DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY FALL 2023

Instructor: SANJAY JOSHI                             Time and Location: MWF 10:20-11:10, LA 201

Office: LA 206                                                                Phone: 523-6216

E-mail:Sanjay.Joshi@nau.edu                                                  Credit Hours: 3

Office Hours: Mon and Wed. 11:30 - 12:30 pm, (and by appointment) Please send me an email to set up an appointment even during regular office hours. Also available over Zoom if necessary.

HISTORY 249 PRE-MODERN INDIA

Course Web Page: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/HIS249Pre-ModernIndia.htm

A LIBERAL STUDIES COURSE IN THE CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING BLOCK. Also fulfills NAU’s Global Diversity Requirement.

CHECK THE COURSE WEB PAGE FOR THIS SYLLABUS WITH LINKS TO ELECTRONIC READINGS. NAU’s Policy Statements: https://nau.edu/university-policy-library/syllabus-requirements/ (and at the end of this syllabus)

Course Description

This course examines the history of India from c. 2500 B.C.E. to c. 1500-1700 C. E. While roughly organized around developments in political history, the course emphasizes the rich diversity of human experience in the form of important economic, social, and cultural developments of this period. Not only will the course cover the rise and fall of civilizations, kingdoms and dynasties, but also the ecological, economic, social, and cultural factors that accompanied and contributed to such changes. One textbook, an epic drama, some articles, as well as many “primary sources” -- the writings of people actually living in the periods of history we examine -- will help us to better understand the factors that shaped the pre-modern traditions of South Asia. Even as we seek to understand the past in its own terms, we will also try to understand how our knowledge about this past has been produced. This course will thus highlight competing interpretations of Indian history, and encourage students to examine these interpretations, and evaluate them based on what they have learnt about historical events, personalities, and processes occurring in pre-modern India. Therefore, along with familiarizing students with some of the details of an unfamiliar history, the objective of this course is to encourage discussion, debate, and reasoned argumentation supported by evidence.

Course Structure/Approach

The format of the course consists of lectures and informal discussions. Students are encouraged to raise questions and make comments throughout the course.

Course Readings (please see Note on the Readings below)

1. Hermann Kulke and Dietmar Rothermund. History of India. Sixth Edition. Routledge, 2016. An online copy of this book is available via Cline Library. If you are on the NAU network (directly or via VPN) THIS LINK should take you directly to the textbook.

2. The Mahabharata. Translated by Chakravarthi V. Narasimhan. Revised Edition. Columbia University Press, 1997. While no online copy is available via Cline, you can find a copy at archives.org at https://archive.org/details/mahabharataengli0000chak

3. Other REQUIRED readings via links on the electronic version of syllabus on the course page.

Note on the Readings

The Mahabharata is probably the world’s oldest epic poem and certainly the longest one. The version above translates some extracts from the epic. There are scores if not hundreds of versions of the Mahabharata available in English. To make sure we are all following the same text, though, it is IMPERATIVE that we all read and cite the SAME text. Therefore, ONLY C. V. Narasimhan’s translation, published by Columbia University Press, is acceptable for this course.

I would prefer you to use the latest (Sixth edition) version of the textbook by Kulke and Rothermund. If it’s considerably cheaper to get the Fifth edition, that is acceptable. However, page numbers on the syllabus refer to the sixth edition alone. Also, make sure you clearly cite the fifth edition in your writing if you are using that version of the textbook.

