Humanist theory and Platonic legacies in literature

HUMANIST THEORY

Humanism refers to the idea that we can understand or explain our world through rational enquiry. It rejects explanations based on the supernatural or divine forces. This idea became the basis for the development of science on the Western world.

Humanism inaugurates rational enquiry and rejects the supernatural or the realm of emotions. It was a response to the Dark Ages when people believed in religion unquestioningly. The hold of the Church was so strong that even the king had to bow down to its decisions. Gradually, people started questioning the teachings. Martin Luther King insisted on reading the Bible rather than following the interpretations of the priest. He argued that we must follow religion rationally. Many people started questioning the rigid ritualistic aspects of religion too. Even scientists like Galileo argue that one must read the book of nature.

Such ideas promote the growth of science and reinforce the belief in observation and rational analysis. It is in such a context that humanism emerges. With this, we also see a revival in the study of Classical Greek and Roman texts. We see the emergence of faith in human rather than divine.

PLATO'S IDEAS

Plato's ideas too, are rooted in the belief that reason or rational thought must be employed to make sense of the world. This assumption influences how he looks at art or representation (since the terms 'art' or 'literature' did not exist when Plato formulated his theories). Since, art or literature appeals to the audience's emotions rather than their reason, Plato considered it to be inferior method for understanding the 'truth'.

To understand Plato's view of literature, we must begin with his theory of forms. According to Plato, the world that we perceive around us, in a copy or reproduction of another realm, which is perfect. This is known as the world of the ideal. These forms of the ideal world are stable and unchanging. Plato used the term 'nature' to describe the world that we perceive through our senses. And, since nature is a copy of the Ideal, it is less perfect.

Ideal (Form) / Real

Nature / Physical World (copy)

Representation / Art (copy of the copy, so, twice removed from the original)

Plato further argues that art or the world of representation tries to copy 'nature' and therefore it is twice removed for the Ideal or reality. Art was therefore, a copy of the copy. Plato also argues that no artist has access to the ideal world. He explains this through his famous allegory of the cave.

This allegory describes individuals chained deep within the recesses of a cave. They are bound in such a way that vision is restricted and they can only see their shadows on the wall of the cave. Breaking free, one of the individuals escapes from the cave into the light of day. For the first time, this person sees the real world and returns to the cave with the message that the only things they have seen until now are shadows and appearances and that the real world awaits them if they are willing to struggle free of their bonds. The shadowy environment of the cave symbolizes for Plato the physical world of appearances. Escape into the sun-filled setting outside the cave symbolizes the transition to the real world the world of Forms, which is the proper object of knowledge. Plato further argues that it is only the philosopher who has access to this real world, because of a mind trained in rational enquiry.

Based on such a belief, Plato argues that art is to be banned since it gives a false picture of reality to the people. It can emotionally take control of a person and this makes it difficult to reach the ultimate reality. This idea, that all art has the potential to corrupt the mind, develops in Western philosophy and spreads to the rest of the world with colonialism. This idea further leads to the birth of the concept of censorship.

ARISTOTLE'S RESPONSE

To understand Aristotle's views, we must begin by looking at how he looks at reality. Aristotle believes that reality resides in the changeable world of sense perceptions or, the physical, material world. He argues that the 'form' of Ideal can only exist in tangible examples of that form. So, it is only through individual examples of table, that we can understand the essence of a table, or 'table-ness'.

In addition, Aristotle believes that art does not imitate nature; rather, it gives an order to nature. This order is given by language, because it is only by naming abstract concepts (such as male and female; or animal and plant) that we can understand them. So, art complements nature.

Thus, while Plato is concerned with content of representation, Aristotle is concerned with the form. Plato's approach lead to the development of moral criticism while Aristotle's approach lead to the birth of genre criticism.

(This post is a compilation of all the lectures on Humanism.)

Pinto, Anil. Class Lecture. Introduction to Literary Theory. Christ University. Bangalore, India. 11 June - 21 June 2010.

Those who want to organise lectures/guest talks/interactions...

Attention: I year MA English, II Year JPEng and CEP, and III Year JPEng and PSEng students 

In case anyone of you is interested in arranging guest lectures, talks, interactions on topics related to the courses being taught by me I would be happy to give space for it. The resource persons could either come physically, or come online from any part of the globe of any age group or qualification. The only criterion is they should be resourceful in the topic you have chosen. 

Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Scholarly Research in Communication | Center for Social Media

Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Scholarly Research in Communication | Center for Social Media

Web 2.0 Applications

Web 2.0 Applications

Gazes in Literature

Gazes in Literature / 19 June 2010 / 3rd Sem CEP

The aim of this session was to make aware the students of literature about the existence of 'gazes' within the realm of their studies.

A 'gaze' is different from a 'look', which is different from 'to see'. 'To see' would connote the physical sense or attribute of seeing; a 'look' would be to see with a particular purpose; a 'gaze' is a term with social connotations - it would be determined by prevalent social values. Simply put, it could mean similar to, but not completely the same as, 'in the perspective of'.

An example for a gaze would be the 'male gaze'. The 'male gaze' is when an individual (of any sex and gender) perceives the woman as a consumptive object.

