Religious and Textual Traditions in South Asia (373-0-20)
Topic
Commemorating Karbala: Shia Islam in South Asian L
Instructors
Daniel Joseph Majchrowicz
847/467-5829
1880 Campus Drive, Kresge Hall, Office 4-423
Office Hours: varies by quarter, please contact instructor
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 2-319: Wed 5:00PM - 7:50PM
Overview of class
AY24 This course will explore the intersection of Shia religious belief and practice with art and literature in South Asia. Shias constitute about fifteen percent of the Muslim population of India and Pakistan today. Despite this minority status, Shia Islam has had a broad influence on intellectual and ethical thought in South Asia, with a particularly profound impact on Sufism. Royal patronage in in cities like Hyderabad and Lucknow also allowed Shiism to develop a rich visual and literary culture that speaks to the core tenets of Shia devotion. Manifestations of this diverse and syncretistic expression are found in architecture, painting, calligraphy, public performance, and literature, the emotive power of which has influenced Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Pairing scholarly readings with primary source materials, this course will examine the legacy and contemporary relevance of South Asian Shia Islam and its cultural and intellectual heritage. Primary source materials include verse poems written in Hindi and Urdu, which we will read in the original. Copies of all Hindi and Urdu texts will be made available in both the Urdu (Nastaliq) and Hindi (Devanagari) scripts.
Registration Requirements
Fluency or advanced ability in Hindi or Urdu.
Primary source materials include verse poems written in Hindi and Urdu, which we will read in the original. Copies of all Hindi and Urdu texts will be made available in both the Urdu (Nastaliq) and Hindi (Devanagari) scripts.
Teaching Method
Seminar
Evaluation Method
participation, final project
Class Materials (Required)
None
Class Attributes
Ethical and Evaluative Thinking Foundational Disci
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area
Ethics & Values Distro Area