SN1101E DISCOVER SOUTH ASIA: PEOPLE, CULTURE, DEVELOPMENT

This course introduces students to contemporary South Asia in terms of the significant features of social, cultural and economic life. It will discuss the physical and human resources of the region and give an overview of developments at the outset of the new century. The films, the literature and the arts of the region will be introduced throughout the course to provide a wealth of illustration of the changing patterns of life of the people of the seven nations of South Asia.

The fascinating array of course offerings that students can look forward to exploring with SASP include our interdisciplinary Tamil Studies courses. SN2275 Wicked Words: Contemporary Tamil Literature, and SN3275 Subtle Tamil Traits? Tamil Culture and Society, probe various dimensions of what it means to identify as Tamil. Students can refer to our dedicated blog, Inaiya Medai, to find out more about these courses and the exciting projects that their peers engage with as part of Tamil Studies @ NUS SASP.

SN2213 SOUTH ASIAN DEMOCRACIES - VIOLENCE, CONFLICT AND HOPE

Preclusion: PS2247 South Asia: Politics and Foreign Policy

This course is about the politics of democratization in South Asia, a region with a long history of interstate and intra-state conflict. The post-colonial separation of India into India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh has caused cross border tensions and paved the way for military intervention in the domestic politics of Pakistan and Bangladesh. The diverse interests of ethnic and religious communities are testing the legitimacy of majoritarian democracy and the limits of claims for autonomous government. This course examines the institutional structures, State-citizen relations, and identity politics in South Asia’s democratic experiments to find hope for democracy in a polarized world.

SN2232 SOUTH ASIA: POVERTY, INEQUALITY, POWER

Preclusion: SN2212

This course explores linkages between economic and political structures in South Asia, the social organization of production in village and town, and the impacts of technological and demographic change. The focus is on poverty, inequality and social exclusion, as well as relationships of power and the exercise of force and violence. Topics covered include: peasant societies, migration, urbanization, industrialization, environmental degradation, ethnic conflict, women and gender disparity, working children, the state and the black economy. It is taught from basics without requiring any prior knowledge of economics, politics or South Asia, and is open to students of all disciplines.

SN2233 GLOBALIZING INDIA: THE POLITICS OF ECONOMIC CHANGE

Improving material standards of living of its people has been among Indias key goals since attaining independence in 1947. This course examines overall economic strategy, as well as selected sectoral policies which India has pursued, and assess the extent to which they have succeeded. Relatively greater emphasis will be placed on the post cold-war globalized world. It is since then that India has made a decisive break with the past strategy and policies, and has pursued increasing integration with the world economy in a market-consistent manner.

SN2234 GENDER AND SOCIETY IN SOUTH ASIA

This course aims to expose students to women's position and gender discrimination in South Asia, relating these to broader aspects of society, economy and culture. Comparisons with the students' own experiences, leading to appreciation of cross-cultural perspectives on women and gender, are part of the envisaged learning outcomes. Topics covered include women's position in the family and the kin-group, the market, social and political institutions, violence and trafficking, feminist critiques, activism and resistance, cinematic and literary expressions. The course would be of general interest to all students concerned about women's position and gender, as well those interested in South Asia.

SN2240 DISEASE DIPLOMACY: GLOBAL HEALTH IN ASIA

This course introduces students to global health governance, maps the emergent landscape and institutions, covers the diseases and conditions tackled by international organizations and initiatives across Asia and how Asian countries like India, China and Japan have contributed to these interventions before unpacking how this fluid institutional architecture might change after the coronavirus pandemic. The course will also explore how globalization has intensified health challenges, like infectious and chronic diseases Asian countries have to address while reducing their capacity to deal with them.

SN2261 THE EMERGENCE OF CONTEMPORARY SOUTH ASIA

This course aims at giving students an understanding of the political developments that have shaped contemporary South Asia. It provides an awareness of the political geography of the region and explains the historical processes by which the political map of South Asia has been constructed. The emergence of the South Asian nations from colonial rule, their different conceptions of 'nationhood' and their search for identity in the post-colonial world are discussed, together with an analysis of the current challenges which the region faces.

SN2271 RELIGION AND SOCIETY IN SOUTH ASIA

This course introduces the student to the scientific and comparative study of religion in general and to South Asian religions in particular. After an introduction into the discipline of Comparative Study of Religion, the history of this discipline, and the different approaches it offers, the great variety of South Asian religions will be described chronologically and studied from a comparative perspective. For each tradition a survey of the relevant original literature will be given. Further themes to be covered are the co-existence of different religious traditions, and the social and psychological implications of religious values, beliefs and rituals.

