ENROLL

Faress Bhuiyan

Prerequisite: Economics 111

Arnab Chakladar

In this course we will follow the various paths that the novel in India has taken since the late nineteenth century. Reading both works composed in English and some in translation we will probe in particular the ways in which questions of language and national/cultural identity are constructed and critiqued in the Indian novel. We will read some of the most celebrated Indian writers of the last 100 odd years as well as some who are not as well-known as they should be. The course will also introduce you to some fundamental concepts in postcolonial studies.

Brendan LaRocque

This course examines the history of the Indian subcontinent from 1500 to the current day. We will study the rise and decline of the powerful and religiously eclectic Mughal Empire, the subsequent expansion of the British Empire, and the emergence of the independent nation-states of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh and their post-colonial societies. We will analyze the dramatic political, economic, and social upheavals of this era, including left-wing and right-wing movements, and developments among Hindu, Islamic, and Buddhist communities. A special focus will be given to caste-based movements for justice and equality.  

David Whetstone

2023-24 $376 fee

David Whetstone

2023-24 $376 fee

David Whetstone

2023-24 $376 fee

David Whetstone

2023-24 $376 fee

Melinda Russell

This course focuses on South Asian musical traditions including qawwali, folk and popular musics, and the classical Hindustani and Carnatic traditions of North and South India. We will consider the historical and cultural contexts of several genres, read the work of scholars from various disciplines, and study relevant audio and video. Students will learn rudimentary theory of Indian classical music, understand its twentieth and twenty-first century developments, and develop listening skills to enable recognition of major genres, styles, and artists. One day a week will be devoted to applied study of Indian vocal raga. No musical background required.

David Whetstone

Prerequisite: Instructor Permission

2023-24 $752 fee. Instructor permission

David Whetstone

Prerequisite: Instructor Permission

2023-24 $752 fee. Instructor permission

David Whetstone

Prerequisite: Instructor Permission

2023-24 $752 fee. Instructor permission

David Whetstone

Prerequisite: Instructor Permission

2023-24 $752 fee. Instructor permission

Summer Forester

Kristin Bloomer

Hinduism is the world's third-largest religion (or, as some prefer, “way of life”), with about 1.2 billion followers. It is also one of its oldest, with roots dating back at least 3500 years. “Hinduism,” however, is a loosely defined, even contested term, designating the wide variety of beliefs and practices of the majority of the people of South Asia. This survey course introduces students to this great variety, including social structures (such as the caste system), rituals and scriptures, mythologies and epics, philosophies, life practices, politics, poetry, sex, gender, Bollywood, and—lest we forget—some 330 million gods and goddesses.

Asuka Sango

This course will explore the intersection of religion, sex, and power, focusing on Asian religions. Key questions include: In what ways do religions normalize certain constructions of sex, gender, and sexuality while marking others deviant and unnatural? How do they teach us to perform (and sometimes to overcome) "masculinity" or "femininity"? We will probe these questions by studying both traditional and contemporary examples—such as abortion and reproductive politics in Buddhism, Confucian-influenced practice of foot-binding, Buddhist masculinities and male-love, sati (widow burning) and same-sex marriage in Hinduism, and the concept of a “third sex” in these traditions.

Meera Sehgal

India is a region of immense diversity where more than one billion people live. We will explore social structures in India--through a focus on key areas of everyday life such as family, religion, economy, systems of stratification and social movements. Close attention will be given to religious nationalism, globalization and militarism as dominant trends affecting contemporary India. We will consider: How has India been represented in the Western imagination and why do such representations matter? What are the forces of modernity and tradition in India? What are the similarities and differences in systems of stratification in India and the United States?