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CSSS organises a Colloquium by Amit Kumar Sharma

CSSS organises a Colloquium by Amit Kumar Sharma

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CSSS organises a Colloquium by Amit Kumar Sharma
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Centre for the Study of Social Systems

School of Social Sciences

CSSS Colloquium

Amit Kumar Sharma

(Associate Professor, CSSS, JNU)

Will be presenting a paper on

Cinema and Sociology in India

Date & Time:

February 27, 2020 (Thursday), 11am

Venue:

CSSS Committee Room (No: 13), SSS-II

Abstract: This paper is a humble excursus towards a comparative history of the institution of sociology in Indian universities and the evolution of cinema as a sacred institution in Indic civilization. The imperative of this presentation is to understand the structure, process and function of the two institutions both synchronically as well as diachronically. In any vibrant society, history is rewritten by each succeeding generation. The task of reinterpreting institutional history often takes the form of recognizing and developing a new perspective on already well-known events. This presentation outlines a new reading of the already well-known histories of sociology and cinema in India. In the process of this new reading, it tries to accommodate the unaccommodated facets of the institutional unfolding of sociology and cinema in the Indian state, market, civil society and military cantonment.

Bio: Dr. Amit Kumar Sharma is Associate Professor in CSSS/SSS/JNU since September 2002. He has been a student of sociology since 1979. His primary interest within the discipline has been in sociological theory, semiotics, semiology, political economy, cinema and culture. His major publications include: Symbols of Kinship Identity in a North Indian Village (2011); Religion and Culture in Indian Civilization (2011,Ed.); Bharatiya Sanskriti ka Swaroop (2006); Bhartiya Samajshastra ke Pramukh Sampradaya (2011); Hind Swaraj Ki Prasangikta (2005); The Structure of Indian Society (2003). His new book is in press, titled Bharat Me Cinema Evam Sanskriti: Ek Samajshastriya Dristi (April 2020, New Delhi: Shaolin Cinevision).

A warm welcome to the modified and updated website of the Centre for East Asian Studies. The East Asian region has been at the forefront of several path-breaking changes since 1970s beginning with the redefining the development architecture with its State-led development model besides emerging as a major region in the global politics and a key hub of the sophisticated technologies. The Centre is one of the thirteen Centres of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi that provides a holistic understanding of the region.

Initially, established as a Centre for Chinese and Japanese Studies, it subsequently grew to include Korean Studies as well. At present there are eight faculty members in the Centre. Several distinguished faculty who have now retired include the late Prof. Gargi Dutt, Prof. P.A.N. Murthy, Prof. G.P. Deshpande, Dr. Nranarayan Das, Prof. R.R. Krishnan and Prof. K.V. Kesavan. Besides, Dr. Madhu Bhalla served at the Centre in Chinese Studies Programme during 1994-2006. In addition, Ms. Kamlesh Jain and Dr. M. M. Kunju served the Centre as the Documentation Officers in Chinese and Japanese Studies respectively.

The academic curriculum covers both modern and contemporary facets of East Asia as each scholar specializes in an area of his/her interest in the region. The integrated course involves two semesters of classes at the M. Phil programme and a dissertation for the M. Phil and a thesis for Ph. D programme respectively. The central objective is to impart an interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of history, foreign policy, government and politics, society and culture and political economy of the respective areas. Students can explore new and emerging themes such as East Asian regionalism, the evolving East Asian Community, the rise of China, resurgence of Japan and the prospects for reunification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, the Centre lays great emphasis on the building of language skills. The background of scholars includes mostly from the social science disciplines; History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, International Relations and language.

Several students of the centre have been recipients of prestigious research fellowships awarded by Japan Foundation, Mombusho (Ministry of Education, Government of Japan), Saburo Okita Memorial Fellowship, Nippon Foundation, Korea Foundation, Nehru Memorial Fellowship, and Fellowship from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments. Besides, students from Japan receive fellowship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.