M. A. in Cultural Studies- Department of Cultutal Studies, Tezpur University

M. A. in Cultural Studies

Preamble:

The Master of Arts in Cultural Studies is a four-semester interdisciplinary programme incorporating the core perspectives of the various schools of cultural studies and critical theory; and integrating them with select compulsory and optional area components such as, media, heritage, environment, science and technology, folklore and oral history, and community performances. Further, in specific reference to The Tezpur University Act of 1993 that envisages study of “the rich cultural heritage of the region and in particular, the diverse, ethnic, linguistic and tribal cultures of the state”, the programme also provides empirical understanding of the sociocultural situations of India and its North-Eastern region. The programme contains 82 credits and includes components of the basic practices of research and documentative works through dissertation-writing and audio-visual documentation.

The MA in Cultural Studies programme is essentially meant for learning about the cultural processes and productions in the contemporary societies. The Programme enables students with analytical knowledge and skills towards developing critical understanding on the various cultural experiences of contemporary times. As this programme is an interdisciplinary one, students graduating in any discipline are admitted through Tezpur University Entrance Examinations. On completion of the programme, students will be competent to take up further research or jobs in academic or other establishments that involves understanding and analysis of cultural contents.

Qualification Descriptors for the Graduates:

Knowledge and Understanding:

Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the history and development of Cultural Studies as an academic field.
Critical theoretical perspectives and technical skills in developing and articulating explanatory insights for given cultural products and processes.

Skills and Techniques:

Methodological skills to undertake research pertaining to society and culture, involving collection and analyses of primary and secondary data.
Appropriate articulation of findings and interpretations of research, undertaken in areas within the interdisciplinary domain of Cultural Studies, maintaining the prescribed academic standards.

Competence:

Use of acquired knowledge and skills towards creative literary/cultural productions, informative documentation, and productive interactions in diverse population settings.
Ethical adherence to values of equality and amity in contexts of cultural difference and plurality.

Graduate Attributes:

Disciplinary knowledge: Knowledge and understanding of the field of Cultural Studies, origin and development of its core perspectives and their institutionalizations in the western contexts as well as in India.
Communication skills: Articulation of critical insights pertaining to cultural texts, forms and contents, of different kinds, in comprehensive manner.
Research skills: Genuine inquisitiveness towards issues related to the larger domain of society and culture; ability to problematize them through relevant and appropriate questions; ability to present reports of findings and conclusions adhering to acceptable academic standards.
Teamwork and Professional Skills: Ability to work productively and respectfully in collective environments; demonstration of tolerance and democratic values while working in groups with others.
Reflective thinking: Critical sensibility towards lived experiences with self-awareness; reflexive consciousness of own subject-positions and worldviews.
Digital competence: Capability to utilize effectively various means of information and communication technology to access, evaluate, produce, and disseminate literary and cultural contents in textual or audio-visual formats.
Multicultural competence: Ability to celebrate cultural differences; being respectful towards values, beliefs and practices of diverse cultures and capacity to engage effectively in multicultural settings.
Ethical awareness: Ability to maintain originality, honesty and authenticity in expressed thoughts and practices; ability to avoid ethnocentric attitudes; sensitive towards issues of environment and sustainability; ability to maintain equality in terms of gender, sexuality, caste, colour and geography of people.
Self-directed learning: Capability to work independently, identify relevant resources for various specific areas within the larger domain of Cultural Studies.
Introspection and openness to lifelong learning: Demonstrate true motivation towards continued observation of, and engagement with, matters pertaining to society, culture and environment; ability to engage with lived experiences with openness and critical consciousness leading to self-realizations and perspectives which are continuously refined and updated.

Programme Outcomes:

PO1: Graduates will acquire essential concepts, key theoretical perspectives and methodological practices evolved within the interdisciplinary domain of Cultural Studies.
PO2: Graduates will develop critical outlook in understanding culture in relation to the power structures and historical contexts and the relevant processes at multiple scales: local, regional, national and global – articulating their interconnectedness.
PO3: Graduates will be able to apply the learned theoretical ideas and methodological tools in conducting specifically focused research on matters related to society and culture, either independently or in collaboration with other researchers.
PO4: Graduates will gain skills to use the learned methods and techniques to produce useful contents (textual/audio-visual) on issues relevant to society and culture.
PO5: Graduates will gain motivation to maintain ethical norms in all walks of social and professional life, exercising sense of equality and amity to all human beings and other species.

For all admission-related information, visit the portal https://www.tezuadmissions.in/public/.

The requisite academic qualification for admission into M. A. in Cultural Studies is a Bachelor‘s Degree in any discipline with minimum 45% marks in the Major/Honours Subject, or 50% aggregate marks if not having any Major/Honours Subject.

Programme Structure for Master of Arts in Cultural Studies (Modular)

Post Graduate Diploma in Cultural Studies (First Module): 2 (two) semesters (one year)
Course Category	No. of Courses	Credits per Course	Total Credits
Core Courses	7	4	28
Core Courses	4	3	12
Total Credits to be completed=			40

M. A. in Cultural Studies (First Module): 4 (four) semesters / 2 (two) years)
Course Category	No. of Courses	Credits per Course	Total Credits
Core Courses	10	4	40
Core Courses	6	3	18
Core Courses (Dissetation/Documentation)	1	6	6
Elective Courses	4	3	12
CBCS Courses	2	3	6
Total Credits to be completed=			82

Courses for M. A. in Cultural Studies
First Semester
Course Type	Course Title	L	T	P	CH	Cr
Core	CT420: Introduction to Cultural Studies	3	1	0	4	4
Core	CT421: Cultural Theory: Key Concepts	3	1	0	4	4
Core	CT422: Introduction to Popular Culture	3	1	0	4	4
Core	CT423: Research Methods	2	1	1	4	4
Core	CT424: Reading Culture: Perspectives from the West	2	1	0	3	3
Second Semester
Core	CT430: Media and Culture	2	1	0	3	3
Core	CT431: Gender and Culture	3	1	0	4	4
Core	CT432: Folklore and Culture	3	1	0	4	4
Core	CT433: Exploring North East India	3	1	0	4	4
Any 1 course from the cluster of CT434 and CT435
Core	CT434: Culture and Environment	2	1	0	3	3
Core	CT435: Indian Society and Culture	2	1	0	3	3
Any 1 course from the cluster of CT436 and CT437
Core	CT436: Culture and Heritage	1	1	1	3	3
Core	CT437: Digital Culture	2	1	0	3	3
CBCS	CBCS					3
Third Semester
Core	CT520: Visual Culture	3	1	0	4	4
Core	CT521: Audio-Visual Production	2	1	1	4	4
Any 1 course from the cluster of CT522 and CT523
Core	CT522: Music and Culture	2	1	0	3	3
Core	CT523: Cinema and Culture	2	1	0	3	3
Any 1 course from the cluster of CT524, CT525, CT526, CT527 and CT528
Core	CT524: Cultural Memory	2	1	0	3	3
Core	CT525: Community Dance in Assam	1	1	1	3	3
Core	CT526: Dance Ethnography	1	1	1	3	3
Core	CT527: Understanding New Media	2	1	0	3	3
Core	CT528: Design Ethnography	2	1	0	3	3
Any 1 course from the cluster of CT529 and CT530
Core	CT529: Oral History Project	1	1	2	4	4
Core	CT530: Cyber Ethnography	1	1	2	4	4
CBCS	CBCS					3
Fourth Semester
Core	CT531: Dissertation / Documentation	0	3	3	6	6
Any 2 courses from the cluster of CT532, CT533, CT534, CT535 and CT536
Elective	CT532: Cultural Industries	2	1	0	3	3
Elective	CT533: Performance and Culture	2	1	0	3	3
Elective	CT534: Culture and Science: Select Readings	2	1	0	3	3
Elective	CT535: Cultural Policy	2	1	0	3	3
Elective	CT536: Reading India through the Cinematic Lens	2	1	0	3	3
Any 2 courses from the cluster of CT537, CT538, CT539, CT540, CT541, CT542 and CT543
Elective	CT537: Culture for Social Change	2	1	0	3	3
Elective	CT538: Cultural Spectacles and Infotainments	2	1	0	3	3
Elective	CT539: Reading Culture: Perspectives from Assam	2	1	0	3	3
Elective	CT540: Intercultural Communication	2	1	0	3	3
Elective	CT541: Folk and Tribal Arts	2	1	0	3	3
Elective	CT542: Cross Cultural Studies: North East India and South East Asia	2	1	0	3	3
Elective	CT543: Bhakti Aesthetics	2	1	0	3	3

Mapping of Courses with the Programme Outcomes
Course Code and Course Title	PO1	PO2	PO3	PO4	PO5
CT420: Introduction to Cultural Studies	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT421: Cultural Theory: Key Concepts	✓	✓	✓	-	✓
CT422: Introduction to Popular Culture	✓	✓	✓	-	✓
CT423: Research Methods	-	-	✓	✓	✓
CT424: Reading Culture: Perspectives from the West	✓	✓	✓	-	✓
CT430: Media and Culture	✓	✓	✓	-	✓
CT431: Gender and Culture	✓	✓	✓	-	✓
CT432: Folklore and Culture	-	✓	✓	-	✓
CT433: Exploring North East India	-	✓	✓	-	✓
CT434: Culture and Environment	✓	✓	✓	-	✓
CT435: Indian Society and Culture	-	✓	✓	-	✓
CT436: Culture and Heritage	-	✓	✓	-	✓
CT437: Digital Culture	✓	✓	✓	-	✓
CT520: Visual Culture	✓	✓	✓	-	✓
CT520: CT521: Audio-Visual Production	-	-	✓	✓	✓
CT522: Music and Culture	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT523: Cinema and Culture	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT524: Cultural Memory	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT525: Community Dance in Assam	-	✓	✓	✓	✓
CT526: Dance Ethnography	-	✓	✓	✓	✓
CT527: Understanding New Media	✓	✓	✓	-	✓
CT528: Design Ethnography	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT529: Oral History Project	-	✓	✓	✓	✓
CT530: Cyber Ethnography	-	✓	✓	✓	✓
CT531: Dissertation / Documentation	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
CT532: Cultural Industries	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT533: Performance and Culture	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT534: Culture and Science: Select Readings	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT535: Cultural Policy	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT536: Reading India through the Cinematic Lens	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT537: Culture for Social Change	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT538: Cultural Spectacles and Infotainments	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT539: Reading Culture: Perspectives from Assam	-	✓	-	-	✓
CT540: Intercultural Communication	✓	✓	-	-	✓
CT541: Folk and Tribal Arts	-	✓	-	-	✓
CT542: Cross Cultural Studies: NE India and SE Asia	-	✓	-	-	✓
CT543: Bhakti Aesthetics	-	✓	-	-	✓

Assessment Plan:

Classroom interaction and cross questioning on understanding of subjects.
Individual and group presentations on specific themes.
Sessional tests (conventional written tests / quiz / assignment).
Semester-end examinations on cumulative understanding over the semester.
Practical assignments for assessment of hands-on skills in relevant courses.
Dissertation writing / Audio-visual documentation works.
Viva voce.

