Course Syllabus
PEOPLES of SOUTH ASIA
Asian Studies 3180
Fall 2019
Tuesday & Thursday – 12:30 – 1:45 a.m.
Office Hours – After class or by appointment
Richard Marksbury
116A Newcomb Hall
504-862-3658
- Peoples of South Asia is an anthropological survey course examining the various cultures and societies found in South Asia comprised of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, the Andaman, and the Maldives Islands. Although, this is a cultural anthropology course, geography, climate, and prehistory will provide a foundation prior to discussing individual societies and cultures. There are no prerequisites for this class and any specific anthropological terms or concepts will be explained in detail. Students are expected to attend class on a regular basis, keep up with the readings, and submit required work on time.
- Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to identify each of the countries comprising South Asia and locate them properly on a map. Students will be able to identify and distinguish among the cultural variations found throughout South Asia including social stratification and belief systems. Finally, students will be able to explain the impact of colonialism and independent on the tribal peoples who remain in South Asia.
- Required Texts: Given the vast area comprising the culture area of South Asia, there does not exist a single book which can capture the region’s cultural variations. Wolpert's book serves as an important reference to class discussions pertaining to India while Solotaroff and Pande's book deasl with a topic covering all of south Asia. Both are required.
- India by Stanley Wolpert
- Violence against Women and Girls: Lessons from South Asia, by Solotaroff & Pande
- Maps: A map(s) of the South Asia will be distributed and explained during class throughout the semester. Become familiar with them.
- Tests and Exam: There will be two tests and a final exam. The first test is on September 24th and the second test is on October 31st. The final exam date is December 10th from 2-5. All tests and exam will include discussion and short answer questions.. Questions will come from class lectures, films, and assigned books. Test 1 = 25% of final grade, Test 2 = 30% of final grade, and each, Exam = 30%, of final grade. .
- Power Point Presentation: Each student will select a topic to present to the class as a PowerPoint presentation. The topic can be on any subject matter related to class discussions, marriage customs, castes, tribal peoples, Hindu/Muslim relations, etc. Students must turn in their topic no later than November 7th. Your presentation will count as 15% of final grade.
Course Calendar – Topics to be discussed, test dates, research paper dates
Note: Test and Exam dates will not change. However, topics may change on any given date given class discussions, etc. I use a lot of “show-and-tell” in class and also show ethnographic films, and YouTube Videos. Otherwise, classes are lecture format and class discussion is welcome and desired. Good note taking is necessary.
August 27- General Introduction and Review of Syllabus
August 29 - Ethnography, Ethnology, Fieldwork, Culture Areas
September 3- Geography, Climate, Prehistory (Read India 5-34)
September 5 - Prehistory, Mohenjo-Daro & Harrapa Prehistory of South Asia, (Read India 25-27)
September 10- Aryan Invasion..did it happen? consequences (India 35-40)
September 12 - Kinship, Descent, Clans, Castes, Rank, Stratification
September 17- Religion in South Asia..Animism-Polytheism-Monotheism, Hinduism
September 19 - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, The Sacred Cow
September 24- TEST #1
September 26 - Pollution, Commensal Taboos, Untouchables (Read India 118-123)
October 1 -- Documentary - Untouchables in Modern India, Society
October 3– The Scheduled Tribes - Konyak Nagas
October 8 – Irulus, Nayar, Toda
October 10- No class, Fall Break
October 15 - Andaman Islanders
October 17- Bhutan and Maldive Islands
October 22 Prehistory and Peoples of Sri Lanka
October 24 Sri Lanka ...other social issues
October 29 - Veddas, Sinhalese, Tamil
October 31- TEST #2
November 5- White tribes of Pakistan, Himalayan Peoples (Start Reading Violence against Women...)
November 7- Sherpas, Traders of Tanangput, (Power-Point topic due)
November 12- Class discussion on Violence against Women
November 19- Sikism, (Read India 105-110), Ethnic/Religious issues in KASHMIR
November 21- Islam comes to South Asia, Pakistan Muslim Society
November 26- Hindu and Muslim Relations, (Read India 233-239)..PowerPoint Topic Due
November 28…Thanksgiving No Class
December 3 - Power-Point Presentations
December 5 - Power Point Presentations LAST CLASS
EXAM---Tuesday, December 10 @ 2:00 - 5:00
Additional Important Information and Available Resources
Student Code of Academic Conduct
In all work submitted for academic credit, students are expected to represent themselves honestly. The presence of a student’s name on any work, including group papers or projects, submitted in completion of an academic assignment is considered to be an assurance that the work and ideas are the result of the student’s own intellectual effort, stated in their own words, and produced independently, unless clear and explicit acknowledgment of the sources for the work and ideas is included (with the use of quotation marks when quoting someone else’s words). This principle applies to papers, tests, homework assignments, artistic productions, laboratory reports, computer programs, and other assignments. All new students should familiarize themselves with this Code. Lack of familiarity with the code or with the precise application of its principles to any specific instance is not an excuse for noncompliance with it.
Please click on the following link for additional information: https://college.tulane.edu/sites/college.tulane.edu/files/HonorCode2019.pdf
Accommodations
If you believe you may encounter barriers to the academic environment due to your specific learning style or known challenges, please feel free to contact me and/or the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility. Any student with approved academic accommodations is encouraged to contact me during office hours or by e-mailing me to schedule an appointment. If you have questions regarding registering a disability or receiving accommodations, please contact the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility at 504-862-8433 or https://accessibility.tulane.edu/
Title IX
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Course Summary:
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