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Caste, Communication and Power

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Overview

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This collection examines the interplay between caste, communication, and power in India, highlighting caste's role in media, folklore, resistance, and evolving identity. This course offers a deep exploration of caste, communication, and power in India, examining how these forces shape society and culture. It provides critical insights into the historical and contemporary roles of caste in media, resistance, and identity. Designed for learners interested in social dynamics, it bridges theory and real-world applications. This course is ideal for students, researchers, and scholars in sociology, communication, and cultural studies. A basic understanding of Indian society and communication theories is recommended to fully engage with the material. This course delves into the intricate relationship between caste, communication, and power in India. Through a multidisciplinary approach, it provides insights into caste hierarchies, rituals, popular culture, resistance, and the evolving forms of caste identity. Drawing on historical and contemporary contexts, the course explores caste in various social domains, from media representation to folklore. This course is based on Caste, Communication and Power, by Biswajit Das and Debendra Prasad Majhi. Copyright ©2021 by Sage Publications Limited. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial technologies or similar technologies. Published by Sage Publications Limited, London. Used by arrangement with Sage Publications Limited.

Syllabus

  • Caste and the Dalit Question: Mainstream Sociology, Marxism and Dalit Studies
    • This module explores the structural and ideological dimensions of caste, focusing on its normalization, the critiques from Ambedkar, and the intersections with sociology, Marxism, and Dalit studies. Learners will examine how caste functions as a social hierarchy and evaluate alternative theoretical frameworks for understanding Dalit oppression. The module encourages critical reflection on systemic inequality and the role of knowledge in social change.
  • Caste, Community and Communication in India Revisiting D. N. Majumdar's Contribution and Beyond
    • This module explores the relationship between caste, communication, and social structures in India, focusing on D. N. Majumdar's contributions and the broader implications for understanding communication as a social practice. It emphasizes the role of symbolic power and epistemology in shaping societal interactions and highlights the need for interdisciplinary approaches in social science research.
  • Facets of the Caste System in Early India: Changing Forms of Expression, Communication and Its Spread
    • This module explores the historical development and social implications of the caste system in early India, covering its evolution, textual foundations, and the role of oral and visual traditions in its spread. Learners will gain insights into how caste shaped societal structures and cultural practices across different regions and time periods.
  • The Etymological Origin of Caste, Communication and Khatik in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries Colonial UP
    • This module explores the historical development of caste terminology through Sanskrit lexicography, examining how colonial influences shaped the meanings and usage of terms like 'Khatik' and 'Kautik'. It also investigates the role of dictionaries in constructing and reinforcing social hierarchies during the 19th and early 20th centuries in colonial India.
  • Negotiating Hierarchies Through Symbolic Praxis
    • This module explores how marginalized communities use symbolic marking systems to assert identity and resist oppression. It examines non-traditional writing as a form of cultural critique, focusing on the role of the Dhobis in Delhi. Learners will analyze the intersection of caste, identity, and communication in urban settings.
  • Popular Culture and Social Movements: A Caste Based Narrative
    • This module explores the intersection of folk culture and social movements in India, focusing on how traditional songs and practices reflect and influence societal change. It examines the symbolic expressions used in folk culture to address social issues and promote inter-community understanding. Learners will gain insights into the historical and cultural significance of these forms of resistance and cooperation.
  • Communicating the Contestation of Caste: In Between Folklore and Modern Literature in Mithila
    • This module explores how Maithili folklore and literature challenge caste systems through subversive narratives, analyzing the interplay between traditional and modern expressions. Learners will examine the role of humor and critical reasoning in dismantling social hierarchies. It also investigates the blurred boundaries between folklore and literary works in the Maithili cultural context.
  • Pedagogies, Social Transformations and New Oralities of Arjak Sangh
    • This module explores the anti-caste ideologies and cultural transformations driven by Arjak Sangh, focusing on the role of naari-geets in promoting social equity and challenging traditional folklore. It analyzes how these songs reflect new oralities and contribute to social change. Learners will gain insight into the sociological and literary significance of folk traditions in radical social movements.