Click on the Course Codes below for respective syllabus-contents.

CT420: Introduction to Cultural Studies

L = 3, T=1, P=0, CH=4, CR=4
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate a critical understanding of the intellectual movements that have shaped cultural studies.
CO2: Ability to identify key texts and concepts that have shaped the discipline of cultural studies..
CO3: Ability to link the different movements that have shaped the discipline of cultural studies.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: The idea of British cultural studies: the Birmingham School, Raymond Williams, Richard Hoggart and Stuart Hall.

Unit 2: Difference between study of culture and cultural studies; Popular culture, Ideology and Hegemony, Texts and Contexts; Youth Subcultures and Television Programmes.

Unit 3: Cultural studies around the world; cultural studies in India; exploring new forms and sites of culture; globalization and ethnicity.

Textbooks:
Barker, Chris. (2008). Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice. Sage, New Delhi, Thousand Oaks, London.
Nayar, Pramod K. (2008). An Introduction to Cultural Studies. Viva Books, New Delhi.

Suggested Readings:
Barker, Chris. (2004). The Sage Dictionary of Cultural Studies. Sage, New Delhi, Thousand Oaks, London. Brooker, Peter. (2000). A Glossary of Cultural Theory. Arnold, London.
Sardar, Ziauddin and Borin Van Loon. (2012). Introducing Cultural Studies. Icon Books, London.
Chen, Kuan Hsing. (ed) (1998). Trajectories: Inter-Asia Cultural Studies. London: Routledge.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT421: Cultural Theory: Key Concepts

L = 3, T=1, P=0, CH=4, CR=4
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to explain the basic concepts of Cultural Studies drawn from select thinkers, namely, Marx, Lukacs, Adorno, Althusser and Gramsci.
CO2: Ability to summarize the core ideas, methods and limitations of structuralism.
CO3: Ability to interpret the essential notions of poststructuralist thoughts.
CO4: Ability to identify various manifestations of postmodernism.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Unit 1: The intellectual imperatives to Cultural Studies: Leavis and the culturalists; Marxism: Lukacs, Adorno and the culture industry, Gramsci and Hegemony, Althusser and Ideology.

Unit 2: Structuralism and Cultural Studies, Ferdinand de Saussure and Semiotics, Levi Strauss and the study of myths, the early Roland Barthes.

Unit 3: Postmodernism; changing notion of textuality: Derrida and cultural studies, Foucault’s discursive formation.

Textbooks:
Edgar, Andrew and Peter Sedgwick. (2004). Key Concepts in Cultural Theory. Routledge, London.
Fuery, Patrick and Nick Mansfield. (2001). Cultural Studies and Critical Theory OUP, London.

Suggested Readings:
Chen, Kuan Hsing. (ed.) (1998). Trajectories: Inter-Asia Cultural Studies. Routledge, London.
Hall, Stuart. (ed.) (1997). Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. Open University Press, Milton Keynes.
Storey, John. (ed.) (1994). Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: A Reader. Harvester Wheatsheaf, New York.
Tudor, Andrew. (1999). Decoding Culture: Theory and Methods in Cultural Studies. Sage, London

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT422: Introduction to Popular Culture

L = 3, T=1, P=0, CH=4, CR=4
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate critical understanding of the popular as distinctly theorized category.
CO2: Ability to apply acquired perspectives to examine emergent cultural forms and contents.
CO3: Ability to illustrate popular culture as a site of cultural appropriation, negotiation and resistance.
CO4: Ability to analyze the features of popular cultural productions and consumptions in Indian contexts.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: “Notes on Deconstructing the Popular” (S. Hall); “What is Popular Culture” (J. Storey); “Culture Industry Reconsidered” (T. W. Adorno); “Reading Slumdog Millionaire Across Cultures” (R. S. Duncan); “Slumdog Millionaire (Movie directed by Danny Boyle).

Unit 2: "Breaking news, Indian style": politics, democracy and Indian news television; Emancipation or anchored individualism? women and TV soaps in India; India: religious nationalism and changing proﬁle of popular culture.

Unit 3: Advertising in a globalised India; The discreet charm of Indian street food; India goes to the blogs: cyberspace, identity, community; Opiate of the masses or one in a billion: trying to unravel the Indian sporting mystery; Going places: popular tourism writing in India.

Textbooks:
Gokulsing, K. Moti and Wimal Dissanayake. (2009). Popular Culture in a Globalised India. Routledge, London.
Storey, John. (2008). Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction. Pearson Longman, London.

Suggested Readings:
Guins, Raiford and Omayra Zaragoza Cruz. (2005). Popular Culture: A Reader. Sage, London.
Kasbekar, Asha. (2006). Pop Culture India: Media, Arts, and Lifestyle. ABC-Clio, California.
Storey, John. (2010). Cultural Studies and the Study of Popular Culture. Ediburg University Press, Edinburgh..
MacCabe, Colin (ed). (1986). High Theory/Low Culture: Analyzing Popular Television and Film. Manchester University Press, Manchester.
Shiach, Morag. (1989). Discourses on Popular Culture: Class, Gender and History in Cultural Analysis, 1730 to the Present. Polity Press, London.
Debord, Guy. (1970). Society of the Spectacle. Black and Red, Detroit.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT423: Research Methods

L = 2, T=1, P=1, CH=4, CR=4
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to apply various theoretical and methodological tools of research in the interdisciplinary domain of cultural studies.
CO2: Ability to construct appropriate research questions relevant to given research projects.
CO3: Ability to plan appropriate schemes and tools for collection of primary data.
CO4: Ability to make adequate use of ICT for collection, storage, analyses, and presentation of data.
CO5: Ability to demonstrate adherence to ethical norms of academic research.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Approaches to Scientific Research: Empiricism, Positivism, Post-Positivism, Hermeneutics, Idealism and Constructivism, Critical Theory, Ethics in Research, Plagiarism, Copyright.

Unit 2: Identification of the Research Problem, Formulation of the Research Question and Objectives, Review of Literature, Formulations of Hypothesis and Thesis Statement, Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation.

Unit 3: Data Collection and Methodology: Perspectives in Cultural Studies: Primary and Secondary Sources, Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods, Inductive and Deductive ways of Research, Ethnographic Study, Textual Approaches, Semiotics, Narrative Theory, Feminist Approach, Reception Studies, Social Constructionism and Reflexivity in Cultural Studies, Discourse Analysis, Case Study.

Unit 4: Proposal Development: Definition, Purpose and Components of Abstract Writing, Effective Writing Skills, Citations and References, Usage of Online Resources.

Textbooks:
Bailey, Stephen (2011). Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students. London & New York: Routledge.
Pickering, Michael (2008). Research Methods for Cultural Studies. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.

Suggested Readings:
Tudor, Andrew (1999). Decoding Culture: Theory and Methods in Cultural Studies. Sage, London.
Gary Hall and Clare Birchall (eds.) (2006). New Cultural Studies-Adventures in Theory. Edinburg University Press, Edinburg.
Barry Barnes, David Bloor & John Henry (eds.) (1996). Scientific Knowledge: A Sociological Analysis. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Holstein, James A. and Jasber F Gubrium. (eds.) (2007). Handbook of Constructionist Research. The Guilford Press, New York.
Lock, Andy and Tom Strong (2010). Social Constructionism: Sources and Stirrings in Theory and Practice. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
May, Tim (2001). Social Research: Issues, Methods and Process. Open University, Philadelphia.
Neuman, W. Lawrence (2004). Basics of Social Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Pearson, Boston.
Vinken, Henk Joseph Soeters and Peter Ester (eds.) (2004). Comparing Cultures: Dimensions of Culture in a Comparative Perspective. Rill, Boston.
White, Mimi and James Schwoch (eds.) (2006). Questions of Method in Cultural Studies. Blackwell Publishers, Malden.
Sasheej Hegde (2014). Recontextualizing Disciplines-Three Lectures on Method. IIAS, Shimla

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT424: Reading Culture: Perspectives from the West

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate a basic understanding of foundational texts of cultural theory.
CO2: Ability to link the different interpretative models of cultural theory.
CO3: Ability to develop the independent ability to analyze cultural texts and practices.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Raymond Williams: ‘‘Culture’ and ‘Masses’’ from Raiford Guins and Omayra Zaragoza Cruz (eds.) Popular Culture: A Reader. F.R. Leavis ‘Mass Civilization and Minority Culture’ from Raiford Guins and Omayra Zaragoza Cruz (eds.) Popular Culture: A Reader.

Unit 2: Karl Marx. ‘The Fetishism of Commodities and the Secret Thereof’ from Raiford Guins and Omayra Zaragoza Cruz (eds.) Popular Culture: A Reader. Walter Benjamin: ‘The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction’ from Raiford Guins and Omayra Zaragoza Cruz (eds.) Popular Culture: A Reader.

Unit 3: Stuart Hall. ‘Encoding/Decoding’ from Meenakshi Gigi Durham and Douglas M. Kellner (eds.) Media and Cultural Studies: Key Works. Roland Barthes. ‘The Death of the Author’ from Image - Music – Text by Roland Barthes.

Textbooks:
Guins, Raiford A. and Omayra Zaragoza Cruz. (2005). (eds.) Popular Culture A Reader. Sage, London, Thousand Oaks, Delhi.
Durham, Meenakshi Gigi and Douglas M. Kellner. (2006) (eds.) Media and Cultural Studies Key Works. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford.