SN2273 INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN THOUGHT

Cross-listed and Preclusion: PH2204/GEK2027

This course is designed to survey the history of Indian philosophy both classical and modern. The course will begin with lectures on the Rig Veda and the Upanishads. It will proceed with the presentation of the main metaphysical and epistemological doctrines of some of the major schools of classical Indian philosophy such as Vedanta, Samkhya, Nyaya, Jainism and Buddhism. The course will conclude by considering the philosophical contributions of some of the architects of modern India such as Rammohan Ray, Rabindrananth Tagore and Mohandas Gandhi.

SN2274 SOUTH ASIAN CULTURES: AN INTRODUCTION

Popular culture as an academic subject provides a compelling lens to analyse a vast range of topics from family life and urbanisation to leisure and ethics. This course focuses on the different patterns of culture and their mutual exchange in South Asia, through study of a variety of media like art, theatre, TV, advertising, and cinema, in order to arrive at a general understanding of the cultural situation in contemporary South Asia, and to gain deeper insight into emerging trends and fashions.

SN2275 WICKED WORDS: CONTEMPORARY TAMIL LITERATURE

Preclusion: SN2291

The Tamil literary landscape has experienced seismic shifts since the beginning of the twentieth century. New literary forms have emerged while existing ones have changed to reflect concomitant sociocultural realities. From its moorings in the classics, Tamil literature currently comprises a dizzyingly diverse, ever burgeoning collection of texts, several of which have provoked a volley of resistance on the grounds of their being irreverent, and even, anti cultural. The course examines this corpus of contemporary writings with an abiding focus on controversy, its meanings and implications, specific to Tamil contexts. Why is it that some words become wicked?

SN2276 ISLAM: SOCIETY AND CULTURE IN SOUTH ASIA

This course introduces the student to South Asian Islamic society, culture and religious thought. Especially in Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Maldives, the three South Asian countries with a Muslim majority, Islam forms an important cultural element. The focus of this course will be on the period from c. 1750-1950, during which important developments took place in South Asian Islam. The course will outline the role of Islam in pre-colonial society as well as the movements for religious and political reform of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Questions of language and literature will also be addressed.

SN2277 INDIAN COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

The Indian presence has had considerable influence on the development of Southeast Asian societies: in terms of its economic, commercial and political influence; and its role in the everyday life of Southeast Asian multicultural societies. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach, this course seeks to examine the historical, political, social and economic development of the people from the Indian subcontinent who have come to settle in Southeast Asia. The course will provide students with the necessary framework to analyse the historical and socio-economic development of these communities and their identity concerns. The course will develop critical and analytical skills guiding students in the process of social scientific enquiry.

SN2278 INTRODUCTION TO SIKHISM

Introduction to Sikhism"Sikhism is one of the most interesting religious traditions of India on account of rich history and unique practices. In this course, students will be introduced to the foundational tenets of Sikhism through an overview of its major texts, practices and practitioners, as well as its historical development in pre-colonial and colonial India. With an appreciation both of the unique history of the Sikh tradition and its place among the world religions, students will acquire a strong foundation in the study of religion and of Indian religions in particular.

SN2279 THE MAKING OF MODERN INDIA: 1856-1947

This course offers a broad survey of the key issues and ideas that have contributed to the making of modern India in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Using a combination of thematic and chronological approaches, it will focus on the themes of colonialism and resistance. Some of the key issues to be discussed would include the way the British constructed knowledge about India, Indian responses to colonial rule, the coming of mass nationalism, the communal divide and events leading to decolonization and partition. No prior background in Indian History is required for students to study this course.

SN2280 MARRIAGE, SEX, LOVE IN SOUTH ASIA

In South Asia, marriage is classically understood as an alliance between families or social groups for economic, social and political reasons. However, as recent studies show, the notions of love, marriage and sex intersect with political, and legal structures, on the one hand, and notions of gender, morality, and modernity on the other. Through this course, we critically analyse such regnant claims and examine how love and sex are shaped politically, culturally, legally and ideologically. Moreover, by studying the intersecting fields of `marriage, love, and sex', we unpack such dualities as 'private/public', 'individual/community', and 'modern/traditional' in South Asia.

SN2281 NATIONS AT PLAY: HISTORY OF SPORT IN SOUTH ASIA

This course looks broadly at the evolution of sport and play, especially those that enjoy mass popularity in South Asia, and what it says about the region’s society, economy and politics. Cricket, the emblematic sport of South Asia, is of course given particular attention but hockey, football and wrestling are also looked at in some detail. The course examines the story of sport in South Asia through its evolution from an elite, kingly pastime and its encounter in successive stages with colonialism, nationalism, the state and globalization

SN2282 MUSIC IN SOUTH ASIA

This course examines the way music shapes social, political and cultural identities in South Asia. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this course will serve as an introduction to current trends in the fields of ethnomusicology, critical musicology, and popular music studies.

