Dhaka : The School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) at North South University (NSU) successfully hosted a seminar, as part of the NSU SHSS Faculty Seminar Series on “Spivak on ‘the Burden of English’ and the Situation of ‘the Implied Reader’: A Philosopher’s Interrogation” on 23 June 2025, according to a press release.
A diverse audience of distinguished faculty members, students, academics, and English language enthusiasts participated in the discussion. The guest speaker for this session was Dr. Norman K. Swazo, Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Office of Research at NSU. Dr. Nazia Manzoor, Assistant Professor and Chair at the Department of English and Modern Languages,
NSU, moderated the session. Dr. Md. Rizwanul Islam, Professor of Law and Dean of SHSS at NSU, provided the opening remarks, acknowledging the faculty in-depth publication success and calling for continued advancements in research at NSU SHSS. He concluded by acknowledging whether there is a difference in approaching English as a communication tool and as part of literature. In her introductory remarks, Dr. Manzoor commented on Gayatri Spivak’s lasting influence and significancein the fields of literary and cultural criticism. She added that Spivak’s concepts of epistemic violence, subaltern subjectivity, and critique of imperialism help deepen our understanding of the philosophical investigation underpinning Dr. Swazo’s presentation. In his presentation, Professor Swazo mentioned that some argue that literary criticism is a thing of the past, and how when English is taught as a second language, it primarily focuses on the reflexive use of the mechanics of the language, such as the elements of semantics, syntax, etc. Countering the notion that English as literature is only about appreciation, Dr. Swazo shed light on the potential moral and ethical dynamics that should be engaged by ‘the implied reader’, and queried the author’s intent on who the implied reader is. He argued that the burden of teaching English linguistically is indeed different from it being taught as literature. During the Q&A segment, faculty members engaged with Professor Swazo on Spivak’s comparison to Tagore’s works, Shakespeare’s sonnet, and historical fiction. The interactive exchange of ideas greatly inspired the attendees.