Suggested Readings:
Chen, Kuan Hsing. (1998). (ed.) Trajectories: Inter-Asia Cultural Studies. Routledge, London.
Hall, Stuart. (1997) (ed.) Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. Open University Press, Milton Keynes.
Barker, Chris. (2004). The Sage Dictionary of Cultural Studies. Sage, New Delhi, Thousand Oaks, London.
Milner, Andrew. (1996). Literature, Culture and Society. UCL Press, London.
Edgar, Andrew and Peter Sedgwick. (2004). Key Concepts in Cultural Theory. Routledge, London.
Storey, John. (1994) (ed.) Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: A Reader. Harvester Wheatsheaf, New York.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT430: Media and Culture

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate understanding of methods of communication/interaction associated with media technologies.
CO2: Ability to identify current issues influencing the rapidly changing media environment.
CO3: Ability to analyze how today’s media industries are organized politically and economically.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Theories and Thinkers: Raymond Williams, Adorno, Walter Benjamin, Stuart Hall, Michel Foucault, Baudrillard, Noam Chomsky.

Unit 2: Understanding Media: Journalistic roles Vis-à-vis Commercial roles; Trans-National Media Industry; Globalization and media.

Unit 3: Public Opinion, Public sphere; Media and democracy; Media Inclusion and Exclusion. Media Propaganda; Gender and media.

Unit 4: Production of Audience; Creativity as Commodity; Cultural Industry and Homogenization; Internet technologies; Social Media and Fake News.

Textbooks:
Curran, James and Morley, David. (2006). Media and Cultural Theory. Routledge, New York.
Durham, Meenakshi Gigi and Kellner, Douglas. (eds) (2001). Media and Cultural Studies: Key Works. Wiley Blackwell, Massachusetts.

Suggested Readings:
Adorno, Theodor. (2003). Culture Industry. Routledge, London.
Baudrillard, Jean. (1994). Simulacra and Simulation. University of Michigan.
Benjamin, Walter. (1969). Illuminations. Schocken Books, New York.
Care, James W. (1989). Communication as Culture Essays on Media and Society. Routledge, New York.
Chomsky, Noam and Edward S. Herman. (2002). Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of The Mass Media. Pantheon Books, New York.
Grossberg, Lawrence. (1998). Media Marketing: Mass Media in Popular Culture. Sage, New Delhi.
Hall, Stuart, Hobson, Dorothy, Lowe, Andrew and Paul Willis (eds) (1996). Culture, Media, Language. Routledge, London
Kellner, Douglas. (1995). Media Culture. Routledge, London
Nola, Robert. (1998). Foucault. Essex: Frankcass Publishers.
Williams, Raymond. (2003). Television. London: Routledge .

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT431: Gender and Culture

L = 3, T=1, P=0, CH=4, CR=4
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to illustrate cultural foundations of gender.
CO2: Ability to demonstrate understanding of gendered norms and their internalizations.
CO3: Ability to link gender to race, ethnicity, class and caste
CO4: Ability to analyze representation of gender vis-à-vis practice of gender.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Fundamental Concepts: Nature vs. Nurture; Understanding biology, culture, sex and gender; Process and Institutions of Socialization; Femininity and Masculinity; Understanding Patriarchy; Sexual Division of Labour; Caste-Gender Intersection; Cross-Cultural Manifestations of Gender.

Unit 2: Introduction to Major Feminist Theoretical Concepts: Gendering Social History; Feminist Thought and Theory; Strategies for Gender Mainstreaming; Feminist research methodology; Women’s Movement in India: Struggles and Transitions; Gender and Nation.

Unit 3: Gender, Body & Mind: Gender and Sexuality; Gender and Health; Psychoanalysis and Gender; Gender and Media (Print, Audio-Visual, Social Media, etc.); Gender as Resistance.

Unit 4: Reading Gender from the Lens of Cultural Texts: Sports, Religious Scriptures, literary texts (both oral and written texts), visual texts like films, print media, audio texts, social media, etc.); Gender and Canonical Texts.

Textbooks:
Lewis, R., & Mills, S. (Eds.). (2003). Feminist Postcolonial Theory: A Reader. Routledge.
Pilcher, Jane and Imelda Whelehan. (2004). Fifty Key Concepts in Gender Studies. California: Sage.

Suggested Readings:
Rich, Adrienne. (1980). “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence”. Signs (Women: Sex and Sexuality), 5(4), 631-660.
Appadurai, Arjun, Frank J. Korom, and Margaret A. Mills, eds. (1991).Gender, Genre and Power in South Asian Expressive Tradition. Philadelphia: U of Pennsylvania P.
Bristow, Joseph. (2007). Sexuality. London: Routledge.
Butler, Judith. (1993). Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of Sex. New York: Routledge.
Butler, Judith. (1999). Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge.
Chakravarti, Uma. (2006). Gendering Caste Through a Feminist Lens. Calcutta: Stree.
Durham, Meenakshi Gigi and Douglas M. Kellner (eds.). (2006). Media and Cultural Studies Key Works. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Eagleton, Mary (ed.). (1988). Feminist Literary Theory: A Reader. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Lerner, Gerda. 1986). The Creation of Patriarchy. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Maitrayee Chaudhuri (ed). (2004). Feminism in India. New Delhi: Kali for Women and Women Unlimited.
Miles, Maria. (1980). Indian Women and Patriarchy. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company.
Mulvey, Laura: (2006). “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”. In Meenakshi Gigi Durham and Douglas M. Kellner (eds.) Media and Cultural Studies: Key Works. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing
Ruth, Sheila. (1990). Issues in Feminism: An Introduction to Women's Studies. California: Mayfield Publishing Company.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT432: Folklore and Culture

L = 3, T=1, P=0, CH=4, CR=4
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate understanding of expressive behaviour of communities.
CO2: Ability to explain folk knowledge system.
CO3: Ability to relate folklore to the field of Cultural Studies.
CO4: Ability to explain the connection between tradition and modernity in Indian contexts.
CO5: Ability to analyze the role of media in commercialization of traditional knowledge systems.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Introduction to Folklore studies-text and praxis, Folklore and Cultural Studies, Folk; Narratives-Genre and Structure.

Unit 2: Folklore Theories, Evolution Theories, Diffusion Theories, Structuralism in Folklore, Post-structural and Postcolonial Approaches.

Unit 3: Folklore of North East India; Folklore as a Field Study.
Unit 4: Folklore in Transition-Contemporary Worldview-Multiculturalism, Urban folklore, media, politics, market, revivalism-Tradition and modernity.

Textbooks:
Ben Amos, Dan (ed) (1976). Folklore Genres. University of Texas Press, Austin.
Dorson, Richard, M (1972). Folklore and Folk life. Chicago University Press, Chicago.

Suggested Readings:
Blackburn, Stuart and A.K. Ramanujan (ed) (1986). Another Harmony: New Essays on the Folklore of India. University of California Press, Berkley.
Barker, Chris. (2012). Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice. Sage, New Delhi.
Clifford, J. and G. E. Marcus (eds).(1986). Writing Culture: The Poetics and Politics of Ethnography. University of California Press, Berkley.
Dundes, Alan (ed) (1965). The Study of Folklore. Englewood Cliffs Prentice Hall.
Islam, Mazharul (1985). Folklore the pulse of the people in the context of Indian folklore. Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi.
Singer, Milton (1972). When a Great Tradition Modernizes. Praeger, New York.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT433: Exploring North East India

L = 3, T=1, P=0, CH=4, CR=4
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to analyze the problem and prospects of North East India with critical understanding of its multi-cultural ethos.
CO2: AAbility to explain the question of identity assertion of constituent communities and their nationalistic aspirations.
CO3: Ability to discover linkages of North East India with other parts of the world through different narratives.
CO4: Ability to demonstrate the independent ability to analyze various identity issues and help in policy planning.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Explore North East India with reference to Geography, Culture, History, North East India- Its Reality and Construct, National Imagination (Rhetoric of Neglect and Persecution).

Unit 2: Understanding Cultural Diversity and Identities of North East India - Ethnic Communities of North East India, Movement of Ethnic Assertion, Politics of Ethnic or Cultural Identity and Autonomy.

Unit 3: Tangible and Intangible Cultures – Textile, Food, Games, Folk tales; National Hero of North East India (From time to time the instructor will choose different icons from various fields).
Unit 4: Fairs and Festivals of North East India - Ima Kaithal, Jonbil mela, Poi sangken, Hornbill festival, Malini Than Mim Kut, Rumtek Chaam Dance, Kharchi Festival.

Textbooks:
Datta, Birendranath (1994). Handbook of Folklore Material of North East India. ABILAC, Guwahati.
Baruah, Sanjib (2007). Durable Disorder: Understanding the politics of North East India. Oxford, New Delhi.

Suggested Readings:
Das, BM (1990). North East India: Its people and Culture. Ethnographic and Folk Culture Society, Lucknow.
Nag, Sajal (1998). India and North –East India. Regency Publication, New Delhi.
Bhaumik, Subir (2009). Troubled Periphery: Crisis of India’s North East. Sage, New Delhi.
Misra, Udayan (1998). North East India: Quest for Identity. Omson Publications, Guwahati.
Pakem, B (1990). Nationality, Ethnicity and Cultural Identity in North East India. Omson Publications, Guwahati.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT434: Culture and Environment

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate a critical understanding of the different discourses of environmentalism with special reference to India.
CO2: Ability to analyze the indigenous practices of sustainability.
CO3: Ability to analyze the making and implementation of environmental policy.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Global discourses of environmentalism – conservation movement, deep ecology, green politics, slow movement, radical environmentalism, hairshirt environmentalism, permaculture; notable environmental protests around the world: Earth Day, Earth life Africa; Love Canal; Stop Climate Chaos.

Unit 2: History of environmentalism in India; roots of environmental sensibility in ancient India; Gandhi and environmentalism; environmental movements in India; Bishnoi movement, Chipko Movement, Save Silent Valley Movement, Jungle Bachao Andolan, Appiko Movement; Ecofeminism in India.

Unit 3: Environmental politics in contemporary India; ethnicity and environmentalism; discourses of environmentalism in North East India; rhetoric of development and ethnic anxieties in a globalized world; environmental racism..

Textbooks:
Guha, Ramachandra. (2000). Environmentalism: A Global History. Longman, New York.

