Modernisation & Creative Communication Course | IIT Kharagpur & IMIS
Course Details
| Exam Registration | 396 |
|---|---|
| Course Status | Ongoing |
| Course Type | Elective |
| Language | English |
| Duration | 8 weeks |
| Categories | Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit Points | 2 |
| Level | Undergraduate/Postgraduate |
| Start Date | 16 Feb 2026 |
| End Date | 10 Apr 2026 |
| Enrollment Ends | 16 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Registration Ends | 27 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Date | 25 Apr 2026 IST |
| NCrF Level | 4.5 — 8.0 |
Modernisation and Creative Communication: Charting the Unfinished Project of Modernity
In an era defined by rapid technological change and global interconnectedness, understanding the roots and trajectories of modernisation is more critical than ever. The course Modernisation and Creative Communication, offered by distinguished academics Prof. Saswat Samay Das of IIT Kharagpur and Prof. Ananya Roy Pratihar of IMIS Bhubaneswar, provides a unique intellectual framework to do just that. This 8-week journey is designed for undergraduate, postgraduate students, and PhD scholars eager to dissect modernity not as a bygone era, but as a vibrant, ongoing, and communicative process.
Course Overview: A Multi-Faceted Exploration
This comprehensive course is structured around four core pillars, moving from theoretical foundations to contemporary applications:
- Modernity as a Creative Idea: The course begins by positioning modernity as a revolutionary break from dogmatism and unreflective tradition, championing creativity and critical thought.
- Modernisation as Historical Phenomenon: It then grounds this idea in history, analyzing pivotal events like colonization, the Industrial Revolution, and world wars that shaped the modern world.
- Modernisation as an Unfinished Project: Challenging the notion that modernity is complete, the course explores recent developments like posthumanism and planetarity as direct outcomes of modernising processes.
- Modernisation as Communicative Practice: Finally, it frames modernisation itself as a form of communication—a way of networking ideas to produce new meanings and sensibilities for emerging global communities.
Meet the Instructors: Leading Scholars in the Field
The course is guided by two eminent professors whose research sits at the cutting edge of cultural and political theory.
Prof. Saswat Samay Das (IIT Kharagpur) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. A prolific author and editor, his recent works include co-edited volumes such as Technology, Urban Space and the Networked Community (2022) and entries in the Schizoanalytic Applications Series examining global pandemics and postneoliberalism. His scholarship provides a deep philosophical backbone to the course.
Prof. Ananya Roy Pratihar (IMIS Bhubaneswar) is an Assistant Professor in Communication Studies. She has collaborated closely with Prof. Das, co-editing several significant volumes including Deleuze, Guattari and the Global Pandemics (2023). Her expertise bridges communication theory with contemporary critical thought, ensuring the course remains grounded in practical discourse analysis.
Detailed Course Layout: An 8-Week Intellectual Journey
| Week | Theme | Focus Area |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Ideas of Modernisation and Creativity | Foundational concepts and the creative rupture of modernity. |
| Week 2 | Historical Overview of Modernisation | Key historical events that materialised the modern world. |
| Week 3 | Current Developments in Modernisation | Posthumanism, planetarity, and the contemporary landscape. |
| Week 4 | Modernisation as a Communicative Practice | How modernisation networks ideas and creates new communities. |
| Weeks 5 & 6 | Speaking into the Air - Parts I & II | Deep dive into the history and philosophy of the communication idea. |
| Week 7 | Media, Market and Creative Communication | The interplay between economic systems, media, and creative expression. |
| Week 8 | The Dominion of Communication | Synthesizing themes: envisioning One Planet, Many Worlds. |
Essential Reading: The Scholarly Canon
The course curriculum is supported by a robust reading list featuring seminal texts that have shaped the discourse on modernity and communication:
- Mowlana & Wilson: The Passing of Modernity: Communication and the Transformation of Society (1990)
- Peter Childs: Modernism (2016)
- Whaley & Samter: Explaining Communication: Theories and Exemplars (2013)
- John Durham Peters: Speaking into the Air: A History of the Idea of Communication (2012)
- C. David Mortensen: Communication Theory (2008)
Who Should Enroll?
This course is ideally suited for students and scholars in Humanities and Social Sciences, particularly those in fields like Sociology, History, Communication Studies, Cultural Studies, and Philosophy. With a prerequisite of a graduation degree, it offers a challenging yet accessible platform to engage with complex ideas that define our present and future.
By enrolling in Modernisation and Creative Communication, you are not just studying history; you are learning to interpret the communicative fabric of our modern world and actively participate in shaping its next chapter.
Enroll Now →