B5248 - TEXTUAL CULTURES ACROSS SOUTH ASIA (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will acquire advanced knowledge of the dynamics of transmission of individual texts and formation of corpora across communities and media (orality, manuscripts, print) within the multi-cultural and multi-religious domain of South Asia, including some of its adjacent areas. Students will also develop a critical approach to the methods that can be applied to study such topics. They will be able to express themselves effectively orally and/or in writing, using the appropriate terminology and with reference to the specialised bibliography; they will be able to use the appropriate communicative registers for contexts characterised by cultural, linguistic and religious pluralism.

Course contents

The course will address the following topics:

- Introduction to geographical, linguistic, religious and cultural macro-areas that had historical relevance across Central, South and Southeast Asia.

- Introduction to the types of historical written artefacts (manuscripts, inscriptions, variously printed books), with a particular focus on their materials and forms.

During the course, we will also investigate case studies on the modes of textual transmission, in particular:

- from orality to writing;

- from manuscripts to print;

- translations and transcreations;

- canons and curricula.

Readings/Bibliography

All materials will be provided by the instructor in class and through the Virtuale platform of the University.

The syllabus is the same for attending and non-attending students.

 

Teaching methods

Frontal instruction and group discussions of relevant secondary literature.

The seminar will be held in English. This is aimed at offering to the students the possibility of engaging with the topics in question through the language that is by far the most relevant in the pertinent academic disciplines. The instructor will always be available to repeat or slow down when requested to do so. Students are encouraged to address the instructor and peers in English, but Italian is also allowed, in particular at the beginning of the seminar.

Assessment methods

• Attending and non-attending students

The exam is oral, and lasts approximately 30-60 minutes. It consists of the discussion (presentation, contextualisation, criticism) of a selection of the historical sources and case studies examined during the course.

Grading is based primarily on the student's preparation, but also takes into account analytical and synthetic abilities, clarity of exposition, and the use of appropriate academic language.

Broadly speaking:

• An organic vision of the topics discussed in the course, the capacity for critical analysis, and the use of a precise and appropriate language will be evaluated with excellent to good marks (28 to 30+);
• A mnemonic knowledge of the subject, a limited ability of analysis and synthesis, and the use of an acceptable but not always accurate language will be evaluated with decent to average marks (24 to 27);
• Incomplete knowledge of the subject and/or poor analysis and synthesis skills and/or the use of an inaccurate language will lead to mere pass marks (18 to 23);
• Poor preparation, lack of familiarity with the bibliography of the course, use of inappropriate language will lead to exam failure.

• Please note

This 6 CFU course can be chosen as a part of the 12 CFU Integrated Course "TEXTS AND LANGUAGES OF SOUTH ASIA (I.C.) (LM)". If the student has the Integrated Course (12 CFU) in his/her study plan, the examination of the two courses making up the Integrated Course must be taken on a single date and the final grade will result from the arithmetic average of the marks obtained in the two parts ("SOUTH INDIAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES (1) (LM)" e "TEXTUAL CULTURES ACROSS SOUTH ASIA (1) (LM)").

• Exam sessions

During the academic year, exam sessions are scheduled for the following months: May, June, September, November, December, February

Teaching tools

All materials will be made available to students through the "Virtuale" platform of the University.

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Giovanni Ciotti