Different academic disciplines have gazes. Mr Pinto argues with the case of the anthropological gaze. This gaze, which came along with its discipline in the colonial era, looks at communities with a coloniser-colonised binary perspective. He further argues that this becomes a common world view, with the coloniser and colonised being replaced by other power poles; for example, the city-village binary.

An understanding of this neccessitates revisiting the history of anthropology. Anthropology came along with colonisation, where the colonisers were curious to study the colonised. Interestingly, argues Mr Pinto, when one studies an other, the one is endowed with a position of higher power/knowledge. So when the colonisers studies the colonised, it was from their position of higher power that they went about it.

Anthropology has four branches:
- Archaeology
- Social anthropology
- Cultural anthropology
- Physical anthropology

The colonisers mainly dealt with physical anthropology where racial bodily differencs were studied, with the aim of perhaps discovering 'a perfect race'.

As mentioned earlier, a group of people studying an other is put in a position of higher power, thereby automatically producing a power structure with two players - the students, i.e. the colonisers, and the studied, the colonised.

The colonisers considered it their responsibility ('White man's burden' as Rudyard Kipling puts it) to impart their knowledge, technology, and thus modernity and development to the colonised lands. They were the bringers of the light. This is a gaze. The 'poor needs help from the rich'. And this binary gaze exists even today, in many different forms.

There are gazes in literature too. When we talk about feminist literature, or post-colonial literature, or Native-American literature, our gazes shift. Certain meanings, values and interpretations are associated with the work by virtue of our gaze.

The point of this argument is not that we do away with gazes. Rather, it is that we have to be aware of the presence of such gazes within the realm of literature, and be cautious of them. Perhaps even revisit these gazes, and question their form.

Coming back to the coloniser-colonised binary, it can be a problematic gaze. If we have an understanding of developed cityfolk trying to help undeveloped village communities, we have a vision which is slightly skewed in some place. But most of us are conditioned into this gaze through our many years in this world. A shifting of the binary does not help. An argument that since women have been exploited for centuries by men, a shifting of positions with women posited above men will solve the problem does not really hold ground. So what can be done? One solution, though not the best one, is to make the categories more inclusive and open. Another is to engage in love. But I lost track at this point, and further discussion is required to clarify certain points!

*


Pinto, Anil. "Gazes in literature". 19 June 2010. American Literature, 3rd semester BA CEP. Bangalore, India. Class Lecture.

(Notes by Mohan K. Pillai - post subject to author's bias and perspective)

Am. Lit- 2CEP- June 5th-7th

June 5, 2010

TRANSLATION

William Jones- translated Kalidasa to English

Lord Cornwallis- translated Manusmriti and Mahabharat to English

Goethe

Chaucer

Beowulf- translated from Italian to English

Novel came to English through Spanish translation

WHY STUDY AMERICAN LITERATURE?

1. Multi-cultural similarities between India and USA

2. History of translation

3. Super power status of USA

4. USA is a large English speaking nation, and as long as we study English Literature, we ought to study it from wherever it originates

5. Since English Literature travelled from UK to USA, studying American Literature provides a comprehensive and coherent study

6. Democratic spirit of USA

7. Post war Literature was predominantly American and very influential

8. Exploration and conquests

9. Globalisation and role of USA in world politics

10. Anything that is dominant must be engaged with

WHY SHOULD WE NOT STUDY AMERICAN LITERATURE?

1. English has been a tool of oppression- Lord Macaulay, Masks of Conquest

2. English Literature as a discipline was taught in India much before England.

Courses in India were started by those on fellowship from US.

Indian Literature as a discipline, taught in 1980’s, much after American Literature was introduced

3. FBI policy to set up scholarships and fellowships. US defence, government and education are closely connected- MIT was control room for WW2 and inventor of major defence ideas. US set up library in Hyderabad.

4. Rule by the oppressor cannot be gun-rule, must be ideological- Musharrif

5. Is the sheer magnitude a good enough reason to study it?

Urdu- highest number of primary schools in Karnataka

Should one not learn one’s own culture first?

6. Tokenism, Co-opting

7. We are influenced more by Japanese(Haiku), Latin America, UK, French and Russian literature, than American

8. American Literature is not as progressive as we think- It mainly studies white male writers.

Therefore, did we get sucked into West Anglo Saxon Protestant Politics of American Literature?- Most American Literature is from North American, not the Catholics from the South.

9. US’s primary export is culture

NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE

· Obama didn’t mention the Red Indians in his first presidential address. But every hill in the US was named by the Indians. Present names of various places in US have aboriginal roots.

· Avatar- movie- talks about colonialistic personality of US

· Columbus- landed in 1492. Funded by Queen Isabella of Spain. (Now its race for moon. Explorer had to take notes and return and would not be credited until another person followed the same route and found the same place)

June 7, 2010

Psychologists-Indians

Freud

Bible

Buildings on graves

EUROPE- 14, 1, 16 Century AND THEIR JOURNEY TO AMERICA

· Eureopeans were looking for Promised Land. They considered travel to America their Exodus.

· All of Shakespeare’s tragedies were about collapse of monarchy, restoration and hope. People were neurotic with the fear of the collapse.

· When society changes, fundamentalism is first result- Northern Ireland, South USA, Pakistan, Afganistan, Gaza

· New money was coming to Europe.