Suggested Readings:
Guha, Sumit. (1999). Environment and Ethnicity in India, 1200–1991. CUP, Cambridge.
Karlsson, Bengt G. (2011). Unruly Hills: A Political Ecology of India’s North East. Berghahn Books, New York.
McDuie-Ra, Duncan. (2009). Civil Society, Democratization and the Search for Human Security: The Politics of the Environment, Gender, and Identity in Northeast India. UK, Nova Science Publishers.
Downie, David, Janet Welsh Brown, Pamela Chasek. (2018). Global Environmental Politics. Routledge, New York .

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT435: Indian Society and Culture

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate an understanding of some of the key issues in contemporary India.
CO2: Ability to analyze the ideas that have shaped us as a nation and as a democracy.
CO3: Ability to develop informed perspectives on some of the critical events that we have witnessed as a country.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: From The Argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity, Chapter 1, ‘The Argumentative Indian’ by Amartya Sen. From India after Gandhi: The History of the World’s Largest Democracy, Chapter 6: ‘Ideas of India’ by Ramachandra Guha.

Unit 2: From Remembering Partition: Violence, Nationalism and History in India, Chapter 2, ‘The Three Partitions of 1947’ by Gyanendra Pandey. From Key Concepts in Modern Indian Studies, ‘Feminism’ by Maitrayee Chaudhuri

Unit 3: From Indian Popular Films as Social History, Chapter-6: ‘Re-reading Romance’ by Jyotika Virdi. Ashis Nandy’s ‘Nationalism, Genuine and Spurious: Mourning Two Early Post-Nationalist Strains’ in Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 41, No. 32 (Aug. 12-18, 2006).

Unit 4: Uma Chakravarti’s ‘Conceptualising Brahmanical Patriarchy in Early India’ in Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 28, No. 14 (April 3, 1993). From Staying Alive, Chapter 1, ‘Development, Ecology and Women’ by Vandana Shiva.


[Note: Alternate texts may also be used by the course instructor. The selection provided is only indicative. The texts may not be available in a single volume and it will be the responsibility of the coordinator to provide the essays to the students.]

Textbooks:
Dharampal-Frick, Gita; Phalkey, Jahnavi; Kirloskar-Steinbach, Monika and Dwyer, Rachel (eds.) (2015). Key Concepts in Modern Indian Studies. New York: NYU Press

Suggested Readings:
Guha, Ranajith (ed) (1996). Subaltern Studies Vol 1. Oxford University Press, New Delhi.
Kosambi, D. D. (1997). Culture and Civilization of Ancient India in Historical Perspective. Vikas Publishing, New Delhi.
Beteille, Andre (1993). Backward Classes in Contemporary India. Oxford University Press, New Delhi.
Ambedkar, B. R. (1963) (2014). Annihilation of Caste. Navayana, New Delhi
Varma, Pavan K. (2007). Great Indian Middle Class. Penguin, New Delhi
Sainath, P. (2000). Everybody Loves a Good Drought. Penguin, New Delhi
Shah, Ghanashyam (2004). Social Movements in India. Sage, New Delhi
Sen, Amartya (2009). The Argumentative Indian. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.
Guha, Ramachandra (2007). India After Gandhi. Harper Collins, New York
Kakar, Sudhir (2007). Indian Identity: Intimate Relations, The Analyst and the Mystic, The Colours of Violence, Penguin, New Delhi.
Radhakrishna, Meena (ed) (2016). First Citizens: Studies on Adivasis, Tribals and Indigenous peoples in India, Oxford University Press, New Delhi

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT436: Culture and Heritage

L = 1, T=1, P=1, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate understanding of the evolution of heritage as a modern concept.
CO2: Ability to analyze heritage as discourse.
CO3: Ability to examine political and economic usages of heritage.
CO4: Ability to critique various institutions and institutionalized practices of heritage management.
CO5: Ability to evaluate sites of heritage and their representations.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Conceptualizing Heritage, Various connotations of Heritage in different historical contexts: Enlightenment, Colonialism, Nationalism, Late modernism.

Unit 2: Heritage as Discourse: Political usages of heritage, Heritage and Governance, Authorized Heritage Discourse, Heritage Dissonance, Universal Heritage value and Cultural Relativism.

Unit 3: Heritage and Globalization: Economic usages of Heritage, Commodification of Heritage, Heritage as Popular Culture, Digital Heritage, Heritage in cyberspace.


Unit 4: Practical / Hands-on experience: Participation in museum documentation; Museum visits and internships, Poster making on heritage themes.

Textbooks:
Harrison, Rodney. (2013). Heritage: Critical Approaches. Routledge, Oxon.
Smith, Laurajane. (2006). Uses of Heritage. Routledge, London & New York.

Suggested Readings:
Anheier, Helmut and Isar, Yudhisthir Raj (2011). Heritage, Memory & Identity. Sage, London.
Ashworth, G. J., Graham, B. J. and Tunbridge, J. E. (2007). Pluralising Pasts: Heritage, Identity and Place in Multicultural Societies. Pluto Press, London & Ann Arbor.
Sørensen, M. L. S., & Carman, J. (Eds.). (2009). Heritage studies: Methods and approaches. Routledge.
Corner, J., & Harvey, S. (Eds.). (1991). Enterprise and Heritage: Crosscurrents of National Culture. Psychology Press.
Lowenthal, D. (2015). The Past is a Foreign Country-Revisited. Cambridge University Press.
Stefano, M. L., & Davis, P. (Eds.). (2016). The Routledge Companion to Intangible Cultural Heritage. Taylor & Francis.
Graham, B., Ashworth, G., & Tunbridge, J. (2016). Geography of Heritage: Power, Culture and Economy. Routledge.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT437: Digital Culture

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate understanding of the evolution of digital culture along with the relevant political and economic contexts.
CO2: Ability to examine the forms and characteristics of digital culture.
CO3: Ability to relate digital culture with emergent practices of marketing, governance and resistance.
CO4: Ability to analyze the role of digital technology in identity formation.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Beginning of Digital Culture: Technological Enablement, Technical Processes, Cultural Forms, Immersive Experiences, Post-Industrialism and The Information Society.

Unit 2: Media-Industry Convergence and Contemporary Media Experience, Changing Culture Industry, Digital Inequality, Privacy and Surveillance in Digital Life.

Unit 3: Information Politics and Subversion, Digital Resistance, Digital Counter-Culture, Cyber warfare.

Unit 4: Digital Identity, Virtual Community, The Body and the Information Technology, Posthumanism.

Textbooks:
Miller, Vincent. (2011). Understanding Digital Culture. Sage, London.

Suggested Readings:
Gere, Charlie. (2008). Digital Culture. Reaktion Books, London.
Nayar, P. K. (2010). An Introduction to New Media and Cybercultures. John Wiley & Sons.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT520: Visual Culture

L = 3, T=1, P=0, CH=4, CR=4
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate critical understanding of the visual culture with associated theoretical perspectives.
CO2: Ability to link the visual with other literary and performative aspects of culture.
CO3: Ability to evaluate emergent visual texts in relation to globalization.
CO4: Ability to develop creative endeavours for cultural and artistic productions.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Initiation to various theoretical formulations related to visual cultural expressions such as modernism, post modernism, the concept of avant-garde etc.; discussion about the artistic trends and currents, both in the western as well as Indian contexts with examples of important art works and texts.

Unit 2: Gender and Visual Cultural Practice. Discussion about the politics of representation in relation to gender. Reading of visual texts/ art works by artists like Judi Chicago, Guerrilla Girls etc.

Unit 3: Race and Visual Cultural Practice. Discussion about race in contexts of cultural production. Deliberation about artistic interventions and resistance against racial differentiations and hegemonic dominance. Reading of visual works by Faith Ringgold, Ai Wei Wei and others.

Textbooks:
Jenks, Chris (ed). (2003). Visual Culture. Routledge, London and New York.
Sturken, Marita & Carwright, Lisa. (2018). Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture. Third Edition. Oxford University Press, New York & Oxford.
[Note: Art works of various artists to be provided by the instructor.]

Suggested Readings:
Lyotard, Jean-Francois. (1984). “Introduction”, The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge, Trans. Geoffrey Bennington and Brian Massumi. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Mulvey, Laura. (2012). ‘Visual pleasure and narrative Cinema’. In Meenakshi Gigi Durham and Douglas M Kellner (Eds.), Media and Cultural Studies: Keyworks. John Wiley & Sons.
Pollock, Griselda and Parker, Rozsika (1981). Old Mistresses: Women, Art and Ideology, London Routledge & Kegan, 1981.
Fenton, S. (1999). Ethnicity: Racism, Class and Culture. Macmillan, Basingstoke.
Troy, N. J., Batchen, G., Jones, A., & Lee, P. M. (2006). ‘Art since 1900: Modernism, antimodernism, postmodernism’. The Art Bulletin, 88(2), 373.
Goldberg, R., & Anderson, L. (1998). Performance: Live art since 1960. Harry N. Abrams Publishers.
Reilly, M., & Nochlin, L. (Eds.). (2007). Global feminisms: new directions in contemporary art. London: Merrell.
Rush, M. (2007). Video art. Thames & Hudson.
Phelan, Peggy, and Helena Reckitt. (2001). Art and Feminism. London: Phaidon, 2001.
Weibel, Peter, and Timothy Druckery. (2001). Net Condition: Art and Global Media. Minneapolis: MIT Press.
Osborne, Peter. (2011). Conceptual Art. London: Phaidon.
Kapur, Geeta. (2000). When Was Modernism: Essays on contemporary Cultural Practices of India. Delhi, Tulika, 2000.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT521: Audio-Visual Production

L = 2, T=1, P=1, CH=4, CR=4
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate ability to shoot, edit and produce audio-visual content.
CO2: Ability to examine grammar of screen and photography.
CO3: Ability to demonstrate skills of digital media production using mobile technology.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Definition: digital photography, digital camera, camera lens, additional equipment, filter, light, accessories, positioning, depth of field, exposure; grammar of photography.

Unit 2: What is a documentary; Basic Styles and forms of documentary; Technology and documentary; Ethical Issues in documentary making; Documentary Theory and Issues of Representation.

Unit 3: Originating ideas, developing story ideas; Pitching ideas for documentaries; Budget and proposal; Getting acquainted with Camera equipment, light, and location; Screen Grammar.

