Thursday 22 March 2018
Difference between Hebraism and Hellenism
Paper 6: The Victorian Literature- Difference between Hellenism and Hebraism
To evaluate my presentation click here
To evaluate my presentation click here
Wednesday 14 March 2018
Thinking activity on online discussion: Cultural studies
Moni Mohsin, author of the best selling social satire wrotein against of the controversial questions raised and favors the literary writer Sharmeen Obaid- Chinoy, who won Academy award for her documentary, A girl in the river.
click on the below link to read her full article-
Sharmeen in most of her works highlights the inequality with women which was prevailed in her society. Many people arued that why don't see highlights the positivity in her work, why only she takes problems into consideration.
Production- Marketting Gimmick
These questions can be answered in cultural studies in the context of Production. Sharmeen is aware about the current situation and what is needed in market. She not only highlights the suffering of women but she much aware about the fact that now a days feminism was in prevailing position and the voice in favor of feminism definitely discussed in society. These type of writers are inviting negative comments as for their publicity. This can be one of the reason.
Freedom of Expression
The writer has full freedom of expression. They can write whatever they want, we don't have right to questions their choice of material. Sharmeen's films are about truly heroic pakistani women. we should celebrate them, not to try to hide them away like a shameful act. It is believed that because of Sharmeen's effort the law on honour killing is being revived in Pakistani.
Nawaz Sharif say that the practice of honour killing in Pakistan should come to an end. He speaks this lines because of the buzz around Sharmeen's film which prompted for honour killing.
Humanities under threat
Many types of problems were discussed in different literary text or work of art, but the real problem is that it was not put in practices. Even if Sharmeen speaks about the suffering of women in society, these practices should not be discarded properly without the proper knowledge and awareness about the fact.
Even Malala yousafzai, Pakistani activist also speaks about the womes right for education and this idea was also much celebrated and she is the youngest poet Laureate.
Politics
Sharmeen speaks against the male dominant society, against power, but somehow governed by institution also, there is always politics in power, when someone was come in power they use it in negative way. Sharmeen's work was much appereciated only because it was liked by the potical party.
At last I wants to say that L am in favor of freedom of expression but who is getting reward, who is belongs to rich class, whether she is also treated as a victim or not, she is writing about whom, about which class of womens. These all questions also muct be taken into consideration. We have to think about both the aspects. Marketing is also means of production, whether it is negative or positive.
click on the below link to read her full article-
"Stop telling Sharmeens and Adigas to photoshop reality"
-Moni Mohsin
Production- Marketting Gimmick
These questions can be answered in cultural studies in the context of Production. Sharmeen is aware about the current situation and what is needed in market. She not only highlights the suffering of women but she much aware about the fact that now a days feminism was in prevailing position and the voice in favor of feminism definitely discussed in society. These type of writers are inviting negative comments as for their publicity. This can be one of the reason.
Freedom of Expression
The writer has full freedom of expression. They can write whatever they want, we don't have right to questions their choice of material. Sharmeen's films are about truly heroic pakistani women. we should celebrate them, not to try to hide them away like a shameful act. It is believed that because of Sharmeen's effort the law on honour killing is being revived in Pakistani.
Nawaz Sharif say that the practice of honour killing in Pakistan should come to an end. He speaks this lines because of the buzz around Sharmeen's film which prompted for honour killing.
Humanities under threat
Many types of problems were discussed in different literary text or work of art, but the real problem is that it was not put in practices. Even if Sharmeen speaks about the suffering of women in society, these practices should not be discarded properly without the proper knowledge and awareness about the fact.
Even Malala yousafzai, Pakistani activist also speaks about the womes right for education and this idea was also much celebrated and she is the youngest poet Laureate.
Politics
Sharmeen speaks against the male dominant society, against power, but somehow governed by institution also, there is always politics in power, when someone was come in power they use it in negative way. Sharmeen's work was much appereciated only because it was liked by the potical party.
At last I wants to say that L am in favor of freedom of expression but who is getting reward, who is belongs to rich class, whether she is also treated as a victim or not, she is writing about whom, about which class of womens. These all questions also muct be taken into consideration. We have to think about both the aspects. Marketing is also means of production, whether it is negative or positive.
Academic tour: Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar
Yesterday, we had an academic tour. English Department planned to organise one day fruitful tour and we are total 22 including staff went yeasterday at Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. Our tour is begin from early morning and ends at late night.
