RLB208 Orientalism and Neohinduism

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2008
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Milan Fujda, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Dušan Lužný, Dr.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Lucie Čelková
Timetable
Tue 18:20–19:55 J22
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to provide detailed information on mutual relations between the rise of British Oriental studies in Calcutta and modern Hindu reformism. The basic assumption on which the course is founded is that the modern Hindu reformism in the form into which it developed during the 19th and 20th centries was highly indebted to so called oriental renaissance carried on by British administration (and institutions of Oriental studies and training) and subsequently further developed by the new Indian intelligentsia.
At the end of this course, students should be able to understand to explain relations between colonial administration, colonial knowledge, traditional sets of knowledge and the transformation of traditions due to their encounter.
Syllabus
  • (1) Organisational information; (2) Introductory Lecture; (3) Neo-Hinduism and Imagined Religious Communities; (4) Administration and Knowledge: Warren Hastings and Early Oriental Studies; (5) Wellesley and the College of Fort William; (6) College of Fort William and Bengali Intelligentsia; (7) Orientalism and Neo-Hindusm: Rammohan Ray; (8) Rammohan Ray: Hindu Revivalism? (9) Rammohan Ray, Brahmosamaj and Modernization of Hindu Mind; (10) Swami Vivekananda I: Ramakrishna and Bhadralok; (11) Swami Vivekananda II: Religion as Nationalist Discourse; (12) Swami Vivekananda and Challenges of Modernity.
Literature
  • Kopf, David: British Orientalism and the Bengal Renaissance. Calcutta, 1969.
  • Basu, Shamila: Religious Revivalism as Nationalist Discourse. Swami Vivekananda and New Hinduism in Nineteenth-Century Bengal. Delhi, 2002.
  • Sen, A. P.: Social and Religious Reform. The Hindus of British India. Delhi, 2003.
  • Kejariwal, O. P.: The Asiatic Society of Bengal and the Discovery of India's Past. Delhi-Calcutta-Bombay-Madrass, 1988.
Assessment methods
Contents of the semester:
Lectures, class discussions.
Requirements for colloquium / prerequisite for the oral exam:
There is a compulsory reading for each seminar and the active participation in discussion is expected. These discussions form the core of the seminars. If a student haven't aparently read the appropriate text or was absent during the seminar, he ought to prepare a synopsis on the reading. Maximum three absences in the seminar or in the discussion are allowed (in which case the synopsis is not demanded).
The time schedule and the link to appropriate literature to each of the seminars is accessible through the Interactive schedule ("Interaktivní osnova") in the IS.
It is expected that student submits an assay (4-7 pages) on whatever related topic. The list of topics with appropriate bibliography, which student can consult in the case they do not have an idea what to work on, is provided in Study materials in IS.
Colloquium:
The colloqium on this essay will be held as well. The colloquium has a form of conference where each student has a short (5 min) presentation of his topic and afterwards defends his views against the criticism of his colleagues. Student ought to demonstrate that he is able to make a concise presentation of his topic and results, that he is able to defend it against criticism, and that he is able to provide a criticise of relevant point in the works of others.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
https://is.muni.cz/auth/elearning/warp.pl?fakulta=1421;obdobi=4463;kod=RLB208;qurl=%2Fel%2F1421%2Fpodzim2008%2FRLB208%2Findex.qwarp;zpet=https:%2F%2Fis.muni.cz%2Fauth%2Fucitel%2Fwarp_predmet_vyber.pl%3Ffakulta%3D1421%3Bobdobi%3D4463%3Bkod%3DRLB208;zpet_t
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2010, Spring 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2008, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2008/RLB208