Unit 4: Interview, discussion and preparation; Field interviewing process; script first draft; preparation of bibliography of films, books, articles and resource persons consulted or intend to consult; preparation of final draft and final shooting of length video; Editing and post production.

Textbooks:
Rabiger, Michael. (2004). Directing the Documentary. Focal Press, Oxford.
Nicholls, Bill. (2001). Introduction to Documentary. Indiana University Press.

Suggested Readings:
Aufderheide, Patricia. (2007). Documentary Film: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
Curran Bernard, Sheila. (2007). Documentary Storytelling: Making Stronger and More Dramatic Nonfiction Films. Focal Press, Oxford.
Long, Ben. (2014). Complete Digital Photography. Cengage, Boston.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT522: Music and Culture

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate ability of understanding and analyzing music as a site of negotiation and resistance.
CO2: Ability to link music with identity assertion with special reference to India.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Complex dialectic of music and hegemonic structures; popular music as a site of negotiation; second half of the 20th century and social protest in music; pop, rap/hip-hop, Eminem, Farm Aid, Foxy Brown, Folk, Goldie, Gothicism, Woody Guthrie, Heavy Metal, Hip-hop, Independent/home publishing, Iron Maiden, Joy Division, Jungle, Led Zeppelin, Lil'Kim, Live Aid, Marilyn Manson, Bob Marley, MC Eiht, Minor Threat, Motown, Queen Latifah, Race, Rap, Rastafarianism, Reggae.

Unit 2: People’s music in India; Bhakti movement and music; Sufi music; People’s Music and Radicalism; IPTA and people’s music in India; social media and protest music in India.

Unit 3: Music and cultural assimilation; music and hybridity; chutney music of the Caribbean; British Bhangra music; Indo Jazz; Indian Classical fusion Music; construction of the nation through Bollywood music; theorizing the Hindi film song-and-dance sequence

Textbooks:
Peddle, Ian. (2006). The Resisting Muse: Popular Music and Social Protest. Routledge, New York.
Damodaran, Sumangala. (2017). The Radical Impulse: Music in the Tradition of the Indian People’s Theatre Association. Tulika Books, New Delhi.

Suggested Readings:
Chaitanya Deva, B (1992). An Introduction to Indian Music. Publications Division, Government of India, New Delhi.
Chakravarty, S. (1993). National Identity in Indian Popular Cinema. 1947- 1987. University of Texas Press.
Rodnitzky, Jerome L. (1976). Minstrels of the Dawn, The Folk-Protest Singer as a Cultural Hero. Nelson-Hall, Chicago.
Levine, L. W. (1978). Black culture and black consciousness: Afro-American folk thought from slavery to freedom (Vol. 530). Oxford University Press, USA.
Garofalo, Reebee. 1999. Rockin the Boat: Mass Music and Mass Movements. London, South End Press
Roy, W. G. (2013). Reds, whites, and blues: Social movements, folk music, and race in the United States (Vol. 45). Princeton University Press.
Chatterjee, Sudipto. (1998). 'Staging street, streeting stage. Suman Chatterjee and the new Bengali song' In Cohen-Cruz, J. (Ed.), Radical street performance: An international anthology (pp. 103–110). London: Routledge.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT523: Cinema and Culture

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate understanding the basics of film theory and criticism.
CO2: Ability to discover emergent trends in film making.
CO3: Ability to demonstrate ability to recognize film movements and genre from different filmmaking traditions.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Tracing history: silent era to the talkies, advent of television and democratization of the moving image.

Unit 2: World Films- Italian Neo Realism, French new wave, Asian movies, American Independent films, Scandinavian Dogme movement, Latin American movies.

Unit 3: Indian Films- Parallel Cinema in India, Leading directors of the genre; Regional cinema in India; Commercial Indian Cinema, Bollywood and beyond.

Textbooks:
Stam, Robert. (2000). Film Theory: An Introduction. Malden, Massachusetts & Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
Hill, Paul and Pamela Church Gibson (eds). (1998). Oxford Guide to Film Studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Suggested Readings:
Bazin, Andre. (1971). What is Cinema? Vols 1 & 2. Berkeley & London: University of California Press.
Bordwell, David and Kristin Thompson. (1993). Film Art: An Introduction. Fourth Edition. New York et al: McGraw Hill, Inc.
Buthcer, Melissa (2003). Transnational Television, Cultural Identity and Change: When STAR Came to India. New Delhi: Sage
Chakravarty, Sumita. (1996). National Identity in Indian Popular Cinema: 1947-1987. Bombay Calcutta Madras: Oxford University Press.
Dasgupta, Chidananda. (1994). The Cinema of Satyajit Ray. New Delhi: National Book Trust, India.
Hood, John W. (2000). The Essential Mystery: Major Filmmakers of Indian Art Cinema. New Delhi: Orient Longman Limited.
Rajadhyaksha, Ashish, and Willemen, Paul. (Eds) (1994). Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. London, UK and New Delhi, India: BFI and Oxford.
Vasudev, Aruna. (1986). The New Indian Cinema. Delhi: Macmillan India Ltd.
Vasudevan, Ravi. (ed). (2000). Making Meaning in Indian Cinema. Oxford University Press.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT524: Cultural Memory

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate a critical understanding of what shapes cultural memory.
CO2: Ability to explain the shift to a memory paradigm in a globalized society.
CO3: Ability to situate important projects of cultural memory by closely looking at the use of prosthetic memory.
CO4: Ability to develop the independent ability to analyze the use and appropriation of cultural memory for an analysis of real-life situations.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Tracing history: silent era to the talkies, advent of television and democratization of the moving image.

Unit 2: Popular Memory Group: ‘Popular memory: theory, politics, method’ from Robert Perks (ed.) Oral History Reader. Suroopa Mukherjee: ‘Monstrous Memories: “Reliving” the Night of the Disaster’ from Surviving Bhopal Dancing Bodies, Written Texts, and Oral Testimonials of Women in the Wake of an Industrial Disaster. A.K. Ramanujan. ‘Introduction’ to Folktales from India.

Unit 3: Collection and analysis of narratives from the field (with particular focus on NE India) and submission of written assignments on topics assigned by the instructor.

Textbooks:
Perks, Robert. (1998) (ed.) Oral History Reader. Routledge, London and New York.
Erll, Astrid and Ansgar Nünning. (2009). Mediation, Remediation, and the Dynamics of Cultural Memory. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York.

Suggested Readings:
Ramanujan, A.K. (1991). Folktales from India. Penguin Books, New Delhi.
Barthes, Roland. (1981). Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography. Trans. Richard Howard. Hill and Wang, New York.
Halbwachs, Maurice. (1992). On Collective Memory. Trans. Lewis A. Coser. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Landsberg, Alison. (2004). Prosthetic Memory: The Transformation of American Remembrance in the Age of Mass Culture. Columbia University Press, New York.
Young, James. E. (1993). The Texture of Memory: Holocaust Memorials and Meaning. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT.
Erll, A. & A. Nünning. (2008). (Eds.). Cultural Memory Studies. An International and Interdisciplinary Handbook. De Gruyter, Berlin.
Nora, P. (1989). 'Between Memory and History: Les Lieux de Mémoire',Representations, 7–25.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT525: Community Dance in Assam

L = 1, T=1, P=1, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to comprehend the layers multiplicity of meanings in the notion of community dance within different contexts.
CO2: Ability to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of community dance within conceptual frameworks.
CO3: Ability to identify specific community expectations of dance and appreciate how dances serve different functions in different communities.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Introduction to community dance, Role of dance within Community.

Unit 2: Introduction to Practice-led research in dance; Exploring dance across generations through practice-led research; Identifying prospective communities for dialogic engagement through dance [e.g., orphanages, flood-relief camps]..

Unit 3: Artistic, educational, political and societal issues within community dance.

Textbooks:
Amans, D., (2017) An introduction to community dance practice. Palgrave, McMillan Education.

Suggested Readings:
Snook, Barbara. A Circle of Life [Video] https://www.ziln.co.nz/video/73
Butler, M., Snook, B., Buck, R., (2016) ‘The transformative potential of community dance for people with cancer’, Qualitative Health Research, 26:14.
Martin, R., & Chen, R. (2020). ‘Dance for the People: Community, Visibility and Guangchang Wu’. In The People’s Dance (pp. 77-88). Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.
Norfield, J., & Nordin-Bates, S. (2012). ‘How community dance leads to positive outcomes: A self-determination theory perspective’. Journal of Applied Arts & Health, 2(3), 257-272.
Houston, S. (2005). ‘Participation in Community Dance: the Road to Empowerment and Transformation?’. New Theatre Quarterly, 21(2), 166-177 .
Wise, S., Buck, R., Martin, R., & Yu, L. (2020). ‘Community dance as a democratic dialogue’. Policy Futures in Education, 18(3), 375-390.
Amans, D., Age and dancing, older people and community dance practice, Palgrave.
Buck R & Snook B., (2020) ‘How might creative learning through dance support resilience?’ Journal of Human Behaviour in the Social Environment. 30(3), 289-305.
Bilitza, Mia Sophia., (2021) ‘Being the Facilitator: A Brief Research Report on the Motivation of the Choreographer and Dance Maker to Work With Heterogeneous Groups in a Community Dance Setting’ Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.601033

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT526: Dance Ethnography

L = 1, T=1, P=1, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate empirical knowledge of community dance forms of Assam and other regions of India.
CO2: Ability to demonstrate basic theoretical and methodological approaches to dance as means of ethnographic research.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Theoretical concepts of dance, community, and society; Methodologies for study of dance and dance communities in contexts.

Unit 2: Exploring community dance forms; Undertaking observer/participant research, interviews, taking field notes, recording performances in the field.

Unit 3: Various forms of ethnographic presentation; Ethics approval documents.

Textbooks:
Buckland, T. J. Editor (2006) Dancing from Past to Present. Nation, Culture, identities. Madison, Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin Press.
Madison, S. (2012) Critical performance Ethnography: Method, Ethics, and Performance. (2nd edition). Thousand oaks, California. Sage Publications, Inc.

