The Department of English and Humanities at BRAC University hosted a two-day workshop titled, "MEMORYSCAPES: Historiographies & Methodologies around the 1947 Partition", on Monday and Tuesday (February 17-18).

The event was part of a broader scholarly exchange involving three interconnected workshops at National Institute of Technology (NIT), Silchar, BRAC University, and Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), culminating in academic publications.

The initiative stemmed from a two-year research project (2023-2025) titled "Canonization of Partition Literature and the Politics of Memorialization in South Asia", supported by India's Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC), Ministry of Education.

The opening session was inaugurated by Debjani Sengupta (Indraprastha College for Women, New Delhi), Prof Anne Murphy (University of British Columbia), Avishek Ray (National Institute of Technology, Silchar) and Prof Firdous Azim (BRAC University).

The workshop comprised five panel discussions exploring diverse perspectives on literary depictions, women's agency, oral histories, museum records, colonial archives, and digital media.

Scholars examined issues such as identity crises, trauma, violence, repatriation, and belonging, as well as pedagogical challenges in teaching Partition history.

On Day 1, Professor Pippa Virdee (De Montfort University) delivered the keynote speech, highlighting how national anniversaries and commemorations shape Partition narratives.

On Day 2, Professor Sayeed Ferdous (Bangladesh Open University) addressed the challenges of recognising marginalised voices in Partition historiography.

The event fostered cross-disciplinary exchanges among scholars, historians, and students, encouraging innovative approaches to memorialisation and historical pedagogy.

Discussions also reflected on how partition is remembered across the four successor states—Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Myanmar—and the evolving responsibilities of educators in shaping historical discourse.

The workshop was funded by the University of British Columbia's Centre for Migration Studies and Department of History, as well as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.