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In 1980, futurist Alvin Toffler started describing the new era he called the 'Third Wave' which we now call the Information Age.
 In this particular age, the new economic system demands for workers who know how to inter-relate their duties and responsibilities with other tasks, those who can accept bigger roles, those who can adapt swiftly to new circumstances and those who can effectively work with other people around them ( Toffler, p. 385 ).
As a response to this demand, certain halls in some known universities echoed the call for interdisciplinary thinking. According to Toffler, "while departmental barriers still block the cross-fertilization of ideas and the integration of information in most universities, this demand for inter- or multi-dsciplinary work is now so widespread it has an almost ritual quality ( p. 302 )."
An inter or multi-disciplinarity is a learning approach that crosses traditional boundaries between academic disciplines or schools of thought. "Interdisciplinarity factors involves researchers, students, and teachers in the goals of connecting and integrating several academic schools of thought, professions, or technologies -- along with their specific perspectives -- in the pursuit of a common task. Interdisciplinary approaches typically focus on problems thought to be too complex or vast for adequate understanding with a single disciple." ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interdisciplinarity )
Literati recognizes this demand and for this reason, this student organization shifts its gear and move towards a more responsive and life-fullfilling goal.
Founded in 1998, Literati is a group of BA - Literature students from the University of the Philippines Visayas, Miagao campus. Their original goal is the celebration and promotion of Literature as a relevant discipline.
Although the group already recognizes the need for an interdisciplinary approach, it has to wait 10 years to gather enough strength to finally break the barrier.
This bold move is inspired and legitmized by one historical account from China.
In this country, they had this so-called school of painting called the 'literati painting" (文人画, wenrenhua). In this particular school, Chinese literati who were poets also showed accomplishments in the art of painting. Literati painters were not 'formally-schooled' visual artists. They painted as a means of self-expression.
Using interdisciplinarity and Chinese Literati painting as reason and motivation, UPV-Literati will now embrace new forms of expression.
UPV-Literati now aims to:
- use its knowledge of literature as springboard for interdisciplinary and creative endeavors;
- engage in the appreciation and production of Visual arts, music, film and other art forms and;
- actively participate in interdisciplinary discussions.
Although UPV-Literati recognizes BA-Literature majors as core group members, UPV-Literati is an open organization that welcomes interested students of the University of the Philippines Visayas to become active members.
Kaalam, Kinaadman, kabuhi.
Knowledge, Skills, Life.
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sa wakas. ari nko.