Completed · Conferences
Women’s Agency and Knowledge Production: Reclaiming Socio-Religious Frameworks in Contemporary Discourse — 29 – 30 January 2026
A two-day international conference with the Department of Women Education, MANUU, on women’s agency, epistemology, authority, and empowerment within socio-religious frameworks.
About the event
Overview
The Department of Women Education, MANUU, in collaboration with the Centre for Study and Research (CSR), New Delhi, organised a two-day international conference titled “Women’s Agency and Knowledge Production: Reclaiming Socio-Religious Frameworks in Contemporary Discourse” on 29–30 January 2026. Scholars, academicians, and research scholars from institutions across India and abroad participated.
The conference commenced with Tilawat-e-Qur’an. Dr. Shabana Kesar (Head, Dept. of Women Education, MANUU) delivered the welcome address; Dr. Mohd. Rizwan (Director, CSR) contextualised the theme and emphasised interdisciplinary engagement with gender and knowledge production. Prof. Deepak Kumar reflected on historical perspectives of women’s intellectual contributions, with the keynote by Prof. Azra Abidi (JMI) and the presidential address by Prof. Syed Ainul Hasan, Vice-Chancellor of MANUU.
The conference report was presented by Dr. Shabana Kesar. Prof. P. H. Mohammad (Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences, MANUU) served as Guest of Honour, certificates were distributed to paper presenters, and the vote of thanks was offered by Dr. Mujtaba Farooq.
Programme
Sessions & speakers
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Plenary
Epistemology, Agency, and Knowledge Traditions
Women, work, and agency read through the Maqasid framework.
Dr. Zulqernain Haider — IIUM, Malaysia
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Plenary
Gender, Religion and the Postsecular Imagination of Rights
Rights discourse between religious tradition and postsecular theory.
Dr. Sherin B.S. — EFLU, Hyderabad
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Plenary
The Politics of Knowing: Gender, Power, and the Future
Power and authority in the production of knowledge.
Dr. Shabana Kesar
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Plenary
Faith, Ethics, and Civilizational Futures
Ethical and civilisational horizons of women's knowledge work.
Dr. Ayesha Alvi — CSR, New Delhi
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Session I
Women's epistemic authority and reformist thought
Chaired by Prof. Ameena Tahseen.
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Session II
Qur'anic concepts and historical models of women's educational agency
Chaired by Dr. Mohd. Rizwan.
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Session III
Historical legacies, feminist critiques, higher education, and digital media
Chaired by Prof. Danish.
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Session IV
Institutional ecosystems, teacher empowerment, and NEP 2020
Chaired by Prof. Md. Athar Hussain.
Key themes
What the programme engages
- Women's Epistemology and Knowledge Authority
- Gender and Socio-Religious Frameworks
- Feminist Critique of Knowledge Systems
- Islam, Gender, and Rights in the Postsecular
- Women in Higher Education and NEP 2020
- Digital Media and Women's Representation
- Faith, Ethics, and Civilisational Futures
Participants
Guests & speakers
- Prof. Syed Ainul Hasan — Vice-Chancellor, MANUU (Presidential Address)
- Prof. Azra Abidi — Head, Dept. of Sociology, Jamia Millia Islamia (Keynote)
- Prof. Deepak Kumar — Honorary Professor, MANUU (Chief Guest)
- Dr. Shabana Kesar — Head, Dept. of Women Education, MANUU (Convener)
- Dr. Mohd. Rizwan — Director, CSR New Delhi (Co-Convener)
- Dr. Zulqernain Haider — International Islamic University Malaysia
- Dr. Sherin B.S. — EFLU, Hyderabad
- Dr. Ayesha Alvi — CSR, New Delhi
- Prof. P. H. Mohammad — Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences, MANUU
- Dr. Mujtaba Farooq — CSR, New Delhi
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