Course Overview:
This course on South Asian literature in Urdu welcomes students to examine how narratives about women, for women, have changed over the years, especially in works written by men. As women begin to occupy a more significant position in the workforce and choose to navigate their way outside of the small cloisters of domestic spaces, it is important to study how male writers expressing themselves in Urdu, present and represent the women of their world.
We will delve into literary and visual cultural productions of South Asia. The narratives we will explore are written by some renowned writers who brought several startling and untold stories about women, and the obstacles and hardships faced on account of direct and indirect influences of society. Each of the stories is fascinating in describing and showcasing the most common everyday experiences of women in the most extraordinary way.
We begin with the short stories of Rajinder Singh Bedi and Krishan Chander, who can be classified as fathers of realistic portrayals of women in Urdu literature, and we shall conclude with the visual rendition of Farhat Ishtiaq's novel, Humsafar, to see how a male director's production can lend insight into multiple ways of 'seeing' women. The mix of genres in the course will also allow students to delve into the relationship between form and content, and between form and context.
The following stories will be studied (reading and visual material will be provided in class), which will develop students' skills of close reading and analysis:
Woman - Rajinder Singh Bedi
Give Me Your Sorrows - Rajinder Singh Bedi
Preeto - Krishan Chandar
By the Roadside - Saadat Hasan Manto
Bismillah - Saadat Hasan Manto
Awaiting the Zephyr - Syed Muhammad Ashraf
Bol - Written and directed by Shoaib Mansoor
Humsafar - Written by Farhat Ishtiaq and directed by Sarmad Salman Khoosat
A storyteller, writer, and educator
MA in Comparative Literature from King's College London
Faculty at LUMS and whose prose and poetry have been published in the anthology, 'Chronicle of Memories', and in Luphyr Magazine.
Application Process:
Participants must register online through the CES website by clicking on their desired course and filling out a one-page form. Before starting the registration process, please ensure that you have the following:
- A passport-sized photograph for the CES smartcard. It should be against a white background.
- Correct CNIC details.
Incorrect information provided during the registration process will lead towards cancellation of your enrolment at any stage, and participants will not be entitled to claim a refund.
Once you have completed your online registration, you may proceed to the payment section. You have two options:
1. Pay online using your bank debit/credit cards through LUMS online payment system https://pay.lums.edu.pk
2. Download the fee voucher and deposit cash in any branch of the designated banks specified on the fee voucher.
Once the payment has been made, you will receive a confirmation email within 24 to 48 working hours, and your payment status will be updated to "ENROLLED" in the online application portal.
Installment:
KalPay Taleem offers monthly installments for all CES on-campus courses and workshop fees. For more details, contact via WhatsApp at 0328 3044414 (working hours - 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM), or visit taleem.portal.kalpayfinancials.com/sign-up to apply!
Note: CES may cancel or postpone a course due to insufficient enrolment or unforeseen circumstances. In this case, the university will refund registration/processing fee (if any) but will not be responsible for any other related charges/expenses including cancellation/change charges by airline and travel agencies.
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