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Tag: humanities

PHI Learning, renowned for 62 years of academic publishing excellence, provides affordable textbooks aligned with NEP 2020, authored by experts, and widely adopted in higher education globally.

  • Gandhi’s Legacy: Shaping Political Philosophy in India

    When discussing India’s Independence movement, few names resonate as prominently as Mahatma Gandhi’s. Gandhi’s political influence helped spread philosophical approaches of non-violence (Ahimsa) and Satyagraha (truth-force or soul-force) which are still integral to Indian political philosophy today.

    Gandhian philosophy is taught to all students at in India. At university-level, most humanities and social science courses will at least touch upon Gandhian Philosophy. Whether you study Politics, History, or English Literature, you cannot get away without touching upon a bit of Gandhian Philosophy in college! It’s a fact: Gandhi is integral to Indian political philosophy.

    Gandhi emphasized practical idealism over theoretical abstractions, aiming to drive both societal transformation and individual change through adherence to truth and non-violent opposition.

    His principles of peace, nonviolence, and interfaith harmony have gained widespread acceptance in university curricula globally. A simple google search would show you how well-received Gandhian Philosophy is in global curricula.

    Check out this article (https://www.mkgandhi.org/intro_autobio.php) to better understand Gandhi’s life and methods but also Indian social life and culture.

    The core Gandhian principles include:

    • Truth (Satya): Commitment to honesty and authenticity.
    • Nonviolence (Ahimsa): Practicing compassion and peaceful resistance.
    • Self-discipline (Swa-Dharma): Embracing self-control and inner harmony.
    • Non-possession (Aparigraha): Detachment from material possessions and simple living.
    • Non-stealing (Asteya): Respecting others’ property and rights.
    • Equality (Samanvaya): Valuing each individual equally, regardless of social distinctions.
    • Non-violent resistance (Satyagraha): Advocating for justice through peaceful means.
    • Trusteeship (Sarvodaya): Promoting equitable distribution of wealth.
    • Constructive work (Sarvodaya): Engaging in productive activities for societal betterment.
    • Swadeshi (Self-sufficiency): Supporting local industries and self-reliance.
    • Swaraj (Self-governance): Striving for individual and national self-rule.

    Studying Gandhian Philosophy Through Textbooks

    Studying Gandhian philosophy through traditional textbooks offers several advantages over relying solely on online resources. Textbooks provide a structured and comprehensive approach, featuring insightful commentaries, historical context, and critical analysis.

    PHI Learning’s Political Theory titles, authored by reputable scholars, enhance the learning experience with features like explanatory footnotes, comprehensive introductions, illustrative summaries, and self-evaluation questions. These resources immerse students in Gandhi’s wisdom, offering a deeper understanding of his philosophy and its relevance to contemporary issues. Textbooks facilitate academic growth, intellectual enrichment, and a lasting appreciation for Gandhian principles in political theory education.

    Textbooks offer several key benefits:

    • Comprehensive Coverage: They address all essential topics systematically, ensuring a complete understanding of subjects.
    • Logical Organization: Textbooks present information in a coherent sequence, helping students build knowledge progressively. This structured format clarifies complex concepts and creates a comprehensive mental map of the subject.
    • Quality Assurance and Credibility: Authored by experts and subjected to rigorous peer review, textbooks ensure accuracy and educational value. They often include citations and references, allowing further exploration and verification of information.

    While online resources may provide fragmented or generalized content, textbooks offer a narrative style that presents topics as a cohesive story. This structured approach aids in grasping complex concepts and gaining a more integrated understanding of the subject matter.

    Textbooks cover essential topics comprehensively and are organized to build knowledge systematically. Online resources, while convenient, often lack the depth and structure found in textbooks.

    For example, while a textbook on Gandhi would provide a detailed account of his life and philosophy, organized serially, most websites and online study notes may not present this in a sequential or complete manner. Further, textbooks may feature additional resources, such as documentaries and autobiographies, that can offer a more holistic view.

