Universität Wien

142075 VO The Sanskrit epics: from ancient India to pop culture (2022W)

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Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

Language: English

Examination dates

Lecturers

Classes

Di, 13:15-14:45, SR 6 Institut für Südasien-, Tibet- und Buddhismuskunde (Universitätscampus, Spitalgasse 2, Hof 2.1, 1090 Wien), ab 4.10.


Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This class will deal with the transmission of the Ramāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata, from their oral/written sources in Ancient India to the mass media culture in a globalized world. The course aims at analyzing the different (often conflicting) views about how the Sanskrit epics came into existence, the vast media through which they have been transmitted and the impact they have had in popular culture in India and abroad. Concepts about textual criticism, cultural evolution, knowledge transfer, adaptive reuse and fandom will help us navigate such a vast topic within the frame of the course.

Assessment and permitted materials

Students are required to hand in a final assignment (an essay of 2500-3000 words) on a given topic by the end of the semester. In writing this essay the students are invited to make full use of the materials presented in the course and try their abilities to employ academic methods to work on research questions of their own choosing.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

This is an introductory course, previous knowledge about Sanskrit epics is not required.
The grading of the final assignment will be done according to the following guideline:
(100-91%) Very good
(90-81%) Good
(80-71%) Satisfactory
(70-50 %) Adequate
(<50%) Inadequate

Examination topics

An examination topic related to the material presented in the course (i.e., the lectures, reading list and other sources such as podcasts, films, TV series, digital media content, etc.) will be chosen by each student in agreement with the lecturer.

Reading list

To be confirmed.

Association in the course directory

BA9, EC2/2, MASK2

Last modified: Mo 22.05.2023 14:07