Career Readiness Skills

In every class you take at NAU, you learn professional skills that can support your future career. There are a number of ways that this course can help you meet and excel at your job goals and life desires. Below is a list of in-demand skills from National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) you could earn and practice in this class. In parenthesis after each skill are the assignments or requirements of the course that help you demonstrate competencies in these skills:

1. Communication: Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization. (Class Participation, Final Paper)

2. Critical Thinking: Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information. (All aspects of the course, particularly the written exams and final paper)

3. Equity & Inclusion: Demonstrate the awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different local and global cultures. Engage in anti-racist practices that actively challenge the systems, structures, and policies of racism. (That diversity is at the heart of any sustainable idea of India is at the heart of this course, and is central to each lecture, assignment, and discussion required for the class)

4. Professionalism: Knowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace. (Regular attendance, arriving for class in time, submitting assignments on time)

5. Teamwork: Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities. (Respectful interaction with course material as well as classmates on contentious issues around gender, caste, religion, or politics)

6. Technology: Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals. (Accessing films, readings and timely submission of assignments over Canvas)

Assessment of Outcomes

The course uses primarily three types of instruments to assess your achievement of the learning objectives listed above: 1. Exam and Quiz: The first of these will include a take-home short essay, due by the day of the exam, before start of class (10%), an online quiz (15%) and a map quiz (15%), both of which you will take in-class on the day of the mid-term exam. 2. A final exam (25%), with the format to be decided upon based on what I think needs to be evaluated. 3. One short paper (25%) to test your ability to critically read and think creatively about the material on Indian history, and to be able to communicate it effectively in appropriate prose. Your attendance record and the quality of your participation in the class will determine 10% of the total grade for the course.

Assignments and Exams

I. Term Paper: You will write one final paper between 5 and 7 pages in length in response to specific questions. The paper will ask you to analyze the way in which a specific aspect of the history of pre-modern India has been re-written over a period of time. This will be an analytical paper focusing on the way in which such texts are rewritten and understood over time. A detailed prompt will be provided at the appropriate time in the course. The paper will count for 25% of the course grade.

II. Midterm Exam and Quiz: There will be one midterm exam. This will consist of an online quiz, an in-class map quiz, and an in-class exam. A study guide will be provided in advance of the exam. All sections of the mid-term will together count towards 40% of the total course grade.

III. Final Exam: The nature of the questions will depend on my assessment of what is required for a better understanding of the history of Pre-Modern India. It may take the form similar to the mid-term, or be a take home exam possibly requiring longer essay-type answers to questions. A list of the appropriate topics to prepare will be handed out in advance of the final. The final will count towards 25% of the course grade.

IV. Attendance and Participation: Regular attendance will be taken through roll call, electronic means, or a signup sheet. Regular attendance (including punctuality) and participation (my subjective evaluation) will count towards 10% of the course grade.

Grading System

Grades for the course will be determined according to the following criteria:

Term Paper 25%

Midterm Exam (total, all sections) 40%

Final Exam 25%

Participation 10%

TOTAL FOR COURSE 100%

The grading scale for the course will be as follows:

90%+ = A; 80 - 89%= B; 70-79%= C; 60-69%= D; below 60%= F.

Course Policies: PLEASE NOTE

I do not permit the use of ANY electronic devices in the classroom, for any purpose not directly related to this course. If this policy is abused, I reserve the right to ban all electronic devices in the classroom at any point in the semester.

Frequent absence and/or lack of punctuality will be penalized (see “participation,” above). Whatever your reasons for arriving late or missing a class, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to arrange to meet or call a classmate and find out what happened in that class. I encourage you to form small “study groups” or at least make a “class buddy” you can contact for information about classes missed, study with for the exams, or more generally discuss the proceedings of the class.

In general, I expect you to come to class having done all the required reading and prepared to engage in discussion. I also expect you to be motivated to learn about the subject and to improve your skills as a historian. There is only so much a teacher can do to assist students in the learning process. I will do my best to help you understand more about the subject. What you make of this course, however, is ultimately entirely up to you.

PROVISIONAL COURSE and ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE (both subject to modification) All readings/viewing to be completed BEFORE attending class on the day. All assignments are due BEFORE START OF CLASS TIME on the day they are due.

August 28 COURSE INTRODUCTION

August 30-September 1 AN INTRODUCTION TO INDIA

Reading: Kulke and Rothermund, Introduction.