SN2283 CHINA-INDIA INTERACTIONS: CHANGING PERSPECTIVES

This course is structured keeping in view the different understanding of Sino-Indian relations and competing economic and political policy discourses in the new millennium. In the light of the above, the course re-examines the connections and interactions in India-China relations through historical and contemporary contexts to enhance the awareness of difference in perspectives and raise the level of mutual understanding, particularly from South Asian perspectives. It will enable students to critically analyse the ‘realist’ and ‘neo-liberal’ debates in view of a more holistic analysis and better understanding of the bilateral relations between China and India.

SN2284 MAKING SENSE OF REGIONS IN SOUTH ASIA

This course interrogates the concept of the ‘region’ and considers processes which have shaped region-making. The ways in which regions contribute to the diversity of South Asia are discussed. The role of language, culture and cuisine in shaping regional identities is also explored. Finally, the complex relationship between region and nation is examined using specific case-studies across South Asia.

SN2285 WHAT'S COOKING: FOOD AND DRINK IN SOUTH ASIAN CULTURES

This course examines the centrality of food, drink and dining practices in Tamil and other South Asian cultures. The course probes a fascinating facet of South Asian gastro politics by exploring such themes as the relationship between taste and nourishment, food and gender roles, the politics of commensality, and representations of eating and drinking across various visual media. The thematically organised lectures and tutorials incorporate perspectives from history, literature, sociology, anthropology and cultural studies.

The fascinating array of course offerings that students can look forward to exploring with SASP include our interdisciplinary Tamil Studies courses. SN2275 Wicked Words: Contemporary Tamil Literature, and SN3275 Subtle Tamil Traits? Tamil Culture and Society, probe various dimensions of what it means to identify as Tamil.

Students can refer to our dedicated blog, Inaiya Medai, to find out more about these courses and the exciting projects that their peers engage with as part of Tamil Studies @ NUS SASP.

SN3223 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF SOUTH ASIA

This course focuses on the International Relations of the South Asian region. It looks at intra-regional relations, the impact of domestic politics on foreign policy, issues of conflict and cooperation and the role of external powers in the region. The foreign policy behaviour of India and Pakistan in particular will be considered. Key issues like the Kashmir conflict, nuclearization of South Asia and terrorism will be explored. The increasing significance of the South Asian region in the emerging global order, regional integration and inter-regional relations will also be analysed.

SN3231 SOUTH ASIA AND THE WORLD ECONOMY

This course examines the role of South Asia in the world economy. The analysis will be conducted at two levels. The first is how the region as a whole interacts with other regional organizations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and multilateral institutions such as the Asian Development Bank, The World Bank, and the World Trade Organization. The second level concerns external economic linkages and relations of selected individual South Asian countries.

SN3232 SOUTH ASIA: DEVELOPMENT, ISSUES, DEBATES

This course is concerned with understanding and assessing the development experiences of the South Asian countries. Students are expected to grapple with concrete case studies of development programmes in their work. The coursework covers issues pertaining to rural, agricultural, urban, industrial and human development, as well as their impact upon people and the environment. Particular attention is given to the situation of the poor and the weak, including disadvantaged children, women, and ethnic minorities. The course is taught from basics without requiring any prior knowledge of development theory, economics or South Asia, and is open to students of all disciplines.

SN3261 EXILE, INDENTURE, IT: GLOBAL SOUTH ASIANS

This course studies the background leading to the mass migration of the South Asians to Southeast Asia in the nineteenth century, and examines their economic, political and cultural contributions towards the development of the Southeast Asian countries in the twentieth century. It will also examine the roles played by South Asian communities living outside the region in the globalisation of South Asian economies.

SN3262 THE STRUGGLE FOR INDIA, 1920-1964

Cross-listing : HY3236
Preclusions: HY3236, SN2261, HY2228

This course is concerned with the political evolution of the Indian nation in two of its most formative periods: the late nationalist struggle from 1920-47 that led to the withdrawal of the colonial power; and the years of Jawaharlal Nehru's prime ministership, 1947-64. The course looks at both decolonisation and nation-building as processes characterised by debate and contestation in relation to (a) social, regional and group identity and (b) political rights and power. The course will study the impact of that debate and contestation on the character, institutions and political life of the nation.

