Theme of Research

 

Research proposals are invited on themes that include, but are not limited to, the following.  However, emphasis shall be on promotion of communal social harmony through these research studies.:

 

1.    Religious texts, belief, practices and religious institutions

·        Teachings and contributions of great religious and spiritual leaders, prophets, saints, etc.

·        Religious beliefs, customs, practices and institutions; believers and non-believers and godless religions, religious cults, etc.

·        Relation between the divine and mortals, rulers and ruled, nature and human beings

·        Ideas of the common or public good

·         Role of dharmasthans, dharmasthalas, durgahs, madrasas, pilgrimage centres; control and management of religious institutions

·        Syncretism and anti-syncretism

·        Tribal religious practices, theories of kingship, justice and authority in ancient and tribal societies; tribal culture, rituals, identities and customs

·         Popular and folk religions, local cults and practices and their linkages

·        Case studies on making and unmaking of religious and spiritual authority and the role of dissent.

 

  2.  Religious movements and social change

·        Religion and society

·        Castes, sects, religious and other identity based movements

·        Religious reforms and reform movements

·        Women and their social status in different religions

·        Religious philanthropy and their diverse forms in different religious traditions

·        Freedom of religion, religious conversions, anti-conversions, re-conversions, etc.

·         Re-invocation of faith through personal god and the bhakti and sufi traditions.

·        Religious nationalism and modern identities

·        Discourse and practices on communal politics in contemporary India

 

3.    Religion and science

·        Impact of technology on religions and spiritual aspects of  society  

·        Moral and ethical issues of modern science and the response of religious    authorities  

·        Convergence and conflict between science and religion in future.  

 

4.    Religion, performing arts and mass media

·         Cultural contexts of religious discourse of folk, classical and non-classical art forms including music, dance, drama, fairs, festivals, paintings, handicrafts, etc.  

·         Mass manufacture of religious identity and the impact of religious/communal TV channels, audio/video CDs, religious gatherings and popular religious literature, magazines, newspapers, etc.  

·        Cinema/films as interpreter of popular faiths and cultures  

5.    Religion and globalization  

·         Increasing influence of religions/religious authorities over the state and its institutions  

·        New religious movements and institutions and the renewed role of ‘godmen’ and spiritual and religions leaders in expanding world religious horizon

·        Diaspora, trans-national religion and cultural traditions  

·        Civilizational clash and terrorism  

·        Secularism in changing world order  

6.      Democracy, pluralism, multi-culturalism and cultural nationalism  

·        Cultural nationalism vs. cultural pluralism  

·        Multi-cultural citizenship  

·        Sons of the soil, migration and freedom of movement within the territory of India

·        Secularism, religion and the state

7.      Special methodological concerns in the applied study of comparative religions; India ’s contribution to the world thoughts, philosophy, religion and culture; composite culture and nationalism in India .

 

8.      Communalism, communal conflicts and other societal violence, etc.  

·        Communal propaganda, hate literature and hate websites  

·        Anatomy of communal and other societal violence, retaliation and the ghettoisation of communities  

·         Personal laws and uniform civil code

·         Different manifestations of communalism  

·         Facets of contemporary practices of communalism  

·        Communalism in the post liberalisation period  

·        Communal riots/violence and the vulnerable section (pregnant women, unaccompanied children, aged, etc.); case studies on violence affected families, communities at risk, etc.  

·        Fact finding and empirical studies on communal and other forms of violence; study of field situation in communally sensitive areas

·        Violence and youth  

·        Committees/Commissions of inquiry on communal conflicts  

·        Causes and consequences of societal conflicts, violence, etc.  

·         Internal displacements and human rights  

·         Physical and psychological impact of communal, caste, ethnic, terrorist and other sectarian violence on women, children and other weaker sections  

·        Politics and economics of communalism

·         Majority and minority confrontation and politics  

·        Profiles of the states and districts based on communal violence including case studies  

 

9. Prevention and control of conflicts  

·        Strategies to prevent communal, caste and other societal conflicts/violence; pro-active approach on maintaining social harmony and preventing social tensions

·        Government intervention in preventing and controlling communal and other forms of violence  

·        Punitive taxes, collective fines, etc. on the individual/ community involved in riots/ violence  

·        Compensation, relief and rehabilitation (physical, psychological, etc.) to the victims of riots/ violence

·        Constitutional and federal implications of preventing societal conflicts  

·        Police/ administration and the containment of societal and communal conflicts/violence  

·        Regulation of religious processions and other processions, rallies, etc.  

·        Role of civil society, non-governmental organisations, media, etc.  

 

10.    Communal harmony, unity and national integration  

·        Approaches to unity, fraternity and national integration

·         National Integration Council and its role

·        National anthem, songs, symbols, sports and National Service Scheme, etc.  

·        Different strategies to promote communal harmony  

·        Shared space among religious communities and inter-communal and inter-religious dialogues/initiatives, etc.  

·         Case studies on communal harmony, specific examples of communal harmony  

·        Non-violence, co-existence and religious tolerance  

·        Sufism, sufi-movements and sufi-saints and their contribution; bhakti movements and traditions  

·        Promoting study of religion in educational institutions 

·         

11.   Documentation & dissemination of information on communal harmony and national integration.  

·        Documentation and preparation of directories/ databases  

·         Study / research on court judgements on the issue(s)  

·         Documentation of dissertations on the subject in Indian and foreign universities  

·        Directory of voluntary organisations working in the field

·        Compilation of annotated bibliography on the subject  

·        Courses of study on the subject in the institutes of higher learning

 

12.  Miscellaneous  

·         Evaluation study of Project Assist relating to assistance to child victims of violence particularly those who have left the social security net  

·         Action research including possible innovative methods adopted in the field for promotion of communal harmony  

·        Contribution of non-governmental and other organisations in the process of promotion of communal harmony, methodologies and their effectiveness.