Suggested Readings:
Dutt, B., & Munsi, U. S. (2010). Engendering performance: Indian women performers in search of an identity. SAGE Publications India
Munsi, U. S., & Burridge, S. (Eds.). (2012). Traversing tradition: Celebrating dance in India (Vol. 2). Routledge.
Castaneda, Q. E. (2005) ‘The invisible Theatre of Ethnography: Performative principles of Fieldwork’. Project Muse. Asian Theatre Journal. Vol.2, No.1 (Spring 20050 University of Hawaii Press (pp.75-104).
Denzin, N. K. Performance Ethnography: Critical Pedagogy and the Politics of Culture. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Sage Publications. 2003.
Denzin, N. (1997) Interpretive Ethnography. Ethnographic practices for the 21st Century. Thousand oaks, Cal. Sage publications.
Frosch, J.D. (1999) ‘Dance Ethnography. Tracing the weave of Dance in the Fabric of Culture’. In Researching Dance: Evolving modes of Inquiry. Sondra H. Fraleigh &Penelope Hanstein, Eds. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA.
Howes, D. (2003) Sensual Relations: Engaging the Senses in Culture and Social Theory. 2006 reprint Ann Arbor, USA. University of Michigan Press. 2003.
Ness, S.A. (2001) ‘Dancing in the Field: Notes from Memory’. In Moving History/Dancing Cultures. A Dance history Reader. Ann Dils & Ann cooper Albright (eds) 2001. Wesleyan University Press, USA (pp 67-86).

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT527: Understanding New Media

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate understanding of the history of old and new forms of media.
CO2: Ability to demonstrate understanding of the discourse on digital media production processes.
CO3: Ability to demonstrate ability to theorize and critique new media forms.
CO4: Ability to recognize issues surrounding media, technology, and society.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Virus, Flash, Cold War Networks, Open Source, Windows.

Unit 2: Digital Identification, Webcams, Hypertext, Network subjects, Digital Reproduction.

Unit 3: Memes, Trolls, Emojis, Apps.

Unit 4: Discourse Networks; There is no Software; Cultural Software, Deep Remixability, Social Media Capitalism.

Textbooks:
Kyong Chun, Wendy Hui & Keenan, Thomas. (2006). New Media, Old Media: A History and Theory Reader. Routledge, New York.
Gitelman, Lisa. (2006). Always Already New: Media, History and the Data of Culture. MIT Press, Massachusetts.

Suggested Readings:
Kittler, Friedrich A. (1990). Discourse Networks 1800/1900. Stanford University Press.
Manovich, L. (2007). ‘Deep remixability’. Artifact: Journal of Design Practice, 1(2), 76-84 .
Manovich, Lev. (2001). The Language of New Media. MIT Press, Massachusetts.
Fuchs, Christian & Marisol, Sandoval. (2014). Critique, Social Media, and the Information Society. Routledge, New York.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT528: Design Ethnography

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to investigate the everyday life and experiences of people engaged in this creative field designing for aesthetics, peace, and prosperity.
CO2: Ability to understand, analyze and apply the design that would lead to a successful designer.
CO3: Ability to analyze the bridge among users, providers, and designers to work on generation and implementation of design idea.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Definition of design ethnography, concept, and history. Design dynamics and design ethnography of tribes and communities.

Unit 2: Visual ethnography and design, design and digital technologies..

Unit 3: Design through the ages - Indigenous Architecture, Textile, Art and Craft, Graphic Design (Info graphic), Digital Design.

Unit 4: Empirical Analysis of Design - Student will undertake ethnographic practical on designs of Posters, Websites, Advertising, Blogs, Typography, Interior Design, Landscape Design etc. (Project Based unit).

Textbooks:
Muller, Francis. (2021). Design Ethnography: Epistemology and Methodology. Springer, Switzerland.
Nova, Nicolas. (2017). Beyond Design Ethnography. SHS Publishing, France.

Suggested Readings:
Paul A Rodgers, P.A. and M. Anusas (2008). Ethnography and Design. International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education. Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
Dijk, Geke van. (2011). Design Ethnography: Taking Inspiration from Everyday Life. https://www.stby.eu/2011/01/31/design-ethnography-taking-inspiration-from-everyday-life/
Sarah, P. (2014). Doing visual ethnography. SAGE Publications, London. http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9780857025029.d5.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT529: Oral History Project

L = 1, T=1, P=2, CH=4, CR=4
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to interview informants for oral historical projects.
CO2: Ability to demonstrate ability to plan and accomplish oral history projects.
CO3: Ability to develop best practices towards maintenance of ethical standards of cultural recording.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Understanding oral history and its significance; Critical awareness about politics of writing and recording cultures.

Unit 2: Planning oral history projects; Ethical and technical preparations; Choosing themes and topics; Identifying interviewees.

Unit 3: Planning and recording conversations; indexing and archiving recordings.

Textbooks:
Ritchie, Donald A. (2003) Doing Oral History: A Practical Guide. Oxford University Press.
Baylor University Institute for Oral History (2012). Introduction to Oral History. http://www.baylor.edu/oralhistory.

Suggested Readings:
Yow, V. R. (2014). Recording Oral History: A Guide for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Rowman & Littlefield.
Pollock, D. (Ed.) (2005). Remembering: Oral History Performance. Palgrave Macmillan, New York.
Clifford, J., & Marcus, G. E. (Eds.). (1992). Writing Culture: The Poetics and Politics of Ethnography. University of California Press.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT530: Cyber Ethnography

L = 1, T=1, P=2, CH=4, CR=4
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate understanding of the cyber space and the virtual communities as ethnographic sites.
CO2: Ability to apply the best practices and methods for collection of ethnographic data through participation and observations in cyber space.
CO3: Ability to relate the online world and its experiences with the offline realities.
CO4: Ability to develop critiques and nuanced perspectives on the proliferation of online activities in human societies.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Introductions: Essentials of ethnography; Doing ethnography in cyber space: characteristics, scopes, and challenges.

Unit 2: The cyber space as ethnographic field: virtual communities, online activities and events; Sites of interests: social media group interactions, blogs, games, chatrooms, e-commerce portals and other sites of online interactions.

Unit 3: Planning and devising methods for online fieldwork: Identifying issues and research problems, observation, participation and data collection; Ethical issues and best practices.

Textbooks:
Hine, Christine. (2015). Ethnography for the Internet: Embedded, Embodies and Every day. Bloomsbury Academic, London and New York.
Kozinets, Robert V. (2010). Netnography: Doing Ethnographic Research Online. Sage Publications, London.

Suggested Readings:
Pink, S., Horst, H., Postill, J., Hjorth, L., Lewis, T., & Tacchi, J. (2016). Digital Ethnography: Principles and Practice. New Delhi: SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd.
Hjorth, L., Horst, H., Galloway, A., & Bell, G. (Eds.). (2017). The Routledge Companion to Digital Ethnography. Taylor & Francis.
Dicks, B., Mason, B., Coffey, A., & Atkinson, P. (2005). Qualitative Research and Hypermedia: Ethnography for the Digital Age. Sage.
Fielding, Nigel; G., Lee and Blank, Grant. (2008). The SAGE Handbook of Online Research Methods. Sage reference.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT531: Dissertation

L = 0, T=3, P=3, CH=6, CR=6
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to choose appropriate socio-cultural issues for academic investigation.
CO2: Ability to build critical perspectives, theoretical and methodological tools and the research questions appropriate for chosen field of investigation.
CO3: Ability to develop primary and secondary data.
CO4: Ability to theorize and analyze data towards explanatory conclusions.
CO5: Ability to compile reports.

Course Contents:
This course involves writing of dissertation or production of audio-visual content by the student.

The student requires to complete the dissertation/multimedia production under the supervision of the assigned faculty member of the Department.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT532: Cultural Industries

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to discover the entrepreneurial problems and prospects in the traditional arts and crafts of North East India.
CO2: Ability to develop the independent ability to analyze and use of new-age marketing strategies.
CO3: Ability to demonstrate best practices towards sustainable use of traditional knowledge and resources.
CO4: Ability to link community empowerment through promotion of traditional arts and crafts.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Introducing traditional crafts and art forms of North East India: masks, painted wood vessels, bamboo and cane crafts, weaving, woodcarvings, jewellery, handloom weaving, pith, brass and bell metal works, ivory, woodwork, pottery, and fiber craft.

Unit 2: Musical heritage of North East India: religious and secular trends; revisiting and reviving musical traditions; music for protest, music for assimilation, music for change.

Unit 3: Problems and prospects of marketing of cultural industries in North East India: crises of authenticity and the politics of identity, use of new-age marketing strategies.

Textbooks:
Hesmondhalgh, David (2013), The Cultural Industries. Sage: London.
Crane, D. (1992). The production of culture. Sage Publications.

Suggested Readings:
Becker, H. S. (1974). ‘Art as collective action’. American Sociological Review 39(6): 767-776.
Peterson, R. A., & Anand, N. (2004). ‘The production of culture perspective’. Annual Review of Sociology 30:311- 334.
Hirsch, P. M. (1972). ‘Processing Fads and Fashions: An Organization-set Analysis of Cultural Industry Systems’. American Journal of Sociology 77(4): 639-659.
Alexander, Victoria. (2003). Sociology of the Arts: Exploring Fine and Popular forms. Blackwell.
Bourdieu, P. (2005). Principles of an Economic Anthropology. The Handbook of Economic Sociology, 2, 75-89.
Du Gay, P. (ed.). (1997). Production of culture/cultures of production (Vol. 4). Sage.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT533: Performance and Culture

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate basic understanding of the wider notion of performance and their various forms.
CO2: Ability to discover the various performing art-forms of India and the North-East.
CO3: Ability to examine the problems associated with the classification and categorization of performances.
CO4: Ability to link performance to globalization and intercultural encounters.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Performance and its relationship with culture; performance as a continuum from ritualization through daily life to play, sports, rites, ceremonies and arts.

Unit 2: Performance and performing arts; introduction to performing arts in India and the North Eastern region of India: rites, ceremonies, ritualization.

Unit 3: Genres of performative arts (survey of the major performing art forms of India); the role of arts for social development; Folk artists and art forms.
Unit 4: Intercultural performances, multicultural performances, cultural collage, syncretic theatre, post-colonial theatre, scenarios of globalization, cultural impositions and appropriations related to performance.

Textbooks:
Scechner, Richard. (1988). Performance Theory. Routledge, London.
Neog, Maheswar. (1981). Tradition and Style. Assam Sahitya Sabha, Jorhat.

