Claude Levi-Strauss on A Structuralist Approach to Oedipus Rex

Click here to download my ppt presentation on Levi-Strauss' Structuralist Analysis of Oedipus Rex

Understanding Mood and Context for Plato's Mimesis

PLATO AND POETRY

Before one studies Plato’s Mimesis, and does a comparison of it with Aristotle’s defense of poetry and Mimesis, it is advisable to understand the mood and the contextual implications of the period it was conceptualized in and most important, the method through which Plato addresses all his ideas in the dialogue.

Admirers of Plato are usually lovers of literary art, for Plato wrote dramatic dialogues rather than didactic volumes and did so with rare literary skill. You would expect such a philosopher to place a high value on literary art, but Plato actually attacked it, along with other forms of what he called mimesis, and argued that most of it should be banned from the ideal society that he described in the Republic. What objections did Plato have with mimesis? Do those objections apply to the sort of art we value today? Are they well-founded? With Plato entering the scene, for the first time poetry is the subject of a sustained philosophical critique, which raises fundamental and enduring questions about the nature of literature and its justification. Plato did not go out of his way to write treatises devoted specifically to poetry, yet his engagement with poetry was intense, as we can see from the explicit discussion on poetry throughout his dialogues. Certainly he writes about poetry like no other philosopher, before or since; for he is deeply imbued with poetry, and deeply attracted to it, (he admits to being a great admirer of works by Homer etc.) yet determined to resist its spell. Hence the paradox that such an ardent admirer of poetry banished it from his ideal state.

Plato’s notorious hostility to poetry strikes the modern reader as very odd: in the Republic he is concerned not merely with censoring poetry, but with removing it altogether and his target is the entire heritage of Greek literature. Though hymns to the gods and encomia to good men will be permitted in the ideal state, there will be no place for the epics of Homer, or the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, long since canonized as high art.

Why is Plato so afraid of poetry that he has to abolish even its greatest masterworks?

One factor that we need to remember when considering this question is that poetry in Plato’s day was not simply a minority interest indulged in by the leisured few, but a central feature in the life of the community. Greek education was centered round poetry (together with its accompanying elements of music, song and dance), and it was through the medium of poetry that the values of society were transmitted. Poetry played a central role not only in the education of the young but also in the lives of adult citizens through their participation (as performers or as the audience) in the various public festivals in which drama, lyric and epic were performed.

The fervor of his attack can thus be as a sort of reaction against the moral authority and cultural prestige of poetry. For his project is none other than to replace poetry by philosophy as the central educational discourse in Athenian society.

Plato was the first thinker to formulate major questions about the function and role of art in society. The several dozen dialogues attributed to Plato engage almost every issue that interests philosophers. Although he did not set out to write systematic literary theory – unlike his student Aristotle, who produced a treatise on poetics – his consideration of philosophical issues in several of the dialogues leads him to reflect on poetry, and those reflections have set the terms of the questions which we still debate today.

What is poetry, and indeed art in general, and how does it operate?

What is and should be the function of imaginative literature in society?

Is it dangerous in that it encourages emotions and feelings which ought to be kept in check, or is it therapeutic in that it allows us to give vent to our emotions in a harmless way?

Should there be censorship?

Is literature (which now, of course, includes television and film) a form of escapism or does it deepen our insight into the nature of people and the world around us?

How can literature justify itself?

These questions might seem to us somewhat academic when confined to poetry, but if we ask them in relation to popular entertainment and the mass media, the closest modern analogue to poetry in classical Athens, the force of Plato’s critique is immediately apparent.

Like all the poets before him, Plato is acutely aware of the pleasure that poetry affords its listeners; but for him that is the source of poetry’s greatest danger. He was highly dubious about the doubtlessly emotive power of poetry. In the Republic, one of the central arguments against poetry is that it is psychologically damaging, for it appeals to an inferior element in the soul, and encourages us to indulge in emotions which ought to be kept firmly in check by the control of reason (606d). It draws us into an emotional identification with the characters it portrays in a way that threatens the health of one’s mind. And the worst of it is that poetry has the power to corrupt even the best of men in this way, since surrendering to our emotions is so intensely pleasurable (605c-d). Hence, the only defense against poetry is to banish it altogether.