SN3272 ISSUES IN INDIAN PHILOSOPHY

Cross-listed and Preclusions: PH3204

This course is designed to survey developments in Indian Philosophy in post-independence India. Figures may include, among others, Radhakrishnan, K. C. Bhattacharya, Kalidas Bhattacharya, J. N. Mohanty, Bimal Krishna Matilal, J. L. Mehta and Daya Krishna. Two broad topics will be considered: first, the contemporary re-evaluation of the classical Indian tradition; and secondly, the efforts at situating the Indian tradition within the global philosophical discourse.

SN3274 SOUTH ASIAN CINEMA

This course begins with a historical overview of cinema in South Asia. It then focuses on the regional production centres and their specific specialisations. Other topics covered are 'Genres of SA Cinema' and their stylistic elements, and 'Cinema and Local Politics in South Asia'. Important films will be viewed and discussed as case studies.

SN3275 SUBTLE TAMIL TRAITS? TAMIL CULTURE AND SOCIETY

Pre-requisite: Pass in O/A level Tamil or O Level Higher Tamil In Singapore or Pass in Secondary/Higher Secondary Tamil in India (For those reading under the Mother Tongue Bonus Point Scheme).

The course is designed to study the Tamil society and culture through various texts and visual media about Tamil world(s) such as films, documentaries, scholarly articles and books. The course is designed to incorporate students who both want to follow Tamil studies as a language course and students who want to learn about Tamil culture and society through the English language. The students will be assessed in either Tamil or English. At the end of the course, all students would have learned and gained advanced knowledge about Tamil culture and society.

SN3276 INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICAL INDIAN TEXTS

This seminar-style course provides an introduction to the foundations of classical Indian literature through a survey of traditional texts from the Dharmasutras and the Kamasutra to the Upanishads and the Bhagavadgita. The religious, cultural and literary influence and the changing interpretations of the texts will be discussed. All primary texts will be studied in English translation and supplemented with secondary source readings. This course is recognised towards the requirements of the Minor in Religious Studies.

SN3277 SOUTH ASIA: FIELD STUDIES

Workload: 1 week of lectures (twice a day), 4 weeks of guided tours and 1 week for report writing
Pre-requisites: Passed 8 Units of SN courses

This course aims at providing students with a first-hand experience of the South Asian region in general, and with a deep insight and understanding of selected aspects/problems of South-Asia in particular. The topics of the tours are different and formulated in accordance to the region chosen for the visit. Possible topics are : (A) Tamil History and Culture (Tamil Nadu Tour), (B) India and IT development (Bangalore etc. Tour), (C) Struggle for Independence; Partition (Tour around Delhi), etc. The overall structure of the course would be as follows: 1 week of lectures (in situ in South Asia, so that 'hands-on' sessions are possible), 4 weeks of guided travel, 1 week for students' report-and-essay-writing (in South Asia) = 6 weeks.

SN3278 RIVERS OF INDIA: DIVINITY AND SACRED SPACE

Most major rivers of South Asia are major pilgrimage centres for Hindus and are often considered as manifestations of female divinities. In this seminar-style course, students will develop a unique appreciation of the confluence between geography, environment and divinity in South Asia through study of the region’s major river systems. No prior knowledge of South Asian religion is required and will be introduced in the context of weekly study topics.

SN3279 LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND IDENTITY IN INDIA

This course focuses on the relationship between language, culture and identity in India. It looks at the roles that languages, cultures, and literatures play in regional identities in India. Through case studies of Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi, Marathi and Bengali it investigates the significance of language in regional identities. It also addresses the issue of how language and culture have been arenas in which contending notions of Indian identity have been developed. The course introduces students to the importance of understanding cultural diversity in India in relation to the rise of India as a contemporary world power.

SN3281 THE STORY OF INDIAN BUSINESS

This course is about the history of business in India and its significance in the contemporary context. The lectures will be based on historical analysis and effects of the colonial enterprise, different business communities and their networks, post-colonial approaches and changes in the socio-political and economic trajectories. It gives students opportunities to look into the traditional big business houses and corporations and the subsequent changes in the present generations, and also into the emerging paradigms of new production networks and their relevance in the South Asian economies as well as in Asia and the world.

SN3282 VIOLENCE AND VISUAL CULTURE IN SOUTH ASIA

This course will examine how conflict and violence in contemporary South Asia have been understood and represented in different visual cultures such as popular film, photography, documentaries and online spaces. This course will interrogate the role of representations of violence within the societies at conflict in India, Sri Lanka, Burma and Nepal and how these are received abroad. It will provide tools for an increased visual awareness and understanding of ethical dialogues that shape violence in South Asia. This interdisciplinary course considers the relationship between images and disciplines such as history, politics, philosophy and anthropology.

