The Third Edition of the Social Sciences Winter School, co-organized by the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi and the Centre for South Asian and Himalayan Studies in Paris (CESAH, CNRS-EHESS), began today at IBA’s City Campus. Under the theme “Questioning Society Through Image, Film & Sound,” the program, running from November 4 to 8, will focus on innovative approaches in social research, utilizing photography, film, and sound to deepen understanding of cultural heritage and societal issues. Dr. S. Akbar Zaidi, Executive Director of IBA Karachi and a member of the Winter School Steering Committee, opened the event by expressing gratitude to all contributors who made the third edition possible. He highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in social research, noting how partnerships in image, film, and sound enrich cultural exchange and learning. Dr. Zaidi also shared aspirations to broaden the program’s reach in the coming year, encouraging wider participation in this dynamic educational experience. Dr. Rémy Delage, a research scholar from CESAH (CNRS-EHESS) and Steering Committee member, described the Winter School as a “unique training platform,” bringing together scholars and participants from diverse backgrounds to tackle societal challenges through a social sciences lens. Dr. Michel Boivin, another CESAH researcher, emphasized the importance of the academic collaboration between France and Pakistan, particularly in supporting Pakistani students pursuing doctoral studies in France. He noted that this year’s program would emphasize methodological approaches, using image, film, and sound as core tools in social research. The Winter School also includes plenary sessions with international speakers from France, Belgium, Sri Lanka, and Turkey. Professor Christopher Pinney, an anthropologist from University College London, led the first plenary with a talk titled “On Medium Specificity, Or, What’s Photography Got to Do with It?” He discussed photography’s unique technical and semiotic qualities, referencing theorists like Walter Benjamin and Roland Barthes. Exploring ideas of “photographability” and “the citizenry of photography,” he examined how photography captures moments and serves as a powerful medium in modern society. The second plenary, presented by Ms. Saima Zaidi, Communication Designer and Founder of Numaish-Karachi, was titled “Collective Memory: Community Engagement Through Visual Interventions.” Zaidi explored Pakistan’s visual culture as a window into its heritage, showcasing projects like Jhuley Lal: Crafting the Contemporary, a collaborative effort between designers and artisans in Sindh, and Sheherezade: The Walled City Anthology, which integrates digital art with historical heritage in Lahore. She also discussed. The Reading Project, aimed at transforming Karachi’s Khalikdina Hall into an inclusive cultural venue for community dialogue. Dr. Nicolas Puig, an anthropologist from URMIS, IRD, Université Paris Cité, delivered a session on the “Anthropology of Sound: Approaches and Knowledge through Sonic Relationships.”
