Tiina Kanninen
Tiina Kanninen is currently working on her Master’s Thesis Titled as “Refugees, Camps and Practices of Humanitarianism: Liminal Subjects in Spaces of Exception, or Human Experiences of the Political” at University of Tampere.  She is a student of International Relations at the University of Tampere. 

Her Internship Report (16.12.2007- 30.12.2007) 

First, I would like to thank the Calcutta Research Group and all the people there for making the two week long internship program possible for me in the first place: Professor Ranabir Samaddar for providing me with some useful contacts and phone numbers; my friends Sanam Roohi and Ishita Dey for further guiding me around the city during their office hours and beyond; Mrs Chatterji for fixing my flights (and yet trying to reschedule them) as well as the rest of the staff at the office, who took care of me in the most hospitable way during my stay. 

The internship consisted of helping out in the compilation of the Winter Course evaluation report at the office and conducting a brief study on the broad variety of NGO action taking place in the city of Kolkata.  

As for the independent research, my original plan was to focus on one or two aid or human rights organisations more thoroughly during the two weeks’ visit, in order to do a more participatory ethnographic study on the human encounters in the practice of care. My forthcoming Master’s thesis touches the topic very closely and hence the interest in such a research question. For various reasons this plan could not be realised, however. Instead, with the help of the many contacts I received at the office, I got a chance to go and meet a range of NGO representatives working with issues such as human rights, disaster relief, health care, poverty reduction, education and children’s needs.  

The organisations included Association for the Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR); the Calcutta Samaritans; Indian Red Cross Society’s West Bengal State Branch; Child in Need Institute (CINI) and Howrah Pilot Project – school in the former jute workers slum. Some organisations I only visited once, while often for long discussions with their representatives, while others I had a chance to visit on two or more days.  

Although being a plan B, this small research project on the vast range of NGO work in Kolkata turned out to be an interesting and eye-opening experience in many respects. Not only was I perplexed by the sheer number of NGOs operating in Kolkata, but also impressed with their level of innovation and specialisation. Although I only visited few organisations only - representing a tip of the ice-berg if even that in the NGO activities available in the city – the visits evoked myriad observations and further questions regarding the politics of care and responsibility.  

Also, the mere exercise of getting around the city – my field – spiced up my research adventure considerably. Somehow, the exhilarating experience of successfully using the Kolkata public transport on my own, or searching and finding addresses and buildings in different parts of the immense city brought the ever-present questions of space and locality into a more concrete level. And of course, the people I met during my visits are likely to be useful contacts also in the future and I am very grateful for them also for sharing with me their time and interesting insights. 

I am writing this report back in Finland, in the room where I work at the university. The daily routines of balancing between my office job and completing the Master’s thesis have taken over now, a month after my return. Thanks to the travel, the people I met and the things I saw, however, the routines and writing look slightly different now. The internship as well as the Winter Course were deep learning experiences, not only about issues of forced migration and politics of care, but also about myself and my ways of being and seeing. I am very grateful to CRG for providing me with this opportunity to learn and truly hope us to collaborate also in the future.

Chathuri Jayasooriya,
Programme Officer – Adv ocacy, Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies, Colombo , Sri Lanka

Her Internship Report (02.07.2007-15.07.2007) 

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group (MCRG) for offering me an opportunity to work as an intern with the organization. It was indeed an honour and a privilege to have had the opportunity to work under the guidance of Dr. Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury and associate with such passionate intellectuals, academics and activists who inspired me not only with the wealth of knowledge and experience that they possess (and were never hesitant in sharing) but also with the devotion and fervor that they invested in their intellectual explorations and academic activism. The close ties they have with Sri Lanka and the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA), the organization that I represent, created an immediate bond and rendered my stay, though brief, more pleasurable. I found great stimulation in the limited but insightful conversations I had with Dr. Sabyasachi and found his extensive knowledge and perceptions on Sri Lanka and his interpretations of the socio-political dynamics of the country captivating and thought provoking.  

My work as an intern comprised mainly of the compilation of a paper on internal displacement in Sri Lanka which critiqued the right of the internally displaced to return home and the issues surrounding it, based on the recent return movements which took place in Batticaloa, in the east region of Sri Lanka. This was followed by a presentation of the paper at the CRG premises, which was commented upon by those present, especially by Dr. Paula Banerjee, whose critiques and suggestions inspired me to add a novel perspective to my analysis.  

