New Horizons of Human Development

A Dialogical Workshop May 12

th
, 2014: 2-6 PM
Center for Poverty Analysis

Rationale:
Reimagining Development is a project spear headed by the Center for Poverty Analysis
(CEPA). It aims to create a consistent space for germinating new ideas, new
publications, and new research that challenges the conventional paradigm of
development. The proposed event is initiated to further enhance and broaden the
definitions of development based on the book Sociology and Beyond: Windows and
Horizons authored by Dr. Ananta Kumar Giri of the Madras Institute of Development
Studies, Chennai and New Earth Sastra: Towards Holistic Development and
Management by Professor Subash Sharma, Director, Indus Business, Academy,
Bangalore. Sociology and Beyond engages with a wide range of issues including the
quest for a good society and the part 111 of the book with the title New Horizons of
Quality of Life and Societal Co-Realizations deals with challenges of foundationally
rethinking and reimagining development today. It deals with issues of quality of life,
ethics and aesthetics, globalizing economy and the challenge of dialogues, issues of
peace and transformative reconciliation, global justice and responsibility. New Earth
Sastra: Towards Holistic Development and Management presents a new way of
thinking about management, development and economics of our world which takes into
consideration the needs of our Mother Earth. It also pleads for a new sacro-civic society
and harmonic globalization. This resonates with the concept of planetary realization
offered by Dr. Ananta Kumar Giri in his Knowledge and Human Liberation: Towards
Planetary Realizations. Planetary realizations refer to the challenge and process of
realizing our potential and aspirations as children of Mother Earth going beyond
exclusion of many kinds such as class inequality, nation-state centered rationality and
anthropocentrism. In our workshop, we explore new horizons of human development as
both the books and larger works of Drs. Giri and Sharma challenge us to go beyond
narrow closure of development and realize the holistic, integral and spiritual dimensions
of development.



Objective:
Both the books indicate that the way to achieve the goal of a happy developed society
is rooted in principles of ecology, ethics, social and gender equity, thereby deviating
from mainstream ideologies. A discussion based on these books is timely and relevant
to the Reimagining Development discourse in this respect, as it provides a space to
discuss innovative ways of redefining development.
Keeping in line with the objectives of Reimagining Development, the workshop aims to
bring together diverse individuals to discuss the issues pertaining to development that
are arising from these books. Electronic copy of Sociology and Beyond are available for
interested participants and an essay of Professor Sharma too. Interested participants
are kindly requested to read the part three of Dr. Giris book and Professor Sharmas
essay.
As the workshop will take place on an interactive, dialogical platform, it envisions to
bring in to the discussion pieces of literature and creative work presented or written by
participants poetry, essays, articles, stories, blog posts, music- that will shed light on
the multi-dimensional views of development that are currently being exchanged. The
aim of this interaction is to add to the plethora of ideas that are being generated on
development that stray from the ordinary unilateral views that have governed our
mindset so far, and to open our eyes to the multiple truths that come into play in the
world around us.
Planned Activity:
The discussion will be held on Saturday, 12
th
of May 2014 at Centre for Poverty
Analysis. The event will involve participants with diverse backgrounds to discuss
alternative ways of looking at development that deviate from the conventional unilateral
views that have governed our mindset so far. Participants are welcome to bring and
discuss poems, essays and other inputs that will be based on themes emerging from
the book.
The workshop has two initial presentations one each by Drs. Giri and Sharma and then
it is followed by other presentations including by Mr. B. Jena, the Commissioner of
Income Tax of Union Territory of Pondicherry, Government of India on Spiritual
Horizons of Human Development: Insights from the Vision and Experiments of Sri
Aurobindo and The Mother. We look forward to more dialogical reflections on these
issues from all concerned. Friends with CEPA and other academic and activist groups
would also share their reflections on these.
Agenda:
2-2:10pm Introduction to the workshop Vagisha Gunasekera
2:10-2:40pm Presentation 1 Dr. Ananta Kumara Giri
2:40-3pm Q & A on initial presentation
3-3:30pm New Earth Sastra for New Horizons of Human Development Dr.
Subash Sharma
3:30-3:45pm Q & A on the second presentation
3:45-4pm Tea break
4-4:30pm Spiritual Horizons of Human Development: Insights from the Vision
and Experiments of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother Mr. B. Jena

4:30 5pm Q & A on the third presentation
5-6pm Interactive reflection session (facilitated by Dr. Giri)
6pm End of event