The aim of this course is to facilitate students to participate creatively in all aspects of peace studies, peace-building in conflict and post-conflict societies. Understanding Gandhian approach to peace from the interdisciplinary perspective and comprehend Gandhi’s views and perceptions on economic, social, political, environmental, and development, related issues. To provide opportunities to the learners for higher studies in the area of theoretical and applied Gandhian Studies, Peace, Conflict Management, and Social Regeneration.

Course layout

BLOCK-I - SOURCES OF GANDHIAN PHILOSOPHY

Unit -1 - Indic Religions: Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism

Unit-2 - Semitic Religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam 

Unit-3 - Western Philosophy: Greek Tradition, Ruskin, Tolstoy and Thoreau)

Unit-4 - Eastern Philosophy (Vedanta, Bhakti Movement – Kabir, Tulsidas, Vaishnavism, Anasakti Yoga)

BLOCK-II - GANDHI’S WORLDVIEW

Unit-5 - Gandhi’s Views on Human Nature

Unit-6 - Gandhi’s Views on Truth

Unit-7 - Gandhi’s Views on Non-Violence

Unit-8 - Gandhi’s Views on Religion

BLOCK-III - GANDHI ON CIVILISATION

Unit-9 - Gandhi’s Critique of Modern Civilisation

Unit-10 - Critical Understanding of Indian Civilisation

Unit-11 - Towards a New Civilisation

Unit-12 - Sarvodaya

BLOCK-IV - GANDHIAN WAYS AND MEANS

Unit-13 - Duties

Unit-14 - Swaraj

Unit-15 - Swadeshi

Unit-16 - Satyagraha

Instructor bio

Prof. Anurag Joshi

Indira Gandhi National Open University

Prof. Anurag Joshi has had his schooling and higher education in various institutions in the Pink City of Jaipur. Before joining IGNOU (1988), he was UGC-NET qualified Junior Research Fellow at the Department of Political Science, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. At IGNOU, he coordinates various courses each at the Graduate and Postgraduate levels. He has been actively involved in the faculty’s courses/ programmes including the Ph.D integrated programme. One Ph.D thesis has been completed under his supervision. His areas of research pertain to Modern Indian Political Thought, Political Theory and Development Studies. Prof. Joshi conducted Post-doctoral research in France for one year (1996) on the theme of ‘A Comparative Study of Pressure groups in France and India: Special focus on Press, Business, Students and Women’. He holds Certificate/ Diploma degrees in French from the Department of Modern European Languages, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur and from Alliance Francaise, New Delhi. Prof. Joshi is on the Advisory Committee for the Area Studies Programme of African Studies of the Centre for African Studies, School of International Studies (SIS), JNU. He has published articles/ book reviews in journals of national repute and has authored a book on ‘Population, Development and Political Process in India’. Outside professional boundaries, his interests lie in instrumental music and mystic sciences.

Summary