Social Justice Action Research - Dr. Bharat Mehra

In this presentation, Dr. Bharat Mehra will discuss social justice and action research intersections across his recent work in LIS. In the process he provides a critical positionality to his "voice" toward strategic actions that can dismantle systemic hegemonies and cultural bias. He will also challenge the recent neoliberal commodification surrounding equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility concerns in LIS. The unethical distancing in LIS from its own biased historical baggage of passivity, neutrality, and complacency in unacceptable without confronting the colonial and imperialist world order that still shapes its predominantly white administrative echelons of power, privilege, and performative politics. From an intersectional perspective, as a gay person of color from India Dr. Mehra will comment on the recent IFLA fiasco in mishandling the initially scheduled 2024 World Library and Information Congress in Dubai.

Dr. Mehra will discuss the dark shadows of postpositivist paradigms and exclusionary categorizations classifying human existence and experience in closed boxes that misinformed IFLA leaders as they succumbed to their politically charged constituencies in response to local, regional, and international politics.