Akshardham Temple
The first place which we had seen is Akshardham, the temple of Swaminarayan God, but inside it there is also statue of Lord Shiva, Godess Parwati, Lord Vishnu, Godess Laksmi and many more. We can see diversity of Hindu Gods in this temple. Tourists from all over the worls came to visit such place which somehow reflects the indian culture.
Mobile Phones are not allowed there and that's why we are not able to click photos of different archetect. This temple shows the richness of Indian Architecture.
There was also one exhibition show which shows our Digital India too. It was contrast, at one side it represent the ancient religion and on another side it represent modernity of India. In this exhibition there is the full life story of Neelkanth swamiji. The technology is fully developed there with the use of Robotic statue, the sounds and light quality, different statues, continuous raining etc. Many things are there which shows the rich science technology. In last section, there is film screening of Neelkanth Sawmiji's life story, it is of 45 minutes, but because of shortage of times we are not able to watch that film.
Central University of Gujrat
Then our next departure is towards the Central University of Gujrat(CUG) where we interact with the research professor Balaji, who introduced and make us aware about many things which are required for doing PHD there. He first tells us that if we successful in passing NET exams then we can get the entry for PHD without any entrance Exam, otherwise we have to pass through it. The scholars there are doing PHD in Translation studies. They are translating different languages and in this way they are connect the world within there text. It was really very inspiring and motivating speech given by him.
Central library
Next we went towards the visit of Central Library. It was also very digital with the use of modern techniques. To search any book we have to deal with the same process of searching as like we do in our Central Library, that is to find the option in computer searching, and then it shows the number of column and row where that book situated. There is one unique advance thing is that, there is one small chip inside the cover page of all books, and if someone misplaced that book in another row then we can identify it with the help of machine which scan each and every row and helps to find the perfect book. This is very easy and advanced way of searching books and also less time consuming.
University Canteen
After visiting Library we had taken lunch at University Canteen. The lunch is very healthy and we eat full plate. There is also unique slogans pasted on wall to vote the leaders of students, In one slogan very funny thing written, that "Vote for me, I will never make u cry, I will nevr tell u Lie" and many such things written which usually done by lovers, who make these kind of promises to his or her beloved.
Now our next stop is Gandhi Kutir. The best place which i have ever seen. From the beginning they had given us headphones and the whole journey get audilolized into our ears.This place shows the life history of Mahatma Gandhiji and many unfolding stories, of which one is he had tried to commit suicide. The all stories were being projected on wall and and film also get projected in 3D way. It was very lively. It shows the power of speech of Gandhiji who make all peoples his fan. He also motivates his wife to come in freedom struggle.
Science City
At last we had visited Science city, there we rest for a while and also have seen the photos of greatest scientists and their works. afterward we had seen the Musical Fountain show, It was really amazing.
Overall our academic tour is great and we had learn so many things. The contrast we can see in our journey too, begins from the ancient temple, old hindu beliefs and ends with the great developed science city, this also shows our shift from ancient to modern.
Thank you
Akshardham Temple
The first place which we had seen is Akshardham, the temple of Swaminarayan God, but inside it there is also statue of Lord Shiva, Godess Parwati, Lord Vishnu, Godess Laksmi and many more. We can see diversity of Hindu Gods in this temple. Tourists from all over the worls came to visit such place which somehow reflects the indian culture.
Mobile Phones are not allowed there and that's why we are not able to click photos of different archetect. This temple shows the richness of Indian Architecture.
There was also one exhibition show which shows our Digital India too. It was contrast, at one side it represent the ancient religion and on another side it represent modernity of India. In this exhibition there is the full life story of Neelkanth swamiji. The technology is fully developed there with the use of Robotic statue, the sounds and light quality, different statues, continuous raining etc. Many things are there which shows the rich science technology. In last section, there is film screening of Neelkanth Sawmiji's life story, it is of 45 minutes, but because of shortage of times we are not able to watch that film.
Central University of Gujrat
Then our next departure is towards the Central University of Gujrat(CUG) where we interact with the research professor Balaji, who introduced and make us aware about many things which are required for doing PHD there. He first tells us that if we successful in passing NET exams then we can get the entry for PHD without any entrance Exam, otherwise we have to pass through it. The scholars there are doing PHD in Translation studies. They are translating different languages and in this way they are connect the world within there text. It was really very inspiring and motivating speech given by him.