    The 1982 film “Gandhi” by Richard Attenborough or “The Story of My Experiments with Truth” by Gandhi himself are similar to textbook learning. Such resources cover the topic being analyzed in more detail. They also provide personal opinions and different perspectives. Such details, provided with the guidance of experts’ opinions, can lead to unique insights for those who want to truly understand and analyze the topic, rather than just gathering information about it.

    Studying Gandhian philosophy through textbooks offers a comprehensive and structured approach to understanding his principles. This method ensures that students gain a thorough and nuanced view of Gandhi’s transformative ideas and their relevance in today’s world.

    political science books

  • Preserved In The Lens Of Change: A Glimpse of India’s Biodiversity through Digital Storytelling

    The Evolution of Education in India: From Textbooks to Multimedia

    Over the past few years, India has transformed into a rapidly advancing economy, boasting the world’s largest population of young people. With the boost in the number of young people comes a proliferating culture of social media and digital multimedia use.

    Amidst this cultural evolution, the internet has emerged as a pivotal means of communication. Further, digital storytelling (sharing a story with your audience via photographs you have taken yourself) has become highly popular.

    Running parallel to the internet’s dominance is the epoch of climate change, heightening global awareness of environmental challenges.

    This blog is about the intersection of the approaching culture of digital storytelling and the trending topic of environmental conservation. We explain why digital storytelling is a great means through which we can initiate academic and scholarly discussions on topics related to biodiversity, environment, climate change, etc.

    Raising Awareness through Digital Storytelling

    Before delving into the importance of digital narratives in helping educate people about our rich biodiversity, it is important to answer the question – what even is digital storytelling?

    Digital storytelling uses digital media like images, videos, and interactive elements to convey a message, blending traditional storytelling with technology for engaging experiences.

    Digital storytelling has great potential to bring academic discussions to the public. Its ability to “go viral” on social networks can help amplify relevant topics, making them accessible to everyone.

    In this digital age, storytelling emerges as a powerful tool to bring to the forefront underrepresented natural wonders and inspire action for their conservation. With advancing technologies, wildlife photography has become a trend, facilitating immersive digital narratives that unveil the wonders concealed within protected realms, fostering a deeper connection with nature.

    Multimedia Storytelling in Higher Education

    Similarly, in academic education, integrating digital storytelling into the curriculum can make learning more enjoyable, especially with the abundance of beautiful images depicting natural Landscapes.

    Incorporating digital storytelling into e-books, leveraging the natural narrative ability of our planet’s biodiversity, can make learning about topics such as ecology and environmental science more fun and engaging.

    Renowned globally for its biodiversity, India’s unnoticed and overlooked wealth of wildlife sanctuaries and nature reserves need to be brought to the public’s notice. Digital storytelling has a huge potential in bringing discussions taking place within the academic sphere to the forefront. Incorporated in e-books, digital storytelling about India’s biodiversity can make learning fun!

    How Multimedia Narratives Can Impact Academia:

    • Student Engagement and Learning: Actively engages students through immersive experiences.
    • Empowerment and Advocacy: Motivates students to champion conservation efforts, empowering them to take tangible action.
    • Conservation Contribution and Cultural Preservation: Contributes to conservation endeavors by visually documenting ecological data and preserving cultural heritage.
    • Policy Influence and Global Impact: Advocates for policy reforms and reaches a global audience, amplifying the efficacy of conservation endeavors.

    While multimedia storytelling serves as an effective communication tool across various subjects, its value is particularly pronounced in environmental science, ecology, biology, and related fields. Presenting India’s biodiversity and global wildlife sanctuaries in a digital, visual format can serve as a compelling means to popularize the principles, objectives, and aspirations that fields like environmental science embody and aspire to achieve.

    Know about India’s Biodiversity:

     

  • Hashtag Strategy Tips For #DigitalMarketing

    Hashtags are best described as a way for social media platforms to categorize posts. This helps the platform’s algorithm to ensure your post appears on the feeds of users who would be interested in your content. Strategically using hashtags is amongst the most effective ways to grow your reach. Hashtags will help your social media content become prioritized on pages which are most relevant to your brand.

    An effective hashtag strategy will help you reach an audience of people who are genuinely interested in your product. It involves building clusters of content around a hashtag to make it easy for your target audience to find a whole cluster of the kind of content they want to see when they interact with your brand. Most hashtag strategies aim to include both popular and niche hashtags in order to have a broad as well as targetted reach.