SN3550 INTERNSHIP/ISN3550 EXTENDED SOUTH ASIAN INTERNSHIP

Pre-requisites: Students should have completed a minimum of 24 Units in SN coded and SN recognised courses; and have declared South Asian Studies as their Major
Preclusion: Any other XX3550 internship courses (Note: Students who change majors may not do a second internship in their new major)

Internships vary in length but all take place within organisations or companies, are vetted and approved by the South Asian Studies Programme, have relevance to the major in South Asian Studies, involve the application of subject knowledge and theory in reflection upon the work, and are assessed. Available credited internships will be advertised at the beginning of each semester. Internships proposed by students will require the approval of the department.

SN3880A ART OF INDIA

Pre-requisites: SN1101E South Asia: People, Culture, Development

This course focuses on the South Asian visual culture. It looks at this material not in isolation but in a global context. It will cover the history of South Asian art, that is, the art of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, from the time of the Indus Valley Civilization to the present day.

SN4101 APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF SOUTH ASIA

Units: 4
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, or 28 Units in SC.
Preclusions: SN4101HM

The course will provide a basis for a close study of the foundations of the study of South Asia, particularly in the three areas around which the Programme operates: historical and political; cultural and religious; and social and economic. It will look closely at the work of major figures in order to provide an understanding of important shifts in the study of the region. These studies will include work on historical writing in colonial and postcolonial times, the rise of village studies, the development of the significant scholarly work on South Asian religions and caste, and the nature of the colonial and postcolonial economies of the region. Thus, the course will provide a basis for understanding the literature in the three areas of study and the major advances that have taken place in the study of South Asia.

 

SN4102 CRITICAL DEBATES IN SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES

Units: 4
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN
Preclusions: SN4102HM

The course will be an interdisciplinary seminar which is intended as a continuation of the study commenced in `Approaches to the Study of South Asia?. It will familiarise students with major issues in the interpretation of South Asia within the three areas of historical and political studies, cultural and religious studies and social and economic studies. It will raise major issues that have a bearing on the ways in which developments in South Asia are currently studied and understood. Some issues will relate to major trends in re-interpretation of South Asia, others will be new approaches to key problems or controversial theories in disputed areas.

 

SN4221 REGIONAL CONFLICT & COOPERATION IN ASIA

Units: 4
Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN.
Preclusions: SN4221HM

The course will provide a comparative understanding of the problems and challenges that are faced in promoting regional cooperation and development in South and Southeast Asia. It will look at regional conflict and cooperation in a comparative perspective. It will examine issues in conflict in South Asia and the factors that have impeded regional cooperation. It will then contrast the dynamics of regionalism in Southeast Asia. It will also look at intra-regional and inter-regional ties that have been evolving between South and Southeast Asia in the context of multilateral trading arrangements.

 

SN4231 PEASANTS AND CAPITALISM IN ASIA

Units: 4
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN.
Preclusions: SN4231HM

The aim is to provide a comparative perspective on capitalist development and socio-cultural change in peasant societies of South and Southeast Asia, as well as the underlying factors of change. Students are expected to appreciate the contrast between peasant and capitalist societies, and identify factors explaining the different experiences of these two regions of Asia. Major topics include the analytical and empirical features of the peasantry and capitalist development, and the range of factors explaining resilience and change.

 

SN4232 SOUTH ASIAN INTERREGIONAL TOURISM

Units: 4
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN
Preclusions: SN4232HM

The course will discuss the emerging pattern of inter-regional tourism flows between South and Southeast Asia. One of the facets of increasing globalisation is the expansion of the tourism industry. For the South Asian region, in particular India, higher incomes and the emergence of an expanding middle class have created a new market for the outbound tourism industry. The trappings of the new middle class in India would include holidays abroad and Southeast Asian region has become more widely known in India. The long historical, religious and cultural linkages between South and Southeast Asia would add to the tourism flows between the two regions. Recent developments that will spur tourism included the Open Skies policy being negotiated between India and ASEAN plus the upgrading and modernisation of infrastructure in India.

 

SN4233 SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGE IN INDIA

Units: 4
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in SC.
Preclusions: SN4233HM

India is in the throes of substantial social, political and economic change. This course deals with social structures such as caste and class; political developments such as the political empowerment of backward caste groups and the relationship between the state and society captured in phenomena such as social movements; and economic change such as the movement from state control to regulation, from autarky to globalization, and the rise of sub national federal economies at the state level.

