Syllabus for
Bachelor of Science (Economics, Mathematics, Statistics)
Academic Year  (2023)

Course Description

This course is taught in the second year for students from different streams, namely BA, BSc

and BCom. If the first year syllabus is an attempt by the Department of English, Christ

University to recognize and bring together the polyphonic Indian voices in English and Indian

regional literatures in translation for the Additional English students of the first year, the

second year syllabus intends to take that project a little further and open up the engagement

of the students to texts from across the world. The syllabus - selection of texts will

concentrate on readings from South Asian, Latin American, Australian, Canadian, and Afro-

American. It will voice subaltern concerns of identity, gender, race, ethnicity and problems of

belongingness experienced by humanity all over the globe.

The syllabus will extend the concerns of nation and nationality and marginalization,

discussed within the Indian context to a more inclusive and wider global platform. We have

consciously kept out ‘mainstream’ writers and concentrated on the voices of the subalterns

from across the world. There is an implicit recognition in this project that though the aspects

of marginalization and the problems facing subalterns are present across cultures and

nations, the experiences, expressions and reflections are specific to each race and culture.

The course will address these nuances and specificities and enable our students to become

more aware and sensitive to life and reality around them. This will equip the students, who

are global citizens, to understand not just the Indian scenario, but also situate themselves

within the wider global contexts and understand the spaces they will move into and negotiate

in their future.

There is a prescribed text book Blends: Voices from Margins for the second year students,

compiled by the Department of English, Christ University and intended for private circulation.

Course Objectives

The course objectives are

 to enable students to look at different cultures through Literature

 to help students develop an understanding of subaltern realities and identity politics

 to inculcate literary sensibility/taste among students across disciplines

 to improve language skills –speaking, reading, writing and listening

 to equip the students with tools for developing lateral thinking

 to equip students with critical reading and thinking habits

 to reiterate the study skills and communication skills they developed in the previous

year and extend it.

TetsukoKuroyanagi: Tottochan: The Little Girl at the Window12

Liliana Heker : “The Stolen Party

 Higuchi Ichiyo: “Separate Ways”

 Harukki Murakami "Birthday Girl"

 Luisa Valenzuela: “I’m your Horse in the Night”

Poetry 12 Hrs

 Silvio Curbelo: “Summer Storm”

 Nancy Morejon: “Black Woman”

 Ruben Dario: “To Roosevelt”

 Mina Asadi: “A Ring to me is a Bondage”

Essay 9Hrs

 Amy Tan: “Mother Tongue

 Linda Hogan: “Waking Up the Rake”

 Isabelle Allande: “Open Veins of Latin America”

Children's Literature -  Kimberley Reynolds (CUP)

CIA 1: A written test for 20 marks. It can be an Open Book test, a classroom assignment, an

objective or descriptive test pertaining to the texts and ideas discussed in class.

CIA2: Mid-semester written exam for 50 works

CIA 3: This is to be a creative test/ project in small groups by students. They may do

Collages, tableaus, skits, talk shows, documentaries, Quizzes, presentations, debates,

charts or any other creative test for 20 marks. This test should allow the students to explore

their creativity and engage with the real world around them and marks can be allotted to

students depending on how much they are able to link the ideas and discussions in the texts

to the world around them.

Question Paper Pattern

Mid Semester Exam: 2 hrs

Section A: 4x5= 20

Section B: 2x15=30

Total 50

End Semester Exam: 3 hrs

Section A: 4 x 5 = 20

Section B: 2 x 15= 30

Total 50

This course is designed to enable students to understand the importance of research in creating and extending the knowledge base in their research interests. In this process, it develops the students' ability to distinguish between the strengths and limitations of different research approaches in general and in their research area specifically. Finally, the course imparts skills to work independently, to plan and carry out a small-scale research project.

Meaning and definition of research–criteria for good research-Deductive and inductive methods– classification of research–case study–survey methods

Steps involved in selection of research problem–evaluation of the problem– literature review– sources of literatures

Meaning of research design– types of research design- evaluation of research design

Meaning of sampling– sampling process– essential and methods of sampling – sampling errors

Primary and secondary data– observation – interview-questionnaire– schedule-sources of secondary data

Meaning of hypothesis-types and steps in testing of hypothesis– type I and type II error

Types of report – planning of report writing– format of research report– reference styles

1)      

1) Kothari, C.R. (2019), Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, New Age International Publishers, New Delhi, 4th Edition.

