Latest Entries
Building Closeness with Theatre
By Sara Christensen During my time at CREST, I observed three main spaces that the students in the CREST program occupied: the CREST campus, the student hostels, and the convent in which the theatre workshop occurred. The theatre workshop existed as a week-long culmination of Batch 23’s program, in which the students explored, utilized and … Continue reading
Reflecting on Privilege
By Sydney Lang Before I left for Kerala, I was very aware of my own privilege within a Canadian context, and was curious to see what challenges I would face while navigating this understanding in a new cultural setting, especially due to the nature of our role as white, Western anthropologists and interns. I reflected … Continue reading
The Rewards of Ethnography
By Shannon McKechnie When I think about this past summer, most of the time I can’t believe I was in India for two months. The entire experience was so incredible, but seemed to go by so fast! There are so many things I discovered during the 8 weeks we spent in Kerala. Ethnographic field work … Continue reading
Learning from Mistakes
By Sara Christensen Doing research in Kerala was a process of going farther outside my comfort zone than I ever thought possible. It involved a significant amount of culture shock; I was challenged physically, intellectually, and emotionally. My mind was broadened, my cultural understanding was deepened, and I realized that any process that involves learning … Continue reading
Gaining Confidence through CREST
By Arathi A. After completing my MSc at Central University of Pondicherry, I came back to my home in Calicut. I applied for many jobs and began attending interviews but I was unable to move forward. Fed up with being rejected from all of my interviews, I decided to join CREST. Before joining, I thought … Continue reading
Breaking the Ice
By Biljith PB After my graduation, I was seeking a job. At that time, I saw an advertisement in a newspaper for CREST (Centre for Research and Education for Social Transformation). The advertisement described a five-month diploma course aimed at graduates. I applied and was invited for an interview. Fortunately, I was selected, despite not … Continue reading
My CREST Experience
By Sreeraj Elamana I come from Pantheerankave, a small village in Kerala. My journey started at a primary school in Calicut which, despite a basic setup, stoked a passion for engineering in me. I pursued a B.Tech in Mechanical engineering from a reputed engineering college. It was after my graduation that I came to … Continue reading
Witnessing the Change
By Rithik Sidharth I was born and bought up in a small village in Kerala. After completing my matriculation it was my decision to choose science as my higher secondary stream in order to get a good career, because I came from a family that lacked a strong financial base. After the successful completion of … Continue reading
CREST Activities
By Anjana I vaguely remember that very fine day that changed my life from “depressed” to “happy.” It was a normal day in my boring life, but specifically a Wednesday, the day the newspaper brings advertisement on education and jobs. I saw the notification for CREST’s 23rd batch PGCCPD programme. The main draw for me … Continue reading
Educational Spaces of Contention: The navigation of capital and aspiration by female students in Kerala
By Sydney Lang During my first week at CREST, I was shocked by the visible intimacy between students; they would hold hands, play games with each other, and hug each other often. This was in direct contrast to the interactions I had experienced in the public sphere, particularly on the bus, where women sit at … Continue reading
Ethnography Lab 