 

SN4234 MAPPING SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN INDIA

Units: 4
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN.
Preclusions: SN4234HM

The course will focus on contemporary social movements in India. They are deeply connected to its contested trajectories of development and democracy. Issues of displacement, environment, patriarchy, indignities and everyday tyranny are strongly connected to the contemporary social movements. By focusing on movements’ ideology, social base, modes of mobilization, leadership and nature of engagement with the state and social power, the course will advance understanding of a significant reality in contemporary India.

 

SN4261 SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA: EARLY CONTACTS

Units: 4
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in SC.
Preclusions: SN4261HM

Cultural contacts between South Asia and Southeast Asia started around the 3rd c AD. Especially several South-Indian dynasties (as, e.g. the Pallavas and the Cholas), under which trade and the setting up of diplomatic ties flourished, were the main responsible forces for an early spread of Indian cultural and social concepts and values beyond South Asia – and especially to Southeast Asia. The course aims at looking at those early forms of contact between the two regions, and at providing an understanding of the concepts of “kingship”, society, religion and culture, that became shared as a consequence. We will explore how much about “everyday life” in old times can be learned from inscriptions, and how temple-constructions and other pieces of Art can give insights into these concepts. We will also look into early trade-connections between South India and Southeast Asia (trading guilds) and into the impact of cultural influence – especially of the Chola dynasty – in the region.

 

SN4262 HINDUTVA NATIONALISM

Units: 4
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in SC.
Preclusions: SN4262HM

This course looks closely at Hindutva ideology, and considers the formation and development of Hindutvaorientated political parties and organisations in India and also, where applicable, the diaspora. The course will consider the key challenges to the development of Hindutva nationalism and the threat that the growth of the movement poses to the position of religious minorities in the Indian context.

 

SN4263 THEMES IN CONTEMPORARY INDIAN HISTORY

Units: 4
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, or 28 Units in SC.
Preclusions: SN4263HM

This course will explore historical sources relating to Contemporary India and encourage students to examine archival evidence and develop critical narratives focused around key themes. The focus will be on India after 1947. Key themes will include: the Aftermath of Partition, National Integration; Leadership and Ideologies; Economic Development and Reconstruction; Political Parties and Organizations; Crises and Transitions; India’s External Relations with its Neighbours. Students will work with on-line archival sources now available due to declassification and digitisation, together with secondary materials.

 

SN4275 SOUTH ASIAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

Units: 4
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN.
Preclusions: SN4275HM

This course has four broad aims: 1) introducing linguistic theories of “Language Families”, 2) giving an overview of the Language Families found in South Asia, 3) briefly exposing regional conflicts that have their root in language-based formations of identities, and 4) giving a historical overview of the most important regional literatures in different South-Asian Languages.

 

SN4276 EPIC TRADITIONS IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA

Units: 4
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN.
Preclusions: SN4276HM

The two Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, - are mainly known through their classical representatives in Sanskrit language. They also exist, however, in many regional vernacular forms, some being “classics” in their own right (e.g. Kamban’s Iramavataram in Tamil, 11th c; Tulsidas’ Ramcaritmanas in Hindi, 16th c). Folkloristic renderings are available, too, besides Jain-, Buddhist-, and even Muslim-versions. The two texts have had a great impact on Southeast Asia, as is evident from literary traditions, performing arts and sculpture and painting. This course introduces the different epic traditions in India and looks into their spread to Southeast Asia.

 

SN4401 HONOURS THESIS

Units: 8
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 110 Units including 40 Units of SN major requirements with a minimum GPA of 3.50.
Preclusions: SN4660, SN4401HM

The Honours Thesis will normally be done in the second semester of the student’s final year. A qualified student intending to undertake the Honours Thesis will be expected to consult a prospective supervisor in the preceding semester for guidance on the selection of a topic and the preparation of a research proposal. The research proposal will be in an area of South Asian Studies in which the student has the necessary background and will be discussed with the supervisor. The supervisor will provide guidance to the student in conducting researching and writing the thesis of 10,000 to 12,000 words.

 

SN4660 INDEPENDENT STUDY

Units: 4
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2021 onwards: Completed 100 Units, including 40 Units in SN, with a minimum GPA of 3.20.
Preclusions: SN4660, SN4660HM, SN4401

The Independent Study course is designed to enable the student to explore an approved topic within the discipline in-depth. The student should approach a lecturer to work out an agreed topic, readings, and assignments for the course. A formal, written agreement is to be drawn up, giving a clear account of the topic, programme of study, assignments, evaluation, and other pertinent details. Head’s and/or Honours Coordinator’s approval of the written agreement is required. Regular meetings and reports are expected. Evaluation is based on 100% Continuous Assessment and must be worked out between the student and the lecturer prior to seeking departmental approval.

