A First-of-its-kind two-day Tutorial on

Vedic Social Sciences

A new Universal Paradigm for Social Sciences in the 21^st Century

Feb 23-24, 2019 (Sat-Sun), 9:30am – 5:00pm

by Prof. Nagaraj Paturi

Overview

• Are you into social work, corporate social responsibility or HR?
• Are you looking for answers to inter-personal and cultural challenges in your family, at work or in the society?
• Are you fascinated by India’s immense harmonious diversity and wondering if it has anything to offer to the world community in handling cultural diversity and conflicts?

Then we recommend you attend this 2-day introductory tutorial on Vedic Social Sciences. This pioneering initiative by MIT SVS and Indic Academy brings a fresh approach to Social Sciences and Humanities currently dominated by the Western perspective.

To register, fill out the online registration form.

Logistics

• When: Feb 23-24, 2019 (Sat-Sun), 9:30am – 5:00pm
• Who should Attend: Current / Aspiring students, faculty, professionals, intellectuals in Social Sciences and Humanities
• Venue: Participants can come to the following managed venues, or join the live interactive webinar online:
  • Hyderabad: Seminar Hall, GeneTech Pvt Ltd
    • In-person with Speaker
    • Address: 8-2-293/174/A25, Opposite KBR Park, Rd Number 14, BNR Colony, BN Reddy Colony, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana
    • Contact: 98480 41127
  • Delhi: Verity Software Noida or search “ISTQB centre” on Google Maps.
    • Address: First floor, A108B, sector 58, NOIDA, U.P.
    • via interactive web conference.
    • Contact: Sri Vipul Kocher, 99102-33030
  • Online via live interactive webinar from your home location.
• Fee:
  • At Hyderabad in person with speaker: ₹ 4,800 (₹ 2,800 if student)
    • includes lunch and snacks, excludes accommodation and travel
  • At Delhi via web conference: ₹ 4,000 (₹ 2,000 if student)
    • includes lunch and snacks, excludes accommodation and travel
  • Online from your home location: ₹ 3000 (₹ 1,000 if student)
  • To avail student discount (₹ 2,000 off), need valid student ID as proof on registration
• # Participants: Min 15, Max 50
• How to Register: Fill in the online registration form.
• Contact for logistics:
  • Phone: +91-91122-19018 (Mr. Mahesh Deshpande),
  • Email: info.mitsvs@gmail.com

About the Speaker

Prof. Dr. Nagaraj Paturi is a well-respected scholar with over 25 years of teaching and research experience in Vedic aesthetics, linguistics and cultural anthropology specializing in folk-classical (vedic) interface, as well as in Vedic civilizational thought. He teaches courses in Qualitative Research, Ethnography, Semiotics, Cognitive Cultural Studies to students of Design, Communication, Classical Dance, Business Management etc. employing Vedic Science approaches where applicable.

A captivating orator, poet and rigorous thinker, Dr. Paturi has deep knowledge of both western and Indian concepts in Social Sciences and Humanities.

Dr. Paturi is currently the Director of Indic Academy Hyderabad’s Inter-University Center for Indic Knowledge Studies. He is also an executive committee member and distinguished visiting faculty of the MIT School of Vedic Sciences, MIT-ADT University Pune INDIA (mitvedicsciences.com). He is on the board of studies of several Universities focusing on applied Vedic scientific studies including Chinmaya University and Vivekananda University.

About This Tutorial

Social science is the systematic study of human society and social relationships to predict social behavior. A comprehensive understanding of human psychological makeup and motives is crucial to deconstruct social behavior and address the multiplying social distress.

This tutorial highlights the social and cultural biases inherent in mainstream social sciences and humanities today. It presents the Vedic approach and how it can transform the discipline globally in a fundamental way.

What you will learn:

• India’s Indigenous Knowledge Systems and their contribution to Social Sciences & Humanities
• Understanding mainstream social sciences and humanities from the Vedic perspective
• Introduction to Vedic Sociology, Vedic Anthropology, Vedic Political Science, Vedic Public Administration and Vedic ‘History’ – their global relevance for handling cultural diversity and conflicts.
• Potential areas of research and application of Vedic Social Sciences in the 21^st century.

Expected Outcomes

This tutorial will help start rigorous academic study in various universities on the following lines:

• through diploma, MA, and other PG and UG courses in Vedic Social Sciences
• through research courses
• through faculty research and publications

It will also spur new understanding of the pre-modern Sanskrit literature and pre-modern Indian society for the larger good of humanity.

Schedule

Here is the tentative lecture schedule of the two-day tutorial:

• Session 1: Understanding the Mainstream Social Sciences and Humanities ecosystem and its roots
• Session 2: Vedic Social Sciences: What it is, and why now
• Session 3: Vedic Contributions to Social Science Disciplines – A closer look
• Session 4: Vedic Social Sciences – the work ahead

Motivation

While the scientific community tries hard to keep the subjective bias out of its process, it is now well-recognized that the social and cultural background of the researcher can greatly influence the methodology adopted in pursuing knowledge and the conclusions drawn. Their influence is more pronounced in mainstream social sciences and humanities, which have largely evolved under European social conditions. The academic world has long recognized this influence and the importance of studying diverse indigenous knowledge systems in expanding human wisdom.

However, for various reasons and biases, the Indic, especially Vedic dimension has been either largely marginalized or treated with an alien lens in mainstream discourse. This has deprived humanity of invaluable Vedic civilizational insights to its detriment. The knowledge areas covered by the present mainstream Social Sciences (Economics, Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science, Public Administration, History etc.)  and Humanities (studies of culture, literature and philosophy) are covered by many indigenous knowledge systems too. Indic, particularly Vedic Knowledge Systems, offer a very different perspective to each of these areas that is valuable for understanding and shaping human society.

Why Vedic Perspective for Social Sciences?

The prime contribution of Vedic knowledge systems is their holistic model of human psycho-physical Nature and how it determines individual and social behavior. There are numerous living examples of social organization validating the Vedic model and its conclusions. Given the multiplying social ills and the limitations of mainstream social science models in addressing them, it is high time the Vedic perspective is studied by the academic community with an open mind.

Indic Knowledge systems, particularly the Vedic systems, offer a global alternative paradigm in each of the disciplines of the present mainstream Social Sciences, namely, Vedic Sociology, Vedic Anthropology, Vedic Economics, Vedic Political Science, Vedic Public Administration, Vedic ‘History’ etc.

The Vedic paradigm can complement and enrich mainstream understanding of human behaviour to help effectively address humanity’s social, political, cultural and economic challenges.