Analysing Comunication Theory through the Use of Virtual Reality as a Tool

There is an attempt to integrate Eastern communication theories into the dominantly Western education of communication that has been followed in India as well as around the world, in practice. Throughout the 20th century, the field of communication studies has been one-sidedly dominated by U. S. Eurocentric anthropocentric, individualistic, efficiency-oriented, positivistic theory and research (Ishii, 2001). It remains a question to be answered as to how will Indian models, the likes of Sahridaya and Sadharanikaran Model of Communication, be accepted in academia and if they will leave any footprints on the minds of young communicators learning the complex system of communication. More than anything, the language of the West is technology which has not been evolved enough to quite comprehend the Indian ways of life. Thus, an appropriate technological tool acts like a language capable of incorporating the complexities of Indian systems, allowing for a much more efficient translation of knowledge. Virtual Reality is the next best tool electric technology has to offer. This paper aims at analyzing the parallels between this technology as a language and its capabilities to incorporate the complexities of the Eastern communication systems, focusing on the Indian model of Sahridaya and Sadharanikaran. The first part will critically look at the researches done on both Virtual Reality and Sahridaya and Sadharanikaran Model of Communication to connect them at a more fundamental level. Certain characteristics of Virtual Reality will be established based on which variables will be set for an ethnographic research of 7 media students and 3 media professors, to gauge the relevance of this tool in mass media education system in special reference to understanding Eastern theories.