This led to a changing of class and social structres.

These insecurities expressed through religion, that too an idea religion.

Ideal religion emphasizes on past, rejects the present, and is based on texts.

Rejection of past makes them take their arguments elsewhere, hence colonialism.

Thus, Europeans travelled to America.

· New World was made similar to old- New England

· They identified with Adam and Eve-

· Genesis command to ‘go and rule over the world’ was the excuse to colonise. Hebrew word for the same is ‘raada’ meaning, to take care of

· US has breached every treaty with the Red Indians

· 1776- Independent from England

· 1880- Civil war. North and South split

II SEM BA EST Literary Theory Course Plan 2010 Revised

V Sem BA OEN531 Literary Theory  Course Plan 2010 Revised 

Click Here to Download


JPEng:
Anil: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7,
Padmakumar: 3, 6, 8

PSEng
Renu: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7,
Anil: 3, 6, 8

FEP
Padmakumar: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7,
Renu: 3, 6, 8

National Seminar on The Linguistic and Literary Terrain of Translation

UGC Sponsored National Seminar on The Linguistic and Literary Terrain of Translation

at

Salesian College Sonada & Siliguri, Darjeeling, West Bengal

Dates: 30-31 July 2010


Click here for more information

V Semester Literary theory class notes 3

12 June 2010

Notes by Anusha

STRUCTURALISM 

The word authority comes from the word author. Author is the one who sanctions the meaning of his/her work. The work could be the constitution, Bible, or anything else.

Different approaches to study English were:
1. Historical- Biographical approach
2. Formalism
3. Textual analysis
4. Structuralism
5. Post structuralism


Feminism takes its methods, strategies from post structuralism.

‘Ism’ is a movement, a whole population looking at a particular way. It is a social movement. Like sciences; larger units broken into smaller units to study them, language also is broken into,

Words
Sentences
Paragraphs
Sounds

Literature is a unit and is studied through language.

Usually the structure of a word is looked for word is a sign. Sign is made up of

Signifier
Signified

E.g.: A ‘Dog’ is a group of letters in a written form, but the word creates an image.

Vladimir Propp a Russian structuralist made a detailed study of folk tales from all over the world and noted that there are only 31 types of folk tales. The structure is only of 31 types and different tale are only reconstruction of it.

Structuralism can not be studied with a single work. Comparison is an important aspect and hence requires two works of the same author. This comparison paves way for universalisation of the findings.

Structuralism does not deal with the content but emphasizes on the structure.

Pinto, Anil. Class Lecture. Introduction to Literary Theory. Christ University. Bangalore, India. 12 June 2010

An Introduction to Western Aesthetics, MA Previous, 19th June, 2020, Saturday.

An introduction to key concepts of Western Aesthetics: 19th June 2010, Saturday for MA Previous.


Notes by: Sneha Sharon Mammen

The conception of the term 'west' in itself would be quite interesting. A class of twenty interpret it variously. 'West' as in the direction, evaluating in comparison to the other three directions (the East, North and South) which in turn could be qualified as the result of so many adventurous expeditions by navigators and explorers or may be Europe-the western front that is the term in the sense of geography. From this realm we could take it entirely to another shift altogether - the cultural, in terms of the western outlook/worldview, their perspective, open mindedness. Not to forget either the analysis in terms of economic, materialist standards which then makes the 'west' necessarily the first world nation keeping in mind their pace of economic growth, resources and urbanization.

However, this sort of an analysis is just a product of various interpretations that man can think of. 'West' to a particular individual would not be 'west' for another. In the definitive mapping of the globe, there is no particular 'west' for say, an Alaska. Therefore, we could gather so much as that, words are not so innocent. They carry within themselves loaded interpretations. Also, once an individual frames a word, the discourse too gets framed much to an extent that we start evaluating concepts keeping in mind the various binaries.

Also, a particular use of concept narrows down our range of evaluation. For example, if one talks of India, his level of analysis can only be grouped in terms of nations on the whole. Similarly, talking of Aryans would mean talking with respect to races. As also, 'Latin-American' further narrows and limits the scope of comparisons.

Precisely one cannot use words like 'globe', a 'planet', the 'earth' if he chooses to believe the world is flat. 'World' becomes the only selective usage in this case. Can we at this level say that to 'understand' something, we do not necessarily have to 'know' the larger picture.

As aforementioned, its quite common to talk in terms of binaries. The East is east just because it is not west or the fact that the term 'teacher' qualifies only because the term 'student' affirms such qualification and justifies it. Similarly, homosexuality is talked of because there exists in the picture heterosexuality. Therefore the simultaneous birth of conceptions. Apart from such framing which will in turn quite obviously facilitate re-framing, cultural imaginations are something which make different discourses possible.

The term 'aesthetics' brings to mind notions of balance, beauty, harmony, appeal, sensitivity, creativity,perceptions, judgement or even understanding. However, debating upon the origins and understanding of the term 'aesthetic' in itself, few would believe that it is a definitely dated concept.

'Aesthetic' comes from the Greek word 'aisthetikos' which means sensitive. This Greek term has been traced to have its origin further back in time, history and language in an imaginary language called the Proto Indo-European language or the PIE where it is understood as 'aisthemisthos' meaning to perceive. ( The commonalities between Greek, Latin and Sanskrit is thought of as coming down to us from a common parent of these languages, which is referred to as PIE.)

