Course Description: Prior to stepping out into the field of Mass Communication and Journalism, participants need to have basic knowledge, curiosity, and awareness of politics, history, economics, and society. Various teaching methods will be introduced to make the participants aware of contemporary issues so that they not only have opinions but also can intelligently analyze them in a broad perspective.
Course Contents: Unit 1: History – What do you know of Indian History? Main periods in Indian History, Stories of some main events & personalities, Colonial Rule, Struggle for Independence, Modern Independent India, Division of States and the ongoing debates on autonomy of States, Post Liberalization India, screening of Chanakya & Bharat Ek Khoj. Unit 2: Politics – Monarchy, parliamentary and presidential systems; Single party, two party and Coalition Governments; Federal and Centralized System; Three wings of the government: Legislative, Executive and Judiciary; Chief National personalities figuring in current news; Criminalization of politics; Important Bills, Parliamentary Acts and Constitutional Amendments passed by Indian Parliament over past five years; Important Supreme Court Rulings over past five years; Bi-polar and uni-polar world after fall of Communism; Chief International Personalities figuring in current news; Regions of conflict in the world; Role of UN umbrella over past 10 years. Unit 3: Economics – India a mixed economy: feudalism, socialism, and capitalism; industrial and agricultural economies; Developing, developed, and Under-developed economies; Role of Private and Public sector in the economy; Role of Banks: RBI, World Bank, Asian Development Bank; Regional economic groupings and their functions; The European Union and its expansion, World Economic Forum; Indian Economy: growth patterns. Unit 4: Society – Globalization and its cultural impact; Global warming and environment; Naxalism and Marxism; Family, marriage, and gender relationships; Cultural shifts in Indian society; Urbanization and migration; reservation and positive affirmation; new age spiritualism and health; growth of entertainment industry; Indian sports scenario. Unit 5: Science and Scientific Temper – Modern day debates on War and warfare; Debates on Nuclear non-proliferation; Nano Technology; Latest development in Bio-technology, Nobel prizes in science; Debates on cloning; and Artificial Intelligence.