Aug 17, 2021
REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN BANGLADESHI FILMS AND TELEVISION
My forthcoming guest is a Bangladeshi Thespian— Shampa Reza. We will discuss the politics of storytelling on August 17 at 9 PM Bangladesh time. Stories we watch, stories we tell ourselves, and stories that are told about us deeply shape our sense of self. Hence, we must examine the politics of storytelling. A 2017 study at the University of Southern California analyzed 1000 movies and found that females are not central to the plot. Only one woman has ever won an Oscar for best director (Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker in 2009). Is it different in Bangladeshi films and television? What about other marginalized groups like the Pahari indigenous peoples, Bangladeshi Dalit Communities, Transgender Communities, Sex Workers, or Refugees. And when they are represented, how closely do we portray their social realities? These are difficult questions without a shadow of a doubt. But, if these questions remain unaddressed, we will continue telling stories without fair and just representation of all the members of our society in Bangladesh.
Aug 15, 2021
WHAT THE EDUCATORS CAN DO TO TRAIN BANGLADESHI STUDENTS TO THINK CRITICALLY?
My upcoming guest Enayet Chowdhury (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology) is committed to making his students critical thinkers. We will discuss educators' role in creating critical thinkers in the Bangladeshi context. Once a fellow researcher with extensive research experience in the education sector of Bangladesh remarked: "Most Bangladeshi students have many liberties, but critical thinking is not one of them." As a pedagogue myself, I couldn't agree more with this observation.
Aug 13, 2021
BOOK DISCUSSION: GOOD TOUCH, BAD TOUCH
Habiba Hasin is the author of Bangladesh's first comprehensive book (Good Touch Bad Touch) on Children's Training & Awareness against Mental and Physical Abuse. Habiba and I will discuss her book on August 13 at 9 PM Bangladesh time. Young people are at risk of assault, and abuse even in caring families, schools, and communities. Skills and knowledge are the keys to keeping kids safe. The good news is that there are simple and effective ways of teaching children how to protect themselves that will work most of the time. Parents, teachers, and other caregivers need to know that their children are more likely to be harmed by someone they know than by a stranger. Children need to have clear safety rules both for strangers when they are out on their own and for setting boundaries with people they know. Please join us and be part of this conversation.
Aug 12, 2021
EXPLORING THE SOCIAL REALITIES OF WORKING MOTHERS IN BANGALDESHI CONTEXT
Q Nawshaba Ahmed is a mother and notable Bangladeshi actress and voice artist. Nawshaba and I will engage in a candid and courageous conversation to explore the social realities of working mothers of Bangladesh. Women working full-time in the labor market often face a second shift at home. It is a well-documented phenomenon in social science research. But, things are significantly more challenging for working mothers. Working mothers slackline trading a delicate balance between their careers and children, and it's high time that we discuss it critically and courageously.