Summer/Winter Schools on South Asia


Macau winter school on Urban Hybridity in the Post-Colonial Age

The International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) and the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSH), University of Macau is co-hosting a Winter School on "Urban Hybridity in the Post-Colonial Age" during 16 – 20 December 2013 in Macau, China. The deadline for applications is May 16, 2013 at 9.00 am (CET). 
The Macau Winter School is meant to elicit and interrogate new theoretical paradigms of postcolonial urban hybridity that are informed by experiences emanating from various contexts in Asia and beyond. Participants will be required to assess critically their individual work through discussions led by co-conveners. They will also test their knowledge against the background of the urban setting of Macau where they will reside for the duration of the programme. 
The programme will be run by three world-renowned scholars in the fields of Asian postcolonial hybridity: Prof. Engseng Ho (Duke University), Prof. Akhil Gupta (UCLA) and Prof. Michael Herzfeld (Harvard University). Research specialists from various academic backgrounds (history, Asian studies, social anthropology, art history, media studies, etc.) will combine their expertise to provide participants with an intensive and interactive experience. Students will have the opportunity to present their research and receive productive critical feedback from top scholars and from their student peers. The session will close with a one-day conference where selected participants will present their revised papers. 
The key themes related to postcolonial urban hybridity include but are not limited to: Rethinking notions of hybridity, métissage, creolization, etc., in urban contexts; The colonial / postcolonial city – cities before, during, and after Empire; Postcolonial and cryptocolonial nation-states and cities; Port-cities and maritime connections; and Contests over land use and ownership. More information. 


Heidelberg Summer School 2013 on Space, Locality, and Circulation between Asia and Europe

The Cluster of Excellence "Asia and Europe in a Global Context" at Heidelberg University welcomes applications for its Summer School 2013; "Sites of Knowledge: Space, Locality, and Circulation between Asia and Europe". It will take place from August 4 to 8 in Heidelberg, Germany.
This year's Summer School will explore the significance of space and locality for the generation and circulation of knowledge. Starting from the premise that space and place shape the social interactions in which knowledge is made and remade, the Summer School will address questions such as: Is all knowledge local? Does the situatedness of knowledge preclude claims to 'truth' and 'universality'? And how can we best conceptualize the liminal spaces in which knowledge is traded or transmitted? Individual sessions will focus on selected places involved in circulations of knowledge between and within early modern Asia and Europe, ranging from courts, schools, academies, temples, and observatories to print shops, bazaars, roadhouses, ports and ships.
The Summer School addresses graduate students in humanities and social sciences with an interest in theories and practices of knowledge production in Asia and Europe. The academic program combines informal lectures with more interactive elements such as reading groups and writing workshops. The invited scholars represent a wide range of backgrounds and share an interest in engaging in critical dialogue across regional and disciplinary boundaries.
In addition to the academic program, a range of excursions and leisure activities in and around the city of Heidelberg is on offer. Application deadline is May 31, 2013. More information. 


2013 Indological programme at Leiden Summer School in Languages and Linguistics

LeidenFor the eighth year, the Leiden Summer School in Languages and Linguistics at the Faculty of Arts, Leiden University, the Netherlands offers an Indological Programme during the period 15-26 July 2013. The Indological programme consists of four courses: – Features of Vedic poetry , and – The syntax of Vedic prose, both courses taught by Dr. Werner Knobl, University of Kyoto, Japan; a course on ”Readings in Buddhist Sanskrit: Selected passages from the Mahāvastu”, taught by
Vincent Tournier, Leiden University; and a course on ”Readings in the Purāṇas: manuscripts and critical editions”, taught by Peter Bisschop, Leiden University.
This year, the Summer School consists of totally nine programmes, all taught by internationally renowned specialists. The programmes include one Indo-European Programme for beginners, and another Indo-European Programme for advanced students. More information.


2013 Tamil Summer School in Puducherry

PILCThe Puducherry (Pondicherry) Institute of Linguistics and Culture holds its regular Tamil Summer School from 22 July - 31 August 2013. The summer school offers an intensive education in spoken Tamil language at basic and intermediate levels, and it combines classroom lessons with field visits so that the participants can practice at most their language skills in the course of studies. Registration is open from 1 March – 30 April 2013.
The Tamil Summer School was initiated in 1998 by the Department of Social Sciences, French Institute, Puducherry to offer training to language researchers in Humanities and Social sciences. PILC has been organising this course since 2004. Read an article from The Hindu about the Tamil Summer School 2008, (with a photo by T. Singaravelou).
The medium of teaching is English as well as Tamil. The TSS focuses on Spoken Tamil rather than on the classical and written forms being taught in European Universities. The level of spoken Tamil course is INTERMEDIATE.
More information (as pdf-file). 


Intensive summer courses on Sanskrit, Nepali and Urdu at Heidelberg University

SAIThe South Asia Institute (SAI) at Heidelberg University offers a number of extracurricular activities including spring and summer schools. Generally these are organized by the SAI-departments or conducted as cooperation among the disciplines. In recent years many summer schools on political, cultural and philological topics have been offered and attracted the attention of an international academic community of young scholars from various backgrounds. This year the following summer schools are on offer:
From 5th to 30th August, 2013 the Department of Classical Indology offers its well-introduced Summer Schools in Spoken Sanskrit; and a Nepali Intensive Course. For the 14th year, Spoken Sanskrit is taught by Sadananda Das, whereas the Nepali Intensive course is again led by Laxmi Nath Shrestha. The language courses focus on practicing conversation and communication skills that can be used during field research or daily situations. All teachers are leading professionals in their fields and have significant backround in teaching and research. The lessons are held in English, therefore knowledge of English at reasonable level is required.
The department for Modern South Asian Languages and Literatures (Modern Indology) offers a summer school Intensive Course in Spoken and Written Urdu to be held from 12 - 31, August 2013. The instructors, Ms Amtul Manan Tahir, Ms Bushra Iqbal Malik and Dr Christina Oesterheld, have taught regular Urdu courses at Erfurt University and Heidelberg University and intensive Summer courses at Erfurt and Heidelberg.
In addition to the SAI organized Summer Schools there are associated research projects who offer events for students with a focus on South Asia. Full information about the SAI language summer schools.


