Cultural Studies : Workshop by Dr. Kalyani Vallath

Cultural Studies : Workshop by Dr. Kalyani Vallath :

Hello My Dear Readers...


27 December 2019

Here is my blog about Cultural Studies. We have participated in a workshop on cultural studies of the department of English Maharaja Krishnakumar Sinhji Bhavnagar University. One day workshop organized by Dr Dilip Bard, Head of the English Department. Dr. Kalyani Vallath is a very passionate teacher of Trivandrum in Kerala. She taught us about cultural studies and different theories. Her way of teaching is really appreciated. She has the coolest voice and personality. Her teaching style is very different from others. She gave many examples of culture study. Cultural studies is a very difficult subject but she taught us very easily and interestingly. That's why we enjoyed the session whole day without any hesitation. We got many more important guidance about culture study.

What is your understanding about the concept of Cultural Studies?

In my view, cultural studies is the study of our culture. Our culture is very different from other cultures. How cultural learning relates to literature is very important in cultural studies. Cultural studies provide us with invaluable skills in writing, thinking, and expression. Cultural studies are about interdisciplinary studies. Cultural studies belong to a larger community or society. India is the best place to talk about culture, because India has a big community. Cultural Studies is an innovative interdisciplinary field of research and education that explores the ways in which "culture" creates and transforms personal experiences, everyday life, social relationships and power. People belong to different cultures. Cultural studies is a study about politics, history, media, philosophy, economics, social realities and so on. When we learn about culture, we discover how culture transforms personal experiences, social realities and power relationships. The Kalyani Ma'm explained in her own personal experience. Cultural studies evolved in response to liberal humanism and hedonistic Marxism. Culture has both a physical and a spiritual substance. Cultural studies is not just about the author who writes but also about how people consume text and how it is embedded in our lives. Due to this, our education is the main target for the examination such as gender, sexuality, gender, class and other societies.

How would you explain a layman about Cultural Studies?

 Let me explain to a layman about cultural studies. So I will give a very simple example that Dr. Kalyan Madam gave in the session. Most people in Kerala are vegetarian. So people slaughter goats and other animals and they drink and drink blood because of poverty. But not all Kerala people eat the blood of animals. According to Matthew Arnold, cultural studies are about perfection. She talks about high culture. Cultural studies are the opposite of Arnold and F.R. Lewis. Cultural studies are a concern of ordinary people. 

If you are asked in interview to teach Cultural Studies - How would you introduce it?

 If I said in the interview that I would present it a lot easier than to teach cultural studies. I asked some basic questions about cultural studies. And I present it with very simple examples. How cultural studies are associated with literature and everyday life. and also that is based on political economy, communication, sociology, social theory, literary theory, media theory, film studies, cultural anthropology, philosophy, art, history, Criticism, etc.

How many examples from the sessions were so catchy that you will never forget it? Write about it.

Throughout the session Madame gives many examples. Dr. Kalyani Mamm gives an example that relates to her personal family or experience and also examples of society. An example of a session I will never forget is about advertising for culinary powder. The ads includes women who cook for her husband and ask her husband for a dish test and her husband tells a very tasty dish how you all manage. Give an example with a Madam expression in the session. And that's why we enjoyed the whole session, and Madam also gives another example of why men don't cook for women and only women cook.

Anything else....

The whole session has been very interesting and useful for us. We clearly understand cultural studies. Many examples have been given by Kalyani Mam during the session. Cultural studies transforms personal experiences. She gave her own example. When she travels abroad. Cultural studies are also about the relationship mankind. Cultural studies is an interdisciplinary study. In the workshop we have learned a lot of things. Thanks to Kalyani Mem, for teaching us about cultural studies. And also Thanks to Dilip Bard Sir for organizing this session...

            Thanking you....