Rev Fr Stany D’ Souza SJ received Mangalore University PhD

07.04.10 : On 6 April, Rev Fr Stany D’ Souza SJ received PhD degree from the Mangalore University for his thesis: vacanas, works of Shivasharanas

It is a study of vacanas, works of Shivasharanas (a twelfth century socio-religious movement from Karnataka) from the perspective of empowerment. The basic argument of the thesis is that rereading leads to personal and community empowerment. Hence the study has two major concepts: rereading and empowerment.

Rereading is a method of reading. As the name suggests it refers to revisiting a text. Text here can mean many things. It can be any communicative activity (a literary work, context, etc.) Rereading is not understood chronologically, i.e. visit a text after a certain time. It refers visiting the text with new questions, methods and problems. It can be an on-going process. Rereading in this research work adds another dimension i.e. reading from the perspective of the poor, downtrodden and the marginalized. This rereading, the poor visiting the text, the study assumes surely leads to empowerment.

Because of the enormous size of vacanas the study selected the vacanas of low caste men and women and focused on their unique of way of reading. It explores their redefinition of language, work, caste, gender and spirituality. This process of Sharanas indeed helped a multitude of people, especially from the low caste and class, to redefine their identities on the platform of equality and justice. They spoke and participated in the production of social discourse and action.