RLB208 Orientalism and Neohinduism

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2006
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
Mon 18:20–19:55 J31
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
Abstract
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 grounded is that the modern Hindu reformism in the form it developed during the 19th and 20th centries was highly indebted to the so called oriental renaissance carried on by British administration (and institutions of Oriental studies and training) and subsequently further developed by new Bengali intelligentsia.
Key topics
  • The course is the part of research project concerned with the topic of acculturation of Hinduism in the Western, particularly in Czech context.As a result of this the main concern of course is to show deep cultural influence of British (as representatives of European culture) on modern India. Again, the basic assumption in the background is that Hindu thoughts could become attractive for modern European and American intellectuals only due to its accomodation to Western values and needs through the medium of reforms initiated by the British administration.
  • Thus the course will have three main blocks:
  • 1) Brief overlook of modern Hindu reformism and its relation to Hindu or Indian nationalism.
  • 2) The detailed information on the beginning of British Oriental scholarship and its relation to modern Hindu reformism. The attention will be particularly focused on the activities of Asiatic society of Bengal and the College of Fort William and their political background.
  • 3) Modern Hindu reformism as represented by the personalities of Rammohan Ray and Brahmo Samaj and Svami Vivekananda and the Ramakrishna Mission.
Study resources and 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.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
It is expected that student submits an assay (5-10 pages) on whatever related topic.
The colloqium on this essay will be held as well.
Language of instruction
English
Teacher's information
The course is provided in English medium so that it can be attended by foreign students of Masaryk University. In case there are no foreign students attending the cours, the medium of instruction could be possibly changed into Czech.
The literature will be discussed during the first lecture in order of and with refference to related topics and its usability for student's essays and further studies according to their special interrests.
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Information on course enrolment limitations: RLB28
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2010, Spring 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2006, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2006/RLB208