History 202/SISSA 202: South Asia since 1500

Fall Quarter, 2008

Lectures: T, TH Condon Hall 109, 9:30-11:20

Class Website:

Prof. Purnima Dhavan

Office hours: 1-2, Tues. and 11-12 pm Wed, at Smith 006 (history mailboxes are in Smith 315)

Email:

Office Phone: 206-616-5298

This class will trace the history of South Asia from the 1500s to the current time. We will compare the development of international trading networks during the Mughal period with the later effects of colonial rule in the nineteenth century on South Asian communities, and then focus on the major social, economic, and cultural developments in the period after India and Pakistan became independent. Throughout the quarter we will focus on how changes in economic and political policies impacted the lives of every-day people in South Asia during this period. We will also explore the ways in which concepts of religion, gender, nationhood, and identity evolved and changed.

Teaching Assistant: Monica Meadows

Discussion Sections are on Fridays:

Section AA: 9:30-10:20 am, Condon Hall, 128

SectionAB: 11:30-12:20; Benson Hall 115

Section AC: 10:30-11:20, Mueller Hall 155

Please note—if you are unable to attend the regular discussion section, you may join one of the other sections. It is your responsibility, however, to make sure that your get approval from your TA to do this, so that the attendance records are accurate. You may only exercise this option twice a quarter.

Grading Policy

Your grade will be determined as follows:

Class discussion and participation:10%

2 Short Papers (20% each)40%

Midterm25%

Final25%

Class Dynamics: Our class is structured around two lectures on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with discussion sections on Fridays. The lectures and readings for the first part of the week are primarily intended to provide you with the historical context for the readings you will discuss in section on Friday. It is very important therefore, that you take detailed notes during lectures and try to connect how the events outlined in the lectures relate to that Friday’s readings in discussion.

Our class website has online handouts for each week. These include an abbreviated outline for lectures, including unfamiliar names and dates. You might find it helpful to take notes for the lectures on paper versions of this outline, or by keeping these on hand while you take notes on your laptop. Each week also has an assigned question sheet which will help guide you through readings and pick out important themes and ideas. Please make sure that you familiarize yourself with the website as soon as possible. See the sections on “Texts” below.

Attendance Policy: You are allowed a “grace period” of two absences over the quarter in sections to allow for mishaps, interviews, undocumented illness, etc. It is your responsibility to get notes for missed days. Your participation grade is based not just on physical presence in the class room, but also active participation, but if you are not in class, you cannot participate. Please note that mathematically, based on 10 sections during the quarter, each additional absence after the two allowed as a “grace period” will lower your participation grade by a full letter grade. I do not differentiate between “excused” and “unexcused” absences. If you anticipate having absences, than plan ahead and do not skip classes. The only exception to this rule would be a dire medical or family emergency, and I will need official/medical documentation for any such occurrence that causes absences for over three class dates.

Although no record will be kept of attendance in lectures you are encouraged not to skip class. Since many of the assignments, discussion, and exams depend on your alertness during lectures, skipping class or being inattentive will inevitably have a negative impact on your grade. Your TA will keep attendance and participation records for section.

Misconduct: I support and practice the UW policies on Student Misconduct and Plagiarism.

The Student Conduct Code explains that admission to the University carries with it the presumption that students will practice high standards of professional honesty and integrity (WAC 478-120-020 [2]). This idea is expanded in the document Academic Honesty: Cheating and Plagiarism, which was prepared by the Committee on Academic Conduct in the College of Arts and Sciences. The document provides a definition of academic misconduct, explains what happens in cases of suspected misconduct, and provides some suggestions for avoiding such misconduct.

Student Conduct Code: Academic Honesty: Cheating and Plagiarism:

Disabilities

The University of Washington is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation contact the Disability Services

Office at: 206.543.6450/V, 206.543.6452/TTY, 206.685.7264 (FAX), or e-mail at

Short Papers: Short papers are to be based on an analysis of the readings used in class. Please pay attention to what the assignment is asking you to do.