Suggested Readings:
Bharucha, Rustom. (2003). Theatre and the World: Performance and the Politics of Culture. Routledge.
Vatsayan, Kapila. (1996). Traditional Indian Theatre: Multiple Streams. NBT, New Delhi.
Birdwhistell, Ray. L. (1952) Introduction to Kinesics. University of Louisville Press. Louisville.
Boal, Augusto. (1995). Theatre of the Oppressed. Theatre Communication Group.
Deva, B. C. (1995). Indian Music. ICCR and New Age Publicatio, New Delhi.
Datta, B. & Mahanta, P. J. (1986). Traditional performing arts of N.E. India. Assam Academy for Cultural Relations, Guwahati.
Eugenio Barba & Nicola Savarase. (1991). The Secret Art of the Performer. Routledge, London and New York.
Gargi, Balwant. (1991). Folk Theatre of India. Rupa and Co. Calcutta.
Goffman, Erving. (1978). The Presentation of Self Everyday Life. Harmondsworth, London.
Handoo, J. (2000). Ethnomusicology: Theoretical Essays in Indian Folklore . Zooni Publication, Mysore.
Lomax, Allan. (1968). Folksong, Style and Culture. American Association for Advancement of Science Publication no.88, Washington D.C.
Leach, Robert. (2009). Makers of Modern Theatre: An Introduction. Routledge.
Neog, Maheswar. (1983). Bhaona –The Ritual play of Assam. Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.
Turner, Victor. (1987). ‘The Anthropology of Performance’. Performing Arts Journal, New York.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT534: Culture and Science: Select Readings

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate understanding of the major issues pertaining to debates on science vis-à-vis other cultural practices.
CO2: Ability to demonstrate understanding the political and economic determinants of science.
CO3: Ability to demonstrate familiarity with emergent issues in the cultural studies of science.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: The social / cultural / political in Science: J. D. Bernal: “Science and Human Welfare” Thomas S. Kuhn: “Historical Structure of Scientific Discovery” Paul K. Feyerabend: “Science without Experience” Sandra Harding: “After Euro-Centrism: Challenges for the Philosophy of Science”.

Unit 2: Epistemic autonomy of Science: Alan Sokal: “Truth, Reason, Objectivity and the Left” Norman Levitt & Paul R. Gross: “Academic Anti-Science”.

Unit 3: Cultural Studies of Science: Joseph Rouse: “What are Cultural Studies of Scientific Knowledge?” Donna Haraway: “Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective” Deepak Kumar: “Disunity in the Science and Technology for Development Discourse 1900-1947” Ashis Nandy: “Science in utopia: equity, plurality and openness” Meera Nanda: “Science Question in Post-Colonial Feminism” Pramod K. Nayar: “The Rhetoric of Biocolonialism: Genomic Projects, Culture and the New Racisms”.

Textbooks:
The articles mentioned in the contents are the core texts of this course.

Suggested Readings:
Kuhn, Thomas (1996). Structure of Scientific Revolutions. University of Chicago Press.
Sokal, Alan & Bricmont, Jean. (1999): Fashionable Nonsense: Postmodern Intellectuals’ Abuse of Science. Picador.
Rouse, Joseph. (1996). Engaging Science: How to Understand Its Practices Philosophically. Cornell University Press, New York.
Latour, Bruno & Woolgar, Steve. (1986). Laboratory Life: The Construction of Scientific Facts. Princeton University Press, New Jersey.
Nandy, Ashis. (1995). Alternative Sciences: Creativity and Authenticity in Two Indian Scientists. OUP, USA.
Kumar, Deepak. (1995). Science and the Raj 1857 – 1905. OUP, USA.
Nanda, Meera. (2003). Prophets Facing Backward Postmodern Critiques of Science and Hindu Nationalism in India. Rutgers University Press.
Sardar, Ziauddin. (1996). Thomas Kuhn and the Science Wars. Totem Books.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT535: Cultural Policy

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate critical understanding of what shapes cultural policy.
CO2: Ability to analyze important initiatives to disseminate and spread cultural values to develop a contextualized understanding of these initiatives.
CO3: Ability to explain the impediments to cultural rights in a globalized society.
CO4: Ability to link the different movements to assert cultural rights of indigenous communities in India and the world.
CO5: Ability to develop the independent ability to analyze questions of cultural policy.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: International frameworks for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and protecting traditional cultural property; United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; UNESCO Universal Declaration on cultural diversity (2001); cultural diversity and globalization.

Unit 2: Culture and human rights in a globalized world; four schools of thought about human rights; relativism versus universalism; human rights as a Western ideal.

Unit 3: Cultural authenticity and media; innovation and adaptation of culture: ethical issues. protecting archaeological sites in failed states; globalization/protectionism of cultural industries.

Textbooks:
UNESCO. (2003). International Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
O’Keefe, Roger. 2006. The Protection of Cultural Property in Armed Conflict. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Suggested Readings:
UNESCO. (2001). Universal Declaration on cultural diversity.
Shiva, Vandana. (2006). “TRIPS Agreement: From the Commons to Corporate Patents on Life” in Jerry Mander and Victoria Tauli-Corpuz (eds.) Paradigm Wars: Indigenous People’s Resistance to Globalisation. San Francisco: International Forum on Globalization.
Hodgson, D.L. (2011) “These are not our priorities”: Maasai Women, Human Rights and the Problem of Culture in Gender and Culture at the Limit of Rights. (Ed.) Dorothy L. Hodgson. University of Pennsylvania Press.
Dembour, M-B. (2010) ‘What are Human Rights? Four schools of thought’. Human Rights Quarterly 32.
Donnelly, Jack. (1984). ‘Cultural Relativism and Universal Human Rights’. Human Rights Quarterly 6: 400-419.
Zechenter, Elizabeth. (1997). ‘In the Name of Culture: Cultural Relativism and the Abuse of the Individual’. Journal of Anthropological Research 53(3):319-347.
Hladik, Jan. (2001). ‘Protection of Cultural Heritage during Hostilities’. Museum International, 53(3): 65–66.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT536: Reading India through the Cinematic Lens

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to relate cinema and everyday life.
CO2: Ability to illustrate Indian cinema as an important site reflecting the post-independent society.
CO3: Ability to demonstrate ability to think critically and reflexively on cinema and topical issues concerning contemporary society.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: The Nation and its Embodiments: Pre-Colonial Nation/Cultural Nationalism/ Films on Partition/Religion and Films/Protest Films.

Unit 2: India in Popular films: Parody in India/ Superhero Films/From Books to Celluloid/ Media in Films.

Unit 3: Feminist Reading of India Through Films: Sexuality and Public Space/ Ideal woman and social history/ Reading Contemporary India.

Textbooks:
Jain, Jasbir and Sudha Rai. (2002). Films and Feminism: Essays in Indian Cinema. Delhi: Rawat.
Kishore, Vallicha. (1988). The Moving Image. Orient Longman.

Suggested Readings:
Chatterjee, Gayatri. (1992). Awara. Wiley Eastern Ltd.
Chatterjee, Shoma. (2002). Paroma and Other Outsiders: The Cinema of Aparna Sen. Parumita Publications, 2002.
Chopra, Anupama. (2000). Sholay: The Making of a Classic. Penguin Books.
Dasgupta, Chidananda. (1980). The Cinema of Satyajit Ray. India: Vikas etc.
Padgaonkar, Dileep. (2008). Under Her Spell: Roberto Rossellini in India. Penguin Books India.
Raman, Madhavi Gayathri. (2016). “Reading Through Films”. Advances in Language and Literary Studies (ISSN:2203-4714), 7(1).
Virdi, Jyotika. (2003). The Cinematic Imagination: Indian Popular Films as Social History. New Brunswick, New Jersey, London: Rutgers University Press.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT537: Culture for Social Change

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate critical understanding of the idea(s) of development.
CO2: Ability to link development to culture.
CO3: Ability to develop culture-specific models of development.
CO4: Ability to build strategies for implementation of developmental policies through use of cultural resources and community participation.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: What is cultural resource? Cultural Resource of India: Identifying Northeast India as a diverse Cultural hub; Cultural Mapping- Mapping of Communities of North East; Cultural Forms of North East; Constitutional Provisions for NE India.

Unit 2: Major Cultural Resource Institutions of India, Their role and responsibilities, IGRMS, IGNCA, Rights of Indigenous Communities, UN Charter; Issues of Human Rights.

Unit 3: Communication for Development- Models, Folklore as Communicative tool, Case Study: ‘Using Folklore for Community Messaging: Adolescents as Agents for Social Change and Empowerment’; Indicators of Social Change- Health, Child Protection, Education, Substance Abuse; National and International health priorities and policies- WHO, NRHM. Millennium Development Goals. Sustainable Development Goals.
Unit 4: Alternative approaches to Development: Social, cultural, and political perspectives in development. Human development approach: Rights based approach and participatory approach to development, Intergenerational Dialogue. Social conflicts, repercussion of conflicts on children and women. Problems of human trafficking, sex workers, domestic workers, rural-urban migration.

Textbooks:
Srinivas Melkote, & Steeves. (2001). Communication for Development in the Third World. Sage, New Delhi.
Servaes, J., Jacobson, T. & White, S.A. (Eds.), (2006) Participatory communication for social change. Sage, Thousand Oaks.

Suggested Readings:
UN Development Guidelines on Indigenous people. (2008) retrieved on 27 April 2017 http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/indigenous/docs/guidelines.pdf
Un Resolution on Indigenous People retrieved on 27 April 2017 http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf
FAO. (2011). Communicating gender for rural development: Integrating gender in Communication for Development.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT538: Cultural Spectacles and Infotainment

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to relate spectacles with emergent media practices and network societies.
CO2: Ability to examine spectacles, prevalent media culture and recognize their effect on our lives.
CO3: Ability to analyze the historical context of infotainment and spectacles.
CO4: Ability to illustrate the politics and economics of current manifests of spectacles such as wars, elections and scandals.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Society and Spectacles, Media Culture, Techno-capitalism and Infotainment society, Signs and their Meanings.

Unit 2: Commodity Spectacles, Domination and Resistance, The Personal and the Political.

Unit 3: Spectacularizing of Sports: Gender, Race and Sexuality, Spectacles as soft power, Mega-spectacles.

Unit 4: Spectacular phenomena: Elections, Wars, Crimes & Scandals, Natural Disasters, Riots and Protests.

