A people-centred approach to development can address the misplaced priorities and inequities in the distribution of power in the dominant development paradigm and argue that people-centred social innovation can systematically target a reconfiguration of social relations for the benefit of people at the margins of society (Shajahan and Hulgard, 2020). People-centered social innovation thus suggests that change processes in its ontological, social and political perspectives must take people at the margins as its starting point (Banerjee, Carney and Hulgard, 2020).

This workshop, organized by Swati Banerjee and PK Shajahan from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), focuses on people-centered innovation and development through various creative dialogues and examples of practice strategies and policy-engaged research for marginalised communities that seek societal impact for eco-social transformation. Simultaneously, the workshop also seeks to explore the challenges in these processes. The dialogue envisions bringing together perspectives from the global South and North and exploring complexities, challenges, and ways to promote eco-social transformation. This is crucial in building cross-cutting and critical dialogue and developing a joint and equitable action agenda that is power-aware. The core, therefore, is epistemic and ecological justice and collective envisioning of strategies for the same that centre marginalised people and their ‘knowledges’. Chambers (2008) explicates how, ideologically and epistemologically, a people-centered perspective seeks and embodies ways to empower local and marginalised communities, thus helping to transform socio-ecological marginalities.

The workshop is intended for PhD students. The pedagogy of the workshop will be participatory in nature, focussing on participatory approaches and tools for engaging with marginalised communities. The workshop will also aim to co-ideate tools and practice strategies through creative dialogues. 

Space is limited to 12 participants, and will be filled on the basis of the expression of interest. If you want to participate, please send an email to Swati Banerjee at: sbanerjee@tiss.ac.in

Bio notes

Swati Banerjee, PhD is Associate Dean, Office of Alum Affairs, OAA TISS and Professor and Program Convenor at the School of Social Work, Centre for Livelihoods and Social Innovation at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. She also co-ordinates the Right Livelihood College, RLC- Mumbai which is part of the global network of universities initiated by The Right Livelihood Foundation that connects academia to practice. The key thematic focus of her research includes People Centered Social Innovation and Development; Social Context and Education, Community-Based and Grassroots Social Entrepreneurship and Empowerment of Women and Marginalized Communities, Human Centered and Inclusive Design Thinking for addressing key societal challenges of marginalities; Livelihoods and Post-Development concerns of Marginalized Communities (with a focus on Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups-PVTGs, Nomadic tribes etc), Participatory Methodologies, tools and approaches for Social Innovation and Development Practice with a focus on ‘ecologies of knowledges’ and knowledges from the grassroots. She has several publications to her credit and is the editor of the recently published books, ‘People Centred Social Innovation: An emerging paradigm with global potential’ (Routledge, New York) and ‘Theory of Social Enterprise and Pluralism: Social Movements, Solidarity Economy, and Global South’ (Routledge, New York). She is also involved in global discussions on social innovation, poverty reduction and achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in United Nations ESCAP Asia Pacific regional forums. Simultaneously, she is part of several grassroots innovation initiatives in India including ‘UDAAN’, a field action initiative of TISS which is primarily engaged in building a collective enterprise of poor and migrant women from a low income neighbourhood, close to the dumping ground in the city of Mumbai.

P.K. Shajahan, PhD, is a Professor of Social Work and Former Dean of Academic Affairs, Dean of Social Protection, and Dean of Students' Affairs at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). He is one of the founding members and current Co-President of the Critical Edge Alliance (CEA) - a global alliance of innovative universities around the world. Till recently he was the Vice-President of International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) and a Member of the Board of Directors of International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW). He continues to represent ICSW at the Task Force on Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development 2020 - 2030. His research, publications and areas of expertise include Participatory Development, Social Enterprises and Social Innovation, Diversity and Social Cohesion, Community and Civic Engagement, School Education and Accountability, Social Protection and Social Policies and Global Social Work. He has been a visiting faculty at University of Chicago (USA), Gavle University (Sweden), Tampere University (Finland) and Roskilde University (Denmark). His latest publication is a co-edited volume on Remaking Social Work for the New Global Era by Springer (2022). Currently he is editing the SpringerBriefs Series on Advancing Social Work Practice, Policy and Research.
 

 

Activity within the reserach project TRANS-Lighthouses | More than green - Lighthouses of transformative nature-based solutions for inclusive communities funded by the European Union