Make sure that you have a well-phrased and argumentative thesis that serves as the framework for your paper. If you are unsure how to craft such a thesis please consult with your TA, professor, or the History Department Writing Center Tutors (ph. 543-5692/email ). Give yourself lots of time to revise and polish your papers. The following format should be used for each of the papers:

  • Papers will be short 5 page papers, double spaced, one inch margins.
  • You may use parenthetical citation in these shorter papers: for example (Metcalf 24). You may have your classmates proof-read or comment on your paper, in fact, I encourage each of you to do this, but make sure that you acknowledge the help you get in your paper. This is a part of practicing academic honesty. A short note at the end of the paper acknowledging any help from other people is a good idea.
  • Make sure that these short papers are analytical and express your own views, rather than summarizing the original text, or offer weak personal reactions not backed up by evidence from the text. In other words, I am asking for an informed analysis of the readings, not descriptive summaries or emotional reactions. Even if you agree 100% with an author, you need to explain why that argument is well-structured, or convincing, or provide the historical/social context for it. In the case of primary documents make sure that you contextualize that document historically.
  • Late Work: To maintain grading parity, any work turned in late will lose 10% of the grade for that assignment for each additional 24 hour period that paper is late. This is a whole letter grade, so it is to your advantage to turn in your paper on time. After 5 days (i.e. having lost 50% of your grade) no further deductions will be made and you have until the last day of classes to submit the late work. No late work will be accepted after the last day of classes. If illness or other emergencies prevent you from turning in your work on time, it is your responsibility to contact me as soon as possible to get my permission to submit late work, and you will need to show me documentation of your illness. Do not assume if you contact me at the last minute you will get my permission to turn in the paper late.

Final and Midterm: The final, like the midterm will consist of a mixture of paragraph-length I. Ds (five) and a long analytical essay. You will be given a study sheet of about 30 I.D.s and 2-3 essay choices a week before the exams to help you prepare.

Texts:

  1. Sugata Bose and Ayesha Jalal, Modern South Asia: History, Culture, Political Economy, New York: Routledge, 2003.
  1. Coursepack.
  1. Online Handouts and Question sheets—Each week of the quarter has an online Question sheet that includes background material for the readings for that week and asks 2-3 questions for each day to help you identity important themes and questions as you read. It is very important that you think about these questions since your TA will use them in discussion and the other assignments and tests will be built off of these questions. You should also note that a “bare-bones” outline of the lectures will also available online. You are encouraged to download the Question sheets and lecture notesbefore class so that you can take supplemental notes and not lose time with unfamiliar names and vocabulary. Paper copies of the lecture notes will always be available before the lectures, however, after the first week I will not hand out the question sheets—these should be downloaded from the website.

All other readings for the class are either accessed through links directly through the syllabus or through the Coursepack on our class website. You will need a username (introhistory) and password (southasia) to get into some parts of the website. Since server speeds vary greatly at different times, please don’t wait to download the readings or lecture notes just before class. If any additional changes are made to this content after the first week of class, I will alert you to this change in class. To comply with copyright laws please do not copy, reproduce, or alter these readings, or use them for purposes other than classroom use.

Schedule of readings for the class:

Week 1: Sept. 25, Thursday—Introduction to class

  • Discussion of South Asian Geography, Political and Social Institutions, Class Procedures
  • South Asia c. 1500—important social and political formations
  • Debates in Indian history—some notes on how history is “done,” and common controversies

Assignment—after class read the short introduction to our textbook by Jalal and Bose, p.1-16. How would you describe the approach of these two authors to writing this book?

Sep. 26, Friday section (All section readings are from the coursepack):Eleanor Zelliot, “A medieval encounter between Hindu and Muslim: Eknath’s drama-poem Hindu-Turk Samvad,”in India’s Islamic Traditions, 711-1750, Richard Eaton, ed. (New Delhi: OUP, 2005),

Also please remember to download the online Question Sheet for Week 2 before coming to class next week. You should do this every week from now on and take notes, including references to page numbers of the assigned text, that will help you answer the questions.

Week 2: Sept. 30, Tuesday—Mughal Empire—Bureaucratic Reforms, Hybrid Styles

  • Discussion of the foundations of Mughal state structure and Akbar’s reforms

Read: Jalal and Bose, p. 17-37. Ch. 3 is for background, ch. 4 is a summary introduction to the Mughal Empire.