What binds together Plato’s various arguments and theories regarding poetry is a distrust of mimesis (representation or imitation). It becomes apparent on reading his dialogues that his objections to mimesis in literature, especially poetry, take on not only a metaphysical and epistemological dimension, but also a strong ethical dimension. However, it is helpful when reading Plato to remember that his dialogues don’t always present a straightforward argument or arrive at a single unambiguous conclusion, but what is going to be helpful is always keeping in mind the context in which the dialogues were written.

(Mimesis will be continued in detail in my next post)

[References: Mr. Pinto’s class notes; The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism, Vincent B. Leitch; Classical Literary Criticism, Penguin Classics.]

Enhancing Quality of Answers

What does a question test?

• Comprehension of the question
• Logic of answering- sentences, paragraphs
• Spelling, punctuation
• Expression within the given word limit

Common Mistakes/Errors

Mistakes/Errors	Appropriate Usage
english	English
actually, basically	???????????
tough	Difficult, challenging
don’t, can’t	do not, cannot (Contractions)
called as	called
eg, for eg,	e.g.
Yours Faithfully	Yours faithfully
Your’s	Yours

• Difference between speaking and writing
• No religious symbols – Malpractice
• Draw margins and write question numbers outside the margin
• Make paragraphs for longer answers
• Do not write answers in points

• Single inverted commas for titles of poems or essays
• Underline titles of books, plays, films
• Names begin with capital letters
• Quote only if you know exactly
• Avoid use of green or red ink

…All the best

'To Sir With Love' presentation

Why film?

• Shift from print to visual culture
• Different from other texts

Trivia

• Sidney Poitier- First African- American actor to win Oscars (1963)
• Poitier in Blackboard Jungle (1955)
• Sequel -To Sir With Love II (1996)
• Based on the memoir of E R Braithwaite
• Broke box-office records in 1967 in the US

The Film
Title: To Sir with Love (1966/7)
Director: James Clavell
Producer: James Clavell
Script: James Clavell (from the novel by E.R. Braithwaite -1959)
Cinematography: Paul Beeson

The Cast
Sidney Poitier -Mark Thackeray
Christian Roberts -Denham
Judy Geeson -Miss Pamela Dare
Suzy Kendall -Gillian Blanchard
Ann Bell -Mrs. Dare
Faith Brook -Grace Evans
Chris Chittell -Potter
Geoffrey Bayldon -Weston
Patricia Routledge -Clinty

The Story

• Why does Mr Thackeray take to teaching?
• His early experiences of the school, of students, and staff
• “Ah, so you're the new lamb for the slaughter - or should I say, black sheep?” – Weston
• The classroom experience
• Mr Thackeray learns! Or students teach him (Thackeray loses temper)
• The realisation and the change (books find a better place!)
• The test of the new relationship
• Too fat to jump - Thackeray becomes PT teacher
• Seal’s mother dies
• Pamela’s issue
• The museum visit

• Survival training
• Thackeray gets a letter
• The farewell party
• The dance
• The gift
• ‘To sir with love’
• The next term’s class – mission incomplete

DVD Chapters
1. The start
2. North Quay Secondary School
3. The staff
4. Mid-day dance session
5. Hackman’s classes
6. The silent treatment
7. Their proper places
8. Seales
9. Studying South America
10. Pranks & filthy games
11. Responsible adults
12. Questions and answers
13. Thackeray’s story
14. The museum trip
15. Miss Dare’s move
16. Surviving training
17. Mark & Gillian
18. Too high for Fats
19. Passing the hat
20. Mrs Dare
21. “I got me a job”
22. Counselling Miss Dare
23. A boxing lesson
24. The Seales’ funeral
25. The celebration begins
26. Ladies’ choice
27. A little remembrance
28. Next term’s class

Themes

• Racial issues
• Inspirational teacher
• Education as a catalyst
• Teenage angst
• Mr Thackeray v students
• Mr Thackeray v other teachers
• Pedagogy
• Leadership

Thackeray’s Battle

• Against
• Narrow-minded administrators
• In-bred social ideas – race, difficult children
• Pessimistic colleagues
• Student crush
• Many more….

