kumari
Co-Convener: Sushila Kumari
Interface, the Academic Forum, is the medium through which students across disciplines share, discuss, and debate their ideas and concepts. Interface hosted a screening of the film ‘Between the Lines: India’s Third Gender’, a documentary about India’s Hijra community and their social, economic, cultural and political lived experiences of oppression and resistance. An interactive discussion on the judiciary’s role and the deep-rooted misogyny in our society that continues to degrade women’s status in society was held. The members of Interface LSR took a field trip to the National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum, which housed a variety of works of art from all around India, including textiles, paintings, residential structures, statues, and more. Interface organized the first-ever “Academic Meet” which featured collaborations from different departments throughout the month.
In the academic year of 2022-23, Interface organized various events in collaboration with different Departments. First in line was with the Department of Computer Science, a moderated discussion session on the topic “ChatGPT and Al Debate”. Moving further, alongside the Department of Hindi, it hosted Panel Discussion on the aesthetics and widespread significance of Hindi Literature while also emphasizing the political appropriation of the language in current times. In amalgamation with the Department of Journalism and Interface, it showcased the 2021 documentary film titled “Writing with Fire”. Interface organized ‘Major Madness’ and ‘Acad-Mad’ during Tarang, which were a unique addition to the festivities and engaged in a fin-filled and educational experience.
Interface, the Academic Forum, is the medium through which students across disciplines share, discuss, and debate their ideas and concepts. The issues Interface takes up range from ‘mundane’ experiences of everyday life to those considered traditionally important. In the given academic session, Interface took up multiple initiatives to ensure intellectual discussions among members and other students of LSR. On 12th August, the first episode of ‘Our Planet’ was screened.
The event was followed by an interactive session on environmental issues. A panel discussion was held on 5th October to understand the intricacies of the crisis in Afghanistan with specific focus on women. The theme was ‘State of Women in Afghanistan under the Taliban Rule’. Out of the three speakers, Bilquees Daud, Akanksha Khullar and Sveto Md. Ishoq, two are Aghani nationals who could share their experience and ground reality. A highly engaging MELA quiz was conducted on 16th-17th November in collaboration with the Quiz Society for college students. There were 2 rounds in the quiz with multiple stages in each round. The themes were music, entertainment, literature and arts (MELA Quiz).
A Research Paper Writing Workshop was conducted on 27th January 2022 to discuss the basics of writing and publishing social science research papers. The resource persons were Ms Soumya Singhal and Ms Shreya Nair. An Art Workshop was conducted on 1st April 2022 by professional art therapist, Ms Malena Hughet on how art has helped people express their emotions and recover from trauma. The resource person works with young children and refugees in Bosnia.
A Discursive Book Exchange event was conducted as a part of Umang ‘22 to allow students to exchange ideas when they talked about their books and anonymously had them exchanged.