2) Renjith Kumar (2019), Research Methodology – a step-by-step guide for beginners, Sage Publications, 5th Edition.

1) Brinberg, D. and McGrath, J.E. (1985) Validity and the research process, Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

2) Fitz-Gibbon, C.T. and L. L. Morris (1987) How to Analyse Data, Newbury Park: Sage Publications, Inc.

3) Foddy, W (1993) Constructing Questions for Interviews and Questionnaires: Theory and Practice in Social Research, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

The course is intended to give an understanding of the theoretical perceptions of economic growth and development together with the forces bringing about them. It also helps to broaden the awareness of the challenges in the developmental process and thus motivate the students towards the thought process of alternative solutions.

1. Gain conceptual base in Economic Dvelopment and Growth.

2. Familiarise with key models and theories in Dvelopment and Growth.

3. Gain insight in to the key issues of economic development.

4. Get awareness of the approaches to development efforts.

Distinction between Growth and Development; PQLI; Human Development Index; Gender Development Index; Sen’s Capabilities Approach; Environmental Sustainability and Development; Common Characteristics of Developing Nations; Alternative Measures of Development.

The Harrod-Domar model; the Solow model and its variants; Theories of endogenous growth with special reference to Romer’s model; the Big Push Theory and Lebenstence Theory of Critical Minimum Efforts.

Balanced and Unbalanced Growth; Low Income Equilibrium Trap; Dual Economy Models of Lewis

Measurement of Poverty – Absolute and Relative; Head-Count Index and Poverty Gap Indices; Policy options for Alleviation of Poverty; Measurement of Income Inequality; Economic Growth and Income Inequality – Kuznet’s Inverted Hypothesis, Impact of Inequality on Development.

Causes and effects of urbanization; Harris-Todaro Model of Rural-Urban Migration; Migration and Development; Policies for the Urban Informal Sector; Women in the Informal Sector; the Microfinance Revolution.

Economic planning; Shadow prices, project evaluation and cost-benefit analysis; Concept of capital output ratio; Economic planning and price mechanism.

1. Todaro, Michael, P. and Stephen. C. Smith, (2015). Economic Development, Pearson Education, (Singapore) Pvt. Ltd., Indian Branch, Delhi.
2. Ray, Debraj (2014), Development Economics, Seventh impression, Oxford University Press, New Delhi.
3. Lekhi, R. K. (2016), The Economics of Development and Planning, Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.

CIA II (Mid Semester Examination)- 50 Marks

CIA III - 20 Marks

ESE - 100 Marks

Course Description

English is offered as a course for all the students in BA, BSc, BCom, and BBA F&A classes in the third and fourth semesters. The aim is to strengthen the communication skills, and particularly study skills of the learners further, through adequate practice and exposure to good examples of writing, thought, ideas and human values. In addition, they will be trained in study skills through tasks in academic genres such as message, letter, essay, data interpretation etc. It aims to not only equip learners with skills but also sensitize them towards issues that concern human life in today’s globalised context. The course content is selected to meet the requirements of the departmental goal of “empowering the individual to read oneself, the social context and the imagined”; institutional goal of ensuring “holistic development”; and the national goal of creating competent and valuable citizens. The primary objective of this course is to help learners develop appropriate employability skills and demonstrate suitable conduct with regards to communication skills. The units are organised in order to help the learners understand the academic and workplace demands and learn by practice.

