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142225 UE Multiligualism in India: Language Politics & the State (2023W)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 14 - Orientalistik, Afrikanistik, Indologie und Tibetologie
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

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Details

Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

India speaks in many languages, about two dozen among them already recognized by the state. Hundred of dialects and small languages are in addition to that. On the one hand, this wide mosaic of languages, along with her multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural set up, gives India, an interesting and unique plurality that Indian proudly celebrate with the slogan of ‘Unity in diversity’. Nevertheless, this plurality offered also challenges once the country got independence and it started the process of nation building and state formation in line with the classical concept of a nation-state: ‘One religion, one language, and one culture’. India tried to manage the plurality of religions by declaring the state as secular, but other areas, especially selecting and declaring an official language for the newly independent country, were fraught with challenges and opposition. Retaining English, language of the former colonial masters, for many reasons, was another issue. At present, the country has Hindi as official language and English as associate-official language. Did India succeed in solving the thorny question of language smoothly and amicably through many concessions and the language policies not-so strict on the issue? Or the problems linger still today in this or that way?
Taking these basic questions as a guideline, the course will study the language politics vis-a-vis the state policies in the multilingual and emotionally-charged identities of mother-tongue/native language.
Some of the topics that will be studies in the course of our reading are as under:
1. Language Map: Introduction to Major Languages.
2. Language Policy in the British India
3. Post-Independence India: Nation-Building/State formation & Question of Language
4. Gandhi’s View about the Language Question
5. Elevation of Hindi & Subsequent Controversy
6. Three-Language Formula
7. Language-based formation of provinces
8. Minority Languages
9. Status of English vis-a-vis Hindi and other Indian Languages
10. Present Situation

Select Bibliography

1. Annamalai, E. et al (eds.) 1986. Language Planning-Proceedings of an Institute. Mysore: Central Institute of Indian Languages
2. Basu, D. D. 1990. Introduction to the Constitution of India. New Delhi: Prentice Hall
3. Brass, Paul R. (1974) Language, Religion and Politics in North India (Cambridge: Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
4. Debi Prasanna Pattanayak (1990) Multilingualism in India. Clevedon (UK) & Philadelphia: Multilingual Matters
5. Daswani, C. J. (ed.) 2001 Language Education in Multilingual India. New Delhi: UNESCO Dua, Hans R. (1985) Language planning in India. New Delhi: Harnam Publications.
6. Dua, Hans R.1985. Language Planning in India. New Delhi: Harnam Publications.
7. Dua, Hans R. 1992. Communication Policy and Language Planning. Mysore:
8. Koul, Omkar N and L. Devaki (2000) Linguistic Heritage of India and Asia. (eds.) Mysore: CIIL
9. Mahapatra, Bijay P. (1980) Ethnicity, identity and language. Indian Linguistics
10. Majumdar, S. N. 1990. Marxism and the Language Problem in India. New Delhi: People Publishing House.
11. Pandit, Prabodh B. (1977) Language in a plural society. The case of India. Delhi: Delhi University Press.
12. Sharma, Gopal P., & Kumar, Suresh (1977), eds. Indian bilingualism. Agra: Central Institute of Hindi
13. Zaman, Mukhtar 1984. The Language Policy of India. Islamabad: National Language Authority.
14. Singh, K. S., & Manoharan, S. (1993) Languages and scripts. Delhi: Oxford University Press