Immanuel Kant, a lesser pronounced name but the pioneer of the coined term 'aesthetics'. Aesthetics, as mentioned earlier could have emerged and is characterized as follows. One, it could have been a historical necessity and two, it has a definite philosophic pre-history.

Pinto, Anil. Class Lecture, Introduction to Western Aesthetics, Christ University. Bangalore, India.

I MA English Students expectations

1. Allow contributions in your blog (Sure)

2. No assignment to be more than 20 pages (Sure)

3. Not more than one essay at a time to read (Sure)

4. Background to be provided on the essays/ topic discussed in class (Sure)

5. Give exam oriented questions and what is expected from students in the exams (Provided it is asked for after the completion of every unit)

6. Allow opinions to be shared before/ after lecture (Sure)

7. Connect essays discussed to literary theory (if any) (Sure)

8. Discussions to be held outside classroom (once in a while) (Left to the students to decide the venue with due reasons, why not the online space as well?)

9. Group Teaching- Mr. Pinto and Ms. Shobana together for more perspectives and variety in approaches. (Sure)

(Notes by Vandana)

IMA English Western Aesthetics Course Plan 2010

Click here to download

Reading Guide to Modernity and Self - Identity

Reading Guide to Modernity and Self - Identity

V Semester Literary theory class notes 2

11 June 2010

Continuation...

A study of anything in a university converts it into a discipline. The institution prescribes a set of writers and thinkers as the authentic thinkers and writers. There is first choice of names then the choice of texts and then the choice of methods.

After the choice of names there are only a select texts of that name that are prescribed. For example the most studied work of Marx is “capitol”, although there are many other works of his which might even be better which are not being studied.

John Donne was never a favourite until T.S. Eliot started writing. Eliot was a philosopher who wrote a powerful essay called, “metaphysical poets”. Eliot in his works put Shakespeare first then Donne then himself and then other writers. He completely ruled out Wordsworth from his choice of writers.

F.R Leavis was in the department of English at Cambridge. He drew two categories: one was the Great tradition, the other minor tradition.

All the writers that Eliot referred to were the Great traditions and others which he considered ‘small’, such as Emily Dickinson and Bronte sisters came under minor traditions.

Also since the past hundred years the English taught in India is the one prescribed by him and has yet not been challenged!

Now the problem that occurred was that the names that he considered small were actually great. For example in Shakespear’s time Christopher Marlow was equally famous.

Coming to methods, disciplines usually use the existing methods. For which they went to philosophy.

Hermeneutic is a school of philosophy which is the theory of interpretation. It was interpretation of primarily The Bible. They tried to read and understand what God said and what God meant when he said those words.

So the theory suggested that Author, like God, has produced something and, to put it in Mr. Pinto’s words, “you waste your lifetime trying to understand what he meant.”

This was also an effort of secularizing the method.

So the question asked constantly is, “What did the author perhaps mean when he wrote?”

And examinations are exactly a test of whether the screwing in of this question has been successful or not. It is a training to think in a particular way and to stop any creativity or thought process.

The next question is,

“How do I know what the author meant?”

Therefore to know what he/she really meant, their biographies were studied.

Was Shakespeare gay?

Start reading about his life

Start reading the text more closely

Make connections!

Then came the formalist approach. Form referring to and paying more attention to structure and discouraging history. Seeking an interpretation which has all its evidences in the text itself.

This was introduced by I.A. Richards who was the first H.O.D. of English in Cambridge at the age of 24 years!

He gave the same poem to two different classes say A and B. But with different names. To class A he gave the poem saying it is by someone called John, and to class B he gave the same poem informing that its by someone called Joan.

Now class A had very positive views of the poems appreciating its style and structure and so on. Whereas class B considered the poem not worthy of praise and discarded it as a poem with nothing to appreciate.

This experiment proved that the readers had connected the names to the sex of the poet and were hence biased.

Therefore Richard suggested that knowing the history of a writer can make you biased, which is why one must concentrate only on the text.

Both these methods continued to be dominant till 1950’s. After which comes “Structuralism” and changes literature and the way it is studied. Mr. Pinto is happy that it happened and promises to explain it in the next class.

Pinto, Anil. Class lecture. Introduction to Literary Theory. Christ University. Bangalore, India. 11 June 2010.

V Semester Literary theory class notes 1

07 JUNE 2010

INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY THEORY

People have been writing for many years, writings also referring to what cave men did on walls of their caves.

Anything that records human thought on a surface is writing, which also includes paintings. One example of pictorial writing is the Chinese script.

Till 19^th century there was a separate category of writers. Before which there was nothing called ‘Literature’.

It was only in the 20^th century that it became a discipline. And because it became a discipline it had to form boundaries and rules. It has to be defined under a category.

The need for English Literature was felt after the First World War. Primarily because of nationalist reasons, which had become a major concept. And hence things like passports and visas came into existence. Boundaries became more rigid than ever. And yet nations exist only in imagination.

People and government became strongly conscious of their identity.

This lead to the birth of Literature.

