Faculty members of the Department of Sociology and Conference Convenors
Department of Sociology at the University of Hyderabad hosted a Two-Day International Roundtable on ‘Debating Decolonisation’ – The Contours, The Processes, and Consequences of Valorising Decolonisation on September 11th and 12th, 2025. This momentous event was organised on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Oxford University Press’ Community Development Journal, an interdisciplinary journal that fosters contemporary ideas in the social sciences, combining critical voices on community development. The international advisory board members of the journal, Prof. Pushpesh Kumar of the Department of Sociology, Prof. Janki Andharia of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, and Mr Pradeep Narayanan of PRAXIS Institute, New Delhi, were the convenors of the Conference.
Retd. Prof. Sujata Patel gave the Keynote Address at the Conference
The event was held in Hybrid Mode in Zakir Hussian Lecture Hall Complex with the active presence of over 250 students, scholars, practitioners, and faculty members. It was funded by the Community Development Journal and was graced by Retired Prof. Sujata Patel of the Department of Sociology, UoH, as the keynote speaker, along with a broad range of lead speakers, paper presenters and plenary sessions over two days. The participants included activists and researchers from the Global South, such as India, Bangladesh, Nepal, as well as from the United Kingdom.
The Inaugural address was given by Prof. K Suneetha Rani, Dean of the School of Social Sciences, along with Prof. G Nagaraju, head of the Department of Sociology and Mr N Pradeep. Four Panel Discussions, four paper presentation sessions, and two plenary sessions of over 30 individuals brought in diverse insights on decolonisation emerging through their work as researchers, community engagement, resistance activists, as well as working with the state. Some of the themes at the Roundtable included – the disguises of decolonisation, framing solidarity for decolonisation from the global south, epistemic justice, Indianizing sex education, decolonising health care, colonial legacies and environmental justice, indigenous knowledge systems, etc. A special issue will soon be brought out based on the contributions to the international conference.
Conference Convenors, organisers, and Volunteers
L to R: Prof. K Suneetha Rani (Dean of Social Sciences), Prof. Janki Andharia (TISS, Mumbai), Prof. G. Nagaraju (Head, Dept. of Sociology), Mr. N Pradeep (PRAXIS Institute) and Prof. Pushpesh Kumar (Dept. of Sociology).
Conference Convenors and Organisers : (Top – L to R) : Somu Prasad, Ms. Krithika N, Ms. Debomita M; (Bottom L to R) : Mr. Pradeep Narayanan, Prof. Janki Andharia, Prof. Pushpesh Kumar, Ms. Afiya, Ms. Annika Amber.
Contributed By : Krithika N Iyer, PhD Research Scholar, Department of Sociology