As someone involved in advocacy in the field of humanitarian work, I found the internship extremely rewarding, both intellectually and professionally. In our workaday lives we rarely get the opportunity to pause and reflect upon the work that we engage in and its impact on the larger society, the micro effect on the macrocosm. The internship, and specially the process of drafting my paper on ‘The Right to Return’, gave me the time and space to reflect, and identify some of the gaps and traps in humanitarian processes, advocacy endeavours and ‘good governance’, which Dr. Paula perceived to be a solid basis to advocate for policy changes with regards to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and their return home, and in finding durable solutions for ending displacement. It was also useful in understanding the cultural implications in policy formulation as well as application, and the scope and potential for improvement. There are certain aspects of a particular issue that one is able to identify only with exposure to different contexts, and I realized that it’s extremely important for those playing an active role in the field of development to have exposure to ‘differences’, for it nurtures understanding, it enriches one’s consciousness, which capacitates and motivates the individual, and thereby the community, to strive towards peaceful co-existence. To advocate, one needs substantial understanding of different contexts, and the lengthy conversations, comparisons and critiques I had with my colleagues at CRG, Sanam and Ishita, on diverse aspects of social life in India and Sri Lanka, were illuminating and contributed towards broadening the sphere of my perceptions. It was also instrumental in making me realize many of my professional limitations as well as the scope for improvement.  

There was also great intellectual stimulation especially during a day long workshop  on ‘Social Justice and Law in India’ which I was privileged to attend, where the articulation and the application of ‘social justice’ was extensively debated. The exposure to the zealous deliberations of renowned intellectuals and experts in the field was a unique experience and motivated me to contemplate on a variety of issues and concepts ranging from ‘the Anti-Citizen’ to ‘transitional justice’. This intellectual stimulation and the exchange and exploration of ideas, I realized, are extremely important in the field of development, specially in advocacy. For in Sri Lanka, as elsewhere, there is a considerable gulf between theory and practice. Concepts, theories and ideas are articulated at a different level, yet rarely step down from their pedestal to reach the ground, whereas the implementation of development projects and proactive advocacy takes place at another level. It’s rarely that one finds equilibrium, an interesting fusion. However, reflections upon the discussions made me realize that advocacy efforts could be strengthened to a great extent and rendered more meaningful if theory, philosophy and practice could somehow be merged, and the individual given exposure to a holistic experience.  

Back in Sri Lanka, the exposure and the experience gained at CRG has become invaluable when engaging in advocacy efforts, specially in relation to internal displacement. Not only has it developed my sensitivities and understanding of the socio-political complexities and the host of issues associated with the prolonged plight of the internally displaced persons in Sri Lanka but has also enhanced my capacity in dealing with these issues while giving me a clearer understanding of the method of advocacy that is required to redress the situation, which, in my personal capacity I attempt to pursue to the greatest extent possible.  

The experience in its totality was extremely rewarding and enriching, and I’m much indebted to CRG for this exceptional experience. It was a great pleasure working with the CRG team and their gracious hospitality will always be remembered with earnest appreciation. I hope for future collaborations with the organization and to sustain the close bonds that were formed with my colleagues there.

Eeva Puumala,
Ph.D. Candidate, Tampere Peace Research Institute, University of Tampere

Her Internship Report (01.12.2006-31.12.2006) 

First of all, I would like to thank the Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group (CRG) for accepting me as a short-term junior research fellow in the organization. My tasks involved helping the preparation of the report of the Fourth Winter Course on Forced Migration, but mainly concentrating on increasing my understanding of migration issues and movements, especially in the city of Kolkata. Meeting, working and discussing with academics who were activists also, was of great use to my own research on migration issues. I was guided by Prof. Ranabir Samaddar and Dr. Paula Banerjee during my internship. Prof. Samaddar's excellent knowledge of the city, not to mention philosophy, theory, and ethics, greatly enhanced my understanding and offered me a chance to gain valuable information and understanding. Also, Dr. Banerjee's interest in the gender dimensions of migration and her vast experience in empirical knowledge of the issues of forced migration, and in field work will help me a long way in my own future research.

The opportunity to be part of the research group enabled me to establish valuable contacts with various researchers, and be familiar with relevant literature, which will be of great help to me in the future. I was particularly impressed with the CRG library, it combined with the references and articles that Prof. Samaddar kindly provided me with, and the bibliographic list I gained will contribute to my work for many years to come. Although the internship did not directly address my Ph.D. studies, it offered - especially when combined with the knowledge gained from participation in the Fourth Winter Course on Forced Migration - such insight into the theme that would have not been possible to achieve otherwise.

As mentioned above, my tasks were two-fold. The preparation of the report on the Fourth Winter Course involved writing a short chapter on participants' evaluations. Mostly, however, my internship was dedicated to exploring and thus trying to understand the "city of migrants". I was able, with the assistance of Prof. Samaddar, Dr. Ramaswamy and Prof. Siddiqui, to discuss the dimensions of migration in Kolkata, and go to the right places to meet migrant workers. The places that I thus visited included Dakshineswar, Alam Bazar, Kasipur Road, Narkeldanga Main Road, Tangra, Howrah, Garden Reach Road and Barabazar. During these "field days" I was able to see the dailyness of life in railway workshop areas, jute mill areas, "Chinatown", port and dock areas. The variety of these regions was great, and I am quite sure that I gained from visiting and meeting these workers and dwellers not only professionally, but also personally.

