Christ University

Christ University, formerly Christ College (Autonomous) affiliated to Bengaluru University was established in July 1969. It became the most preferred educational institution in the city of Bengaluru within the first three decades. It has the rare distinction of being the first institution in Karnataka to be accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) UGC for quality education. In 2004, UGC conferred Autonomy on the Institution. In 2005, it became the first College in South India to be reaccredited with A+ by NAAC. UGC identified it as an Institution with Potential for Excellence in 2006.On July 22, 2008, a glorious day in the history of the institution, the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Union Government of India, under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, vide Notification No. F. 9-34/2007-U.3(A), declared it a Deemed to be University, in the name and style of Christ University.

Department of English

The Department of English at Christ University integrates the study of literature with critical  multi-disciplinary  readings of society and culture. Students are encouraged to explore and create heterogeneous discourses ranging from aesthetic and creative ways of reading and writing to critical and self-reflexive interventions into the theoretical domain. The department takes pride in a balanced, integral approach to traditional forms of literature and contemporary debates in

English Studies.  As a synergetic team of teachers, our varied expertise lie in classical and contemporary literatures, Literary Theory, Postcolonial Studies, ELT, Linguistics, Media and Film Theory, Gender and Cultural Studies.

The National Seminar provides a common platform to students, teachers, subject experts, researchers and activists from all over India for deliberations on  contemporary ideas of immediate relevance in English Studies and related domains. Our National Seminars over the past decade have addressed concerns ranging from art and aesthetics (Backstage Passes), subjectivities (Thinking Subjectivities), multiple discourses and narratives of India (Reading Indias), learner-centered approaches in English Language Teaching to our last National Seminar on  reviewing 100 years of Indian Cinema (Mayabazaar – Feb 2014).

Why Minority Discourses?

This academic year, the department felt the need to organize a national seminar that would integrate the sheer force of our varied encounters as Indian academicians and researchers with issues of marginalisation in India. Departments across the length and breadth of our universities, research institutions and organizations, N.G.Os and action groups continue to address issues of caste and gender, the status of  religious, linguistic and political minorities, native cultures, indigenous narratives and numerous identities that are relegated to abjecthood and thereby to the periphery of an assumed cohesive central social order. The National Seminar on “Understanding Minority discourses in India”, slated for 12 & 13 January 2015, is a singular attempt at addressing the pluralism of our subaltern narratives as a nation without blurring the specificities of oppression that give rise to revolutions of resistance.

Concept Note

'Narrating Centres and Peripheries : Minority Discourses in India', a National Seminar organized by the Department of English, Christ University, integrates the varied encounters of Indian academicians and researchers with issues of marginalisation in India. This seminar aims to address the pluralism of our subaltern narratives as a nation, issues of caste and gender, the status of religious, linguistic and political minorities, native cultures, indigenous narratives and numerous identities that are otherwise relegated to abjecthood and thereby to the periphery of an assumed cohesive central social order. Minority Discourses continue to underline social and cultural pluralism in the face of contemporary liberal democratic societies that homogenize citizenship while simultaneously upholding and practising dominant master-narratives privileging the majority. There is a need to problematize the status of minorities, and also the concept of 'centres' and 'peripheries' and narrativise spaces that emerge from the resistance to such categories. The seminar aims to negotiate with these narratives vis-à-vis the following contemporary debates:

1. The expansive and enabling approach to Minority Discourses as a space of collective consciousness that strengthens both articulation and activism of empowerment for each of the communities in mutual recognition of the experience of insubordination and dominance.

2. A close understanding of the specificities of oppression influencing different minority communities in a bid to give voice to the heterogeneous complexity of concerns and varied densities of reaction and retaliation against dominant practices.