Central library
Next we went towards the visit of Central Library. It was also very digital with the use of modern techniques. To search any book we have to deal with the same process of searching as like we do in our Central Library, that is to find the option in computer searching, and then it shows the number of column and row where that book situated. There is one unique advance thing is that, there is one small chip inside the cover page of all books, and if someone misplaced that book in another row then we can identify it with the help of machine which scan each and every row and helps to find the perfect book. This is very easy and advanced way of searching books and also less time consuming.
University Canteen
After visiting Library we had taken lunch at University Canteen. The lunch is very healthy and we eat full plate. There is also unique slogans pasted on wall to vote the leaders of students, In one slogan very funny thing written, that "Vote for me, I will never make u cry, I will nevr tell u Lie" and many such things written which usually done by lovers, who make these kind of promises to his or her beloved.
Now our next stop is Gandhi Kutir. The best place which i have ever seen. From the beginning they had given us headphones and the whole journey get audilolized into our ears.This place shows the life history of Mahatma Gandhiji and many unfolding stories, of which one is he had tried to commit suicide. The all stories were being projected on wall and and film also get projected in 3D way. It was very lively. It shows the power of speech of Gandhiji who make all peoples his fan. He also motivates his wife to come in freedom struggle.
Science City
At last we had visited Science city, there we rest for a while and also have seen the photos of greatest scientists and their works. afterward we had seen the Musical Fountain show, It was really amazing.
Overall our academic tour is great and we had learn so many things. The contrast we can see in our journey too, begins from the ancient temple, old hindu beliefs and ends with the great developed science city, this also shows our shift from ancient to modern.
Thank you
Monday 5 March 2018
Issues in cultural studies: views of Mario Vargas Llosa
The issues like liberals, nationalism, populism, intellectual honbesty and many more are widely used terms in cultural study, without that we cannot understood cultural study in better way. Mario Vargas Llosa explain this conept in his book The cave of the tribe. He argues in favor of liberal thoughts in reference to seven influential authors in this book. These men belong to a school of thoughts where the individual was seen as an autonomous and responsible being, and freedom is the supreme asset in this school of thought.
Ideologies
As we all know that it is the ideology which control and govern an ordinary human being in cultural studies and it also targets the liberal thoughts. Therefore ideologies are enemies of liberal thoughts and freedom.
Liberalism is not an ideology, it doesn't just embrace, but stimulates the difference, and defends some basic ideas: freedom, individualism, the rejection of collectivism and nationalism.
Nationalism
Llosa speaks about nationalism as a kind of racism. He says that, if we believe that belonging to a certain country or nation oe race or religion is a privilege, a value in itself, we believe are superior to others.
Racism comes with inequality and it inevitably leads to violence and the supression of freedom.
Populism
The issue of populism is being challenged by the democracy. Populism shatters democracies from within.
Intellectuals
Llosa also states that blindly intellectual have always seen democracy as a mediocre system that lacked the beauty, perfection and coherence of big ideologies, and this blindness is not incompatible with graet intelligence.
Political correctness
Political correcteness is the avoidance of forms of expression that are perceived to marginalize or insult, groups of people who are sociallly disadvantage.
Similary Political correcteness is also the enemy of freedom because it rejetcs honesty and authenticity. This is also the main problem in cultural studies, it becomes diffiult to survive where the political correct and right wingers are in majority. ++
Cultural study: Power and Media
Thinking activity on cultural study about power and mass media
The word Culture is itself undefinable term, no one can define culture but can gives its related meaning, it can touch its margin by poviding various description of cultural studies.
Power plays a vital role in the study of culture. Without power the study of culture is incomplete, and power is connected to the extensive use of media.
It is power which decide each and every thing, powwr is governing our life directly or indirectly.
While studying culture we face many difficulties, some are given as follows:-
i) Impossible to define culture
ii) Confuse the students and teachers by breaking the difference between high and low culture.
iii) It makes students and scholars politically incorrect and therefore it becomes difficult to survive where politically correct and right wingers are in majority.
iv) Incomplete without the study of power.
Normally the people with majority are in power and these are mainly the elite class in society. The rules and regulations are made by keeping in mind the benefits of these upper classes.
Basic definition of Power
Power is the ability to make others do what you would have them to do.
There are six main sources of civic power:-
i) Physical forces
For Example the force which was enforced by Police on ordinary people on any occassion governed by elite class.