  • Popular Subversions: Aesthetics of Resistance in Kaala
    • This module explores the representation of Dalit identity in media, focusing on how storytelling can challenge dominant cultural narratives and promote social change. It examines the role of cinema in shaping and resisting caste-based power structures, and analyzes the evolution of Dalit heroes in popular film.
  • Caste, Class and the Market: Representation of Caste in Hindi Television Serials
    • This module explores the intersection of caste, class, and media representation in India, focusing on how caste dynamics influence identity politics and social inequality. It also examines the role of symbolic and cultural capital in shaping social mobility and representation in Hindi television. Learners will gain insights into the complexities of caste in contemporary Indian society through critical analysis of media and social structures.
  • Dalit Empowerment, Narratives and Violence: Locating Ambedkar Through Select Films
    • This module explores the representation of Dalit identity through Ambedkar's ideas in selected Tamil films. It covers how caste dynamics, education, and iconography shape social empowerment and collective identity. Learners will analyze cinematic portrayals and their implications for Dalit narratives.
  • Lives of Voice: Radio Commentary and the Grammar of Sporting Merit in Postcolonial Calcutta
    • This module explores how caste and voice influence the perception of sporting merit through media practices, particularly in vernacular broadcasting. It examines the political-linguistic frameworks that shape public discourse and representation in Calcutta's radio commentary. Learners will gain insight into the intersection of language, power, and identity in sports media.
  • Imagined Caste in Digital Banners of Tamil Nadu
    • This module explores how digital banners in Tamil Nadu reflect and shape caste identities through visual culture, symbolism, and narrative. Learners will gain insight into the intersection of media, culture, and social hierarchy, and analyze how communities use digital platforms to express and maintain caste-based identities.
  • Caste Identity, Communication and New Social Movement
    • This module explores the intersection of caste identity, communication, and social movements, focusing on how caste-based reservation policies affect social equity, communication barriers in employment, and the persistence of socio-economic subjugation through occupational roles. Learners will analyze historical and contemporary challenges faced by marginalized communities and evaluate the role of communication in caste dynamics.
  • The Power Dynamics Behind Labelling in the Food Culture of India
    • This module explores how food labeling in India reflects broader social structures, including caste and cultural influences, and examines how food practices have been secularized in the context of capitalism. Learners will analyze the power dynamics behind food categorization and understand the implications of these practices on identity and equity.
  • New Media, Caste and Ageing Population: A Study of Appropriation in Select Areas of West Bengal
    • This module explores the intersection of new media, caste, and an ageing population in West Bengal, focusing on digital inequality, social connectivity, and the impact of media on elderly individuals. It examines how media shapes experiences and inclusion, particularly for older adults in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
  • Pariyan: Print Media, Mobilization and Resistance in Colonial Madras
    • This module explores the role of the Dalit journal Pariyan in challenging colonial norms and advocating for social reform in Madras. It analyzes how the journal shaped discourses around education, civil service examinations, and caste-based resistance. Learners will gain insights into historical Dalit activism and media strategies in colonial India.
  • Caste Identity and Self-fashioning in Mulkraj Anand's Untouchable
    • This module explores the construction of identity through social and personal influences, focusing on how characters in Mulkraj Anand's 'Untouchable' navigate ethical and societal expectations. Learners will analyze the relationship between self-fashioning and identity formation in literature, and examine the role of the individual in shaping their social realities.
  • Communicating Caste? Investigating Chandrakanta
    • This module explores how print media influenced the development of literary forms in India, with a focus on 'Chandrakanta' and its role in shaping communication and social reform. Learners will gain insights into the historical impact of print media on literature and its broader societal implications.
  • Marathas, Brahmin and Non-Brahmin Contestations: Press and Public Sphere in Early 20th Century
    • This module explores the evolution of caste identities and the impact of print media on public discourse in 19th and early 20th century India. It examines how newspapers shaped political and social debates, particularly among Marathas and non-Brahmins, and how these narratives influenced power dynamics in the public sphere.

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