Empowering Insights: Unveiling the Struggle Terrain at the XXI Morung Lecture | MorungExpress
The XXI Morung Lecture, delivered by Aheli Moitra on January 18 at the Lighthouse Church in Dimapur, explored the intersection of activism, journalism, and scholarship. Moitra, a former journalist with The Morung Express and now a researcher at The Arctic University of Norway, shared insights from her PhD dissertation, ‘The Morung Express: Naganess, indigeneity and religion,’ which she defended in March 2024. Her lecture, titled ‘Learning from the terrain of struggle – Building power. Challenging boundaries,’ focused on the transformative potential of journalism as a tool for human rights activism and community engagement.
Moitra detailed her personal journey through journalism and academia, illustrating how The Morung Express, rooted in Naga activism, serves as a platform for alternative journalism. She emphasized the importance of the newspaper’s role in democratizing knowledge and fostering co-learning among contributors, journalists, and readers. By publishing diverse content from Christian and indigenous news sources, The Morung Express offers contrarian viewpoints on local issues and serves as a “site of pedagogy.”
In her research, Moitra examined how the newspaper constructs and challenges concepts of Naganess, indigeneity, and religion, advocating for context-specific pathways to empowerment for indigenous communities. Drawing on Prabir Purkayastha’s ideas, she proposed the paper functions as “knowledge as commons,” making information accessible to all and democratizing knowledge production.
Engaging with students during the Q&A session, Moitra discussed media censorship, journalistic integrity, and the interplay between indigenous and neighboring communities. She urged for greater focus on science and technology in these contexts. Dr. Akum Longchari, Publisher and Editor of The Morung Express, concluded by emphasizing the need for enhanced interaction among media, civil society, educational institutions, and the public, echoing Moitra’s call to reimagine power, change, and knowledge.
Original Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/xxi-morung-lecture-learning-from-the-terrain-of-struggle
Category : Nagaland
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Publish Date: 2025-01-19 01:15:00