Summer seminar in New Delhi, Varanasi and Agra on India's past and present

The American National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Community College Humanities Association (CCHA) organise a four-week summer seminar entitled "India's Past and the Making of the Present" during July 1-26, 2013 in New Delhi, Varanasi and Agra, India. 
The seminar is directed by Beverly Blois (Northern Virginia Community College) and Daniel Ehnbom (University of Virginia) and allows participants from two- and four-year colleges and universities to study selected aspects of India's history, literature, architecture, art and religion with some of the foremost scholars, journalists, film makers, and leaders of social movements in India. The institute moves chronologically through Indian history, with the first week offering an introduction to the Indus Valley civilization and the Aryan question and enlarges the discussion to how these early societies facilitated the establishment of an enduring culture that is reflected in India today. The second week moves to classical India and the development of established religious faiths that led to attempts at socio-religious syncretism. Texts studied this week include the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita and site visits include a trip to Varanasi and nearby Sarnath. The third week delves into the initial encounter between India and Islam (1206-1526), closely examines the nature of the complicated relationship that developed between the two, and traces this relationship to its current dissension in India. Participants are also joined on a tour of the Taj Mahal by Ebba Koch, an art historian and advisor on the building's restoration. The final week focuses on the British Raj, India's independence, and the making of modern India.
Guest lectures touch on a variety of topics including British colonialism, Gandhi and Nehru's role in India's independence, and the issue of communal violence which emerged in the 1950s, as a dark underside of Indian politics and society. Applications should be posted no later than March 4, 2013. More information and application instructions. 


Würzburg University organises Kannada language course in Bangalore

The Kannada Winter School "Language and Culture of Karnataka", organized by the Chair of Indology, Würzburg (Karnataka Study Centre), will take place in Bangalore, India, 4 – 16 March 2013. Kannada – the Dravidian Language of the South Indian state of Karnataka – is a classical Indian language spoken by more than 60 million people today and distinguished by a rich literary history. The course will provide an introduction to the Kannada Language through an extensive program combining spoken Kannada with reading, writing and grammar skills. The students will gain insights into contemporary Kannada, acquire practical language skills and learn to apply these in realistic everyday situations. Subject to personal effort, students should be able to speak basic conversational Kannada and read and write the Kannada script after their successful participation in the course. Deadline for registration is 4 February 2013. More information. 


2013 NCI summer courses on Contemporary India and Nature–Society Interface

The Nordic Centre in India university consortium organises two short term summer courses for Nordic students in India during the summer 2013, one based at Hyderabad and the other at Bangalore. The courses are as follows:

NCIContemporary India. An Interdisciplinary Introduction Course. This course is being held for the 11th year at the University of Hyderabad during the period 30 June – 27 July 2013. It is tailor-made for 50 Nordic students and introduces issues of politics, culture and economy. It consists of the following five parts:
– Introductory course
– The diversity of India
– The political system and questions of identity
– Globalisation and the economy focusing on the city of Hyderabad
– Development, environment and human rights, and
– Indian literature and cinema.

ISECApproaching the Environment in India. Issues and Methods in the Study of the Nature-Economy-Society Interface. This course is being held for the 7th year at the  Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC) in Bangalore during the period 7 July – 3 August 2013. Capacity: 22 students, getting an introduction to recent theories and methods in the study of contemporary environmental issues in India.

Both courses are available in the 7.5 ECTS variant and the 10 ECTS variant. The course structure remains the same with the exception of additional coursework for students opting for the 10 ECTS variant.
Typically each member university within the NCI consortim has their own deadline, so there is no general overarching deadline for receiving students nominations. But NCI wants to receive the names of interested students and their details by March 31st, 2013 so that the students, host institutes, and NCI have enough time to make practical arrangements for the course. Interested students can also independently approach NCI if they have missed their university deadline.
Given the unequal demand among the member universities and with the goal of filling all the seats being offered in the three courses NCI has changed the limit of nominations. The number may be more than just three students as was the earlier practice. If there are more students than required for the course NCI will look at member university/institute representation and the academic qualifications of the competing students to finally decide who gets selected.
More information on the NCI web page, http://www.nordiccentreindia.com/
or directly from the Programme Manager, Ms. Christabel Royan.


ODG offers regular short courses for development professionals

odg logoThe Overseas Development Group (ODG), a charitable company wholly owned by the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, regularly organizes short courses for development professionals, some of them during the Spring–Summer 2013, on subjects like ”Gender and Development”, ”Climate Change and Development”, ”Impact Evaluation for Evidence-Based Policy in Development”; and a number of other Professional Development Programmes. 
More information about the ODG professional courses 2013.


Advanced Course in Spoken Sanskrit to be held in Goa

During the period 11 February – 1 March 2013, the Department of Classical Indology at Heidelberg University, Germany, organizes an Advanced Course in Spoken Sanskrit in India. The venue of the course will be Shadvala – Center for Sanskrit Studies in Goa, and the course will be taught by Dr. Sadananda Das (Leipzig University, Germany). Dr. Das has been conducting courses on spoken Sanskrit since two decades, including the Summer Schools in Spoken Sanskrit held each year in Heidelberg. The maximum number of participants is limited to seven. Applications should have reached the organisers by 31 October 2012. More information and application form.