    This post provides tips for creating a brand hashtag strategy  to help you effectively target the right audience for your brand and also extend your reach amongst the right categories of people. Read on for our top 7 tips:

    1.  Research your audience

    The most essential part of any social media strategy is knowing who your target audience is. Social media is great for digital marketers due to its ability to be more targeted. Experts can analyze data easily available on all platforms and then target a specific audience which is most likely to be interested in their content.

    Defining the correct audience to target can be as easy as going on your preferred social media platforms and exploring conversations and topics related to your brand or niche. Listening to conversations relevant to your brand will help you find out what your audience cares about and utilize this information to create a targetted strategy.

    2.  Find popular hashtags related to your brand

    Hahstags which are relevant to your brand can help you reach new users who may be interested in your products. Hashtags allow platforms to group together similar content according to a specific interest or keyword. Users who then search for a hashtag will be able to see all content tagged with this specific keyword – including yours! This way, hashtags help you reach audiences who are specifically looking for the kind of content you have to offer.

    Take note of the hashtags which brands in your industry are using. You can also try typing in various keywords related to your product into your preferred platforms search engine until you have a list of the most popular hashtags This way, you will ensure your content reaches those who have interests aligned with your brand.

    Be careful! Don’t forget to check the hashtags you have found. Before you use a hashtag on Instagram, do some research to see who else is using it and what content others are generating around that hashtag. By looking at other posts containing the hashtags you have picked you will ensure you are using hashtags which are truly relevant to your content. Sometimes, even keywords which are related to your brand might not be the best hashtags for you.

    3.  Use the right number of hashtags

    Hashtag marketing strategy is amongst the best ways to increase organic reach so do your research on which hashtags are performing well in your industry. You should form a strategy for what content you will create and how you will drive engagement. Pick your hashtags based on this strategy.

    It’s important to use hashtags strategically instead of adding random keywords to get a large number of hashtags into a single post. Using the correct hashtags which align with your content and your target audience’s interests helps you inform the platform’s algorithm where to place you – no matter the number of hashtags. Using content specific hashtags helps you target a specific goup of people and give you a highly engaged audience.

    4.  Social Monitoring and Social Listening

    Analysing your competitors’ profiles is also a great way to find topics and keywords for which you can use hashtags. Try to include hashtags which others in your industry are also using to make your content more relevant. Investing in social listening and monitoring tools is also a good way to determine which hashtags would be best for your brand and for each of your platforms.

    5.  Analyze Past Posts

    A good hashtag marketing strategy comes from trial and error. Experiment and refine your selection of hashtags until you can find the ones which are producing the best results.

    6.  Look for hashtags relevant to your industry

    It is agreed upon by almost all strategists out there that using only popular or trending hashtags is not the best way to increase your reach and engagement on social media. Brands should use a mix of both popular and niche hashtags. The goal is to ensure you feature on the most popular pages so as to reach as many people as possible but also on less competitive pages where your content is will remain visible around the top of the page for longer.

    This method helps helps you reach all types of audiences ranging from broader groups to specific groups. Further, its easier to rank high on more niche hashtags where there is less competition than on highly popular ones.

    7.  Look for the following types of hashtags: brand and campaign specific, trending, content hashtags, and seasonal hashtags

    There are 3 types of hashtags:

    Branded hashtags are created to market your brand and organize your content around a specific tag.

    Trending hashtags are those which are currently attracting high levels of traffic and can help you reach a massive audience. You can even use online tools like — to find out which hashtags are trending.

    Content hashtags align with the subject matter of your content to catch the interest of people who are interested in topics similar to what your content deals with Time-sensitive content like those created for a calendar holiday tend to get more likes since they are highly relevant to most people at the time they are posted. Include hashtags related to holidays and events in your industry as well as for the current season, month, week, or year so as to make your content appear more relevant to people.