After my return to Finland, my Ph.D. research continues, but now it is guided with the experience with CRG, and the activists and academics that form the organization. CRG was a wonderful host to me during my visit, hospitable to the extent that I would have never expected. I truly hope that the contacts established would not end but continue, and that future collaboration and association with the Group would be possible.

Rajni Soren

Rajni Soren  was an intern at CRG in  the month of  May  2006 . She is a law student  at NALSAR, University  of law, Hyderabad. She  works on issues of displacement and  refugee flows. At CRG she worked under the supervision of Dr. Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury. She also assisted various other work in CRG. During her internship she completed a fact sheet on "Displacement in Jharkhand". The report is available on Refugee Watch Online.

Christopher Bass 

Christopher Bass was a trainee researcher at CRG in the month of June 2006. He is an English and French major at Millikin University, Illinois, USA.  In addition to interning with the Calcutta Research Group, he has studied in Paris and Montpellier, France.  In spring 2006, Chris was awarded his honors in English for his thesis, [In]Sanity and Discontent: A Postcolonial Inquiry into Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea. In this project he inquired into both the postcolonial and feminist critical interpretations of Rhys' West-Indian text.  Chris Bass also received the Conant Award, for the strongest interpretive and critical paper in the Millikin English department, for his thesis. His presentation of a cameo of this paper at the 2006 Illinois Philological Association Conference, held at DePaul University, was well received by the academic community.  Chris is also the recipient of the 2006 Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF), which was made available by Millikin University. This funding secured the financial support for his internship at the CRG. Currently, Chris is involved in a collaborative research and the writing of a related article comparing the representation of immigrants in American and Indian newsprint.    

His Internship Report 

I would like to thank the Calcutta Research Group (CRG) for allowing me to work as an intern with the organization.  I enjoyed working and discussing with such knowledgeable and passionate "academic activists." As an intern I was fortunate to work under the guidance and support of Dr. Paula Banerjee.  It was an honor to work with such an impassioned and dedicated academic.  Dr. Banerjee's knowledge and interest in the issue of migration also helped guide my own research. 
 
The opportunity to be an intern with the renowned researchers of the CRG greatly influenced my receiving the competitive Summer Undergraduate Research Funds (SURF) from Millikin University of Illinois, USA, my home institution.  Receiving the research funds allowed me to collaborate with my advisor on a comparative analysis on immigration and its representation in American and Indian newsprint. The CRG internship became an essential venue for this continuing research.

My internship with CRG significantly contributed to my research on immigration and media. The CRG library is comprehensive. My access to the organization's collection of periodicals enhanced my understanding of the current situation with immigration in India.  Of particular benefit to me were the articles from the Assam Tribune, The Shillong Times, and other local papers from the northeastern regions of India. Also included in their periodical archive were the major dailies, such as, The Times of India and The Telegraph.  The assortment of both local and national newspapers in the CRG collection makes a vast range of opinions on immigration, which vary from region to region, easily accessible for researchers like me.  In addition to the research on periodicals, I was also able to use a selection of theoretical and political texts, such as Marshal Mcluhan's Understanding Media, B. Manna's Mass Media and Related Laws in India, Rita Manchanda's Media Crossing Borders, and The Global Media by Edward Herman and Robert McChesney.  I used these texts as a means to build a contextual base on which to theorize my own thesis.  The extensive textual collection yet again made me realize that the CRG is engaged with the most current political discourse.  I was able to use their wide selection of texts in researching the issue of how the media intersects with and interprets issues of immigration. 

Besides research, my internship involved assisting in various office assignments and participating in the preparatory meeting for CRG's annual winter migration course. The meeting was designed as a venue for the reflection on the course from the previous year and also as space for the discussions about the necessary improvements for the upcoming 2006 winter program. I was impressed to see how well the CRG embodies the John Dewey model of "action-reflection-action" in everything that they do. My responsibilities for the meeting were to welcome and register the notable guests as well as take the minutes of the suggestions and comments offered during the meeting. Working with these various assignments allowed me to interact with academics from all over the globe.  I was honored to meet the representatives from the embassy of Finland, academics from the northeastern regions of India, and professors and publishers from New Delhi. Although I was impressed with the overall academic discourse of the meeting one particular suggestion, which generated much discussion, stands out in my memory. It is a suggestion that is a strong evidence of CRG's commitment to students from every continent of the globe. It was argued that additional efforts would be made to provide students from economically depressed nations with the opportunity to attend the course-particularly students from Africa.  For me, this discussion highlighted CRG's passion for teaching beyond the limits of one nation or continent, thus proving that their course is not restricted by borders and boundaries. 

On my return to the United States, my research continues, and its success is indebted to my exceptional experience with the CRG.  I hope to remain in contact with the members of CRG.  The organization was a gracious host for me in India, and I am hopeful for a future association and/or collaboration with the group.
 

• Paula Banerjee

• Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury

• Ranabir Samaddar

• Samir Kumar Das

• Research Associates