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School of Business and Management

Borderlines: An Interdisciplinary Research Collective

 

Overview

Borderlines is an Interdisciplinary Research Collective committed to social justice, radical, experimental and innovative methodologies and interdisciplinary pedagogies and conceptual paradigms. The group aims to bring together diverse scholars resisting strict definition of fields and disciplines but thriving through differences and alternative vantage points. Committed to decolonizing of praxis and the problematisation of the normative through critical enquiry, it seeks to thwart the margins, peripheries, boundaries and notions of alterity.

Borderlines: an Interdisciplinary Research Collective in Creative and Cultural Economies

School of Business and Management
Queen Mary University of London
London, E1 4NS

Email: Y.ibrahim@qmul.ac.uk and s.dar@qmul.ac.uk 

 

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Convenors

Joint Directors Professor Yasmin Ibrahim and Dr Sadhvi Dar

Yasmin Ibrahim 

Professor Yasmin Ibrahim’s research explores the human and social dimensions of digital platforms. She has written extensively on digital economy and culture. Her work on digital technologies advances critical pedagogies for understanding new media technologies in terms of socio-cultural and ethical implications. Another strand of her research explores notions of ‘Othering’ through dominant themes of inequalities, migration, human displacement, border controls, Islam and terrorism. She is Visiting Professor at the MYRA School of Business at Mysore. She is the lead for Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) in SBM. Her book publications include Calais and its Border Politics: From Control to Demolition with Routledge, Production of the 'Self' in the Digital Age with Palgrave Macmillan and The Politics of Gaze; The Image Economy Online, Forthcoming with Routledge. For more details on her research and publications, https://qmul.academia.edu/yasminibrahim.

 

Sadhvi Dar

Sadhvi has an established presence in the postcolonial and decolonizing studies scholarly communities within the management and organization discipline. She was awarded her PhD in 2006 from the University of Cambridge. Her research draws on ethnographic and psychosocial methodologies and includes critical analyses of the international development sector, NGO management, and the intersection of race and gender in higher education. Sadhvi is dedicated to anti-racist work and embraces a decolonizing politics. She has been co-organizing anti-racist and decolonizing events and workshops at international conferences since 2005. She is also a co-founding member of the online communities: VIDA and the Decolonizing Alliance. She is Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy and is a member of Senate at Queen Mary. Her current projects engage in community-building and collaboration among scholars of colour and university workers. Building the Anti Racist Classroom, BreakThrough!, The Decolonizing Alliance. Sadhvi also works in collaboration with Queen Mary's Drama department on a multi-stakeholder research project called The Verbatim Formula. Since 2018, Sadhvi has been involved with consultancy projects tackling anti-racist pedagogy and decolonizing initiatives with a number of UK HEIs including Kent Law School, University of Roehampton, Middlesex University, Leeds-Beckett University, Loughborough University, University of Bath, and Queen Mary University of London. Sadhvi is also involved in a number of pro-bono consultancy roles with third sector organizations. These roles include sitting on the Evaluation Working Group for a mental health charity called the Dragon Café in London (2015-present), artistic director and research lead for a network of art practitioners and third sector managers called The Evaluation Project (2014-2018).

 
Dr Zafeirenia Brokalaki    
Dr Isadora Cruxen    
Dr Tana Licsandru    
Dr Mary Robertson    
Dr Paula Serafini    
Dr Zahra Sharifonnasabi    
Dr Jessica Sklair    
Dr Shreya Sinha    
Dr Mayra Ruiz Castro    
Dr Nadia Atia    
Professor Rachael Gilmour    
Dr Maya Parmar    
Dr Charlotta Salmi    
Dr Swati Arora    
Dr Leslie James    
Dr Shreyaa Bhatt    
Dr Adam Elliott-Cooper    
Maher Anjum    
Suyash    
Shahla Geoffrey    
Veronica Kimani    
Monica Majumdar    
Mahwish Sikander    
Danyal Abdullah    
Fareeha Akhtar    
Bente Fatema    
Chisom Ndigwe    
Jing Jing Fu    
Dr S M A Moin    
Dr Lilian Schofield    
Dr Alexis Wearmouth    
Dr Lisa Diane Morrison    