    You may be interested in our book on Digital Marketing. Click https://www.phindia.com/Books/BookDetail/9788194800279/digital-marketing-arora-mathur

     

     

  • Books Reviews: 7 Titles In PHI Learning’s Shakespeare Series

    Are you an English Literature student studying Shakespeare and love making innovative arguments in your coursework / graded papers and essays? If yes, you should check out PHI Learning’s Shakespeare Series. Our Shakespeare Plays textbooks set themselves apart from others in the market with footnotes and critical essays which provide knowledge-based points of discussion.

    This means that the books not only focus on helping students understand the plays in a way that will increase their knowledge.

    Each of the titles in our Shakespeare series features complete annotations, explanatory footnotes, comprehensive introductions, illustrative summaries, & critical essays. A summary is given at the end of every Act and Scene.

    The texts have been created in a way to help the teacher to teach and the student to learn. Our books are priced to keep them affordable for the students and available in both e-book and print format. They are easily available on our website www.phindia.com and other such portals such as Amazon, Flipkart etc. for swift access.

    Key features of our plays include:

    • Meticulously edited full text of the plays with annotations and commentary
    • Well-designed and laid out pages for easy readability
    • Act and Scene summaries
    • Plot Summary
    • Critical Essays

    Interested in knowing more? In our latest YouTube video, our Digital Marketing Executive gives a detailed explanation of what to expect from our Shakespeare Series. Watch it here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2TjktHL9fU

    The Tragedy of Macbeth

    Editor ​​Dr. Gautam Sengupta, former Professor and Head, Department of English,

    Gurudas College, Kolkata outlines the various themes related to treachery and moral order which emerge throughout the play. Two critical essays which discuss the themes within the play are provided and will certainly be a valuable and unique resource to those studying the play.

    This poetic tragedy deals with moral order. Macbeth gets politically instigated and, taken over by greed, murders King Duncan and becomes the King of Scotland.

    The Merchant of Venice

    Editor Dr Lovelina Singh, a professor at the Department of English and Cultural Studies, Panjab University has captured the dramatic elements of the work in her introduction to the play. The text also features two critical essays to help students gain an analytical perspective.

    Often considered to be one of Shakespeare’s most controversial plays, The Merchant of Venice is a story of love, romance, revenge, and religious fascism set in the backdrop of 16th Century Venice.

    The Tempest

    In this text, editor Dr. Bibhash Choudhury, Professor, Department of English, Gauhati University, focuses on political allegory. The introduction includes an analysis of the post-colonial themes within the play. Two critical essays provided in the book further build upon post-colonial themes and political allegory.

    This play is regarded as one of Shakespeare’s most poetic plays; and one that presents various allegorical interpretations.

    Our recent blog post will help readers understand what’s in store for them through a chapter review.

    Read our recent blog to know more about this text and what it has to offer! https://www.phindia.com/blogs/2022/03/29/the-other-in-the-tempest-chapter-review/

    Julius Caesar

    Shakespeare portrays the murder of King Caesar and how it was avenged by Mark Antony, a soldier in Caesar’s second triumvirate. Editor Dr. Zinia Mitra, Head, Department of English, Nakshalbari College, Darjeeling, provides a comprehensive introduction to the play and also provides act-wise summaries. Critical essays analysing the play are provided which include ‘Role of Women in Julius Caesar’ and ‘Important Themes in Question’.

    This play portrays flaws that are present in everyone. The characters harbor natural human flaws such as greed, jealousy, and suspicion. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear how these tendencies can create political unrest.

    Interested in knowing about these literary interpretations of one of Shakespeare’s most famous works? Read on in our latest Blog Post! https://www.phindia.com/blogs/2022/08/08/shakespeares-julius-caesar-portrays-the-instinctual-human-tendency-towards-political-unrest-heres-how/

    Hamlet

    Ranked among the most influential tragedies in English Literature. Editor Dr Gautum Sengupta, former Professor and Head, the Department of English, Gurudas College, Kolkata, provides ample annotation and commentary to the text for easy comprehension. Critical essays discussing the themes and perspectives of criticism make the book a valuable resource for those studying the play.

    This play portrays the themes of vengeance, instability, and insanity. One view is that Hamlet hallucinates a ghost as he descends into insanity. Another reading is a pneumatological interpretation.