  • Thursday 05.10. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum 6 ISTB UniCampus Hof 4 2C-O1-37
  • Thursday 12.10. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum 6 ISTB UniCampus Hof 4 2C-O1-37
  • Thursday 19.10. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum 6 ISTB UniCampus Hof 4 2C-O1-37
  • Thursday 09.11. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum 6 ISTB UniCampus Hof 4 2C-O1-37
  • Thursday 16.11. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum 6 ISTB UniCampus Hof 4 2C-O1-37
  • Thursday 23.11. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum 6 ISTB UniCampus Hof 4 2C-O1-37
  • Thursday 30.11. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum 6 ISTB UniCampus Hof 4 2C-O1-37
  • Thursday 07.12. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum 6 ISTB UniCampus Hof 4 2C-O1-37
  • Thursday 14.12. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum 6 ISTB UniCampus Hof 4 2C-O1-37
  • Thursday 11.01. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum 6 ISTB UniCampus Hof 4 2C-O1-37
  • Thursday 18.01. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum 6 ISTB UniCampus Hof 4 2C-O1-37
  • Thursday 25.01. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum 6 ISTB UniCampus Hof 4 2C-O1-37

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

India speaks in many languages, about two dozen among them already recognized by the state. Hundred of dialects and small languages are in addition to that. On the one hand, this wide mosaic of languages, along with her multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural set up, gives India, an interesting and unique plurality that Indian proudly celebrate with the slogan of ‘Unity in diversity’. Nevertheless, this plurality offered also challenges once the country got independence and it started the process of nation building and state formation in line with the classical concept of a nation-state: ‘One religion, one language, and one culture’. India tried to manage the plurality of religions by declaring the state as secular, but other areas, especially selecting and declaring an official language for the newly independent country, were fraught with challenges and opposition. Retaining English, language of the former colonial masters, for many reasons, was another issue. At present, the country has Hindi as official language and English as associate-official language. Did India succeed in solving the thorny question of language smoothly and amicably through many concessions and the language policies not-so strict on the issue? Or the problems linger still today in this or that way?
Taking these basic questions as a guideline, the course will study the language politics vis-a-vis the state policies in the multilingual and emotionally-charged identities of mother-tongue/native language.
Some of the topics that will be studies in the course of our reading are as under:
1. Language Map: Introduction to Major Languages.
2. Language Policy in the British India
3. Post-Independence India: Nation-Building/State formation & Question of Language
4. Gandhi’s View about the Language Question
5. Elevation of Hindi & Subsequent Controversy
6. Three-Language Formula
7. Language-based formation of provinces
8. Minority Languages
9. Status of English vis-a-vis Hindi and other Indian Languages
10. Present Situation

Assessment and permitted materials

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Examination topics

Reading list

Select Bibliography

1. Annamalai, E. et al (eds.) 1986. Language Planning-Proceedings of an Institute. Mysore: Central Institute of Indian Languages
2. Basu, D. D. 1990. Introduction to the Constitution of India. New Delhi: Prentice Hall
3. Brass, Paul R. (1974) Language, Religion and Politics in North India (Cambridge: Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
4. Debi Prasanna Pattanayak (1990) Multilingualism in India. Clevedon (UK) & Philadelphia: Multilingual Matters
5. Daswani, C. J. (ed.) 2001 Language Education in Multilingual India. New Delhi: UNESCO Dua, Hans R. (1985) Language planning in India. New Delhi: Harnam Publications.
6. Dua, Hans R.1985. Language Planning in India. New Delhi: Harnam Publications.
7. Dua, Hans R. 1992. Communication Policy and Language Planning. Mysore:
8. Koul, Omkar N and L. Devaki (2000) Linguistic Heritage of India and Asia. (eds.) Mysore: CIIL
9. Mahapatra, Bijay P. (1980) Ethnicity, identity and language. Indian Linguistics
10. Majumdar, S. N. 1990. Marxism and the Language Problem in India. New Delhi: People Publishing House.
11. Pandit, Prabodh B. (1977) Language in a plural society. The case of India. Delhi: Delhi University Press.
12. Sharma, Gopal P., & Kumar, Suresh (1977), eds. Indian bilingualism. Agra: Central Institute of Hindi
13. Zaman, Mukhtar 1984. The Language Policy of India. Islamabad: National Language Authority.
14. Singh, K. S., & Manoharan, S. (1993) Languages and scripts. Delhi: Oxford University Press

Association in the course directory

IMAK3a UE B

Last modified: Th 01.02.2024 11:06