SN4101HM APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF SOUTH ASIA

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2019 and before: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, or 28 Units in SC or 28 Units in GL or GL recognised non-language courses with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Cohort 2020: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, or 28 Units in SC with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Preclusions: SN4101

The course will provide a basis for a close study of the foundations of the study of South Asia, particularly in the three areas around which the Programme operates: historical and political; cultural and religious; and social and economic. It will look closely at the work of major figures in order to provide an understanding of important shifts in the study of the region. These studies will include work on historical writing in colonial and postcolonial times, the rise of village studies, the development of the significant scholarly work on South Asian religions and caste, and the nature of the colonial and postcolonial economies of the region. Thus, the course will provide a basis for understanding the literature in the three areas of study and the major advances that have taken place in the study of South Asia.

 

SN4102HM CRITICAL DEBATES IN SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2020 and before: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Preclusions: SN4102

The course will be an interdisciplinary seminar which is intended as a continuation of the study commenced in `Approaches to the Study of South Asia?. It will familiarise students with major issues in the interpretation of South Asia within the three areas of historical and political studies, cultural and religious studies and social and economic studies. It will raise major issues that have a bearing on the ways in which developments in South Asia are currently studied and understood. Some issues will relate to major trends in re-interpretation of South Asia, others will be new approaches to key problems or controversial theories in disputed areas.

 

SN4221HM REGIONAL CONFLICT & COOPERATION IN ASIA

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2019 and before: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in GL/GL recognised non-language courses, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Cohort 2020: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Preclusions: SN4221

The course will provide a comparative understanding of the problems and challenges that are faced in promoting regional cooperation and development in South and Southeast Asia. It will look at regional conflict and cooperation in a comparative perspective. It will examine issues in conflict in South Asia and the factors that have impeded regional cooperation. It will then contrast the dynamics of regionalism in Southeast Asia. It will also look at intra-regional and inter-regional ties that have been evolving between South and Southeast Asia in the context of multilateral trading arrangements.

 

SN4231HM PEASANTS AND CAPITALISM IN ASIA

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2019 and before: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in GL/GL recognised non-language courses, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Cohort 2020: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Preclusions: SN4231

The aim is to provide a comparative perspective on capitalist development and socio-cultural change in peasant societies of South and Southeast Asia, as well as the underlying factors of change. Students are expected to appreciate the contrast between peasant and capitalist societies, and identify factors explaining the different experiences of these two regions of Asia. Major topics include the analytical and empirical features of the peasantry and capitalist development, and the range of factors explaining resilience and change.

 

SN4232HM SOUTH ASIAN INTERREGIONAL TOURISM

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2019 and before: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in GL/GL recognised non-language courses, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Cohort 2020: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Preclusions: SN4232

The course will discuss the emerging pattern of inter-regional tourism flows between South and Southeast Asia. One of the facets of increasing globalisation is the expansion of the tourism industry. For the South Asian region, in particular India, higher incomes and the emergence of an expanding middle class have created a new market for the outbound tourism industry. The trappings of the new middle class in India would include holidays abroad and Southeast Asian region has become more widely known in India. The long historical, religious and cultural linkages between South and Southeast Asia would add to the tourism flows between the two regions. Recent developments that will spur tourism included the Open Skies policy being negotiated between India and ASEAN plus the upgrading and modernisation of infrastructure in India.

 

SN4233HM SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGE IN INDIA

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2019 and before: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in SC or 28 Units in GL/GL recognised non-language courses, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Cohort 2020: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in SC, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Preclusions: SN4233

India is in the throes of substantial social, political and economic change. This course deals with social structures such as caste and class; political developments such as the political empowerment of backward caste groups and the relationship between the state and society captured in phenomena such as social movements; and economic change such as the movement from state control to regulation, from autarky to globalization, and the rise of sub national federal economies at the state level.

 

SN4234HM MAPPING SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN INDIA

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2019 and before: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in GL/GL recognised non-language courses, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track. Cohort 2020: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Preclusions: SN4234

The course will focus on contemporary social movements in India. They are deeply connected to its contested trajectories of development and democracy. Issues of displacement, environment, patriarchy, indignities and everyday tyranny are strongly connected to the contemporary social movements. By focusing on movements’ ideology, social base, modes of mobilization, leadership and nature of engagement with the state and social power, the course will advance understanding of a significant reality in contemporary India.