    Read our recent Blog Post about the play! https://www.phindia.com/blogs/2022/08/01/symbolism-of-the-ghost-of-king-hamlet-in-hamlet-by-pallavi-ghosh/

    A Midsummer Night’s Dream

    Editor, Ishita Singh, Assistant Professor at Jesus and Mary College, Delhi University provides comprehensive act-wise summaries to encompass the complexities of the play. The critical essays included in the text discuss “Gender and Power” and “Rank and Rebellion”.

    This play finds a fine balance between order and chaos as it takes place over four interwoven plots. The centrality of labouring class characters makes this comedy different from his others.

     As You Like It

    Editor Kashish Dua, Assistant Professor at the Department of English, Jesus and Mary College encourages readers to critically examine the background and the various aspects of the play. The two critical essays provided dead will ‘pastoralism and comedy’ and gendering in the play.

    Set in the Forest of Arden, this play deals with Rosalind and Celia’s experiences with disguises and desires. The play also portrays issues of exile and tension between two brothers.

    Interested in purchasing one of these books? Buy them from our website https://www.phindia.com/SearchBooks/SearchphiBooks/?searchbooks=shakespeare

    Also available on Amazon and Flipkart.

    Just email marketing@phindia.com if you have any queries or to enquire about textbook adoptions, library orders, or e-book samples of our textbooks.

     

  • The Role of NEP 2020 in Creating an Inclusive School

    Inclusive education is the most effective way to give all children a fair chance to go to school, learn and develop the skills they need to thrive. It means all children in the same classroom and in the same school with equal learning opportunities despite their disabilities or languages they speak. Inclusive education system values the unique contributions students of all backgrounds bring to the classroom and allow diverse groups to grow side by side, to the benefit of all—children, parents, society, and country at large.

    Inclusive education is about ensuring access to quality education for all students by effectively meeting their diverse needs in a way that is responsive, receptive, respectful and supportive. Students participate in the education program in a common learning environment with support to diminish and remove barriers and obstacles that may lead to exclusion.

    The latest provision in the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, approved by India’s Union Cabinet in July 2020, encourages, and promotes “Barrier-free access to Education for all Children with Disabilities.” India’s first Education Policy was initially established in 1986 and last revised in 1992. Since then, India needed a change in its entire Education Policy. The New Education Policy describes the much-awaited new reforms that India was looking for. These adaptations are designed with special consideration for children with impairments and those from low-income families. The focus of this new rule’s implementation is on two things– Imparting knowledge and training faculties on how to teach children with specific disabilities. These norms are made keeping in mind the Right of Persons with Disability Act-2016 to provide barrier-free education to children with disability. According to the NEP, children with disabilities will be able to participate equally in all aspects of the educational system.

    The major challenge this system faces is the progress of children at a slow pace. All students are different and therefore have different individual needs. Similarly, children with different disabilities have differing needs. Hence, it is important to choose the right type of inclusive education for the students based on their individual needs, and to get appropriate outcomes, the inclusive education system requires amendments at all levels of society, especially at the level of school and teaching instructors. The first and foremost requirement is the teachers’ training. The instructors or teachers dealing with special children must be well trained as per the needs of the children. Thus, under the New Education Policy, a provision has been made that all teacher education programmes must include instruction on how to teach children with specific impairments. Ensuring the inclusion and equal participation of children with disabilities, the students will be enabled to fully participate in the regular schooling process from the foundational stage to higher education.

    The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act 2016 defines inclusive education as a ‘system of education wherein students with and without disabilities learn together and the system of teaching and learning is suitably adapted to meet the learning needs of different types of students with disabilities’. This Policy is in complete consonance with the provisions of the RPWD Act 2016 and endorses all its recommendations with regard to school education. Barrier free access for all children with disabilities will be enabled as per the RPWD Act.

    School buildings must be refurbished and schools will be supported for providing all children with disabilities accommodations and support mechanisms tailored to suit their needs and to ensure their full participation and inclusion in the classroom. In particular, assistive devices and appropriate technology-based tools, as well as adequate and language-appropriate teaching-learning materials (e.g., textbooks in accessible formats such as large print and Braille) will be made available to help children with disabilities integrate more easily into classrooms and engage with teachers and their peers.

