Lectures

Experiences of the Older LGBT+ Generation with Social and Health Care – Slovenian and European Union (EU) perspectives

sudarshan — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 04:02:07 +0000

sudarshan Sun, 02/22/2026 - 09:32

Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad

Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) Regional Coordinating Institute (North Kerala Region)

invites you to a talk titled

Experiences of the Older LGBT+ Generation with Social and Health Care –
Slovenian and European Union (EU) perspectives

Dr Mojca Urec

Dean & Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Work, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Details for joining online follow:

24 February 2026 (Tuesday) 10: 30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. IST

Online: Zoom meeting link

https://zoom.us/j/99947323590?pwd=9QaQOO8JaJGcgAdbLyTCDDAm1bf8bc.1

Meeting ID: 999 4732 3590
Passcode: 706023

Accessibility

The lecture will be conducted in English with Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpretation. If the interpreter is not spotlighted along with the speaker, you may please pin the interpreter's tab for a seamless experience. If anyone requires assistance in accessing the lecture without barriers, in addition to sign language, please email sudarshan@iitpkd.ac.in

Abstract

The non-normative sexual orientation and gender identity at the intersection of old age represent a risk of discrimination and social exclusion. The long standing hiding of one's identity, using tactics regarding coming out or fear of coming out may contribute to a lot of negative consequences on health and the sense of security in older generation of LGBT+ population. One of the consequences of homo (trans, bi) phobia is also that LGBT+ people may be invisible in the whole life course, also to the social and health system. In old age, such a situation only makes things worse for them. Rarely, they make use of forms of help, home visits, placements in homes and all other situations that could hypothetically trigger coming out and ill-treatment. Care providers demonstrate limited awareness and understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity. In addition to these, good care experiences and practices are documented in research and deserve recognition and promote a sense of safety for older LGBT+ people.The specific characteristics of life course and past experiences of LGBT+ old people require knowledge and awareness on the part of care providers. But old LGBT+
people’s experiences with health and social care are generally under-researched. In addition, the old LGBT+ people are also largely unacknowledged as service users. In this presentation, an international perspective to shed light on key issues in the field of inclusive care for LGBT+ old people is used, with a particular focus on the Slovenian context, drawing on the findings of the Erasmus+ project “Being me” with a strong training element (2018–2020) and a small-scale research study during the covid-19 in Slovenia (2021). Among the principles and approaches that directed our research, the focus was put on intersectionality, resilience, strengths perspective, life stories, and collaboration with LGBT+ old people.

Bionote

Dr Mojca Urek was Chair of the Community Mental Health Department for 16 years and is currently Dean of the Faculty of Social Work, University of Ljubljana. She has undertaken research on narrative approaches in social work, social perspectives on mental health, LGBT+ in social
work and gender-based violence. Beside involvement in several national researches, she was the national lead in five European mental health projects with a strong training element on empowerment through education and employment, on participation of children with mental disabilities in taking decisions about their life, on inclusion of experiential knowledge in academia and services, on methods of overcoming prejudices and hetero- and cis-normativity practices in homes for older people through staff-training, and on combating violence against gender non-conforming children. She is the author of the Slovenian monograph “Stories at work: narrating, recording and reporting in social work” and co-author of six other monographs on long-term care, innovation in care homes, violence against women in intimate relationships, changes of the
family life in Slovenia and. In 2022, she co-edited a thematic issue of the journal Socialnodelo (Social Work) entitled Strengthening social work to respond to the challenges of ageing in the LGBT+ community. She has co-authored several original research articles on LGBT+ ageing and co-edited the international monograph on LGBT+ children and youth. She actively participated in deinstitutionalisation processes and mental health reforms in Slovenia. She is current
Chair of Research at the European Network for Training, Evaluation and Research in Mental Health (ENTER).

All are welcome!

Quantum Century talks/ Pale Blue Dot

sarath — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:02:43 +0000

sarath Wed, 02/11/2026 - 21:32

IIT Palakkad is organizing the Quantum Century Talks to celebrate 100 years of achievements in quantum mechanics.The event will begin with IIT Palakkad's public lecture series Pale Blue Dot, which will be presented by Prof. Rejish Nath from IISER Pune (this talk will be mostly in Malayalam). Two talks will be presented by Dr. Uma Divakaran and Dr. Arvind Ajoy on theoretical and experimental aspects of quantum technology. This is organised in partnership with LUCA science portal, Palakkad Public Library, KSSP and UBA.

Invited Lecture

gopikrishnan — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 11:34:51 +0000

gopikrishnan Wed, 07/09/2025 - 17:04

Title: Legendre Polynomials

Abstract: These polynomials are introduced by the French mathematician Adrien-Marie Legendre close to 250 years ago. They come up in almost all areas of mathematics (and in other sciences and engineering too). We will discuss some basic properties of these polynomials and time permitting illustrate a few ways in which they appear in algebra and number theory.

