The Centre for Contemporary Studies, a relatively new experiment at the Institute,  endeavours to bring to the campus some of the best practitioners of different disciplines in the human sciences, such as philosophy, sociology, economics, law, literature, poetry, art, music, cinema etc. These scholars, drawn from all over the world, visit and lecture at the Institute and some are in residence for periods ranging from a few days to several months. Students, faculty and staff of the Institute as well a number of people from other institutes in Bangalore attend these lectures.  The aim of this experiment is to forge useful and meaningful interaction between the natural sciences and human sciences with special focus on understanding the diverse research methodologies of different disciplines and create opportunities to rethink the foundations of our own disciplines - often the opportunity to criticise the methodological foundation of another discipline leads to a re-examination of the foundation of one’s own discipline. In addition to such one-off lectures, the Centre offers (presently, once in two years), a one-semester course entitled “The Production of Knowledge – A comparison of Natural and Social Sciences”. The Centre has now moved to the former JNCASR building near the Health Centre.

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Invites you to a talk on :

" TALKING THRO’ THE STRINGS: Art and Science in the Evolution of
Music and Musical Instruments"

From time immemorial, we have taken inspiration from nature in all walks of life – and so has Music. Some of the earliest forms of musical sound are wind howling through bamboo shoots or grass acting as reeds to create a whistling sound of varied pitches, birds singing as part of their mating calls etc. Since then, over many millennia, we have evolved from very crude skull-and-gut based, single-stringed instruments to very sophisticated ones such as Tanpura, Veena, Violin, Piano etc. What distinguishes one instrument from another ? Why are some instrument makers more prized than others? Why is the voice timbre of an Opera Singer very different from an Indian Dhrupad Singer?

As science and technology evolved, making of instruments has gone through a lot of sophistication too leading to better instruments of more consistent quality. How much of the Music is Art, and where does Science play a role? This is an attempt to address some of these aspects related to the evolution of Musical Sound as perceived through the eyes and the ears of an Artist.

Thursday, 28th March 2013; Time: 4:00 pm
Venue: CCS Seminar Hall, IISc, Bangalore 12
Tea/Coffee will be served at 3:30 pm

Centre for Contemporary Studies, Indian Institute of Science (CCS-IISc), Bangalore, in collaboration with Centre for the Study of Culture and Society (CSCS), Bangalore, is looking for suitable candidates for a Library and Writing Fellowship in 2011-2012. Candidates with PhD or equivalent research experience, with a background in the natural or social sciences, and having an interest in interdisciplinary work that is specifically reflected in their research, are invited. Researchers at the stage of writing their PhD dissertations are also welcome to apply. Knowledge of the history and philosophy of science would be an additional qualification.

The Fellowship is envisaged for a period of 3 months. The Fellows will spend their time between CCS and CSCS as well as other institutional spaces that support their work, and will have use of the libraries. Selected candidates will be encouraged to contribute to ideation at CCS and CSCS, with a special focus on specific and tangible effects of interdisciplinary research on curricula, testing the effects of interdisciplinarity in disciplinary and pedagogic spaces. Candidates will be expected, during the period of the Fellowship, to participate in academic events, conduct formal and informal discussions with faculty and students, and to share, at the end of their tenure, a paper on the methodological interfaces between their discipline and another, and a teaching module.

The Fellowships have begun in April 2010.  A consolidated honorarium in the range of 15,000 per month commensurate with experience will be offered.  Interested candidates are invited to apply in soft and hard copy, to:

Professor Raghavendra Gadagkar,
Chairman,
Centre for Contemporary Studies,
Indian Institute of Science,
Bangalore – 560012
Email: ragh_at_ces.iisc.ernet.in

Candidates are requested to include an updated CV and a published sample of writing, along with a short proposal of 3-5 pages stating what research they look forward to completing during the period of the Fellowship.