ULAB-GSDS Conference on Integrating Non-violent Communication in Curriculum

Prof. Jude William Genilo is the Head of the Media Studies and Journalism Department, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB). He is also the Director of ULAB’s Institutional Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC). He earned his Doctor of Philosophy and Master’s Degree in Communication from the University of the Philippines-Diliman. He also has undergraduate degrees in Economics and Management from De La Salle University-Manila. Before joining ULAB, he headed the postgraduate program of the LSPR Communication and Business Institute in Jakarta, Indonesia and served as a research fellow at the Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute (KURDI) in Bangkok, Thailand. He is author of the book, Community-Based Communication: A New Approach to Development Communication (Great Books Publishing: 2005), and co-editor (with Brian Shoesmith) of the anthology, Bangladesh’s Changing Mediascape: From State Control to Market Forces (Intellect UK: 2013). He co-edited a book with Muhammad Abdul Kader entitled “Revisiting Anwar Hossain’s ’71” (ULAB and Somoy Prokashoni: 2016).

Dr. Vedabhyas Kundu is working as the Programme Officer at Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, Ministry of Culture, Government of India since 2002. He conducts workshops, delivers lectures/talks on different dimensions of Gandhian philosophy both nationally and internationally. He coordinates and organizes different programmes and academic initiatives of the Samiti in different parts of the country. These includes different state government institutions, central government institutions, judiciary, police, different forces and universities/colleges.
Dr. Kundu’s areas of interest are media and information literacy for peace, nonviolent conflict resolution, nonviolent communication, conflict competences, volunteerism and human interconnectedness. He has been developing different courses of the Samiti including course on nonviolent communication, strategies of conflict resolution in schools, community mediation and peer mediation.
Dr. Kundu writes extensively for different journals and chapters in different books -both nationally and internationally. He has written books and articles for different newspapers and magazines. For his unique contribution to promote nonviolent communication during the pandemic period in 2020, the Delhi Journalists Association awarded him with Corona Warrior Award.

Ms. Nandita Tabassum Khan, a communication researcher by her nature, teaches in the Department of Media Studies and Journalism at University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. The areas of her research interest are Communication, Culture and Film Studies. Her recent works focus on the Hate Speech narratives in Bangladeshi local dailies, the construction of national culture in Bangladeshi commercial cinema, narratives of gender stereotypes in Bangladeshi film Songs. Ms. Khan won a fellowship grant from the Bangladesh Film Archive, Ministry of Information to publish a research book on representation of Baul saint Lalan Shai in Bengali Cinema.

Dr. Kamolrat Intaratat is currently working as an Associate Professor at the School of Communication Arts, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Thailand. Dr Intaratat is also the chair of International Master in Communication Arts for ASEAN and the Founder and Director of the Research Center of Communication and Development Knowledge Management. She also worked as the Dean of the Faculty of Communication Arts and a board member of the e-Society policy program of the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology, Thailand. Dr Intaratat earned her PhD under the University Consortium Program (SEARCA) from the University of the Philippines, Los Banos in Development Communication and Development Management and from University of Queensland, Australia in Agricultural Extension and Community Development. Dr Intaratat has been working for over two decades as a teacher, researcher and trainer in the fields of ICT in agriculture, women empowerment through the use of technology, smart technology, MOOCs, media information literacy and non-violence society. Her contributions in different fields have been recognized by many organizations including UN Women and ITU (Gem-tech Awards); The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Asia-Pacific Tele-center Network (APTN); Who’s Who Thailand; MIL Thiland; Good People Foundation, Thailand; The Research Center of Communication and Development Knowledge Management (CCDKM), Thailand.

Dr. Ruchita Sujai Chowdhary is an innovative and inquisitive academician constantly engaged in teaching and learning activities in the field of Radio Broadcasting, Visual Communication, Cinema Studies and Gender Studies. Currently working as an Assistant Professor and Departmental In-Charge in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University, Lucknow, India, Dr. Chowdhury has has been teaching for over 14 years. Prior to joining her present position, Dr, Chowdhury worked as an Anchor-cum-News Reader in VM Darpan. An avid reader, researcher and thinker, Dr. Chowdhary has two books on Gender Studies to her credit. She also presented research papers in many national/international seminars, published widely in reputed journals. Dr. Chowdhury is also a certified FactShala Trainer, a Google initiative to fight misinformation. Dr. Chowdhury received Best Anchor Award by the Zila (district) Cultural Association in recognition of Anchoring skills and is also nominated for the HT women Awards. Her accomplishments as an academician and her command over the subject have made her a panelist in various television programs including BOLE U.P. of Lucknow Doordarshan.

Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Dr. Greg Simons graduated with a PhD from the University of Canterbury in 2004, in 2015 became Associate Professor at the Department of Government, Uppsala University. Greg Simons is currently a leading researcher at the Humanitarian Institute at Ural Federal University in Yekaterinburg, Russia, a researcher at the Institute for Russian and Eurasian Studies (IRES) at Uppsala University and a lecturer at the Department of Communication Science at Turiba University in Riga, Latvia. His research interests include: changing political dynamics and relationships, mass media, public diplomacy, political marketing, crisis management communications, media and armed conflict, the changing and transforming global order, and the Russian Orthodox Church. He also researches the relationships and connections between information, politics and armed conflict more broadly, such as the GWOT and Arab Spring.

Ma. Margarita Alvina-Acosta, PhD is an Associate Professor and currently the College Dean of the Higher Education Unit in Miriam College, Quezon City, Philippines. Prior to being appointed Dean, she served as chairperson of the Department of Communication. She received from Miriam College, the President’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2008. In 2017, she received a certificate as Second Round Qualifier for Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos (Teachers’ category). Her areas of specialization are Child and Family studies, Gender and Communication, and Communication Research. Outside of the Academe, Dr. Acosta actively takes part in several professional organizations, namely: as Board of Management and Country Representative (Luzon) of the Asian Media Information and Communication Center (AMIC), Secretary and Board member of the Philippine Association of Communication and Media Research, Inc. (PACMRI), and former Vice President and Board member of the Philippines Communication Society (PCS). As a communication researcher, coupled with being a child and family expert, Dr. Acosta has made it her advocacy to reach out to families regarding responsible parenting and building strong families through positive and peaceful communication. Dr. Acosta is a proud Associate of the Center for Peace Education (CPE) – one of Miriam College’s three advocacy centers. CPE promotes a culture of peace through peace education and advocacy.

Prof. Joan Pedro-Carañana, is in the Department of Journalism and New Media of the Complutense University of Madrid. He has a European doctorate in Communication, Social Change and Development, and has been active in a variety of social movements. His interest lies in the role of communication, education and culture in the transformation of societies.