Relevance in Higher Education

l The film deals with secondary education

l Experiential learning

l Emphasis on emotional needs

l Understanding concepts rather than challenging them

l Does not includes the concerns of higher education

Some Questions

• How does Thackeray help his students to break out of the pattern of intolerance and roughness into which the society had placed them?

• What are the preconceived ideas that Mark Thackeray and his students have of each other? What makes them change these ideas?

• The concept of human beings able to alter their ways is a crucial element in the film. How far do you think is it possible in the case of rural as well as urban India marked by rigid social structures like caste, family tradition, parental pressure, and market driven society?

• What could be the social and environmental conditions that are responsible for the condition of the children in the film?

• In what ways can the film be adapted to the Indian situation?

• Critics argue that the film portrays a simplistic, commercially palatable rather than a realistic image of the challenges of teaching, leading the viewer to a distorted perception of the implications of the various discourses employed. Do you agree with it?

• What are the different notions of education (discourses) at work in the film?

• Is the notion of education prescribed in the film problematic, practical or idealistic?

• Thackeray’s character has been accused of making students conformists and not critical thinkers. Do you agree with this view? Did Thackeray have a choice?

• Attempt a character sketch of Mark Thackeray?

• Do we have such disadvantaged schools and children? What can we do to bring them to the mainstream?

Gurudakshina

• Switch off the lights
• Close the taps
• Throw the cups in dustbins
• Do not misplace books in the library

Grateful to…..

l YOU

l Rajan

l Mr Kennedy, Tana

l The Dept of Media Studies

l Deans and dept heads and teachers

l Akshay Rajmohan

YOU become a TEACHER -with a difference.

Click here for the script of the film

CIA 1, (Mid Sem Exam) I M.A. English

CIA 1 (MID-SEM EXAM), I M.A. ENGLISH
Submission: Research Paper
Last Date for Submission: 21st August, 2009
Time: 9 a.m. (if submitting on the above mentioned date)

Topics (Any one):
1. A critique on Eagleton’s ‘What is Literature’
2. A critique on Eagleton’s ‘Rise of English’
3. Differing views of Plato and Aristotle on “Mimesis”
If you have any suggestions about another topic (it has got to be from the syllabus itself), you must correspond the same to Mr. Pinto within the 10th of Aug (Monday) and get his approval.

FORMAT
Font Size: 14
Font Style: Times New Roman/ Book Antiqua (If any other, run it by Mr.Pinto first)
Line Space: 1.5 (One and half)
Front Page:
-----------------------------------------------------------

(Align Right)
Name
Register Number
Course: Literary Criticism
CIA 1
Submitted to Anil Pinto
(End align right)

(Align Center) TITLE

(After 2 line spaces) Begin your writing here…

----------------------------------------------------------
Further Instructions:
1. Length of the Submission: Minimum 4 pages. Maximum 5 pages.
2. Copy if you must but copy systematically. It will be accepted as long as you cite the source with complete details.
3. No footnotes. End notes are allowed for references. Use appropriate index numbers or symbols to mark these references. (superscript/ subscript them against the text within the body of the paper and detail them out in the end note)
4. For quotes: After the quote (Person’s Name: Name of essay/book/other source, Year of Publication, Page num and Line)
5. Eg. Leitch, Vincient B. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism, New York/London: WW Norton, 2005, pp 49.
(or)
Give an index number and detail it in the end note.
6. Bibliography: As per the MLA Handbook format forwarded to everyone by Mr. Pinto.
(or)
Any logically constructed format that is comprehensible and consistent.

Suggestions on what the critique should cover:
- Find flaws within arguments

- Trace the arguments/ ideas from elsewhere
- Examine where the author is borrowing his framework from. See if the framework itself can be challenged
- Challenge assumptions and foundations
- Author’s argument can be acknowledged as valid but avoid eulogizing the author’s arguments. Critique should challenge rather than flatter.
- Personal opinions and value judgments are not going to be entertained so if you have any grievances to air about the author/essay/topic/ Mr. Pinto, go search for a complaint box on campus.

