Scholars Program Showcase: “Breaking Boundaries”
The Department of English and Humanities at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh organized an engaging showcase titled “Breaking Boundaries: Scholars Showcase Advanced Learning” on August 21, 2025. It was organized by the Scholars Program committee of the department.
The session began with a warm welcome from Dr. Md. Mahadhi Hasan, Advisor to the Scholars Program, who addressed the presenters, students, and faculty members in attendance. His remarks set a thoughtful tone for the morning, emphasizing the value of advanced learning and collaborative intellectual pursuit.
Nine students presented their research and reflections drawn from advanced coursework, each offering a unique perspective on literature, linguistics, pedagogy, and cultural studies.
Nafisa Zaman (auditing course ENG576: Teacher Development and Education) opened with a compelling argument that assessments are not neutral but deeply political. Drawing on examples from the Bangladeshi context, she explained how language policies and institutional choices privilege certain groups while marginalizing others, ultimately reinforcing ideologies and shaping student identities.
Following this, Husnul Jannath (auditing course ENG546: Teaching Practicum and Classroom Management) delivered a practical discussion on lesson planning. She outlined the steps of setting clear objectives, designing activities, and using appropriate materials to ensure effective teaching and meaningful learning outcomes.
Mahjabin Maria (auditing course ENG576: Teacher Development and Education) examined the role of artificial intelligence in teacher development and education. While acknowledging AI’s potential in lesson planning, personalized learning, and assessment, she also reflected on the structural challenges in Bangladesh such as technological inequality, lack of training for teachers, and the absence of policy frameworks.
The theoretical dimension of the showcase began with Yusuf Abdullah Tokee, (auditing course ENG502: Advanced Literary Theory) who presented an introduction to structuralism. He traced its roots in Saussure’s linguistic theory, highlighted its extension into literary studies, and concluded with his own reflections on its enduring relevance.
Raisa Anan (auditing course ENG502: Advanced Literary Theory) turned to feminist literary criticism through her discussion of The Madwoman in the Attic. She explained how women writers historically confronted patriarchal labels of madness, strategically reclaiming them as a form of resistance and self-expression. Her presentation underscored the feminist strategy of transforming imposed identities into sites of empowerment.
Fatema Tuz Jannat (auditing course ENG568: Language, Power and Gender) addressed the complex relationship between language and gender. Through the deficit, dominance, and difference models, she showed how linguistic practices not only reflect but also construct gender roles. Her reflections emphasized the importance of changing language use to challenge entrenched inequalities.
Tuni Nigar’s presentation (auditing course ENG502: Advanced Literary Theory), “The Conditions of Meaning: Authorship, Ideology, and Culture,” drew together poststructuralist critiques of authorship by Barthes and Foucault, Marxist and post-Marxist understandings of ideology, and Raymond Williams’ expanded notion of culture as “a whole way of life.” She posed the central question of who produces meaning and under what social and cultural conditions.
Ansa Tasfia Suhi (auditing course ENG503: The Cultural Construction of Shakespeare) discussed the cultural construction of Shakespeare. She highlighted how Shakespeare’s plays both shaped and were shaped by cultural contexts, and how his works continue to invite reinterpretation across different times and spaces.
Finally, Rafia Sultana (auditing course ENG504: Literature and Media) explored the interrelation between literature and media. Her reflections connected theoretical concepts to texts and real-world practices, demonstrating how literature extends beyond its traditional boundaries into contemporary media landscapes.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Md. Mahadhi Hasan, who congratulated the presenters for their insightful contributions. Scholars Program Advisory Committee members Mr. Al Mahmud Rumman, Senior Lecturer, DEH, and Ms. Irtifa Hasan Lecturer, DEH, were also present at the program. A photo session followed, capturing the spirit of intellectual engagement and community that defined the morning.
The Scholars Program Showcase successfully brought together diverse strands of inquiry, from pedagogical practice to critical theory, and affirmed the department’s commitment to nurturing advanced study.
Report by Tuni Nigar (223013042)
