Guest of honour, Geoffrey Yaden (right), Chief Editor, Nagaland Post along with the guests and editors during the book launch at Tetso College, City Campus, Notun Bosti, Dimapur on June 11. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 11
Based around the need towards understanding, evaluating, interpreting and interrogating existing arguments, observations and subjects on Naga society, a book titled, “Critical Conversations in Naga Society,” was launched here at the City Campus of Tetso College, Notun Bosti on Saturday afternoon.
Guest of honour, Geoffrey Yaden, Chief Editor, Nagaland Post expressed that “the book will provide inspiration and spark the minds of intellectuals and people who wish to express their view or opinions on certain issues in society.”
He mentioned that the current scenario has created a sense of uncertainty in the minds of the people with regard to the political atmosphere of the state. “And that is not a very good sign as progress is related towards the material, physical and intellectual health of a society,” he said.
Delving on the notion of truth telling, Yaden opined that there is a deficit of truth, trust and tolerance within the Naga community. Therefore he advocated for having open and honest conversations around a broad range of topics that one might not be particularly inclined to agree sometimes.
Co-editor of the book, Yanbeni Yanthan, noted that the book was conceptualised as an open access ‘e-resource book’ with a multi dimensional approach that “hopes to facilitate the healing of cracks in the ongoing transformations in the Naga world and worldview” and enrich the dialogue between academia, thinkers, and writers. She also thanked all the stakeholders involved in the process.
While her co-editor, Dr Hewasa L Khing, hoped that the issues covered in the essays and articles in the book would start conversations, become topics for debate, or serve as the basis for initiating discussions, conferences, seminars or even be referenced for research studies. “This is something that is urgently required as it will allow clarity and depth of thought,” she noted.
Dr Khing stated that while the book is not confined to a specific target audience, the other larger intention was to add to the reading material in the society and hoped it would propel the development of a reading culture in our society. "This book is in many ways a tribute too to all those who have worked tirelessly for the Naga cause and betterment of our society and to those who continue to do so," she concluded.
Published by Heritage Publishing House, the book is an edited volume of essays by activists, academics and scholars focusing on the social, political and economic contexts of the Nagas. The thirteen chapters have been thematised into four component parts that follow a dominant methodological, theoretical and contextual range with contributing writers such as Alexander Coupe, Brainerd Prince, Easterine Kire, Dolly Kikon, Paul Pimomo, Dr PS Lorin, and Rev Dr Wati Aier, among others.