    The Latest book on CREATING AN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL, published by PHI Learning, addresses all the above issues and meets the demand of the NEP 2020 to make learning successful. So, if you are a student of education or a teacher at any school in any capacity, Get your copy now and avail our discount offer …!

     

  • Creative Branding Strategies Digital Marketing

    Creative branding is the process of building a company’s brand identity. In your organisation’s digital marketing efforts, developing a strong brand identity is necessary. This is since your branding communicates to potential clients and customers what your organization is all about. It creates an image of your brand in the customers’ minds and helps them visualize your brand’s goals, values, and mission. This is the information which customers are ultimately looking for when they are trying to choose out of several competing brands. Companies must show customers the core values behind their products.

    Creative branding is more than a brand image –

    Creative branding is the process of establishing your company’s identity. When a company applies innovative and unique marketing strategies, it becomes recognizable. A branding strategy is how your company interacts with customers. It is the process of creating a unique presence in customers’ minds and ensuring loyalty. Your branding is invisible. It is how your company comes across – it is your brand’s public image. Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos defines personal branding as “what people say about you when you’re not in the room”. This definition extends to organizations.

    Creative branding is essential –

    Good branding tells your story in an instant. It clarifies what makes your brand unique. A great marketing strategy seeks to attract clients with an emotional connection. A personal connection with customers helps a brand gain the reputation it seeks.

    Good branding defines your goals both to the customers and the company. It helps guide your company’s advertising and marketing strategies.

    Creative branding can help differentiate your brand from competitors. Here are 5 creative marketing strategies –

    Make an emotional connection – A powerful brand strategy appeals to clients’ emotions. People act on instinct more often than they make rational decisions. Focusing on your clients’ core values and beliefs brings them closer to you.

    Your branding is how clients perceive your business. Your marketing strategy should be centered around the emotional value of your product. This establishes what your brand stands for.

    A great example is Nike’s Marathon Runner ad which salutes the last place runner. The ad promotes bravery and overcoming challenges, making the brand relatable to everyone. It attaches emotional depth to Nike’s products.

    Have a unique positioning – A company’s positioning is the image of it in the minds of its customers. It is how the customers tell a company apart from its competitors.

    A unique positioning involves offering a customer experience that competitors do not. This could be a trademark design or an innovative customer service strategy. A unique position sets your company apart from competitors. It is your brand’s selling point.

    Focus on a niche – Another branding strategy is to target customers through a niche product. This method is separate from positioning. Positioning involves offering a unique product in a competitive market. A niche is a segment in a competitive market that has less competition.

    The more unique your niche is the less room for competition. An urban planning company could find its niche in sustainability through solar power. An interior design company could offer a particular form of minimalist design.

    Set yourself apart in your industry through expertise.

    Optimize the customer experience – A brand should connect with customers on a personal level. One method of doing this is by segmenting your audience to optimize the user experience. Practice “omnichannel” marketing by providing services on all marketing platforms. Your brand should cater to each audience segment and each platform.

    This method helps provide a personal touch to the customers’ experience. It focuses your marketing strategy on customers’ needs, encouraging customer engagement and loyalty.

    Offer a competitive product – “Word of mouth” is a very effective marketing strategy. Satisfied clients are likely to promote your brand to their contacts. This form of reach is invaluable.

    Your brand should update its products in line with the latest technology. Have a competitive product, competitive pricing, and excellent customer service. Your brand identity is your promise to your customers. Good branding is when you keep this promise.

    Creative branding connects the service and the client

    Creative branding is essential to companies in Digital Marketing. This is because the industry offers a service that should suit clients’ personal needs. In this sector, companies create clients’ and customers’ identities in the market by managing their online channels Your Digital Marketing strategy should align with your brand’s needs to build your brand personality and meet your organization’s goals. A clear and concise branding strategy ensures the company communicates well with clients and customers. A strong brand identity establishes its core values in an instant.

    Interested in strengthening your organization’s brand identity and image? Check out some of our excellent Digital Marketing textbooks to learn all your need to know about how to effectively build your brand. Log on to www.phindia.com.