About this Event
Join Us for A Research Seminar on 'Understanding grassroots Development Practices'
Development is understood as a liberatory process that enables people and communities to overcome oppression, subjugation, stagnation, and precarious dependency. Drawing on Freire’s notion of false generosity, this seminar critically examines grassroots development practices in Bangladesh in pursuit of this goal. It utilizes primary data collected through a semi‑ethnographic approach, engaging with Santals, persons with disabilities, and older adults. It also incorporates observations of the everyday activities of frontline development workers and interactions with them. Building on the narratives of the most marginalized, the seminar highlights the current moral and legitimacy crisis that the NGOs navigate in Bangladesh. It concludes by emphasizing the need for an alternative approach to development, which, according to Freire (1970/2000), can be achieved through a profound rebirth.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Owasim Akram is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Political Science at Örebro University, Sweden. He is also affiliated with the Department of Social and Policy Sciences at the University of Bath as a Visiting Research Fellow. Dr. Akram has broad-based experience in research, evaluation, policy analysis, and program management within the field of development. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Akram worked extensively as a development practitioner, gaining experience with organizations such as the European Union, Oxfam GB, ADD International, Plan International, and BRAC University. He has published a range of book chapters and articles in international journals, including Development Policy Review, European Journal of Development Research, and International Journal of Qualitative Methods, among others. His research and teaching interests broadly encompass International Development, Development Management, Social Protection, Extreme Poverty, Ageing, Global Justice, Postcolonial and Decolonial Theory, and Research Ethics.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Parramatta South Campus, Western Sydney University, Building EB, Parramatta, Australia
AUD 0.00