Textbooks:
Kellner, Douglas. (2003). Media Spectacle. Routledge, London.

Suggested Readings:
Debord, Guy. (2012). Society of the Spectacle.* Rebel Press, London.*

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT539: Reading Culture: Perspectives from Assam

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate a critical understanding of a few major texts on culture from Assam.
CO2: Ability to explain the need to allow more inclusive models of cultural analyses to emerge with serious engagement with scholars from the state.
CO3: Ability to link the broad developments in the intellectual history of Assam in the context of culture.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Jyoti Prasad Agarwala: ‘Silpir Prithvi’ from Jyotiprasad Rachanawali. (1981) Ed. Chandraprasad Saikia. Publication Board of Assam, Guwahati. Bishnu Rabha: ‘Asomiya Kristi’ from Bishnuprasad Rabha. (2008). Eds. Jogesh Das and Sarbeswar Bora. Rava Rachanawali Prakashan Sangha, Tezpur.

Unit 2: Hemanga Biswas’s ‘Asomor Jatiya Utsab Bihu’ from Hemanga Biswas Rachanawali (2008). (ed.) Paramananda Mazumdar. Publication Board of Assam, Guwahati. Hiren Gohain’s ‘Manuh Sankardev’ from Hiren Gohain Rachanawali (2009). (Eds). Shoneet Bijoy Das and Munin Bayan. Katha Publications, Guwahati.

Unit 3: Birinchi Kumar Barua’s ‘Asomor Loka Sanskriti’ from Birinchi Kumar Barua Rachanawali (2015). (Ed.) Nagen Saikia. Bina Library, Guwahati. Lila Gogoi’s ‘Asomor Manuh: Asomiya Kon’ from Chintar Svakshar (1992) (ed.) Lila Gogoi. K.M. Publishing, Guwahati. Prosenjit Chowdhury’s Áitijya aru Asomiya Naari’ (2007) from Samaj Sanskriti Itihash. (Ed.) Prosenjit Chowdhury. Publication Board, Guwahati.


Textbooks:
Readings mentioned in the various units of the syllabus are the core texts of this course.

Suggested Readings:
Goswami, Praphulladatta. (1965). Folk-Literature of Assam. Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies. Gauhati.
Mazumdar, Paramananda. (2008). (ed.) Hemanga Biswas Rachanawali. Publication Board of Assam, Guwahati.
Neog, Maheswar. (2004). Cultural History of Assam. Omsons Publications, New Delhi.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT540: Intercultural Communication

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate a basic understanding of key concepts in intercultural communication.
CO2: Ability to examine own cultural identities, background, and cultural and intercultural experiences.
CO3: Ability to delete barriers to cultural understanding in real life situations to facilitate conflict resolution.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Intercultural communication: Introduction to key-concepts; Barriers to cultural understanding: examples of real-life situations; Culture shock and adjustment; Variations in personal, social, and cultural identity, developing greater awareness and sensitivity to one’s own and other’s cultural identities.

Unit 2: Ethnocentrism and cultural relativism; Worldview frameworks and different cultural backgrounds; cultural differences in non-verbal communication; using films, literature, and art for intercultural communication.

Unit 3: Building up a sense of belonging and community; Empathy (adaptation to difference); Cultures resolving conflict through intercultural communication; intercultural communication in the digital age; conflict and resolution in social media.


Textbooks:
Samovar, L. A., & Porter, R. E. (Eds.). (1997). Intercultural communication: A reader (eighth ed.). Belmont, Ca: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

Suggested Readings:
Bennett, J. M., & Bennett, M. J. (2004). ‘Developing intercultural sensitivity: An integrative approach to global and domestic diversity’. In D. Landis, J.M. Bennett, & M.J. Bennett (Eds.), Handbook of Intercultural Training. 3rd ed., 147–165. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond Culture.* New York: Random House.*
Hofstede, G. (1991). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind.* London: McGraw-Hill.*
Jandt, F. E. (2001). Intercultural communication: An introduction* (third ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.*
Samovar, L. A., & Porter, R. E. (1991). Communication Between Cultures. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT541: Folk and Tribal Arts

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate understanding of the basic concepts of Folk and Tribal art and culture as a significant category of tangible cultural heritage and cultural memory.
CO2: Ability to apply of the concept to understand the larger dynamics of contemporary Culture and its intricate relation to society through temporal changes in the post global time.
CO3: Ability to demonstrate critical thinking and skills required to read a range of texts related to Folk and Tribal Studies with special emphasis on artistic productions.
CO4: Ability to build ideas for initiatives in preservations and conservation of cultural heritage of folk art and tribal art.
CO5: Ability to plan artistic engagement in the terrain of the folk and tribal art as occupational possibility and employment.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Introduction: Discussion about the definitional aspect with perspectives from both West and India. Give an art historical overview of the genres of the Folk and Tribal Art. Reading of multiple folk and tribal art forms from Western and Indian Art such as the Boas, Native Indians, Australian, African, Central Indian, Western Indian and North East India.

Unit 2: Evolution, Change and Transition: This unit will critically look into the transformations, transitions and evolutions that these genres have undergone in the post-colonial/ post globalization period. It will make the students critically aware about the dynamics of creative expression in relation to changes in time, space, world politik, technology and other associated contexts.

Unit 3: Experimentations and Interventions: This unit will critically discuss the experimentations and subversions apparent within the contemporary cultural practices with specific reference to folk and tribal art practices. It will examine the interventions and transgressions in the domain in terms of socio- political reflexivity of the contemporary practitioners.

Textbooks:
Foster, H. (1985). The "Primitive" Unconscious of Modern Art. October 34, 45-70 .
Jain, J. (Ed.). (1998). Other masters: five contemporary folk and tribal artists of India. Crafts Museum and the Handicrafts and Handlooms Exports Corporation of India.

Suggested Readings:
Miller, Judith. (2006). Tribal Art.* DK Pub., Delhi.*
Smith, Mariam. W. (1961). The Artist in Tribal Society: Proceedings of a Symposium Held at Royal Anthropological Institute. The Free Press of Glencoe, New York.
Boas, Franz. (1957). Primitive Art.* Free Press, USA.*
Willet, Frank. (1964). African Art.* USA.*
Aryan, Subhashini. (2005). Unknown Masterpieces of Indian Folk and Tribal Art.* Home of Folk Art, Delhi.*
Elwin, Verrier. (1959). Arts and Crafts of North East Frontier of India.* Research Department, NEFA, Shillong.*
Gupta, Charu Smita. (2008). Indian Folk and Tribal Paintings.* Roli Books Pvt. Ltd. Delhi.*

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT542: Cross Cultural Studies: North East India and South East Asia

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to analyze the strategic location of North East India in terms of its proximity to South East Asia.
CO2: Ability to demonstrate comprehensive understanding of shared cultural values and commonalities of North East India and South East Asia.
CO3: Ability to explain the potential of Act East Policy through North East India.
CO4: Ability to eink the question of politics of identity through migration in the context of race distribution.
CO5: Ability to develop the independent capability to analyze the future potential of economic linkages in diverse economic and cultural areas of South East Asia.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Introduction to South East Asia, Migration of people in South East Asia and North East India, Ideas of border, borderland, Border and livelihood, Displacement of people.

Unit 2: Shared Mythologies: Religion and Traditional Art Form of South East Asia and North East India – Ramayana, Mask, Puppetry.

Unit 3: Economic and Cultural Contacts, Indo-Myanmar Border Trade, Act East Policy, BIMSTEC, MGC.

Textbooks:
Church, Peter. (2009). A Short History of South-East Asia. John Wiley & Sons, US.
Hall, D G E (1970). A History of South -East Asia. Macmillan, New York.

Suggested Readings:
Iyengar, K. R. S. (2005). ‘Asian Variations in Ramayana’. In Proceedings of International Seminar on 'Variations in Ramayana in Asia : Their Cultural, Social and Anthropological Significance". New Delhi, January, 1981. Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi
Kossak, Steven M (2001). The Art of South and South East Asia. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Linter, Bertil (1990). Outrage: Burma’s Struggle for Democracy.* White Lotus, Bangkok.*
Cadet, J M (1975). The Ramakien: Thai Epic.* Kodansha Amer Inc. Japan.*
Keeler, Ward (1987). Javanese Shadow Plays, Javanese Selves.* Princeton University Press. Princeton, New Jersey.*

*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit

CT543: Bhakti Aesthetics

L = 2, T=1, P=0, CH=3, CR=3
Course Outcomes:
CO1: Ability to demonstrate understanding of the basic concept of Bhakti and its historical significance in the Cultural history of India.
CO2: Ability to identify the key thinkers and texts related to the Bhakti Movement.
CO3: Ability to appraise the literary and cultural manifestations of the Bhakti movements in various regions.

Course Contents:
Unit 1: Introduction to the concept with historical backdrop and socio-political and economic/cultural contexts. Discussion about the origin of Vaishnavism and other religious sects (Shaivism, Shaktism etc. in comparatist mode) with its multiple manifestations in pre-modern and modern / contemporary times.

Unit 2: Reading the key figures of Bhakti: Kabir, Mirabai, Tukaram, Srimanta Sankardeva and the Vira-shaiva poetess’ (Andal/ Akka Mahadevi and others) to understand the diverse and complex formulations.

Unit 3: Bhakti as a cultural force of reinventions and interventions. Discussion about its relevance and newer appropriations in contemporary times.

Textbooks:
Pollock, Sheldon. (2007). The Language of the Gods in the World of Men.Permanent Black, New Delhi.
Hawley, John Stratton. (2005). Three Bhakti Voices: Mirabai, Surdas, and Kabir in Their Time and Ours. OUP, New Delhi.

Suggested Readings:
Wakankar, Milind. (2010) Kabir in the Indo-Islamic Millennium: Subalternity and Religion. Routledge, London.
Neog, Maheswar.(1980). Early History the Vaisnava Faith and Movements in Assam: Sankardeva and his Times. Motilal Banarsidass Pub, Benaras.
Noeg, Maheswar. (1982). The Bhakti Ratnakar of Sankardeva. Publication Bureau, Punjabi University.
Vinay, Dharwadkar. (2003). Kabir: The Weaver’s Songs. Penguin, New Delhi.
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*L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, CH = Contact Hour, CR = Credit