Till now throughout England only German writings and philosophies were studied in universities. Therefore it was impossible to generate hate towards Germany and a sense of nationalism and patriotism when the majority population loves and appreciates the works of German men.

For these reasons German works were displaced by English Literature. Hence Literature evolved on the death bed of philosophy. Literature borrows its tools from theology and philosophy.

However in the selection of texts there was a clear bias for the aristocracy and their writings. All the prescribed texts were from the higher class of the society. All the great ideas were a part of a marketing strategy.

Now some texts were treated as special and some not special. The one’s treated as special were prescribed and appreciated. However what made them special had no logic to it.

Pinto, Anil. Class lecture. Introduction to Literary Theory. Christ University. Bangalore, India. 07 June 2010.

American Literature Expectations of II year JPEng class

Following are the expectation from the American Literature paper that the students of II Year JPEng voiced. I have given my replies in the brackets. Thanks Sammitha Sreevatsa for noting them down and emailing.

- Opportunities for oral presentation based CIA (Time constraint may not allow)

-interactive sessions (Yes)

-detailed explanation (Considering that a BA is a higher education programme I intend to lecture around specific concerns pertaining to American literature in the Indian/Bangalore context. Hence, apart from necessary explanation which is crucial to understand the text, I may not go beyond. However, I am open to clarifying any doubt. ) 

-made simple (Sure)

-less theoretical (yes. The concerns will be located in the texts)

-space for self exploration (Sure. All for it.)

-Should be able us to relate to what's contemporary (Absolutely)

-Background/ contextual explanation (Sure)

-Plays given as much importance as poetry and stories (Ok)

-variety in approaches (Not suer as of now. Let's see how it unfolds)

-providing reference sources (sure, you can also collaborate)

-to be told whats expected from us exam point of view. (Sure)

Useful resource to learn from Ivy league colleges

Here is the link to this site where a lot of top notch Ivy league college lectures on various topics are put up. This might help like a certificate course or can help you in supplementing your subject lectures. There are some interesting online courses too.


http://academicearth.org

BA IIII Semester American Literature Course Plan 2010

Please click here to download the course plan.

BA V Semester Literary Theory Course Plan 2010

Please click here to download the course plan document.

32ND ALL-INDIA CONFERENCE OF LINGUISTS 21-23 December 2010

32ND ALL-INDIA CONFERENCE OF LINGUISTS

21-23 December 2010 at Lucknow

Advancement of the scientific study of language being the primary object of LSI,  ALL-INDIA CONFERENCE OF LINGUISTS (AICLs) are held annually for promoting dialogue and interaction among researchers in the field from India and abroad.  Papers (written in English or Hindi) are invited on substantial, original and unpublished research on all aspects of theoretical and applied Linguistics, with particular focus on languages and linguistic applications relevant to South Asia.
Contact: 32aicl at gmail.com

For more details visit the site:  http://sites.google.com/site/lucknowaicl/
http://www.h-net.org/announce/show.cgi?ID=3D174912

Prithviraj Thakur
Assistant Professor of English,
G.S. Science, Arts and Commerce College,
Khamgaon.

Phone:  (91) (09881721193)

National Conference on Methods, Materials and Techniques of Teaching English Language 24 - 25June 2010

National Conference on Methods, Materials and Techniques of Teaching English Language: Call for Papers

Dates:  24 - 25June 2010

Organized by the Department of English, Jagarlamudi Kuppuswamy-Choudary College, Guntur - 522 006, Andhra Pradesh, India

As the theme of seminar is intended to address many issues bearing on language teaching and learning, papers related to different areas of language teaching and learning are also invited. Original and well-documented papers may  be sent to the following address along with the registration fee of 250/-: Dr V. Pala Prasada Rao, 2-12-165; Stambalagaruvu (Po); Guntur; Pin Code: 522006.
Dr V Pala Prasada Rao <prasadarao.jkccollege at gmail.com>

Here is new blog on reports on higher education

Higher Education in Media

Contributors/collaborators are welcome

Buck up on your backup - Business of Life - livemint.com

Buck up on your backup - Business of Life - livemint.com: "Buck up on your backup"

A New Blog for Researchers

Free Technology for Researchers

Hope my fellow researchers will benefit from it.

Dimdim Event Widget

Dimdim Event Widget

INTERNSHIP DETAILS FOR 2nd FEP students

IMPORTANT- THE INTERNSHIP DIARIES ARE A MUST.... ENTRIES MADE IN ANY OTHER NOTEBOOK WILL NOT BE COUNTED.
(refer facebook- FEP 2011 group)
Internship Guidelines