September 6-8 MYSTERIES OF THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

Readings:

1. Kulke and Rothermund, pp. 1-11. (September 6^th)

2. Selections from The web-site on Harappa http://www.harappa.com (September 8^th)

September 11-15 COMING OF THE ARYAS

Readings:

1. Kulke and Rothermund, pp. 11-22. (for the 11^th))

2. Selections from the RIG VEDA (13^th)

3. Madhav Gadgil and Ramachandra Guha “Forest and Fire” Chapter Two of This Fissured Land: An Ecological History of India. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1992. http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/gadgilforest&fire.pdf (15^th)

I strongly advise you START READING THE MAHABHARATA the week of September 11.

Before you start your reading of the epic, I strongly recommend you read, “A Brief Description of the Mahabharata” and “The Story of the Mahabharata” at http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Sanskrit_in_Classics_at_Brown/Mahabharata/

These will help give you an overview so that you are not lost in the details.

September 18-27 AGE OF THE EPICS

Readings:

1. Kulke and Rothermund, pp. 22-25. (18^th)

2. Narasimhan, Mahabharata. (20^th -25^th)

Viewing

Peter Brook’s Mahabharata PART ONE “The Game of Dice.”

3. WATCH Peter Brook’s Mahabharata PART ONE “The Game of Dice.” (The video is available via a link on the BBLEARN PAGE for the course, 0 to 1:36 of Parts One and Two) This will help you better understand the epic and is a REQUIRED for the course. (27^th)

September 29-October 4 AGE OF THE HETERODOXIES: BUDDHISM

Readings:

1. Romila Thapar “Religions and Ideologies: Questions and Responses” pp. 164-173 of her Penguin History of Early India from the Origins to AD 1300 (Delhi: Penguin, 2002) http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/ThaparReligions&Ideologies.pdf (29^th)

2. The Origins of Buddhism (Asia Society) http://asiasociety.org/countries/religions-philosophies/origins-buddhism (29^th)

3. Buddhism basics: http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/buddhaintro.html (29^th)

4. Stories from Jataka sources: (all by October 4^th)

a. The Gang of Drunkards http://www.buddhanet.net/bt_3.htm

b. The phony holy man http://www.buddhanet.net/bt_40.htm

c. The holy man who tried to be too holy http://www.buddhanet.net/bt_46.htm

d. Wisdom of Queen Tenderhearted http://www.buddhanet.net/bt_14.htm

Illustrations

Buddha image: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/38198

Recommended For Jainism basics:

http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Religions/gurus/Mahavir.html

and http://www.cs.colostate.edu/~malaiya/jainhlinks.html#Introduction

October 6-11 AGE OF EMPIRES

Readings:

1. Kulke and Rothermund, pp. 27-45. (6^th)

2.Selections from The Arthshastra http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/india/kautilya1.html#Book I, Chapter 19 (9^th)

3. Kumkum Roy, “The King’s Household: Structure and Space in the Sastric Tradition.” In Kumkum Sangari and Uma Chakravarti eds. From Myths to Markets: Essays on Gender. Delhi: Manohar, 1999. http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/roykingshousehold.pdf (11^th)

Useful Illustrations:

Map of the Mauryan Empire http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/mauryanEmpire.jpg

Recommended: Edicts of Ashoka http://www.cs.colostate.edu/~malaiya/ashoka.html

October 6^th Midterm Study Guides handed out

October 13 MIDTERM REVIEW

October 16 MIDTERM EXAM

October 18 No Class

October 20-23 BETWEEN EMPIRES

Readings: Kulke and Rothermund, skim p. 45-56.