3. How do individuals belonging to minorities engage in the process of social categorization as active subjects?

Themes, Sub-themes and Scope

Themes and Concepts for Deliberation:

1. Caste

2. Gender

3. Ethnicity & Race

4. Linguistic Minorities

5. Disability & Age

6. Diasporic & Immigrant Communities

7. Socially & Spatially Excluded – Constructions of Madness, Crime & social depravity

8. Native & Indigenous People

Sub-themes:
1. Social Categorization & Mobility
2. Adaptation
3. Inter-ethnic relations
4. Attitudes towards the majority 
5. Minorities & Spatial Identities 
6. Self-identification

Scope for presentations: Minority Narratives
1. Literature
2. Art & Aesthetics
3. Folk traditions
4. Popular Culture
5. History
6. Law & Public Policy
7. Media
8. Ethnography
9. Linguistics
10. Education

Organizing Committee and Advisory Board

Chief Advisor

Dr. John Joseph Kennedy, Dean, Humanities and Social Sciences &

HoD of English, Christ University

Advisory Board

• Dr. M. Dasan, Former Registrar &

Head, Department of Studies in English,

Kannur University

• Dr. R. Indira, Former Director, Centre for Women's Studies & Professor, Department of Sociology, University of

Mysore, Lead Researcher & Consultant (Gender and Development, Sustainable Livelihoods & Forest Dependent Communities)

• Dr. Ravichandra P. Chittampalli, Professor, Dept of Studies in English, University of Mysore

• Dr. S. Siraj Ahmed, Associate Professor and Coordinator, Dept of P.G. Studies & Research in English Sahyadri Arts College Shimoga

• Dr. S Armstrong, Professor & Head, Department of English, Chairperson, School of English and Foreign Languages, University of Madras

Organizing Committee

Sushma V. Murthy (Convener)

Biju I.P.

Bhavani .S

Shobana P. Mathews

Daniel Gnanaraj

Guidelines and Timeline

Guidelines for Submission of Papers and Full-length Scripts for Performances

I. Papers: We invite papers of about 3,500 words on the topic of the seminar based on one or more of the themes and  narratives listed. An abstract of about 250 to 300 words with a set of keywords should be mailed as per the timeline listed.

Format: Word Document, Stylesheet: MLA 7th Edition

Publication: Plans are on the anvil to publish select papers in a book on “Understanding Minority Discourses in India” with an ISBN No.

II. Performances: We also invite troupes from various institutions to stage performances based on a full-length original script exploring one or more of the themes and narratives listed.

Guidelines for performances:

1. The performance could be a play (Street/Proscenium)/, a musical performance based on folk/indigenous tradition/, a tableau/a mime

2. No. of Participants: 5 to 15 members depending on the narrative

3. Allotted time: 15+5 minutes

4. Participants are requested to respect the decorum of the stage. Both script and performance should be free from non-secular and objectionable content of any kind.

5. Participants should make arrangements for the necessary props.

Timeline for Submission of Papers and Full-length Scripts for Performances

Submission of First Draft of Paper/Script: with abstract: 

10 Dec 2014

Communication regarding acceptance of papers/ scripts: 
20 Dec 2014

Submission of Revised Papers/Scripts and last date for registration (paper presenters & performers): 
31 Dec 2014

Email for submissions: 
minoritydiscourses@seminar.christuniversity.in

Registration

Registration Details:

Faculty Members & Professionals: Rs. 1,500

Students and Research Scholars: Rs. 500

Amount for Registration includes seminar kit, lunch and tea for both days of the seminar. Attendance and O.O.D Certificates from Department of Collegiate Education will be provided to faculty from outstation and local institutions.

Registration fee excludes accommodation. Organizers are happy to extend basic accommodation for a nominal amount of Rs. 600 for both days upon request, by 31 Dec 2014.

Spot Registrations are open for non-presenters up to 2 PM on 12 Jan 2015.

Payment: DD drawn in favour of ‘Christ University’ payable at Bangalore.

Click here to download the Registration Form.

Contact

For further queries/clarifications contact:

Dr. Sushma V. Murthy
Convener
9880565547
(Between 6 to 8 PM)

sushma.v.murthy@christuniversity.in

Mr. Daniel Gnanaraj
Core-Committee Member
9538307973
(Between 6 to 8 PM)

daniel.gnanaraj@christuniversity.in