SYLFF Focus

Background
In the current global scene, every nation must achieve its own viable version of a modern technological society within the matrix of a traditional structure. India provides an exceptional instance of this ongoing process owing to its diversity and strength, and the rich complexity of its traditional culture; but equally, its wide and productive absorption of new knowledge systems and economic and cultural paradigms. Our proposal seeks to study and help to direct this process of change and absorption. This involves interacting with other nations to learn from their experience, adapt their models to our own needs, and contribute to their models in our turn.

Context
The University’s goal is sustained human resource development with the objective of creating a new generation with vision and knowledge who can see beyond the boundaries of their discipline, as also beyond geographical boundaries and boundaries artificially created by caste, race, economic deprivation, social taboos and political barriers.

It is genuinely felt that the new generation needs to be aware of the immediate problems of the society they live in, to be able to find ways and means to solve them. So research questions that try to identify, analyse and explain the contemporary economic, social, political and cultural situation in the light of past tradition and present global change need to be encouraged among the students engaged in higher education.

No study can be complete unless a multidisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary approach is adopted for understanding the multiple dimensions of any single problem. The research output needs to provide enough understanding of the problems and information base for policy formulation, or else should itself lead to alternative policy options. Given the goal of the University to establish closer links with policy-making bodies at local, national and international levels, we intend to encourage, under the SYLFF Programme, a focus that emerges from this background and context.

Focus : Tradition, Social Change and Sustainable Development : A Holistic Approach

It is expected that fellowship recipients will focus on any issue or problem (that falls within the parameters of humanities and social sciences) relevant to contemporary Indian society, for example: challenges of technological diffusion, globalisation and media; social and political unrest; low intensity conflicts; violence; regionalism; regional security, integration; regional cooperation with emphasis on -- cooperation within South Asia and with South East Asia, Asia Pacific Region; deprivation and quality of life; status of disadvantaged groups, children , women; human rights; ethnicity and multiculturalism; pressure from growing population, migration; institutions and social capital for sustainable development.

The above areas of research are cited only as samples and do not exhaust the list of problems and issues. It would be the task of the prospective fellowship recipients to identify a problem and propose a study to understand the contemporary dynamics either relating it to the India’s tradition and/or interaction with colonial, post colonial and/or global system, culture and practices.

The aim is to aid in the process of policy formulation and broader social and cultural initiatives towards operationalising sustainable and holistic development to achieve higher quality of life for citizens of India and world at large.

All SYLFF fellows will make their specific contributions within this main focus. Applicants will be asked to submit proposals within the broad purview of the Programme, and to defend its relevance to the overall background , context and focus.