Oct. 2, Thursday—Mughal Administrative structures—a perspective from above and below

  • Taxes and other extractive mechanisms
  • Integration of local kinship groups, zamindars, artisans, merchants
  • The view from below—complicating our understanding of peasant castes and nomadic tribes

Coursepack—First part of S. Nurul Hasan’s, “Zamindars under the Mughals,” from The MughalState, 1526-1750, edited by Muzaffar Alam and Sanjay Subrahmanyam, (New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1998), p. 284-295.

Friday Discussion Sections, Oct. 3—

Read and discuss the following texts from the Coursepack:

  1. Extracts from Badauni and Abul Fazl—
  2. Al-Badauni, Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh by Abul Qadir Bin Maluk Shah Known as Al-Badaoni, Translated from the Original Persian, ed. and tran. W. H. Lowe, (Karachi: Karimsons, 1976; reprint of 1884 orginal), p. 260-271.
  3. Abul Fazl Allami, The Ain-i Akbari, trans. and ed. by H. Blochman, (Lahore: Qausian, 1975; reprint of 1927 original), p. 162-166 and 268-274.

Week 3: Tuesday, Oct. 7—Evolutions of Imperial Styles, the Mughal Economy

  • Discussion of major changes in Mughal society, economy, and politics under Jahangir and Shahjahan
  • Thinking of Mughal life within a global and local history perspective
  • Interconnections between art, aesthetics, trade, and economy

Read: Coursepack—We will contrast new research presented in lecture with two short readings of older perspectives from 1) Sir Jadunath Sarkar, “The Condition of the People,” from History of Aurangzib, Vol. V(Bombay: Orient Longman, 1912, reprint 1974)335-343. The second short reading is from Annemarie Schimmel, “The Life of a Mirza,” from The Empire of the Great Mugahls: History, Art, and Culture(London: Reaktion Books, 2004), 225-227.

Thursday, Oct. 9—Aurangzeb: Last of the Great Mughals or Great Villain?

  • The Deccan Campaigns
  • Jagir Crisis-real or artificial?
  • Maratha, Jat, and Sikh rebellions

Read—Coursepack--John F. Richards, “Norms of Comportment Among Imperial Mughal Officers,” in Power, Administration, and Finance in Mughal India, (Brookefield: Ashgate Publishing Company, 1993), 255-289.

Read—Friday, Oct. 10—Understanding the Problem of Mughal “Decline” John F. Richards, “The Seventeenth-Century Crisis in South Asia,” in Modern Asian Studies, Vol. 24, No. 4. (Oct., 1990), pp. 625-638.

Week 4: Tuesday, Oct. 14—South Asia between Empires

  • Successor States—Awadh, Hyderabad, Bengal
  • New Conquest States—Sikhs, Marathas, Jats
  • New and pre-existing regimes—Rajputs, European Companies

Read--Jalal and Bose, p. 38-59

Please Turn in Paper 1 before you leave class

Thursday, Oct. 16—The European Companies in South Asia

  • The new mercantile economies
  • English and French Rivalries
  • The view from England of the East India Company

Read: Coursepack-- Sushil Chaudhuri, The Prelude to Empire: Plassey Revolution of 1757(New Delhi: Manohar, 2000), p. 87-103, 140-160.

Please note I will be out of town for the rest of this week. If you did not turn in Paper 1 on time, you must contact your TA if you intend to turn in a late paper.

Friday, Oct. 17—Bengal and the new Raj—debating the Empire

  1. Coursepack--Percival Spear, Master of Bengal: Clive and his India, (London: Thames and Hudson, 1975), p. 104-118
  2. Clive documents (through modern history source book website, links below:
  1. and Edmund Burke on the East India Co.’s rule:

Week 5: Tuesday, Oct. 21—Company Expansion, Social Reforms

  • Territorial Expansion—Maratha and Mysore Wars
  • Subsidiary Alliance and Doctrine of Lapse
  • The debate about the “Bengal Reanaissance”

Read:

  1. Jalal and Bose, p. 60-77
  2. Next two readings are through websites, click on the links below: Lord Macaulay:

Raja Ram Mohan Roy,

Thursday, Oct. 23—Colonialism’s “High Noon”

  • After effects of 1857
  • Printing and Public space in South Asia
  • New Identities

Read: Jalal and Bose, p.78-101

Friday, Oct. 24—Read and Discuss the causes of 1857

Coursepack—Selections fromSir Sayyid Ahmad Khan’s History of the Bijnor Rebellion,translated and edited by Hafeez Malik and Morris Dembo, Delhi: Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Deli, 1982, p. 147-195.

