History of Modern South Asia, ca. 1750-present (385-2-20)

Instructors

Ashish Koul
847/467-3879
Harris 212

Meeting Info

Harris Hall L28: Mon, Wed 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

The region we call South Asia is home to roughly one-fourth of the world's population today. It is also a part of the world which has witnessed some of the most far-reaching—not to mention violent—socio-economic, religious, and political transformations since the eighteenth century. Recognizing South Asia as a valuable site for the study of global changes, this survey course will introduce students to over two hundred years of the region's history. From the mid-eighteenth century to the present, the region witnessed multiple sorts of political formations—Mughal imperial sovereignty and its successor states, British colonialism, post-colonial nationalism. Dilemmas rooted in histories of imperialism haunt South Asian nation-states and South Asian communities living across the world. Why did the British establish and consolidate political control in this region? How did British Indians confront the ideological challenges presented by imperialism and wrest political independence in 1947? Digging beneath dominant discourses of imperialism, anti-colonialism, and post-colonial nationalisms, we will investigate how caste, class, gender, and religion fueled alternate political movements and aspirations in South Asia. Key themes will include: ideologies and practices of imperialism and anti-colonial nationalism; caste, class, gender, and religion as challenges for both empire and nationalism; socio-religious movements wrestling with ‘Western' modernity and imperial power; post-colonial nation-making and its continued challenges. This historical overview of South Asia since the eighteenth century will enable us to reflect on the enduring power of imperialism and its continued relevance to global geo-politics and discourses of social justice today.

Learning Objectives

understand the formative power of empire and decolonization in shaping our world; analyze primary sources and think historically; evaluate the nature of historical change in South Asia from the mid-18th century to the present.

Evaluation Method

oral presentations, exams, papers

Class Notes

History Major Concentration(s): Asia/Middle East
History Minor Concentration(s): Asia

Class Attributes

Advanced Expression
Historical Studies Foundational Discipline
Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Registration is restricted to History Majors and Minors only until the end of pre-registration, after which time enrollment will be open to everyone who has taken the prerequisites (if any)