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Graduate Seminar at JU

English Department of Jahangirnagar University hosted its first ever graduate seminar on October 31, 2011. Around58 students presented abstracts of their MA dissertations, the Seminar intended to break space for the students of different years as well as teachers to exchange and evaluate ideas which will not only help furthering the career but also encourage doing insightful researches in the relevant fields of study.

courtesy: JU

Professor Mohammed Muniruzzaman, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic), JU, inaugurated the graduate seminar with Mashrur Shahid Hossain, Chair, Department of English in the Chair. In three precise and poignant speeches, Professor Shafi Ahmed, Dr M Maniruzzaman and Dr Shahinoor Rahman focused on three important aspects of research: documentation, plagiarism, and originality. In his speech, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor reminisced his good old student life and thanked the department for arranging an academic programme like this. The day-long programme started with Ahmed Reza, Chair, MA Examination Committee (and also the chair of the third session) welcoming the audience.

Student papers were presented in four sessions. While the sessions of Applied Linguistics and ELT covered areas ranging from the individual factors in teaching language to the semiotics of billboard language, the sessions on Literature and Cultural Studies were excitingly panoramic, addressing issues like the re-conceptualising of erotic women in advert and androgynous masculinity as well as re-reading diverse discourses to explore how Hamlet is de-masculinised, how dead/bodies embodying materiality, and if Toni Morrison's use of madness is disarming. Many of the papers were appreciated by the audience for innovative approach. The Chair of the Department, Mashrur Shahid Hossain also confirmed that the department would soon introduce undergraduate seminar as well.