A Short Term Course On Literary Theory : Theories of Reading and Writing IIT Kharagpur

A Short Term Course
On
Literary Theory : Theories of Reading and Writing


Objective:

This short term course on literary theory is aimed at re-orienting the objectives of teaching and learning about communication. This does not mean that existing courses offered on communication skills are failures. Rather, they may be seen as products of the new world order where reading, writing and speaking are seen as instrumental in shaping one's career. Then what does a short-term course on literary theory intend to achieve? To say that it wishes to re-iterate or re-emphasize what we already know through experience would not be incorrect. In fact, a course in English is always about generating new ways of speaking, reading and writing key areas or cardinal points of communication. Thus, a short-term course on literary theory would do exactly what is expected from it - make us familiar with new ways of reading, writing and speaking. But at the same time, it can achieve more. It will have innovative answers to queries that scholars and faculty in English or Communication/Language Studies may have about language use, particularly about the nature of reading and writing. These answers will provide scholars and faculty with new insights into the mystery that envelops writing and reading as concepts.

Discussing and debating contemporary issues related to the art of writing and reading, can enable us to engage with complex thinking and writing that critical texts display in abundance. Moreover, such an exercise can provide what a normal course on communication lacks, a solid grounding in theories of reading and writing and an intellectual orientation that is driven not merely by utility and the needs of the market. The most outstanding aspect of such a course will be to make the participants realize the uniqueness that marks every act of reading and writing while enabling them to think beyond the conventional frame of a standard course on communication skills.

Course Content

1. Words, Meanings and the Paradigmatic Chain
2. Analyzing Linguistic Models and The Pleasure of reading
3. Speech and Phenomena
4. Writing and Difference
5. Structure, Sign and Play
6. Deconstructive Reading
7. Language and the unconscious
8. Writing and Gender, Écriture Feminine
9. Language as Dialogue
10. Writing and culture
11. Contextual writing, Writing across cultures
12. Narratology
13. Language and misreading
14. Language Games
15. Future Directions

Faculty:

Faculty from the Institute and outside, particularly those who have worked extensively in the area of language, culture, media, critical theory and communication will conduct this course, exploring issues, which will illuminate those aspects of language use that have been generally neglected.

Target Audience:

It will be a sheer delight to have an audience from all walks of life. However, such a course will benefit all those who wish to see language not only as a medium of communication, but also as a living force, negotiating with cultures, histories and circumstances. Since the main purpose of this course is to transform what we think about language, fore-grounding it as the core of our lives and beings, rather than tools that operate according to our will, organizers of this course wish to include apart from men and women with keen interest in theoretical aspects of language, faculty and scholars of English from colleges and universities, particularly those working in the area of literary theory or willing to work on it and its applications. We will be glad to have scholars and faculty across different regions, from colleges and universities, both technical and non-technical. In fact, one of our aims is to attract participants from technical backgrounds and institutions such as ours, for their inputs are often extremely valuable towards finding new insights into the nature of language.

Course Fee:Rs.5000/-

Course fee includes board and lodging and course materials. Course fees are to be paid by a bank draft drawn in favor of 'CEP-STC, IIT Kharagpur' payable at Kharagpur.

How to Apply


Interested participants should download the application form from the IIT website and submit the hard copy to the coordinators at the mailing address mentioned below.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM


Important Dates:
Last date for receiving applications: 18 July, 2008
Intimation to participants: 23 July, 2008
Course Dates: 1-4 August, 2008 (Friday-Monday)

Mailing Address:
Dr Saswat. S. Das, Coordinator
STC on Literary Theory: Theories of Reading and Writing
Dept. of HSS
Indian Institute of Technology
Kharagpur-721302, West-Bengal, India
Tel: 03222-283611 (O), 03222-283610 (Res)
Mobile: 09434019044
Fax: 03222-255303/282280
Email: ssd@hss.iitkgp.ernet.in
Saswat2001@yahoo.com

Dr. Sucheta Kapoor, Coordinator
STC on Literary Theory: Theories of Reading and Writing
Dept. of HSS
Indian Institute of Technology
Kharagpur-721302, West-Bengal, India
Tel: 03222-283604 (O), 03222-283605 (Res)
Mobile: 09836663745/09230576135
Fax: 03222-255303/282280
Email: sucheta@hss.iitkgp.ernet.in
suchetakapoor@hotmail.com

Location

IIT Kharagpur is situated 116km away from Kolkata. It is the oldest and the largest amongst all the IITs. Kharagpur is an important junction in the South Eastern Railways and is well connected to all major cities in India. The IIT is about 5 km from the Kharagpur railway station and is accessible by rickshaws, autos and taxis from the station.(Rickshaw will charge Rs. 30/- and Taxi Rs. 80/-)

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