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South Asian Studies Concentration

Coordinator: Professor Roger Jackson, fall, Professor James F. Fisher, winter and spring

South Asia, which contains nearly a quarter of the world's people, refers to the countries comprising the South Asian subcontinent: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and sometimes Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Tibet. The concentration consists of a program of study combining language training, off-campus study, required core courses in various disciplines, and supporting courses, including a designated capstone course. The purpose of the concentration is to provide cross-cultural interdisciplinary understanding of a complex civilization that is both ancient and modern, and of great significance in the contemporary world.

Requirements for the Concentration:

A total of 42 credits, with at least 6 credits drawn from each of the three ASST distribution areas (Arts and Literature, Humanities, Social Sciences)

18 credits in core courses, drawn from at least two of the three ASST distribution areas

24 credits from supporting courses, drawn from at least two of the three ASST distribution areas, and including a designated South Asia-related capstone courses

Courses taken on off-campus programs in South Asia may be applied to the concentration

Normally, at least one term of off-campus study in South Asia

The closest equivalent to one year of study of a South Asian language, obtained through one or more of the following: off-campus study; summer programs at colleges, universities, or institutes; independent study at Carleton

Core courses

18 credits from among the following; courses must be from at least two distribution areas:

ARTH 182: History of South Asian Art (not offered in 2007-08)

HIST 160: History of Classical India

HIST 161: History of Modern India

MUSC 248: Music of India

RELG 150: Religions of South Asia

SOAN 255: Sociology, Culture, and Politics in South Asia

Supporting courses

ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development

ECON 241 Growth and Development

HIST 259 Women in South Asia: Histories, Narratives and Representation

HIST 262 Post-Colonial South Asia, 1947-present

POSC 243 The Politics of Burma: Democratic Challenges Military Response (not offered in 2007-08)

RELG 122 Introduction to Islam

RELG 250 Hindu Traditions

RELG 251 Theravada Buddhism

RELG 259 Visual Cultures of South Asia

RELG 261 Beyond Hindu and Muslim: The Lives of Indian Saints

RELG 266 Islamic Conversations: The Muslim Presence in South Asia

RELG 273 Indian Philosophy

RELG 350 Emptiness (not offered in 2007-08)

SOAN 312 Actors and Issues in Contemporary Third World “Development” (not offered in 2007-08)

Capstone Course: For 2006-2007, the designated capstone course is: History 262: Post Colonial South Asian, 1947-present (winter)