We encourage, but are in no way limited to, asking questions about:

  • The political economy of the cultural and creative sectors
  • The digital, online, virtual worlds and associated emergent subjectivities and identities
  • Aesthetics and knowledges
  • The postcolonial, neo-colonial, de-colonial - Feminisms, queering
  • Histories, archiving, temporality, the un/timely
  • Fictions, fantasy, dreams, post-truth
  • Sustainability, consumption, ecologies
  • Privilege, power, in arts practice
  • Digital Archives
  • Mobile platforms and corporeal technologies

We support using the full, and growing, spectrum of disseminating work by:

  • Enquiring into the contexts of power and value in the creative industries and cultural sector
  • Writing together
  • Reading together, re-reading work
  • Making art, performance, fictions and rhymes
  • Making interventions / hacking technologies
  • Blogs, zines, podcasts, pamphlets, posters

This Research Group is linked to, but not limited by, the expected Masters in Creative Industries and Arts Leadership.

 

Selected member publications

Books

Journals

  • Rai, A. (2015) “The affect of Jugaad: Frugal innovation and postcolonial practice in India’s mobile phone ecology” Environment and Planning D: Society and Space.
  • Dar, S., Liu, H., Dy, A., and Brewis, D.N. (2020) The Business School is Racist: Act up!, Organization, OnlineFirst: https://doi.org/10.1177/1350508420928521. Organization’s 4th most read article; Ranked 1st for 3-month Altmetrics: 132.
  • Dar, S and Ibrahim, I. (2019) The Blackened Body and White Governmentality: Managing the UK academy and the production of shame, Gender, Work, and Organization, 26(9): 1241-1254. GWO’s top 10% most downloaded paper Jan 2018-Dec 2019.
  • Inchley, M., Dar, S., Pujara, S, and Baker, S. (2019). The Verbatim Formula: Caring for care leavers in the neoliberal university, Research in Drama Education, 24(3): 413-419.
  • Dar, S. (2018). The Masque of Blackness: Or, performing assimilation in the white academe. Organization, 26(3): 432-446.
  • Dar, S. (2018). De-Colonizing the Boundary-Object. Organization Studies, 39(4): 565-584.
  • Dar, S. (2014) Hybrid Accountabilities: When Western and Non-Western Accountabilities Collide, Human Relations, 67(2): 131-151.
  • Ibrahim, Y. (2020) The child refugee in Calais: from invisibility to the ‘suspect figure’. Int J Humanitarian Action 5, 19 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-020-00087-z
  • Ibrahim, Y. (2020) Between soap and science: The pandemic, experts and expendable lives,
  • Social Sciences & Humanities Open,Volume 2, Issue 1, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2020.100080
  • Ibrahim, Y., & Howarth, A. The Munchetty Controversy: Empire, Race and the BBC, Gender, Work and Organization, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/gwao.12543

Other publications

 

Date And Time: Thursday, 11th July 2024, 5PM – 7PM GMT

"Being a ‘Mixed-Race’ Brown Scholar of Black Writing: Learning Embodied Anti-Racism Through Scholarship and Praxis"

by

Dr Leila Kamali

Event Details: Drawing from her personal experiences as a Brown person of mixed ethnicity and her research in African American and Black British literature, Dr. Kamali will explore the complexities of identity and anti-racism. Focusing on the work of African American author John Edgar Wideman and her Afghan heritage, she will examine the concept of the 'model minority' and its implications within white supremacist systems. Dr. Kamali will delve into the idea of a 'Third Space,' embracing a cosmopolitan identity while navigating contemporary challenges in confronting racism and colonial legacies. She will emphasize the importance of cultural responsibility and anti-racist allyship, highlighting the need for introspection and action in combating systemic inequalities. Through her journey, Dr. Kamali will embody a voice that honors her diverse inheritances, offering insights and guidance in promoting anti-racism. Join her in a transformative exploration of identity and solidarity in the fight against racism.

