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At the Somaiya School of Civilisation Studies, we invite you to venture on a journey through the rich valance of human history, culture, literature and societal evolution. Our institution is uniquely positioned to offer a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of civilisation through its academic centres: the Centre for Asian & Area Studies, the Centre for Himalayan & Mountain & Studies, the Centre for Indian Ocean & Transoceanic Studies, and the Centre for Kachchh & Desert Studies.
The concept of civilisation is essential to understanding our collective past, present, and future. In today's rapidly changing world, there is an urgent need to reconceptualise civilisation. Our School fosters a critical understanding of how civilisations develop, interact, and influence one another, providing invaluable insights into the cultural and social fabrics that shape human experiences.
Our civilisation studies are inherently interdisciplinary, integrating perspectives and methodologies This holistic approach ensures a well-rounded education that equips students with the analytical tools needed to understand complex cultural phenomena.
Our academic programmes will open doors to a multitude of career paths, including:
The Somaiya School of Civilisation Studies is dedicated to promote a deeper understanding of the complexities of human societies. Our interdisciplinary approach and diverse academic offerings provide a unique and enriching educational experience. Whether you are an undergraduate looking to broaden your horizons, a graduate student aiming to specialise in interdisciplinary studies, or a researcher seeking to contribute to academic knowledge, our School offers the resources and support you need to succeed.
Join a journey of discovery with the Somaiya School of Civilisation Studies. Understand the past, engage with the present, and shape the future. Join us and be a part of an intellectual community committed to exploring and redefining the concept of civilisation in our contemporary world.
The programmes at the Somaiya School of Civilisation Studies are inherently interdisciplinary. They integrate perspectives and methodologies from history, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, international relations, literature, lscience and technology. This holistic approach ensures a well-rounded education that equips students with the analytical tools needed to understand complex cultural phenomena and their implications for the modern world.
BA Liberal Arts (admissions started for Academic Year 2025-2026) - A four-year undergraduate programme in Liberal Arts offered by the Somaiya School of Civilization Studies. The learner can choose from a Major from six options offered in the following disciplines: Anthropology, History, Philosophy, Area Studies, Literature, and Political Science.
MA Liberal Arts (admissions started for Academic Year 2025-2026) – A groundbreaking program that challenges students to critically engage with the concept of civilisation, preparing them for advanced research, global policy work, cultural preservation and intellectual leadership.
PhD (a) History (b) English & Comparative Literature – A research-intensive program designed for those who wish to produce original, transformative scholarship that rethinks our understanding of civilizational processes, textual traditions, and historical consciousness.
Civilisation is often imagined as monumental architecture, grand historical narratives, and the legacies of kings and conquerors. But what if we flip the perspective? What if we look not only at the capitals of the empire but also at the seafarers who connected continents, the artisans who pioneered traditions, the poets who captured the anxieties of their time, and the rebels who challenged systems of power? At the School of Civilisation, we believe that to truly understand a civilisation, one must see it from multiple vantage points ranging from the heights of palaces to the complex networks of everyday life where knowledge, faith and survival cross. In a world of rapid geopolitical shifts, climate challenges and cultural transformations, the study of civilisation is not just about knowing the past; it is about steering the future.
Our School is anchored in four specialised research Centres, each explores a unique but interlinked dimension of civilisation:
Explore the dynamic desert-maritime world of Kachchh, where craft traditions, trade networks and cultural memory converge in fascinating ways.
Marvel at the maritime worlds that shaped trade, migration, diasporic dialogue and intellectual exchange across centuries, from Arab-Swahili merchants to Bombay entrepreneurs.
Engage with the civilisational legacies of Asia, from ancient philosophies to modern geopolitics to trace how ideas and cultures evolved across the Asian Continent.
Interrogate habituated ways of seeing the mountains as objects of desire and conquest; investigate the particular intersections of climate, geography, trade, politics, religion and technology that have engendered diverse mountain cultures; Imagine decentred histories of civilisation told from these ‘margins’.
Each Centre serves as a laboratory of ideas to develop resounding research and critical dialogue that challenge dominant narratives and move on understudied yet crucial aspects of human history.
To understand a civilization is to see beyond the boundaries of a single discipline. That is why our curriculum is an intricate netting of history, anthropology, philosophy, international relations, literary studies, environmental history, legal frameworks, and digital humanities. This broad, organized approach allows our students and scholars to explore civilizational phenomena not as isolated historical events but as complex, interwoven systems of thought, exchange and innovation.