Course Objectives     

·       To enable learners to develop reading comprehension for various purposes

·       To enable learners to develop writing skills for academic and professional needs

·       To enable learners to develop the ability to think critically and express logically

·       To enable learner to communicate in a socially and ethically acceptable manner

·       To enable learners, to read, write and speak with clarity, precision and accuracy

Subject verb agreement

Tenses

Preposition

Voices

Clauses

Skimming and scanning

Strategies of reading

Reading and understanding reports

Reading content/ texts of various kinds

Inferencing skills

Academic vocab

Academic phrases

Professional expression

Study skills- library and referencing skills (organising reading, making notes, managing time, prioritising)

Mind mapping

Organising ideas

Accurate usage of vocabulary

Paragraph strategy

Cohesion and sequencing (jumbled sentences to paragraph)

Extended writing 

Formal and informal writing

Reports (all types including illustration to report and report to illustration and/or graphs, charts, tables and other statistical data)

Proposal writing (for projects, for research)

Academic essays/ articles

Persuasive writing, extrapolative writings

Case study writing

Executive summaries

Editing, proofreading skills

Resume vs CV

Self-introduction

Body language

Talks, speeches and presentations

Conversation

Telephone conversation

Meetings

Group discussion

Seminar / conference presentation

Principles of communication

Process of communication

Types of communication

Barriers in communication

Evaluation Pattern

CIA 1: Classroom assignment/test/ written or oral tasks for 20 marks keeping in tune with the course objectives and learning outcomes.

CIA 2: Mid-semester exam for 50 marks.

CIA 3: Collage, tableaus, skits, talk shows, documentaries, Quizzes or any creative assignments.

 End- semester 50 marks 

End Semester Exam: 2 hrs

French as second language for the Arts, Science and Commerce UG program

To perform a tribute: artist, work, you are going to…..

Towards a working life

France Seen by...

Mediamania

Act 1, 2 & 3

2.      Gonnet, Georges. Molière- Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme .Paris : Hachette, 1971

2.      French websites like Bonjour de France, FluentU French, Learn French Lab, Point du FLE etc.

Course Description:

The detailed text book “Shambook” is a Khanda Kavya written by Jagdeesh Gupta. To improve the creative writing skills, Nibandh, Kahani and Kavitha lekhan are included.Bharathiya chitrakala is also a part of the syllabus to improve the knowledge aboutIndian paintings.

Course Objectives:

Students are exposed to different forms of poetry especially, Khanda Kavya. It will help them to understand the contemporary socio-political issues.By learning about the tradition of Indian painting and legendary painters of India , students get to know about the richness and culture  of the Indian paintings. Creative writing sharpens their thinking, analytical  and writing skills 

Khanda Kavya “Shambook” [Poetry] By:Jagdeesh Gupta. Pub: Raj Pal & Sons

Level of knowledge:Analitical    

Nibandh lekhan, Katha lekhan, Kavitha lekhan.

Level of knowledge:Conceptual

Utbhav, vikas aur pramukh shailiyam

pramukh kalakar-1.M F Hussain 2.Ravindranath Tagore 3.Raja Ravi Varma 4.Jamini Roy.

Level of knowledge: Conceptual

1. Khanda Kavya”Shambook[Poetry] ByJagdeesh Gupta.Pub: Raj Pal & Sons

2. Essentials of Screen writing: The art, craft and business of film and television writing

By: Walter Richard.

3. Writing and Script: A very short introduction

By: Robinson, Andrew.

4 .Creative writing By John Singleton

5. Adhunik  Hindi Nibandh By Bhuvaneshwarichandran Saksena.

CIA-2(Mid sem examination)

CIA-3(wikipedia article creation)

End semester examination

Course Description: Language Kannada is offered to students of third Semester BA/B.Sc as Second language for fifty marks. Students of this semester will study an anthology of Modern Kannada Poetry and an Autobiography of Laxman Gaikwad. This course prepares the students to understand the new era. At the dawn of the twentieth century, B.M. Srikantiah, regarded as the “Father of modern Kannada Literature”, called for a new era of writing original works in modern Kannada while moving away from archaic Kannada forms. Students will study modern Kannada poetry from B.M.Sri to Dalit poet Dr. Siddalingiah. An anthology of modern poetry is selected to understand the beauty of modern Kannada poets through their writings. Uchalya is an autobiographical novel that carries the memories of Laxman Gaikwad right from his childhood till he became an adult. Laxman Gaikwad took birth in a criminal tribe of India belonging to Orissa/ Maharastra. The original text is translated to Kannada by Chandrakantha Pokale.