Date And Time: Thursday, 23rd May 2024, 12PM – 1.30PM GMT

"Cracking the Code: Exploring Disinformation through Social Network Analysis, Networked Individuality, and Social Contagion Theory"

by

Dr Shalini R. Urs

 
Event Details: The session addressed the escalating disinformation crisis and its broad societal implications. Dr. Urs employed a multidisciplinary approach, drawing from Social Network Analysis (SNA), Network Science, and Social Contagion theory to decode the intricate mechanisms of disinformation dissemination. Key topics included the historical evolution of disinformation, the application of SNA in uncovering hidden networks, the concept of Networked Individuality, and the role of crowd psychology in spreading disinformation as a social contagion. By transcending disciplinary boundaries, Dr. Urs illuminated pathways for effective detection and mitigation strategies, highlighting the urgency of understanding and addressing disinformation in contemporary society. 

Thursday, 25th April 2024, 5PM - 7PM GMT

"Governance and the Digital Economy - A Public Talk"

by

Professor Tim Jordan

 

Event Details: The period of neoliberalism has entrenched the market as a dominant form of governance, shaping societal interactions and economic practices. However, with the rise of the digital economy, questions arise regarding this dominance. In this talk, Professor Tim explored the possibility that alongside neoliberalism, a new form of governance based on networking has emerged, challenging traditional structures. Drawing from Foucault's concept of homo economicus, the discussion delved into how terms like biopower and governmentality intersect with neoliberalism. Tim examined practices within the digital economy, such as targeted advertising and service platforms, to explore how they perpetuate neoliberal forms while also giving rise to new modes of governance. The event concluded by examining the differences between market-based and network-based subjectivities, and their implications for creating more just societies.

Monday, 25 March 2024, 5.00 PM -7.00 PM GMT

"Critical Seminar on Female Genital Mutilation - A Public Talk"

by

Dr. Aneeta Prem, MBE

 


Event Details: The seminar focused on the critical issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), affecting over 200 million women and girls globally. Aneeta discussed the significant impact of FGM on individuals and societies, emphasizing the essential actions required for its eradication. Drawing from her extensive experience and advocacy, Aneeta provided profound insights into the role of education, awareness, and mandatory reporting in making a difference.

Wed, 13 March 2024, 02:30PM - 04:00PM GMT

"The case of social impact creative enterprise – OITIJ-JO Collective"

by

Maher Anjum

 

Event Details: we had the pleasure of welcoming Maher Anjum as our esteemed speaker. Maher shared insights into her remarkable journey with the OITIJ-JO Collective, an organization born in the wake of the 2012 London Olympics. During the event, Maher discussed the significant challenges addressed by the OITIJ-JO Collective, including the marginalization of communities like British Bangladeshi and the lack of visibility for creatives in sectors such as fashion and hospitality. Maher delved into the genesis of two pivotal initiatives, OITIJ-JO Design Studios and OITIJ-JO Kitchen, and explored the challenges faced by this pioneering social impact enterprise.

Mon, 26 February, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM GMT

"Forced Marriage and Dishonor Violence - Talk"

by

Dr. Aneeta Prem, MBE

 

Event Details: We had the privilege of hosting Aneeta Prem, the Founder of Freedom Charity, at our recent event. Aneeta delved into the complexities of dishonor violence and forced marriage, shedding light on the legal, social, and human rights aspects. She emphasized the distinction between forced and arranged marriages, offering invaluable insights into these critical issues. Aneeta's pioneering work with Freedom Charity gained national recognition in 2013 when the organization played a crucial role in uncovering an extreme case of domestic slavery, as reported by The Guardian.

Mon, 29 Jan 2024, 18:00 - 20:00 GMT

"A Woman Surgeon with the Palestinians - Public Talk"

by

Dr. Ang Swee Chai

 

Event Details: We were honored to host Dr. Ang Swee Chai, from QMUL Centre for Trauma Sciences, at Borderlines on January 29, 2024. Dr. Ang shared her remarkable journey as a Trauma and Orthopaedics Consultant in refugee camps across Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank. It was a deeply inspiring event, shedding light on her extraordinary medical and humanitarian contributions.

Discussion of ‘Jugaad Time’ by Amit S Rai  - 9th October, 2019 in the South Asia Forum Discussion Group.

