The Victorian Period is characterized by the paradoxical moniker- ‘It was the best of times; it was the worst of times’ (Dickens). As the age of industrial revolution and Laissez faire capitalism it witnessed the rise to supremacy of England in Europe ushering in radical social and cultural transformations, mechanization of life, class inequality and depopulation of villages. Such crises also led to growing popular discontent, working class politics and the dream of a communist society expressed through Marx’s famous The Communist Manifesto. The ‘outflow of capital’ also led to empire building and colonial enterprise making huge transformations in the social, cultural and epistemic habitus of colonised countries through exchange of ideas as well as hierarchisation of existing knowledge. Under the veneer of respectability and conformity, the gender roles were also getting transformed. These transformations engendered great expectations as well as hard times for many, and the ramifications are felt still today.
The proposed seminar and panel discussion engages with this transformative milieu and critically looks back at what we gained during this period and what went wrong taking into account current issues and challenges.
Speakers
Dr. Shantanu Majee
Dr. Arnab Chatterjee
Dr. Sanchayita Paul Chakraborty
13 April 2024, 11 AM
New Conference Hall (R-208)
Organised by
Department of English,
Gour Mahavidyalaya, Malda