 

SN4261HM SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA: EARLY CONTACTS

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2019 and before: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in SC or 28 Units in GL/GL recognised non-language courses, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Cohort 2020: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in SC, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Preclusions: SN4261

Cultural contacts between South Asia and Southeast Asia started around the 3rd c AD. Especially several South-Indian dynasties (as, e.g. the Pallavas and the Cholas), under which trade and the setting up of diplomatic ties flourished, were the main responsible forces for an early spread of Indian cultural and social concepts and values beyond South Asia – and especially to Southeast Asia. The course aims at looking at those early forms of contact between the two regions, and at providing an understanding of the concepts of “kingship”, society, religion and culture, that became shared as a consequence. We will explore how much about “everyday life” in old times can be learned from inscriptions, and how temple-constructions and other pieces of Art can give insights into these concepts. We will also look into early trade-connections between South India and Southeast Asia (trading guilds) and into the impact of cultural influence – especially of the Chola dynasty – in the region.

 

SN4262HM HINDUTVA NATIONALISM

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2019 and before: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in SC or 28 Units in GL/GL recognised non-language courses, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Cohort 2020: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN or 28 Units in SC, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Preclusions: SN4262

This course looks closely at Hindutva ideology, and considers the formation and development of Hindutvaorientated political parties and organisations in India and also, where applicable, the diaspora. The course will consider the key challenges to the development of Hindutva nationalism and the threat that the growth of the movement poses to the position of religious minorities in the Indian context.

 

SN4263HM THEMES IN CONTEMPORARY INDIAN HISTORY

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2019 and before: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, or 28 Units in SC, or 28 Units of GL/GL recognised non-language courses with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Cohort 2020: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, or 28 Units in SC with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Preclusions: SN4263

This course will explore historical sources relating to Contemporary India and encourage students to examine archival evidence and develop critical narratives focused around key themes. The focus will be on India after 1947. Key themes will include: the Aftermath of Partition, National Integration; Leadership and Ideologies; Economic Development and Reconstruction; Political Parties and Organizations; Crises and Transitions; India’s External Relations with its Neighbours. Students will work with on-line archival sources now available due to declassification and digitisation, together with secondary materials.

 

SN4275HM SOUTH ASIAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2020 and before: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Preclusions: SN4275

This course has four broad aims: 1) introducing linguistic theories of “Language Families”, 2) giving an overview of the Language Families found in South Asia, 3) briefly exposing regional conflicts that have their root in language-based formations of identities, and 4) giving a historical overview of the most important regional literatures in different South-Asian Languages.

 

SN4276HM EPIC TRADITIONS IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2020 and before: Completed 80 Units, including 28 Units in SN, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 or be on the Honours track.
Preclusions: SN4276

The two Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, - are mainly known through their classical representatives in Sanskrit language. They also exist, however, in many regional vernacular forms, some being “classics” in their own right (e.g. Kamban’s Iramavataram in Tamil, 11th c; Tulsidas’ Ramcaritmanas in Hindi, 16th c). Folkloristic renderings are available, too, besides Jain-, Buddhist-, and even Muslim-versions. The two texts have had a great impact on Southeast Asia, as is evident from literary traditions, performing arts and sculpture and painting. This course introduces the different epic traditions in India and looks into their spread to Southeast Asia.

 

SN4401HM HONOURS THESIS

Units: 15
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2016 to 2020: Completed 110 Units including 44 Units of SN major requirements with a minimum GPA of 3.50.
Preclusions: SN4401, SN4660HM

The Honours Thesis will normally be done in the second semester of the student’s final year. A qualified student intending to undertake the Honours Thesis will be expected to consult a prospective supervisor in the preceding semester for guidance on the selection of a topic and the preparation of a research proposal. The research proposal will be in an area of South Asian Studies in which the student has the necessary background and will be discussed with the supervisor. The supervisor will provide guidance to the student in conducting researching and writing the thesis of 10,000 to 12,000 words.

 

SN4660 INDEPENDENT STUDY

Units: 5
Pre-requisites: Cohort 2016 to 2020: Completed 100 Units, including 44 Units in SN, with a minimum GPA of 3.20.
Preclusions: SN4460, SN4401HM, SN4401

The Independent Study course is designed to enable the student to explore an approved topic within the discipline in-depth. The student should approach a lecturer to work out an agreed topic, readings, and assignments for the course. A formal, written agreement is to be drawn up, giving a clear account of the topic, programme of study, assignments, evaluation, and other pertinent details. Head’s and/or Honours Coordinator’s approval of the written agreement is required. Regular meetings and reports are expected. Evaluation is based on 100% Continuous Assessment and must be worked out between the student and the lecturer prior to seeking departmental approval.