The HSS Research Forum, an initiative of the Ph.D. students of the department, is a platform under which various student-helmed events are conducted. It is a space aimed at nurturing and facilitating dialogue between various researchers and their disciplines, creating avenues that will contribute to a robust and multidimensional research environment. Apart from the regular events listed, we also hold special events and discussions.

· Filmbetka: The film screening series ‘Filmbetka’ is held twice a month. Each movie screening is accompanied by a discussion afterwards. It is open to the public and is attended by students from other departments. https://hssiiserbhopalindia.wordpress.com/2022/09/29/filmbetka/

· Agora Reading Circle: The Agora Reading Circle meets twice a month to generate critical conversations around texts and theoretical frameworks. It aspires to promote sincere engagement and incisive inquiry on socio-cultural concerns of the time. The first season of Agora between August-November 2022 read ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’ by Paulo Freire and the second season between January-April 2023 read ‘Ways of Seeing’ by John Berger, accompanied with screenings of the 1972 television series of the same name. Currently, the circle meets to discuss theoretical concepts by different authors with a researcher presenting how the concept discussed informs their own work. https://hssiiserbhopalindia.wordpress.com/2023/01/27/agora-reading-circle-ways-of-seeing/

· Symposium: The reading group ‘Symposium’ aims to read various literary, philosophical, and theoretical texts in their entirety. The group began by reading John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ between 2019-2020. The group currently meets twice a month to read and discuss James Joyce’s Modernist classic ‘Ulysses’. https://hssiiserbhopalindia.wordpress.com/2022/11/15/symposium-ii-reading-joyces-ulysses/

· Hegel Reading Group: The Hegel Reading Group meets once a week (every Tuesday) to read The Phenomenology of Spirit from cover to cover. The readings are done within the session and discussed line by line. https://hssiiserbhopalindia.wordpress.com/2023/01/27/hegel-reading-group/

· Write Here Write Now: Writing sessions titled ‘Write Here Write Now’, held once a month for 2-3 hours for the members of the department. The idea is to keep away phones or other distractions and spend time writing/working on individual projects while sitting together to build a sense of community and accountability.

· Interactive Sessions: This is a space where students interact with senior research scholars or professors to discuss their original research and hear about research experiences, practical tips, and personal skills that have enhanced their research journeys.