Course Objectives:

Understand and appreciate poetry as a literary art form.

Analyse the various elements of Poetry, such as diction, tone, form, genre, imagery, symbolism, theme, etc.

Appreciates to  learn the elements of autobiography.

1. Kariheggadeya Magalu- B.M.Sri

2. Hunnime Ratri- Kuvempu

3. Anna Yagna-Bendre

4.Mankuthimmana Kagga-D.V.G

5.Ikkala- K.S. Narasimha Swamy

6. Kannad padgol- G.P.Rajarathnam

7.Hanathe hachchuttene- G.S.S

8.Adugemane Hudugi-Vaidehi

9. Nehru Nivruttaraguvudilla- Adgaru

10. Nanna Janagalu.-Siddalingaiah

Text: Uchalya

Author:Lakshman Gayekwad

Translation: Chandrakantha Pokle

1 Dialogue Writing

2 Essay writing

3 short story building

2. Kannada Sahitya Charithre- Volumes 1-4, Editor: G. S. Shivarudrappa, Prasaranga, Bangalore Univeristy.

3. Hosagannada Kavitheya Mele English Kavyada Prabhava- S. Ananthanarayana

4. Hosagannadada Arunodaya- Srinivasa  Havanuru

2. Kannada Sahitya Sameekshe- G. S. Shivarudrappa

3. Bhavageethe- Dr. S. Prabhushankara

4. My Experiments with Truth- M.K. Gandhi

5. Ouru Keri- Siddalingaiah

Course description : This course enables the students to understand the basic techniques and theories of real Analysis.

Course objectives : This course will help the learner to

COBJ1. examine the convergence or divergence of sequences and series.

COBJ2. understand the different types of convergence and their properties.

CO1. Quote and understand the definition of a limit of a sequence or a function in its various forms.

CO2. Demonstrate the convergence or divergence of the geometric and harmonic series and other standard series.

CO3. Apply the basic tests for convergence of infinite series.

CO4. Prove the tests for convergence: Comparison Test, Ratio Test, Cauchy’s Root test, Raabe’s Test, alternating series test etc.

CO5. Understand the differences between convergence and absolute convergence

CO6. Understand and solve binomial , logarithmic and exponential series

Open sets, closed sets, closure of a set, countable and uncountable sets, topology of real line. Sequences: Definition of Sequences, limit of a sequence, algebra of limits of a sequence, convergent, divergent, and oscillatory sequences, problems thereon. Bounded sequences, Monotonic sequences and their properties, Cauchy sequence.

Infinite series, Cauchy convergence criterion for series, geometric series, comparison test, convergence of p-series, D'Alembert's Ratio test, Raabe's test, Cauchy's Root test, alternating series, Leibnitz’s test. Definition and examples of absolute and conditional convergence.

Sequences and series of functions, Pointwise and uniform convergence. Mn - test, M-test, Statements of the results about uniform convergence. Power series and radius of convergence.

Course description: The course Python programming for Mathematics is aimed at enabling the students to appreciate and understand some concepts in mathematics like Matrices, sequences, series, geometric shapes and fractals with the help of Python programming language. It is designed with a learner-centric approach wherein the students will acquire mastery in the subject by using Python programing language as tool.

Course objectives: This course will help the learner to

COBJ1. Acquire programming skill in solving mathematical problems using Python

1.  Introduction to NumPy and Sympy
2. Algebra and Symbolic Math with SymPy
3. Matrices - determinant, transpose, lower and upper triangular matrices, Eigen values
4. Solving linear and nonlinear equations
5. Test for Convergence of Sequences
6. Test for Convergence of Series
7. Drawing Geometric Shapes and Fractals
8. Complex functions in Python

Sundara Kanda is the only chapter of the Ramayana in which the hero is not Rama, but rather Hanuman. The work depicts the adventures of Hanuman and his selflessness, strength, and devotion to Rama are emphasized in the text. Bhoja only wrote 5 kāṇdas (up to the Sundarakāṇda), and there is a story about this: that he was inspired to write this work the night before a battle, that as he finished the Sundarakāṇda it was time to go, and that he announced that the Yuddhakāṇda would be enacted in the battlefield against the invader, but sadly he never returned. Others have composed a Yuddhakāṇda to complete the work.