· The students of the Communicative English programme are required to undertake an internship of not less the 30 working days at any one of the following media organizations-
o Television,
o Radio organizations;
o PR firms,
o Advertising agencies,
o Event management companies;
o Theatre groups/organizations;
o Any other organization approved by the programme coordinator.
· The internship, which is a mandatory requirement for the completion of the Communicative English programme is to be undertaken during the fourth semester break.
· Faculty members from the department will be assigned to groups of students as guides.
o 08D4401- 08D4418 – Ms. Abhaya, (abhaya.nb@christuniversity.in)
o 08D4419 - 08D4434 – Ms. Tana, (tana.trivedijoshi@christuniversity.in)
o 08D4435 - 08D4448 – Dr. Sagarika, (sagarika.golder@christuniversity.in)
o 08D4449 - 08D4463 – Mr. Anil Pinto, (anil.pinto@christuniversity.in)
o 08D4464 - 08D4479 – Ms. Renu, (renu.elizabeth@christuniversity.in)
· The students will have to be in touch with the guides during the internship period either by meeting them in person, speaking over the phone and through the internet.
· The students will have to give the guide weekly reports of the work they have done at the organization.
· Regular contact with the guide, submission of regular weekly reports and maintaining regular internship diary/record carry 10 marks.
· At the place of internship, the students are advised to be in constant touch with their mentors.
· The students should work towards creating a portfolio of the work they have done for the organization.
· At the end of the required period of internship the students will submit a written report of their internship. The report should be submitted when the University opens for the V semester.

Format of weekly report to be emailed regularly to the guide
Joining report:
Personal Details
· Your contact no (mobile):
· Your personal email:
· Your current address:
· Home Phone:
Organisation Details
· Name:
· Address:
· Phone:
· Mail:
Job Details
· Department in which you are appointed:
· Job profile:
· Working Hours:
· Name of your immediate boss:
· Email:
· Mobile:

Ist weekend report
Please include whatever is relevant out of the following details in this report. A brief write-up on each topic is fine:
Rough organizational structure. (Owner, MD, Heads,.....)
Your time schedule
Details of your responsibility in the organization/department
Summary of your responsibilities and daily programme
Projects that you have completed/on going in this week
New leanings from the organistion
Relationship with your immediate boss in the organisation
Difficulties that you have faced in organisation
to interact with boss, management, team workers...
to understand the industry working situation
to keep time
travel and food
Team work
Challenges
Plan for the next week, if any.
Any other relevant detail.

IInd weekend report
Please include whatever is relevant out of the following details in this report. A brief write-up on each topic is fine:
· Project done/in progress
· Include the links/evidence of your projects/article (if any)
· Organisational work culture...
· New learnings/Innovative ideas
· Challenges/difficulties that you are facing in the organisation/team if any.
· some details on next project/s
· Any other relevant detail.

IIIrd weekend report
Please include whatever is relevant out of the following details in this report. A brief write-up on each topic is fine:
Project done/in progress
Include the links/evidence of your projects/article (if any)
How do you understand/look at the organization today as compared to your first impression?
New learnings/Innovative ideas
Challenges/difficulties that you are facing in the organisation/team if any.
some details on next project/s
How do you compare the class room learning (theory and practical) with industry exposure
Any other relevant detail.

Things that you need to get from the organization
Notes,
Rough draft of work done
Cuttings of printed articles
Photographs
Proof of ideas/your contribution
Note- If the organization does not permit students to keep copies of their work (some client work may be confidential), a letter describing the work done by the student must be provided by the organization.
In case, evidence is not available for the work/soft skills, the student shall get letters duly signed from the mentor or persons under which they have worked. For this the student needs to consult with the guide.
Your internship diary must be maintained everyday according to the format given and duly signed by your mentor every day. In case getting a signature everyday is difficult get it signed at the end of each week.
The report along with other mention items should also contain a letter in a sealed envelope from the organization, evaluating the students’ work. So please remember to get a letter from the organization before you leave.

Format of the Final Report
The report shall have the following parts.
· Title Page
· Declaration of the Student
· Declaration of the Guide (get signature from HOD and Guide from University)
· Letter from college
· Certificate/letter from Organization
· Acknowledgments
· Content page
· Introduction to the Course
· Aims and Objectives of the Internship
· Reasons for choosing the organization
· Profile of the Organization
· Organizational structure
· Job Description
o Appointment
o Duration
· Tasks undertaken
· Task Analysis
· Challenges/limitations of the Internship
· Retrospection/Conclusion
· Appendices (Attested portfolio of work done in the organization)

Style Sheet: The format for the internship report
Title page: Centered and Bold – 14 & 12 – Times New Roman
Logo of the college in title page: black, uniform in size
Page numbers: Roman numerals
I. Student’s declaration
II. Declaration of the guide
III. Letter from the College
IV. Employer’s letter (letter of successful completion)
V. Acknowledgement
Content page
· Do not number this page
· CONTENTS : bold +centered + caps
· Items: regular
Introduction to the Course
Page number begins form this page
Aims and objectives of the internship
Reasons for the choice of work place
Keep it precise
Profile of the work place
Max 3 pages
Brief history
Important facts
Organizational structure
Job description/nature of work
Duration of internship
Manner of employment
Working hours
Reported to
Assigned tasks by
Worked under/Mentor in the organization
Areas of work
Task and analyses
· Divide the task into categories and describe them: analyze all the tasks together
· Main title: Tasks And Analyses : 14 + bold + centered
· Subtitle : Tasks : 12 + bold + left aligned
· Task description and the analysis should be in third person and passive voice. (The intern was…)
Task analysis
What did you learn?
What skills did you acquire?
How did your course help you to do the work?
Challenges faced/Limitations of the internship
List the challenges you faced during the internship
Conclusion and retrospection
Narrative in first person.
Max 2 pages
Appendices
Signed proof of all your work done
The students must discuss with the guide the contents of appendix.
Any evidence in your appendix which is not signed is invalid.
Neatly label your appendices I, II, III, IV…
Proof read the entire report,
Page numbers: centre + bottom,
Paragraphs should be justified,
For bibliography footnotes follow MLA Style.
Headings- size 14, in bold and underlined
Body Font- Times New Roman, size 12, 1.5 spacing.