 

Dr Jenny K. Rodriguez, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester presented a Research Seminar on 4th November 2020, hosted by Dr Sadhvi Dar, Borderlines. The title of the talk was "From zero to hero: Narratives of professional identity in times of Covid-19". Also, my co-authors in this work are Gregorio Perez (University of Santiago de Chile) and Stephen Procter (Newcastle University).

 

In 2019, As part of the Festival of Communities, Borderlines organized the ‘Veiled Gaze’ exhibition primarily catering to the Tower Hamlet and East London Communities. The exhibition sought to track the relevance of the veil to all communities/religions in Tower Hamlets. Following from the 2018 UNPRME conference ‘Leaving No one Behind’ Hosted by SBM, in 2019 the school also hosted a South East London Regional meeting to discuss communal and environmental initiatives to specifically cater to the region.

Maria Adamson

Maria Adamson's main research interests lie in the area of gender inequalities in professional work, including the focus on socio-cultural basis of gender workplace inequality, social and organisational dynamics of (in)equalities at work, feminist theorising in management and organisation studies and her recent research on the role of business celebrities and the impact of popular culture on work and organisations. Maria's projects have critically explored the quality of inclusion in professions and organisations, applying a postfeminist lens to understand contemporary gendered inequalities in the workplace. Her current project focuses exploring the elite female executives as gendered role models, specifically it seeks to understand the relationship between cultural discourses of femininity produced by celebrity executives and the impact they have on aspiring businesswomen and the construction of gendered workplace meanings.

Mojisola Adebayo

Lecturer in Drama, Theatre and Performance in the School of English and Drama.London born theatre artist - performer, playwright, director, producer, facilitator, teacher and researcher.

Rehana Ahmed

Senior Lecturer in Postcolonial and World Literature and Culture; British Muslim, British Asian and South Asian literature and culture; multiculturalism; literary controversies.

Maher Anjum

Organisational Consultant, Senior Researcher and Programme Manager, with 15 years’ experience of developing evidenced based projects and building high profile public-private partnerships to achieve social progress, minimize environmental footprint and develop sustainable opportunities for those with limited access to resources and opportunities including young people  and vulnerable people.  Diverse skills in accelerating initiatives through, high level research, focus group with stakeholders building cross-cultural relationships, facilitating workshops and training, and delivering high-value global programs. 

Suyash Barve

In my PhD, I am exploring the historic and contemporary interconnections between the creation, circulation and consumption of cultural commodities and the production of political discourse with a focus on media ecologies of India specifically the business strategies of merchant capitalists and organization of labour. Through this project, I hope to contribute to the expanding literature in varied areas of research interest such as economic history of South Asia, labour movements of the twentieth century, affective politics of urbanization, political economy of media and information communication infrastructure amongst others.

Ashvin Immanuel Devasundaram

Senior Lecturer, specialising in World Cinemas, particularly new independent Indian Cinema, emerging cinemas from South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa.

Marcia Vera Espinoza

Lecturer in Human Geography
Migration and Development in the Global South

Rachael Gilmour

Reader Colonial and postcolonial literature and theory; African literary and cultural studies; Colonialism, postcolonialism, and linguistic thought; Black British and British Asian writing; Language politics and literary translingualism

Jessica Jacobs

Research Fellow, with research interests in filmmaking, creative mapping and other community focused strategies that aim to engage a wider audience within the scope of academic research and knowledge production.

Charlotta Salmi

Lecturer Postcolonial Literature and Theory; Graphic Narratives; Literary Form; Conflict and protest literature; Borders and the state.

Nisha Ramayya

Lecturer Contemporary and Experimental Poetry and Poetics; Critical Race Theory and Black Study; Feminist and Queer Theory; Visual, Sound, and Video Poetry, and Performance.

Bill Schwarz

Professor Caribbean writing; Postcolonial; twentieth-century British history

Philippa Williams

Senior Lecturer in Human Geography,
Senior Tutor Geography Building, Room 215 +44 (0)20 7882 6977 p.williams@qmul.ac.uk Citizenship, development and identity in India; India’s new economy; geographies of peace; material politics of transnational identities

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