Any further queries can be directed to Mr. Pinto. He’s on campus/ at the library/ the department/ email/ blog/ the phone/or just sit in the main block quadrangle and meditate, he might appear. (The last one actually hasn’t been tested yet but we’re looking for volunteers.)

On Creative Communication

Creative Communication, a third sem paper got the class thinking as to what it had to offer to the students. Creative Communication can be interpreted in many ways as seen in the class discussion held on August 1. The class came up with all sorts of ideas- a course that would help them write effectively, improve on the vocabulary, make them confident to face public stage, initiate thinking and to read text(cinema, written, painting etc) critically. Introducing a new method of teaching Mr Anil Pinto unsettled the class, urging them to not merely accept what was taught throughout the years, but to question every concept and research on the answers.

The first day class mainly dealt on the idea of 'communication' and 'creativity'. The various texts used in class was with the aim of finding the sources of crativity. With regard to different poems, like The Daffodils of Wordsworth, The Thought-Fox by Ted Hughes, Leda and the Swan by W.B Yeats, a few sources of creativity was arrived upon. According to Wordsworth, 'contemplation of previous experience' was the source of creativity. Wordsworth pens down the peom, Daffodils years after his mind had captured the beautiful and breathcatching image of an expanse of daffodils. Little did he know that this scene of nature would inspire him to pen down a poem.
The Thought-Fox which was written in the end of 19th century, begins with the words, 'I imagine' introducing the theme, that it is a poem about writing poems. According to Ted Hughes, the 'unconscious' is the source of creativity. Sigmund Freud also talks about concsious and the unconscious.
Leda and the Swan written by Yeats gives a whole new idea to source of crativity. Through his poem he speaks of the union of human and God. Leda, a beautiful human child is raped by the Greek God Zeus and the result of this violent act is the birth of Helen who is considered to be an epitome of beauty. The question that is put across in his peom is. does violenec give rise to creativity. According to Yeats, 'violence' is the source of creativity.
Formany poets like John Milton, ''Muse and God is the source of creativity. Every poem written by these peots begin with few lines to the gods seeking their blessings.
The 20th century witnessed many changes with fall of religion and kingship. Science became prominent and representation of people was the happening thing.
Rene Descarte, the 16th century philosopher, dubbed 'father of modern philosophy' was the first to have propesed the concept of mind. He separated mind and the body. In his book ' Meditations' he gives his famous line- 'I think therefore I am'
Ferdinand de Saussure is the 19 century Swiss linguist. He said that language is a signifying system. He gave the concept of langue and parole. Langue is the structure which is pre programmed and important. Parole is the creative part.

A Response to Downreading of Articles 377 of IPC

One of the fascinating article by Laurence Liang on the Downreading of Articles 377 of IPC.

Lawrence Liang and Siddharth Narrain. "Magic in the 'city of words'"

nternational seminar on “Source Materials in Indian Archives and Libraries for the Study of Arab History”

Centre for West Asian Studies

JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA

New Delhi 110025

Organizing a International seminar on October 6-8,2009 on

“Source Materials in Indian Archives and Libraries for the Study of Arab History”

Concept Paper

When the Scholars of Arab History think of manuscripts in English/Arabic and other related language, they almost invariably turn to the great libraries in West Asia and Europe, forgetting the facts that Indian libraries have nearly one hundred thousand Arabic manuscripts. This number is in addition to what may be available as undocumented private collections. As regards to the archives, the National Archives of India, New Delhi and Maharastra State Archives, Bombay, are the two main important sources of the historical materials on modern West Asian history. Historically speaking, the earliest contact of East India Company with the Arabian Gulf in 1616 with a task to finding new markets for trade in Arabia. Within few years company established their factories at Shiraz and Isfahan in 1617 and Bandar Abbas in 1623. Soon the connections established with Turkish Arabia and factory was found in Basra under the administrative control of Bombay presidency. From the last eighteenth century onwards the factories were replaced by a complicated network of Residencies and Agencies whose primary functions were no longer economic but almost entirely political with the chief aim of protection of sea overland route to India and to check any interference from other European powers. Arabia/Gulf became important for Britain mainly to protect India, a jewel in the British Crown.