The main objective of the students is to understand the champu Kavyas based on the sam.  

The Origin and development of the Champu.

Origin and developmetn of Champu kavyas

Five Important Champus

Level of knowledge: Basic/conceptual/ Analytical

Shlokas 1 -60 Hnumantha¨s voyage to Lanka and searching for Seetha Description of city Lanka , Characters of Champu Kavya 

Prayogas and Krudantha

Translation of Given passage from English to Sanskrit 

Writing composition in sanskrit on the given topic in Sanskrit

Sundarakanda from Bhaja´s Champu Ramayana 

Chitrakalayaa: ugagamam vikaasam ca

origin and development of painting through Vedas and Puranas

Reference Books:-

1)      Sundarakanda from “Champuramayana of Bhoja  

2)      Sanskrit Grammar by M.R. Kale.

3)       History of Sanskrit literature by Dr.M.S. Shivakumaraswamy.

4)       History of Sanskrit literature by Krishnamachari.

CIA 2 mid semester examination

CIA 3 Wikipedia assignment

This course is designed to introduce the concepts of theory of estimation and testing of hypothesis. This paper also deals with the concept of parametric tests for large and small samples. It also provides knowledge about non-parametric tests and its applications.

Concept of Population – Sample - Sample Space - Parameter and Statistic - Parameter Space - Sampling distribution of a statistic - Standard error - Derivation of Standard Error of sample mean – variance - proportion and difference between variances - Concept of Order Statistics.

Point Estimation: Concept of Estimator and Estimate - properties of Point estimator - Unbiasedness - Consistency - efficiency - relative efficiency - Minimum variance unbiased estimators - sufficiency - Crammer Rao Inequality (Statement only) - Rao Blackwell Theorem (Statement only) - Neyman Factorization Theorem (Statement only) - Methods of Estimation: Maximum likelihood - least squares and minimum variance - Concept of Interval Estimation.

Concept of Statistical hypotheses - Type I and Type II error - Critical Region and power of the test - Neyman-Pearson lemma (Statement only) - Large sample tests: Tests for single mean - equality of two means - single variance and equality of two variance for normal population - Tests of proportions.

Sampling distributions of Chi-square - t and F statistics: derivation of Mean - variance - M.G.F and properties (without proof) - Small sample tests: Tests for single mean - equality of two means - single variance and equality of two variance - Tests of proportions based on t and F statistics - Chi-square tests for independence of attributes and goodness of fit.

Concept of Nonparametric tests - Run test for randomness - Sign test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test for one and paired samples - Run test - Median test and Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests for two samples

1. Rohatgi V.K., Statistical Inference, Dover Publication, New York, 2013.
   

2. Gupta S.C. and Kapoor V.K., Fundamentals of Mathematical Statistics, 12th edition, Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi, 2020.

Rohatgi V.K an Saleh E, An Introduction to Probability and Statistics, 3rd edition, John Wiley & Sons Inc, New Jersey, 2015

This course is designed to give a practical exposure for testing of hypothesis by analyzing various data sets using R programming.

1. Test for mean and equality of two means when variance is known under normality conditions.
2. Test for single mean when variance is unknown under normality conditions.
3. Test for equality of two means when variance is unknown under normality conditions.
4. Test for single proportion
5. Test for equality of two proportions.
6. Test for variance and equality of variances under normality conditions.
7. Test for independence of attributes using Chi-Square test.
8. Test for goodness fit using Chi-Square test.
9. Test for one sample using Run test and sign test.
10. Test for paired samples using Wilcoxon Signed Rank test
11. Test for two samples using Run test and Median test
12. Test for two samples using Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test.

1. Walpole R.E, Myers R.H and Myers S.L, Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists, 9th edition, Pearson, New Delhi, 2017.
2. John V, Using R for Introductory Statistics, 2nd edition, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2014.
3. Rajagopalan M and Dhanavanthan P, Statistical Inference, PHI Learning (P) Ltd, New Delhi, 2012.
4. Rohatgi V.K an Saleh E, An Introduction to Probability and Statistics, 3rd edition, John Wiley & Sons Inc, New Jersey, 2015.