Whenever someone raised their voice againd the political system or against any minister, their voice being supressed by the Physical force.
In past the Massacre of Jallianwala is reflects the cruelty of the physical force on people. Many people are killed, there is indiscriminate rain of bullets on innocent people.
ii) Wealth
The one who is wealthy is automatically put under the powerful category.
For exampleAnil Dhirubhai Ambani is the wealthiest person and he was in power position and had good relations with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It means that thhe on ewho is in power can change his social position. In the given image it is shown as that the Industrialist giving instruction to to our Prime Minister. This picture directly shows the power of wealth.
iii) State action
Government who is in dictatorship have more rights to impose any rule on ordinary people.
iv) Social norms
Social norms govern the behaviour of the members of society. These are the unwritten rules of behaviour.
v) Ideas
A thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action. Normally it is a suggestion or plan for doing something.
vi) Numbers
Numbers indicate the majority of thinkers who decide what to impose or what not to. They are put in power whose decision always consider as right decision.
There are three laws of Power:-
i) Power is never static
Power is keeps on moving, it never be static. and it goes from one hand to another with the passage of time. For example the minister of politics keeps on changing, some have five year of time span to rule and afterwards there is no power in their hand. There is one film also 'Nayak' in which the Protagonist Anil Kapoor was in power when he was made one day chairman but his position was not static, afterwards his position is becomes totally contrasting.
ii) Power is like water
Power is like water and it flows in different direction according to its velocity,
iii) Power compounds
Power is keeps on multiplying.
Media
Noam Chomsky gives five filters about mass media:-
i) Media ownership
The endgame of all mass media orgs is profit. It is in there interest to push for whatever guarantees that profit.
ii) Advertising
Media costs more than consumers will pay; Advertisers fill the gap. It isn't just that the media is selling you as product, they are also selling advertisers a product.
iii) Media Elite
-Government
-corporation
-big institution
All such elites know how to influence Media. They make themeselves crucial to the process of journalism. And if someone wish to challenge the power they will directly push towards the margin.
iv) Flack
A publicity agent, when the story is inconvenient for the powers, then we will see the flack machine in action. Flack normally does these three things given below:-
-discrediting sources
-trashing stories
-diverting the conversation
v) The common enemy
To manufacture consent ( permission or agreement to do something) we need an enemy, a target. That target may be communism, terrorism, immigrants, a boogeyman to fear helps, correect public opinion.
In this way Power, Media plays vital role in cultural study. It was just like building blog for cultural study.
The word Culture is itself undefinable term, no one can define culture but can gives its related meaning, it can touch its margin by poviding various description of cultural studies.
Power plays a vital role in the study of culture. Without power the study of culture is incomplete, and power is connected to the extensive use of media.
It is power which decide each and every thing, powwr is governing our life directly or indirectly.
While studying culture we face many difficulties, some are given as follows:-
i) Impossible to define culture
ii) Confuse the students and teachers by breaking the difference between high and low culture.
iii) It makes students and scholars politically incorrect and therefore it becomes difficult to survive where politically correct and right wingers are in majority.
iv) Incomplete without the study of power.
Normally the people with majority are in power and these are mainly the elite class in society. The rules and regulations are made by keeping in mind the benefits of these upper classes.
Basic definition of Power
Power is the ability to make others do what you would have them to do.
There are six main sources of civic power:-
i) Physical forces
For Example the force which was enforced by Police on ordinary people on any occassion governed by elite class.
Whenever someone raised their voice againd the political system or against any minister, their voice being supressed by the Physical force.
In past the Massacre of Jallianwala is reflects the cruelty of the physical force on people. Many people are killed, there is indiscriminate rain of bullets on innocent people.
ii) Wealth
The one who is wealthy is automatically put under the powerful category.
For exampleAnil Dhirubhai Ambani is the wealthiest person and he was in power position and had good relations with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It means that thhe on ewho is in power can change his social position. In the given image it is shown as that the Industrialist giving instruction to to our Prime Minister. This picture directly shows the power of wealth.
iii) State action
Government who is in dictatorship have more rights to impose any rule on ordinary people.
iv) Social norms
Social norms govern the behaviour of the members of society. These are the unwritten rules of behaviour.
v) Ideas
A thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action. Normally it is a suggestion or plan for doing something.
vi) Numbers
Numbers indicate the majority of thinkers who decide what to impose or what not to. They are put in power whose decision always consider as right decision.
