HIST 2251

(3 Credits) 3 Lecture hours This course offers an introduction to the study of modern South Asia, a region of more than 1.7 billion people, with particular attention to the political, social, and economic forces that have shaped the history of the sub-continent from the 18th to the 20th century. It asks: how does anti-colonial nationalism differ from European nationalism? How have South Asian political leaders created global solidarities along categories of caste, race, and religion to forge new polities in the region? Students will explore hierarchies associated with modern India, most significantly those connected to religion, the politics of language, and caste/untouchability. Students will be introduced to the work of political thinkers and artists, who may include Mohandas Gandhi, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, B.R. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Amrita Sher-Gill and Khushwant Singh.