CIA-50%

Course description: This course is designed to build the logical thinking ability and to provide hands-on experience in solving statistical models using MS Excel with Problem based learning. To explore and visualize data using excel formulas and data analysis tool pack.

Introduction: File types - Spreadsheet structure - Menu bar - Quick access toolbar - Mini toolbar

- Excel options - Formatting: Format painter - Font - Alignment - Number - Styles - Cells, Clear

- Page layout - Symbols - Equation - Editing - Link - Filter - Charts - Formula Auditing - Overview of Excel tables and properties - Collecting sample data and arranging in definite format in Excel tables

Importing data from different sources - text file - web page and XML file - Exporting data in different formats - text - csv - image -pdf etc - Creating database with the imported data - Data tools: text to column - identifying and removing duplicates - using format cell options - Application of functions - Concatenate - Upper - Lower - Trim - Repeat - Proper - Clean - Substitute - Convert - Left - Right - Mid - Len - Find - Exact - Replace - Text join - Value - Fixed etc.

Data manipulation in table using shortcuts - using formulas and function - Missing value handling in graph using example of scatter graph with connecting line - Logical functions: AND

- OR - XOR - NOT - Conditional functions: IF - IFERROR - IFS - SWITCH - Date and Time: Date - Time - Now - Today - Year - Eomonth - Edate - Workdays - Workdays.Intl - Yearfrac - Lookup and Reference Functions: LOOKUP - VLOOKUP - HLOOKUP - INDEX - MATCH.CHOOSE - OFFSET - HYPERLINK - Mathematical Operations: SUM - PRODUCT - AGGREGATE - SUBTOTAL - Statistical Functions: Count - Frequency - Percentiles - Quartiles

- Rank - Deviation - Variance - Averages etc

Data analysis tool pack: measures of central tendency - dispersion - skewness - kurtosis - partition values - graphical and diagrammatic representation of data: histogram - bar diagram - charts - line graphs - Ogive - covariance - correlation - linear regression

Introduction to macros - using macros for data entry - importing files - Data cleaning and managing using macro - Different types of security available in Excel to protect the contents. Construction of dashboard.

1. Alexander R, Kuselika R and Walkenbach J, Microsoft Excel 2019 Bible, Wiley India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, 2018.

2. Paul M, Microsoft Excel 2019 formulas and functions, Pearson Eduction, 2019.

1. Olafusi M, Microsoft Excel and Business Data Analysis for the Busy Professional, Create Space Independent Publishing Platform, 2016.

2. McFedries P, Excel Data Analysis Visual Blueprint, 4th Edition, Wiley India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, 2013.

3. www.excelfunctions.net

4. www.excel-easy.com

ESE 50%

Araillakiyam, bakthi illakiyam, ikala illakiyamn the major allakiyams.The influence myths and puranas are delineated through the good deeds for a better lifestyle.The  Cultural Studies part will have an overview of Indian painting both traditional and modern with special reference to mythology and literature

India 2020- Abdul Kalam

1. Thirukural

2. Avvai kural

1. Thiru vasagam

2. Kambar andhadhi

Naatu pura padalgal

India 2020- Dr. Abdul Kalam

1. Common topic: Oviyam

2. Visual text : nattupuviyal

Sollu illakanam

Thirukkural-Bhoombugar pathipagam- puliyur kesigan urai, Chennai- 08

Kammbarin Ainthu noolgal- Vanathi pathupagam- Dr. R. Rajagopalachariyar,  Chennai- 18

Nathu pura illakiyam- Ki Va jaganathan- malai aruvi- Monarch achagam- chennai

India 2020- APJ Abdul kalam- puthaiyuram aandugaluku aga oru thoali nooku,  New century book house, chennai

Thirukkural-Bhoombugar pathipagam- puliyur kesigan urai, Chennai- 08

Kammbarin Ainthu noolgal- Vanathi pathupagam- Dr. R. Rajagopalachariyar,  Chennai- 18