Dates of submission
First draft due on June 15th , 2010
Second draft due on July 1st , 2010
Final Reports due on July 15th , 2010

Cultural Studies and Cynicism

My course has technically come to the end. All the classes are over, except for one, and now, I have only the dissertation left. Over the last few weeks, I have been feeling a slight uneasiness towards the discipline of Cultural Studies. I will try to establish why.

The USP of Cultural Studies is that is under constant critique, that it critiques itself, and the world, constantly, at every moment, instant and oppurtunity. This is a good thing, because a closure means an end; a definite and certain end to critique, analysis and therefore, an end to challenging existing norms of production of knowledge and power. This is also necessary, because himan society can never reach a point of complete and unhindered Utopia where everyone has what they want and are content, and perfectly happy, constituting a perfectly happy planet!

However, there are moments of triumph; moments that deserve celebration. There are moments of achievement, when something theory has been striving for for so long has actually been percieved and given importance in practice. Take the establishment of the field of Cultural Studies itself, for example. It did not suddenly crop up into the world and begin existing in a benign and easy manner. It had to face much struggle, and much opposition from people who thought otherwise (or didn't think at all) and fight for its existence, before it was accepted as a discipline or a field, whatever the technical name one might attribute to it. But the fact that such a discipline is able to sit comfortably within a system, and critique that system from within is hardly acknowledged or celebrated today. Yes, it is another move towards the ideal, and we are getting there, but not yet... It is in persistent unrest. Critique is unrest. Critique is temporary, becuase once the thing that is critiqued changes, the new thing can be critiqued, and so on...

Sometimes, I feel like this unrest can even turn into cynicism. I know it isn't. I know that it is not the intention. But it is critiquing to the point of dissilusionment. At the end, (if there is an end at all), it doesn't allow any lend itself to an absolute answer, because it is so scared of the fact that it can lead to a different domination by a different kind of power, which can be dangerous, and therefore, unhealthy for the system. So, I feel like I'm stuck in this whirlwind of critiques, with no way out, with the structure of the discipline itself restricting it from looking for an end, in this mess and chaos, with no way out, and with no answers. Dissilusioning to the point of cynical. Don't know where to go from here.

4th FEP- Radio question paper pattern

Section A - 3 out of 4 (10 mks each)
1. DJ Script/ Magazine programme
2. Radio Documentary/ Interview
3. Radio drama/ Talk
4. News

Section B- 2 out of 3 (5 mks each)
1. 2 theory questions
2. PSA/Ad

Section C- 5 outof 7 (2 mks each)
Refer terms I posted!
All the best :)

4TH FEP-Radio Section C questions

Radio Glossary
· Actuality: live recording of a real event, sounds recorded on location
· Ad lib: unscripted announcement, off-the-cuff remark
· Anchor: person acting as the main presenter in a programme involving several components.
· Back –announcement: where the names and details of an interview or record are given immediately after the item.
· Back –timing: the process of timing a live programme backwards from its intended closing time to ensure it ends on time.
· Byte: a string of 8, 16, 32 or more binary electrical pulses or bits representing a specific piece of data
· Cd: compact disc. Digital recording and playback medium.
· Copy: written material offered for broadcasting e.g news copy, advertising copy.
· Cue: the prearranged signal to begin – visual light or gesture. Verbal. Musical or scripted words
· Cue, in and out: the first and last words (effects or music) of a programme or item.
· Cume: cumulating audience measurement.
· DAT: digital audio tape. Sound recording and playback system in digital mode using small tape cassette and rotating heads – as in a video recorder.
· Dry run: programme rehearsal, especially drama not necessarily in the studio and without music, effect or movement to mic.
· Log: written record of station output. Can also be recorded audio.
· Multi-tracking: two or more audio tarcks are recorded separately and subsequently mixed for the final result.
· Package: edited programme or insert offered complete with links ready for transmission
· Pick – up: gramophone record reproducing components which convert the mechanical variations into electrical energy.
· Post-echo: the immediate repeating at lowlevel of sounds replayed from a tape recording.
· PPL: phonographic performance ltd. Organization of british record manufactuers to control performance and usage rights.
· Prefade: the facility for hearing and measuring a source before opening its fader, generally on a studio mixing desk.
· Promo: on-air promotion of station or programme.
· Reach: term used in audience measurement describing the total number of different listeners to a station or service within a specified period. Most often expressed as a percentage of the potential audience. Weekly reach.
· Running order: list of programme items and timings in their chronological sequence.
· Sibilance: an emphasis on the‘s’ sounds in speech. May be accentuated or reduced by type and position of microphone.
· Slug: short identifying title given to a short item, particularly a news insert. Also catchline
· Spot fx: practical sound effects created live in the studio
· Sweep: the process of audience survey for a particular station or service within a given time scale.
· Traffic: station department responsible for scheduling and billing commericial advertising.
· Trail: broadcast items advertising forthcoming programme. On- air promotion or promo.

