Faculty of Social Sciences
Department of Folklore Studies
INTRODUCTION
The Folklore department was established in 1992. The department started functioning with an understanding that without understanding the Folklore of Karnataka, its history and culture would be incomplete and it has the potential to provide an alternative perspective on Karnataka. The department carries out its mandate in five aspects a. Faculty members taking up research project, b. Publication and though that intervening in the academic field, c. documentation of folk culture/practices both tangible and intangible, d. creating a forum through conferences, seminars, workshops and 3. teaching to create new scholars in the field. Apart from research and its publications, the department has so far documented 10 epics in Epics of Karnataka series. The department is running a Diploma course on Folk Arts with the help of Distance Education centre and also running a journal called ‘Jaanapada Karnataka’. The department is offering M.A., Ph.D. integrated program in Folklore. We are neither looking at folklore as a relic of the past nor romanticizing it. We are aware of the changing dynamics of the contemporary world and we believe that folklore offers alternative understanding of the past and could provide multiple perspectives on the past and the present condition of our communities. Department places emphasis on field oriented studies: field survey, field interactions, field activities. We are also making forays in applied aspects of discipline of folklore.
Vision Statement of the Department
- To develop alternatives to Euro-centric knowledge production by engaging with indigenous and traditional knowledge systems enshrined in folklore.
- Focusing on marginal sections of the society by focusing on tribes, women, peasants etc.
- Documenting living, tangible and intangible folk culture to enquire about the philosophy that underlies it and to see its rejuvenation in the changing world.
- Make available alternate ways of seeing the world, inhabiting the world to the consumption oriented society to address the problems of the present.
- To act as a bridge between humanities (hermeneutics) and Social science (positive analysis) by developing folklore studies as a critical third space in both the streams.
Mission Statement of the Department
- Documentation of tangible and intangible folk-culture through field oriented research.
- Analysis of the documented practices/literature to publish the knowledge that underlies them.
- Apart from addressing the concerns of the folk culture we are also addressing the living condition of the communities who own this folk culture.
- To train scholars who can take up this mantle on their shoulders.
Uniqueness of the Department
- The department is one of the first in designing an integrated M.A.,Ph.D. Course in folklore in the country.
- As most of our faculty members are trained in different disciplines we have always been interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary in our research framework.
- We have carried out both encyclopedic and intensive focused research in the Department.
- Exploring the pre-modern technology and science through folk-culture
Department Profile
Programmes/Courses of the Department
Ph.D. in Folklore Studies
M.Phil. in Folklore Studies
Courses offered :
M.A., Ph.D. (Folklore Studies) Integrated Programme program
Syllabus
Details of the faculties :
| Name | Designation | Highest Qualification | Specialization |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Manjunatha Bevinakatti | Professor and Chairperson | Ph.D. | Folkore and Kannada Literature |
| Dr. Mogalli Ganesh | Professor | Ph.D. | Folkore and Kannada Literature |
| Dr. C.T. Guruprasad | Deputation | Ph.D. | Folkore and Kannada Literature |
Major Research Projects
Major Contribution of the Department :
- Documentation and publication of oral epics of Karnataka
- Exploring pre-modern technology and science through folklore
- Bibliographic compilations of folklore studies in Kannada
- Subaltern perspective in our research approach
Conference/Seminars/Workshops/Endowment Lectures etc :
Details of Publications, Books and Research Articles (with ISBN,ISSN and without ISBN, ISSN) :
Photo Gallery
Contact Us
Dr. Manjunatha Bevinakatti
Department of Folklore Studies
Kannada University, Hampi
Vidyaranya – 583 276
Email : dr_bevinakatti@rediffmail.com
Mobile : 9449220870