Indian Libraries have full of manuscript on Arab History. According to an estimate in 2003, India possesses nearly one hundred thousand manuscripts in Arabic script spread over a number of libraries in various parts of the country. This number is in addition to what may be available in the form of undocumented private collections. The Indian collections are renowned for the

importance of many individual items, from some of the finest calligraphic and illustrated manuscripts of the Quran to autograph and other high-quality copies of major legal, literary, scientific, and historical works. Manuscripts produced in India but taken away illegally to Europe is another category altogether.

The main objective of this conference is to find out the entire materials on Arab history spread all over the country’s Archives and Libraries on Arab History in all languages- English, Arabic, Persian, Urdu and other regional languages. It is hoped that conference will provide an opportunity to unravel the unexplored and hidden materials concerning Arab History. It is also hoped that the proceedings of the conference would be published which would act as reference book.

Following are the tentative themes of the conference:

1. Detailed Survey of the English, Arabic, Persian, Urdu and Turkish Manuscripts and documents of the National Archives of India and Moharastra State Archives- Bombay and other Archives of India on Arab History.

2. Countrywise survey (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Yemen, Egypt, Palestine and Al-Quds Iraq etc)

3. Various Reports and Publications by the Foreign departments on Arab History.

4. Traveler’s accounts like G.F.Sadleir’s, Major-Gereral Sir Henry Rawlinson missions to Arabia and many others.

5. Wahabism in Arabia.

6. Indian writing on Wahabism ( In any languages –English, Arabic, Urdu, Persian, Turkish or any south Indian languages)

7. Various collection of Treaties on Arab Gulf History.

8. Haj Pilgrimages Arabia.

9. Survey of the books and Journals in English, Arabic, Persian and Urdu in the Indian Libraries on Arab History.

10. Survey of the Khuda Baksh Library, Salar Jang Museum and Library,, Reza Library and many others manuscripts in English, Arabic, Persian, Urdu and Turkish on Arab History.

11. Publication of the Dar al-Musannifin on the Arab History.

12. Manuscripts and publications of the National Library of Calcutta.

13. Miscellaneous account of the Arab History

14. All private collections on the Arab World

15. Arabic manuscripts in Indian Libraries, Private libraries, Khankhas, Mosques, Dargahs and other places

Contact: Dr. H.A. Nazmi,

Assistant Professor and Seminar Convener, Centre for West Asian Studies, JAMIA MILLIA

ISLAMIA, New Delhi 110025, Mobile: 0091-9810701350, Email: intseminar2009@gmail.com

and nazmi70@gmail.com

An editorial on Gangubai Hanagal in Vartha Bharathi

Following is the translation of the editorial on Gangubai Hanagal pblished in Vartha Bharathi, a Kannada daily. M. Rashmi has translated it to English. The paper clipping was sent by Samvartha Acharya.

---------

It was the time of communal riots in Hubli. Gangubai Hanagal, calling herself Bismilla Khan’s Sister had come to streets begging people to stop violence and bring peace. She is a great soul who persistently tried to conquer the pettiness around her through music. A great mother, whose heart tried to weave the broken minds in threads of music. The great mother has left this mortal world in search of her brother Bismilla Khan, orphaning the children who were to grow up under her nourishment.

The world of music did not give a cordial welcome to Gangubai Hanagal. Both life and music were never devoid of conflicts for her. She belonged to the community of fishermen. Her mother had lived her life with a Brahmin farmer in Ranibennur. The mastery her mother had on music made Gangubai to choose the same path. Her mother had mastery in Karnatak music but Gangubai took another path choosing Hindustani music. She had husky, gruff male voice but her music had that feminine grace and rhythm and this unique combination helped her to develop a style of her own.