Nathu pura illakiyam- Ki Va jaganathan- malai aruvi- Monarch achagam- chennai

India 2020- APJ Abdul kalam- puthaiyuram aandugaluku aga oru thoali nooku,  New century book house, chennai

Tamizhar nattup padagal - N Vanamamalai, New century book house, Chennai

EXAMINATION AND ASSIGNMENTS: There is a continuous evaluation both at the formal and informal levels. The language skills and the ability to evaluate a text will be assessed

This paper will have a total of 50 marks shared equally by End Semester Exam (ESE) and Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA) While the ESE is based on theory the CIA will assess the students' critical thinking, leadership qualities, language skills and creativity

This course is taught in the second year for students from different streams, namely BA, BSc and B Com. If the first year syllabus is an attempt by the Department of English, Christ University to recognize and bring together the polyphonic Indian voices in English and Indian regional literatures in translation for the Additional English students of the first year, the second year syllabus intends to take that project a little further and open up the engagement of the students to texts from across the world. The syllabus - selection of texts will concentrate on readings from South Asian, Latin American, Australian, Canadian, and Afro-American. It will voice subaltern concerns of identity, gender, race, ethnicity and problems of belongingness experienced by humanity all over the globe.

The syllabus will extend the concerns of nation and nationality and marginalization, discussed within the Indian context to a more inclusive and wider global platform. We have consciously kept out ‘mainstream’ writers and concentrated on the voices of the subalterns from across the world. There is an implicit recognition in this project that though the aspects of marginalization and the problems facing subalterns are present across cultures and nations, the experiences, expressions and reflections are specific to each race and culture. The course will address these nuances and specificities and enable our students to become more aware and sensitive to life and reality around them. This will equip the students, who are global citizens, to understand not just the Indian scenario, but also situate themselves within the wider global contexts and understand the spaces they will move into and negotiate in their future.

There is a prescribed text book Blends: Voices from Margins for the second year students, compiled by the Department of English, Christ University and intended for private circulation. 

The course objectives are

·         to introduce the students to look at different cultures through Literature

·         to help students develop an understanding of subaltern realities and identity politics

·         to inculcate literary sensibility/taste among students across disciplines

·         to improve language skills –speaking, reading, writing and listening

·         to equip the students with tools for developing lateral thinking

·         to equip students with critical reading and thinking habits

·         to enable them to grasp and appreciate the variety and abundance of subaltern writing, of which this compilation is just a glimpse 

·         to actively engage with the world as a cultural and social space (to be facilitated through proactive CIAs which help students to interact and engage with the realities they face everyday and have come across in these texts)

·         to learn and appreciate India and its place in the world through association of ideas in the texts and the external contexts

·         to reiterate the study skills and communication skills they developed in the previous year and extend it.  

Unit 1: Novella

·         Viktor Frankl: “Man’s Search for Meaning”(Excerpts)                                       

Short Story                                                                                                    

·         Anton Chekov: “The Avenger”

·         Chinua Achebe: “Marriage is a Private Affair”

·         Nadine Gordimer: “Train from Rhodesia”

·         Wakako Yamuchai: “And the Soul Shall Dance”

Poetry                                                                                                             12 hrs

·         Octavio Paz: “As One Listens to the Rain”

·         Jamaica Kincaid: “Girl”

·         Derek Walcott: “A Far Cry from Africa”    

·         Joseph Brodsky: “Freedom”

·         Alice Walker: Excerpts from “In Search of My Mother’s Gardens”

·         Hannah Arendt: “Men in Dark Times”

Dalai Lama Nobel Acceptance Speech

Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning"

Diary of Anne Frank

Famous Nobel Lectures

CIA2: Mid-semester written exam for 50 works

CIA 3: This is to be a creative test/ project in small groups by students. They may do Collages, tableaus, skits, talk shows, documentaries, Quizzes, presentations, debates, charts or any other creative test for 20 marks. This test should allow the students to explore their creativity and engage with the real world around them and marks can be allotted to students depending on how much they are able to link the ideas and discussions in the texts to the world around them.