UNIVERSITY OF KERALA

CHRISTIAN STUDY CENTRE

FOR CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE
Kariavattom P.O;
Dr.Darwin L Thiruvananthapuram-695581
Hon. Director Phone:+919446904488
No.CSC/sem/invitation/1/14 e-mail: darwinciil@gmail.com

Two-day National Seminar on ‘The Christian contribution to the

development of modern secular education in Kerala,’ Organized by the
Christian Study Centre For Cultural and Social Change, University of
Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Thiruvananthapuram
March 26 & 27, 2015.

Christianity in Kerala has a long history dating back hundreds of years. The
Christian presence is generally believed to have started in the first century AD
itself dating from the belief that St. Thomas, an apostle of Jesus Christ came to
Kerala with the purpose of spreading the Christian faith.

Christianity thus rapidly grew in Malabar in the last 500 years as different
missionary groups established a presence in various parts of what is now the
state of Kerala. The early Catholics were followed by the Protestant Dutch, the
Catholic French, the Protestant Germans and finally the Protestant British under
whose patronage the largest Protestant denominations were established in the
region. The missionaries were at the forefront of all kinds of progressive
activities in the state from building and running schools and hospitals to
establishing the necessary infrastructure for the smooth conduct of religious and
community life of the people in their charge. The various local rulers and kings
encouraged the work of the missionaries since missionary schools and colleges
were important means for the propagation of English and Western education in
Kerala. The purpose of this National Seminar being held under the aegis of the
Christian Study Centre for Culture and Social Changes at the Kariavattom
Campus of the University of Kerala from March 26-27, 2015 is to explore the
Christian Contribution in history, growth, development of secular modern
education in Kerala.
Short 20-minute presentations are invited on the following themes. Participants
are also invited to send in topics that are broadly related to the topic under
consideration, but may not have been mentioned in the seminar themes below.
Interested participants are requested to refer to the both the introductory
paragraphs as well as the themes when deciding on topics for presentation at
this seminar.

Seminar Themes

1. History of Education in Kerala since early modern times.

2. Development of the Socio-cultural milieu of Kerala in the last 500 years.
3. Arrival of European missionaries in Kerala.
4. Catholic missions in Kerala.
5. Protestant missions in Kerala.
6. Renaissance within the Orthodox Christian community in Kerala.
7. Missionary contribution to the development of Malayalam language.
8. Development of church schools (Pallikudams).
9. Royal patronage for development of Western Education in Travancore
and Cochin (19th and 20th centuries).
10. Development of education in British Malabar in the 19 th-20th centuries.
11. Dalit perspectives on development of Christian education in Kerala.
12. Present condition and future perspectives on the development of Christian
higher education in modern Kerala.

Important dates:

Submission of Title of paper and Abstract: 13th March 2015

Acceptance on the title and abstract to the seminar: 14th March 2015
Submission of Full length Paper: 23rd March 2015
Seminar date: 26 - 27 March 2015
Place of seminar: Kariavattom Campus, University of Kerala
Venue: TBA
Abstract and Papers send to: darwinciil@gmail.com

Dr. Samuel J. Kuruvilla

Seminar Joint-Coordinator
Dr. Darwin. L
Seminar Coordinator and
Hon. Director, Christian Study Centre
For Cultural and Social Change