Gangubai Hanagal spoke in many of her concerts with tearful eyes about the humiliation she suffered coming from a low caste and her effort to overcome it thorough her music. It was pre independent period, Gandhiji had come down to Belgaum to attend National Conference. Gangubai got the chance to sing before him. She sang in the concert but one thing gnawed her throughout her stay there, she was afraid of being segregated and made to sit separately from the upper caste people during lunch. Gangubai was relieved when her guru asked her to sit beside him. The caste discrimation that was meted out to her was defeated by her music. A family did not allow her into their home for her caste but the same family invited her again when she became a great musician. Gangubai could never forget such instances and always remembered them.

She erased caste and religious distinctions through her music. Bismilla Khan, Abdul Karim Khan, Bhimsen Joshi were all of one family for her and she belonged to it. She chose music as her religion and loved Hubli all her life. She once in one of the felicitation gatherings said, “Though I was born in Dharwad, I grew up in Hubli, I learnt music here and earned fame here. Neither Hubli leaves me nor do I leave Hubli”. Her Hubli is now in the hands of corrupt politicians and communal forces which are tearing it apart into pieces. This is an insult to her music.

The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Mr. Yediyurappa has promised to build a statue in her memory. It seems this has become a habitual weakness of the Chief Minister – building statues in memories of Sarvagna, Tiruvallar and now Gangubai Hanagal. If he goes on building statues like this, soon Karnataka will be full of statues and without human beings. If the Chief Minister really respects her music, he should strive to bring communal harmony in Hubli and in the whole of Karnataka. He should try to abolish untouchability that made her suffer humiliation throughout her life. Gangubai dreamt of harmonious relationship between Hindus and Muslims and that they should live together. The government should try to bring her dreams into reality. This can only be the perfect mourning in her name.

Konknni Workshop in Roman script for Youngsters

Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr (TSKK), Alto Porvorim will conduct at its premises three days workshop from 27 to 29 August 2009 to youngsters of the age group of 15 to 30. The participants will be taught the rules of writing Konknni in Roman script. Classes will be held from 10.00 am to 4.30 pm. This workshop is ideal for those who are writing Konknni in Roman script or for budding writers who want to learn the correct method of writing Konknni. Knowledge of reading Konknni in Roman script is essential for the admission of this workshop. Admissions will be given on the basis of first come first served. Only 30 students will be admitted for this workshop and they will be guided by competent resource persons. Those who are interested should register their names at TSKK office Phone No. 2415857, 2415864.

THOMAS STEPHENS KONKNNI KENDR

B.B.Borkar Road

Alto Porvorim, Goa – 403 521

Phone: 0832- 2415857, 2415864

05.08.2009

mapping the essay

Mapping the Essay:
• Implied order – Parole/Langue
• Diachronic – chorological period of time
Synchronic – specific time.

Contribution of Saussure
• Implied order
• Linguistics signs

Impact of Saussure’ Idea on other fields and scholars:
a) Roman Jakobson – Formalist
b) Claude Levi-Strauss – began to see culture like language/ marriage as a form of communication.
c) Vladimir Propp – narrative in search of missing centres/ implied orders in myths.
d) Ronald Barthes – applies to the semiological dimension of literature and culture.
e) Tzvetan Todorov – study in narrative.
f) Michel Foucault – developed the idea of discourse, of discourse formation and language formation on assumption.

Ferdinand de Saussure was an early twentieth century Swiss linguist. Throughout his lifetime, Saussure did not write much he died in 1913. In 1916 his students published his class notes “Course in General Linguistics” thereby giving rise to linguistics. Saussure with his work changed the course of twentieth century social sciences, influencing almost all the thinkers of that time directly or indirectly. Earlier English was studied historically it was Saussure who came up with the notion of descriptive linguistics who looked at the use of language in the present context rather than in the past. He epitomised the arbitrary nature of language wherein the insider outsider outlook comprised language to be an implied order. Implied order in the form of language existed in the unconscious which manifested itself through utterance. Thereby what we speak is only parole and langue is the abstract manifestation of language. Noam Chomsky also spoke in similar ways. He gave a divide between competence and performance. Competence he said comes culturally and without any knowledge. This is the basic biological component and is inherent. What we learn is only performance. The last aspect that was touched upon in class today was the idea of linguistic signs- semiotics. According to Saussure language was a sign system, to him signified was the image and signifier was the sound image.