GIAN course: Culture and Health: Ethnographic Perspectives and Methods

sudarshan — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 07:05:13 +0000

sudarshan Thu, 01/23/2025 - 12:35

Overview

This course is intended for researchers examining (mental) health, animal health, public health and forms of healing in their social and cultural contexts which can profoundly shape conceptions of illness and illness outcomes. Particular readings will demonstrate certain positive features of India’s capacity to cope with mental illness which ideally should not be compromised as the country’s mental health treatment policies respond to the Movement for Global Mental Health. The course provides ethnographic case studies from different parts of the world which students will examine in relation to cases from India and other parts of South Asia. A section of the class will focus on mental health which is especially shaped by its cultural milieu, and the readings will consider studies of how the treatment of mental illness in India is affected by the International Movement for Global Mental Health. In addition, Prof. Halliburton will share his experience conducting fieldwork in India and the United States in an effort to help students become aware of the variety of methods available for studying culture and health.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the course are as follows:

Understand the degree to which health and illness are shaped by social and cultural forces.
Develop comparative insights from reading and discussing case studies from around the world
Learn about ethnographic research methods used in anthropology and other social sciences
Assess the opportunities and challenges of mental health practices in India

Registration

To express interest in attending the program, participants are requested to complete the registration link- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScg3hI5eZH1lfh6xss4wbPJLzbEZ7E9z_Fy7_xxHV9txcLGsg/viewform?usp=header

Once the selection process is complete, shortlisted candidates will receive a payment link via email. Please refer to the registration fee details and fill accordingly. ID card proof is required before filling the form. Please check the attached brochure.

Culture and Health 8-20 July -GIAN brochure .pdf (2.63 MB)

India-Netherlands energy and climate research

dj — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 10:54:46 +0000

dj Wed, 01/08/2025 - 16:24

Prof. Dr. PV Aravind will deliver a short talk on India-Netherlands energy and climate research, including a fellowship scheme with DST, which could be of interest to faculty members and research scholars.

Lecture

gopikrishnan — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 11:06:43 +0000

gopikrishnan Sun, 11/03/2024 - 16:36

Title. Stability analysis of a delayed population model.

Venue. 308

Time. Part 1 (9.00 - 10.00 AM), Part 2 (12.00 - 1.00 PM)

Abstract.

Nowadays mathematical, statistical, and simulation models play an important role to describing real-world problems. In particular, differential equations models are useful to understand ecological and epidemiological dynamics. We shall develop a predator-prey model with asymmetric functional and numerical responses. There is a time lag between consumption and digestion of prey biomass by the predators. Taking time delay as the bifurcation parameter, we shall identify four different dynamic behaviors, viz., one of the coexisting equilibria undergoes (1) no change in its stability for all time delay, (2) stability change, (3) stability switching, and (4) instability switching. Analytically we shall establish that a saddle equilibrium does not alter its stability due to varying delay. All these behavior will be explained in detail along with numerical examples. Simulations will be provided to visualize how the eigenvalues evolve with delay parameter and change stability nature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only
population model revealing multiple dynamics with a single time delay. This contribution might be useful from mathematical and numerical view points.

Lecture on mathematical ecology

gopikrishnan — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 11:04:42 +0000

gopikrishnan Sun, 11/03/2024 - 16:34

Venue: Nila 306 (11.50 AM - 1.00 PM)

Title: An introduction to mathematical ecology

Abstract. In this teaching kind presentation, we first provide an overview of population ecology including biomass pyramid, trophic levels, bottom-up and top-down forces, etc. Then we propose Malthus and Verhulst growth model of single-species. Suddenly, we switch to discuss chemical reaction modeling and then link chemical reaction models to ecological models of interacting species. We now present Lotka-Volterra, logistic Lotka-Volterra, Rosenzweig-MacArthrur predator-prey models and their dynamics. Further, we explain Gause’s competitive exclusion principle through two different class of models. We then define Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and species extinction phenomenon in multispecies fishery systems. Ecological resilience and Maximum Resilience Yield (MRY) will also be demonstrated. Finally, we discuss a paradoxical result-hydra effect in ecology.

Lecture/Talk

gopikrishnan — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 10:59:29 +0000

gopikrishnan Sun, 11/03/2024 - 16:29

Title: Infinite classification of linear dynamical systems.

Abstract. We often study the classifications of second order PDEs, but we do not discuss third and higher order PDEs in regular curriculum. In the same way, we only discuss the classification of two-dimensional linear dynamical systems. In this teaching presentation, we start the classification from one-dimensional system, and systematically explore the classification of two-, three-, and four-dimensional ones. We show that the number of classifications is finite in one-, two-, and three-dimensional systems, but four-dimensional systems exhibit an infinite number of classifications. In this sense, the presentation seems to be unique and interesting. We also learn about periodic and quasiperiodic solutions of liner systems.

Working with Traces: Towards a Gendered History of Writing in Kerala

sujatha — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 23:01:46 +0000

sujatha Mon, 09/23/2024 - 04:31

Thematic Explorations Series - Event 2.pdf (627.29 KB)

Non-Brahmin Perspectives on Dharma and Sociality

sujatha — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 22:26:18 +0000

sujatha Mon, 09/23/2024 - 03:56

IMG-20240920-WA0002.jpg (174.77 KB)