Delhi University to Introduce 'Linguistic Anthropology' as Elective

Delhi University's Anthropology Department is gearing up to introduce an elective course titled 'Linguistic Anthropology' as part of the 2024 postgraduate curriculum. The course, aimed at second-year master's students, will be presented before the Standing Committee for Academic Affairs for approval.

If approved, the course will advance through the Academic and Executive Councils toward inclusion in the syllabus. Professor Dannarapu Venkata Prasad hopes it will become a core paper eventually. The elective is planned to have four units covering key aspects of linguistic anthropology, including its social impacts and structure.

Head of Department, Soumendra Mohan Patnaik, stressed the importance of integrating linguistic anthropology into the curriculum, highlighting it as a long-overdue subject within Indian academia. The course will explore classical Indian languages while focusing on their significance within the Indian Knowledge System.