II Year MA Mid Semester Assignment

Do an action research on the topic assigned to you.

Music in Academics
Namita
Rashmi
Thomas George

Research in Undergraduate Space
Saima
Fancy
Sayori
Harita
Anjali

Journalism in academics, and its relevance.
Joe
Swati
Aditi

Problems faced by international students in Christ University
Sunita
Payel
Sreyashi
Thammanoon
Priyadarshini


Space for Visual culture in UG syllabus
Anju
Sarjoo

Problems faced by non English medium students in Christ University
Priya
Georgia
Jolsana
Yeshaswini

Education Scenario in Karnataka
Jijo
Levin
Samjy

Textbooks - A Curse of Higher Education

Following is a response to the news report that appeared in Times of India on 20 July 2009 in the Education Supplement regarding the introduction of course pack (Reading-based Approach) in Political Science at the UG level in Delhi University.

Bhatia Surabhi. 'DU’s political science now reading-based' Times of India 20 July 2009. Click here for the article.

I am quite impressed with the Delhi University (DU) move of introducing course pack (reading -based approach) at the UG level for political science.

One of the fundamental problems with textbooks is that they present knowledge as closed. Instead of presenting knowledge as evolving or disciplinary knowledge as a contested area, textbooks present the finality of ideas/knowledge/discourses. The existence of textbooks at the higher education defeats the purpose of Humboldian idea of university, around which the present university structure has evolved, and based on which it justifies its existence. Further, the strong presence of textbooks brings higher education in general, and UG space in particular, under the high school culture where the finality of the teacher in the realm of knowledge prevails and not the production of knowledge.

While the textbooks retain teacher's hold over the students in a classroom and outside, they create a closure of any intellectual curiosity. Considering this I must say, textbooks are a curse of higher education.

I hope that this new initiative is not defeated in the usual argument of 'poor' learners put forth by the teaching community, which is more of a facade to consolidate their existing positions, rather than a real concern either for the students or to the profession.

While I hope and wish that the model is emulated by other disciplines at DU (if they haven't), and other universities in rest of India, I also hope that in emerging universities, teaching community and the administration make qualitative moves towards course-pack based teaching-learning at least in social sciences and humanities.

with full of optimism,

a

III Semester MA English Research and Writing Heuristics CIA 2

Attempt a semiotic study of Girish Karnad’s play assigned to you. You may finalise your own topic/title around the play assigned. If you wish you may do a semiotic study of the translation of the play to the language you are most familiar with. In which case please inform me in advance and during the submission of your research paper, attach a copy of the translation.

You will be evaluated based on understanding of semiotics, research competence displayed, and overall performance. Should you wish to incorporate any other criteria do let me know. Please ensure that you are making an argument in your research paper.

You will have to submit the paper in hard copy, printed back to back, and email a soft copy to me. Format: A4 paper, 14 font size, 1 ½ line spaced, font- Times New Roman. While the hard copies will be bound and made available in the library for general reference, the soft copies will be uploaded to this blog and scribd.

Date of submission will be decided mutually during my lecture hour tomorrow.

Plays Assigned

· Tuglaq (Jijo, Priyadarshini)

· Hayavadana (Joe, Payal, Swathi)

· Bali: The Sacrifice (Aditi, Tomy)

· Naga-Mandala (Anjali, Sarjoo, Sunita)

· Tale-Danda (Anju, Saima)

· The Fire and the Rain (Fancy, Shreyasi)

· The Dreams of Tipu Sultan (Gorgia, Yashaswini)

· Flowers (Harita, Thammanoon, Samji)

· Broken Image (Jolsna, Sayori)

· Wedding Album (Levin, Priya)

· Yayathi (Namitha)

· Semiotic study of the self-translation of Naga-Mandala (Rashmi)

All the plays are available in Collected Plays: Volume One and Collected Plays: Volume Two by Girish Karnad, except for Wedding Album which is printed separately. The copies can be found in the library.

All the best