In Italy Hindi Language and Literature have been taught for half a century. This discipline has been generally subaltern to classical Indology. Studies on India in Italy have been till recently characterized by a solid knowledge of the ancient world, that only subsequently opens to the study of modern languages and literature – my CV follows this pattern. Scholars in Hindi L&L are mainly interested in medieval literature, generally in connection with religious-philosophical researches. I would like to analyze the methodology used in approaching the study not only of Hindi L&L, but of the Indian subcontinent on the whole. In fact, I think that nowadays it is needed –even unavoidable– to do a serious reconsideration of methodologies and techniques used in the study of South Asia in general and of some sectors in particular, not only in Italy but in the academic world in general. In my opinion, avoiding such critical examination and thought would bring about a serious damage to the development of research in this field, particularly with reference to the study of modernity and contemporaneity. In my paper I suggest that it is possible to identify a new paradigm for feminist educators. Not only are many courses organized from a white and androcentric knowledge base, but in the Italian field of South Asian studies there is a lack of consideration about the relevance of positionality in the work of practitioners who produce instruments for transmitting knowledge, such as textbooks. I claim that it is necessary to reevaluate the significance and application of identity theory in feminist paradigm, and to elaborate new theoretical tools also in the field of South Asian studies and of language teaching. In order to do this, I will concentrate on two textbooks for Hindi language used in Italian universities, a field that has never been investigated up to date. I will analyze the discourse in two textbooks used to teach Hindi language, freely applying thematic analysis and critical discourse analysis approach, and discussing the positionality of the authors of those texts.
Teaching Hindi and Researching India in Italy: Prolegomena for a Feminist Critique
Consolaro Alessandra
2021-01-01
Abstract
In Italy Hindi Language and Literature have been taught for half a century. This discipline has been generally subaltern to classical Indology. Studies on India in Italy have been till recently characterized by a solid knowledge of the ancient world, that only subsequently opens to the study of modern languages and literature – my CV follows this pattern. Scholars in Hindi L&L are mainly interested in medieval literature, generally in connection with religious-philosophical researches. I would like to analyze the methodology used in approaching the study not only of Hindi L&L, but of the Indian subcontinent on the whole. In fact, I think that nowadays it is needed –even unavoidable– to do a serious reconsideration of methodologies and techniques used in the study of South Asia in general and of some sectors in particular, not only in Italy but in the academic world in general. In my opinion, avoiding such critical examination and thought would bring about a serious damage to the development of research in this field, particularly with reference to the study of modernity and contemporaneity. In my paper I suggest that it is possible to identify a new paradigm for feminist educators. Not only are many courses organized from a white and androcentric knowledge base, but in the Italian field of South Asian studies there is a lack of consideration about the relevance of positionality in the work of practitioners who produce instruments for transmitting knowledge, such as textbooks. I claim that it is necessary to reevaluate the significance and application of identity theory in feminist paradigm, and to elaborate new theoretical tools also in the field of South Asian studies and of language teaching. In order to do this, I will concentrate on two textbooks for Hindi language used in Italian universities, a field that has never been investigated up to date. I will analyze the discourse in two textbooks used to teach Hindi language, freely applying thematic analysis and critical discourse analysis approach, and discussing the positionality of the authors of those texts.
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