Essay- Australian Literature and Candian Comparison

A short summary made by Abhaya ma'am.
The Field

Highlights the similarities between Canada and Australia
Both are English – language, culture, politics- dominated nations
Indigenous cultures have been ignored
British dominance has given way to the dominance of US

Ian Willison points out the similarities between North America and Australia; these nine points are important – from here the writers trace other books that compare formation of Australian and Canadian cultures; as they discuss these books they summarize the points the books make. This part explains the critical legacy Diana Brydon and Helen Tiffin inherit. They also say how and why they move from the already established critical stance.

The questions that get answered in these paragraphs

Why Australia and Canada should be studied together?
Common elements between Canada and Australia

Problems of Critical Stance: Locating the Critic

This section is little complicated because arguments of critics from Australia and Canada are combined. So read carefully.

Primarily, the understanding/construction of ‘home’ is highlighted
A transplanted culture wants to create a home in the image of earlier home in a different geographical location; the topography comes in the way of recreation
Colonial enterprise, which is run for the benefit of the others, does not allow any development.
(Shift from sense of home to finding home in literature and how this search for home through writing has shaped the national literature in Canada and Australia)

In such a scenario how do writers negotiate to develop their sense of style, genres
Home does not just refer to sense of belonging; what they inherited as literature, style, genres…

Nationalist position – argues that the writers should anchor themselves in their sense of place; interpret the world from that position; should not mimic the English literature

Internationalist position – assumes a universal stance; exposure to the best that has been produced will enable the colonial writer to write well – the assumption is best comes from the ‘west’ – the writer will position himself outside his own provincial culture

After indicating these two positions the writers list out the important writers from both the countries who belong to which group.
Locations in Time and Space: Literary History and Geography

This section focus on the anglo-centric images and symbols that Canada and Australia inherit and how this legacy affect the writing. Premises for writing of literary histories are considered for discussion

The Postcolonial Context

The problems both the countries face as they struggle for Self-definition – finding real Australia/Canada in the ‘wild’, ‘bush’, ‘outback’ instead of city – still both are urban societies

Comparisons

Canada’s efforts to differentiate oneself from the US

Australia and the implication of its geographical location.

4th Semester Post colonial Literatures paper portions

Poems-
1. This Southern Land of Ours
2.Australia
3. The House Left in English
4. On the Borders
5. Cry of the Hillborn
6. In the Secular Night
7. Come Thunder
8. Cry of birth
9. New York

Play- The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll

Novel- Arrow of God
Essays-
1. Introduction to post- colonial literatures
2. Australian Canadian Comaprison
3. Towards a National Culture

Summer of the Seventeeth Doll- Ray Lawler

Arrow of God- Chinua Achebe

A summary of the novel (chapter wise). Hope it is useful!

MPhil Media Studies: RMS236 Research Methods in Media Studies Course Plan

Course Introduction: This course will hone the reading, writing and analytical skills of the participants. Teaching methods would include lectures, presentations, and workshops. The course will also involve intensive reading and writing exercises.

Course Objectives
• To introduce the participants to the various research methods in media studies.
• To equip students with the skill of analysis
• To hone research writing skills

Session 1: Notions of Research
Session 2: Visual Methodologies
Session 3: Ethnographic Methods
Session 4: Interviewing
Session 5: Proposal Writing
Session 6: Proposal Analysis
Session 7: Proposal Analysis
Session 8: Exposition, Compare and Contrast
Session 9: Cause and Effect; Argument
Session 10: Discourse Analysis
Session 11: Oral History as a Research Method
Session 12: Archival Methods
Session 13: Research on Audiences
Session 14: Research on Institutions
Session 15: Quantitative Methods
Session 16: Designing Quantitative Research
Session 17: Research on Texts
Session 18: Researching Messages: Rhetorical, Cultural,
Session 19: : Researching Messages: Psychoanalytic, Feminist, Queer
Session 20: Researching Media Industries

Note:
• Each session is of two hours duration.
• Writing sessions will draw upon the work of MAR Habib in research writing. The sessions will follow workshop methodology

CIA I – A short research paper of about five pages on a topic of your choice.
CIA II - Presentation and report based on sessions
CIA III – Presentation and report based on sessions

Note: The reports should summarise the presentation and discussion in respective seminars. The reports should strictly adhere to standard academic writing formats.

Bibliography
Bertrand, Ina and Peter Hughes. Media Research Methods: Audiences, Institutions, and Texts. New York: Palgrave-Macmillan, 2005.
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. New Delhi: East-West Press. 2004.
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing. 3rd ed. New York: Modern Language Association, 2008.
Griffin, Gabriele. ed. Research Methods for English Studies. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005.
Ott, Brian L. and Robert L. Mack. Critical Media Studies: An Introduction. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell, 2010.
Priest, Susanna Horning. Doing Media Research: An Introduction. 2 ed. Los Angeles: Sage, 2010.
Somekh, Bridget and Cathy Lewin. eds. Research Methods in Social Sciences. New Delhi: Sage/Vistaar, 2005.
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 5th ed. New York: American Psychological Association. 2001.