There are three laws of Power:-
i) Power is never static
Power is keeps on moving, it never be static. and it goes from one hand to another with the passage of time. For example the minister of politics keeps on changing, some have five year of time span to rule and afterwards there is no power in their hand. There is one film also 'Nayak' in which the Protagonist Anil Kapoor was in power when he was made one day chairman but his position was not static, afterwards his position is becomes totally contrasting.
ii) Power is like water
Power is like water and it flows in different direction according to its velocity,
iii) Power compounds
Power is keeps on multiplying.
Media
Noam Chomsky gives five filters about mass media:-
i) Media ownership
The endgame of all mass media orgs is profit. It is in there interest to push for whatever guarantees that profit.
ii) Advertising
Media costs more than consumers will pay; Advertisers fill the gap. It isn't just that the media is selling you as product, they are also selling advertisers a product.
iii) Media Elite
-Government
-corporation
-big institution
All such elites know how to influence Media. They make themeselves crucial to the process of journalism. And if someone wish to challenge the power they will directly push towards the margin.
iv) Flack
A publicity agent, when the story is inconvenient for the powers, then we will see the flack machine in action. Flack normally does these three things given below:-
-discrediting sources
-trashing stories
-diverting the conversation
v) The common enemy
To manufacture consent ( permission or agreement to do something) we need an enemy, a target. That target may be communism, terrorism, immigrants, a boogeyman to fear helps, correect public opinion.
In this way Power, Media plays vital role in cultural study. It was just like building blog for cultural study.
Sunday 4 March 2018
Thinking activity about Fiction, Lie, in the field of literature
Q- What do you think about truth, fact, fiction, lies etc when it comes to make opinion about literature?
Plato's argument
"What literary writers write is fiction" therefore Plato calls it lies and hence poets are liars according to Plato.
Usually the meaning of Fiction is something that is invented or untrue. Literature in the form of prose, especially novels that describes imaginary events and people are considered as fictional writings.
Whereas on the other hand a lie is a non fact deliberately told as fact.Ursula K. Le Guin explain this concept by giving natural example, i.e. the sun rises in the east, to pretend the sun can rise in the west is a fiction, to claim that it does so as fact is a lie.
Here I would like to give one example of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein-
In Frankenstein Mary invented a new fictional creature by her own imagination. We all know that it is a lie, but still Mary goes on proving her fictional character as a real scientific discovery by explaining the process of creating or giving life to dead ones through Victor Frankenstein. She introduce some basic chemical reaction as a fact like Electricity used to give the current of life. She is trying to pretend that it can be happen, it is a fiction, and to claim that it does so as fact is a lie.
Therefore in favor of Plato we may think that whatever presents or described in novel or whatever the writers write is fiction and hence the writer is a liar.
If we think about autobiography or any real life incidents taht got narrated in the books, those are also not true as a whole, there is some kind of Aporia in it because we dont know that whoever is writing, is writing on what basis, whether he/ she saw everything from their eyes or listens elsewhere or read historical books. Means the truth is twice removed from reality.
Plato's argument
"What literary writers write is fiction" therefore Plato calls it lies and hence poets are liars according to Plato.
Usually the meaning of Fiction is something that is invented or untrue. Literature in the form of prose, especially novels that describes imaginary events and people are considered as fictional writings.
Whereas on the other hand a lie is a non fact deliberately told as fact.Ursula K. Le Guin explain this concept by giving natural example, i.e. the sun rises in the east, to pretend the sun can rise in the west is a fiction, to claim that it does so as fact is a lie.
Here I would like to give one example of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein-
In Frankenstein Mary invented a new fictional creature by her own imagination. We all know that it is a lie, but still Mary goes on proving her fictional character as a real scientific discovery by explaining the process of creating or giving life to dead ones through Victor Frankenstein. She introduce some basic chemical reaction as a fact like Electricity used to give the current of life. She is trying to pretend that it can be happen, it is a fiction, and to claim that it does so as fact is a lie.
Therefore in favor of Plato we may think that whatever presents or described in novel or whatever the writers write is fiction and hence the writer is a liar.
If we think about autobiography or any real life incidents taht got narrated in the books, those are also not true as a whole, there is some kind of Aporia in it because we dont know that whoever is writing, is writing on what basis, whether he/ she saw everything from their eyes or listens elsewhere or read historical books. Means the truth is twice removed from reality.
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