Week 6: Tuesday, Oct. 28—Midterm in class (materials covered wks. 1-5)

Thursday, Oct. 30—Domestic Space and the New ideas of Nation and Home

  • Urban and Rural movements
  • The new Middle Class and print culture
  • Reforms, domesticity, and the search for “authentic” selves

Read: Coursepack—Two readings, 1) Tarabai Shinde and 2) Ramabai Ranade, extracts from Women Writing in India, 600 BC to the Present, Vol. I, (New York: The Feminist Press, 1991), 221-235 and 281-290.

Friday, Oct. 31—Discuss early Nationalist ideas

Read: Coursepack--Selections from M. K. Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj, (Ahemdabad: Navjivan Publications 1938.

Week 7: Tuesday, Nov. 4—World War I and the Growth of Nationalism in the Inter-war Period

  • World War I in South Asia
  • New Mass Politics and Parties
  • Depression and the Indian Economy
  • Changes in Gandhian Politics

Read—Jalal and Bose, 102-127

Thursday, Nov. 6—World War II and its Aftermath

  • Bengal Famine
  • Bose and the INA
  • Elections and the question of Separate Electorates

Read:

  1. Jalal and Bose, 128-134;

Coursepack --selections fromDr. B. R. Ambedkar, “What Gandhi and the Congress have done to the Untouchables,” Chs. I, VIII, XI

Friday, Nov. 7—Discuss Jinnha and Ambedkar’s positions

Read: David Gilmartin, “A Magnificent Gift: Muslim Nationalism and the Election Process in Colonial Punjabin Comparative Studies in Society and History, Vol. 40, No. 3, (July 1998): 415-436.

Week 8: Tuesday, Nov. 11, Veteran’s day--No class today

Thursday, Nov. 13—Partition and its Aftermath—Paper 2 due

  • New Nations and new histories
  • Division of resources,
  • Making an Indian and Pakistani Constitution
  • Life on the borderlands—Kashmir, Punjab, Bengal

We will watch the documentary “Division of Hearts, directed by Sati Khanna and Peter Chappell (1987) in class today.

Read—Jalal and Bose, 135-166

Friday, Nov. 14—Memory and Meaning in the New Nation States

  1. Ritu Menon and Kamla Bhasin, “Recovery, Rupture, and Resistance: Abduction of Women During Partition,” in Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. XXVIII, No. 17, April 24, 1993: WS2-WS11.
  2. Sa`adat Hasan Manto, “Black Margins,”translated by M. Asaduddin in Black Margins: Saadat Hasan Manto, Stories, (New Delhi: OUP 2001), 177-187.

Week 9: Tuesday, Nov. 18—Independence and After in India and Pakistan

  • Nehruvian politics and planning
  • Linguistic Nationalisms and States—Punjab, Tamil Nadu
  • Some census numbers and interpretation in the Planned Economy
  • Debates about secular Islam and Islamic Republic
  • Constitutional Reforms in Pakistan

Read: Jalal and Bose, ch. 18

Thursday Nov. 20--Political Issues in India and Pakistan, Bangladesh is created

  • Indira Gandhi and Emergency
  • Ethnic and Linugistic Identities—Punjab and LTTE in the 80s
  • New regional parties and problem of civil rights during Mandir and Mandal
  • Conflict in East and West Pakistan
  • Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Shariff, and democracy in Pakistan

Read: Jalal and Bose, Ch. 19 and 20.

Friday, Nov. 21, Ian Talbot, “Ch. 10—Ethno-nationalism, insurgency and secessionism in India and Pakistan, in Inventing the Nation: India and Pakistan(Hodder Arnold, 2000) 252-286.

Week 10, Tuesday, Nov. 25—Covering Godhara, The Lawyer’s demonstrations in Pakistan, the Nepal elections

  • An evolving discourse of human rights and civil strife in South Asia

Read—James Traub, “The Lawyer’s Crusade” New York Times Magazine, June 1, 2008: 46-51.