November 10-15 MAKING OF REGIONAL IDENTITIES (No classes on Nov 10)

Readings:

November 10 Kulke and Rothermund, 65-71 (8^th)

November 13 Kulke and Rothermund, 77-83 (13^th)

November 15 Kulke and Rothermund, 89-111. (15^th)

November 17-20 AN INDO-ISLAMIC WORLD

Readings:

1. Kulke and Rothermund, 121-138. (17^th)

2. Richard Eaton, “Approaches to the Study of Conversion to Islam in India,” in Richard M. Martin ed. Approaches to Islam in Religious Studies. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1985. http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/eatonapproachconversion.pdf (20^th)

November 22 No Class

November 27-December 1 WRITING THE HISTORY OF MUSLIMS IN INDIA

Readings:

1. Romila Thapar, “Somnatha: Narratives of a History.” (27^th-29^th) http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/thaparsomnathalecture.pdf

2. Kulke and Rothermund, pp. 151-179. (December 1)

STUDY GUIDE FOR FINAL HANDED OUT December 1

· TERM PAPER IS DUE ONLINE by the end of the day on December 1

December 4-6 MUGHALS and INDO ISLAMIC SYNTHESIS

Readings:

1 Amitav Ghosh, “The man behind the mosque” The Little Magazine, Vol. 1, 2 (June, 2000) (4^th)

This is in two parts and I expect you to read BOTH:

i. http://www.littlemag.com/2000/amitav.htm

ii. http://www.littlemag.com/2000/amitav2.htm

2. . Audrey Truschke, “What We Can Learn From India’s Medieval Past.” The Wire (February 20, 2015) https://thewire.in/history/what-we-can-learn-from-indias-medieval-past (6^th)

December 8 Review for Final and Discussion of Learning Outcomes

FINAL EXAM FOR THIS COURSE Scheduled for Monday, December 11, 10:00 am to 12:00 noon

LIBERAL STUDIES REQUIREMENTS

Liberal Studies Mission

HIS 249 supports the mission of the Liberal Studies program in the following ways:

*It helps students gain a deeper understanding of the long history that has shaped the history and culture of people living in the Indian subcontinent, about a fifth of humanity.

*It helps them understand the historical factors that have created a rich cultural, political, social, and religiously diverse environment in the Indian subcontinent.

*Understanding of how such diversity emerged and how it was managed in the Indian subcontinent will help students better appreciate the changing and complex world around them.

*In seeking to understand and evaluate competing interpretations of this rich and complex history, through a variety of sources, the course helps students gain the skills to do the same for the world they inhabit.

Distribution Block: Cultural Understanding.

This course provides students with:

*an experience of a diverse culture, most likely very different from their own.

*an analytic framework that facilitates awareness of how cultures vary and shape human experience.

* It is hoped that students will also develop an appreciation for the unique features and perspectives of the varied cultural traditions that have shaped the history of peoples of the Indian subcontinent.

Essential Skills: Critical reading. The following assignments will help foster this skill among students of HIS 249.

*students will be able to identify the broad contours of the political, social, and cultural history of India to c. 1750 on written examinations.

* through writing papers students will be able to demonstrate the ability to critically read and interpret primary and secondary sources, and reach their own conclusions about the merits of different arguments.

*students will be able to combine evidence from secondary and primary sources to describe the complexities of social, political, and cultural life in Pre-Modern India in their papers.

Student Learning Expectations/Outcomes for this Course

Through this course you will have developed some sense of the long and complex history of the Indian subcontinent to 1700 CE that produced a tremendously diverse society in the region. To help you understand this history, the course assigns a variety of readings. It is absolutely critical that you complete your assigned readings before coming to class. Lectures will always relate to the topics assigned but will not duplicate assigned readings. Instead, they will introduce additional material, different interpretations, and theoretical concepts that are not always in the text. I expect you to be motivated to learn about the subject and to improve your skills as a historian. I will do my best to help you understand more about the subject. What you make of this course, however, is ultimately entirely up to you. An active engagement with the content of this course will allow you to:

*learn through texts, lectures, and films the essential history of the pre-modern period of the history of the Indian subcontinent and how it has been interpreted in different ways.

*demonstrate, through class participation, discussion, examinations as well as papers, your understanding of how the diversity of languages, religions, social strata, polities and ideas evolved in the Indian subcontinent between 2500 BCE and ca. 1700 CE.

*demonstrate through in-class discussions your understanding of textual materials and participate in critical discussions of sources and their interpretation.

* demonstrate through the in-class examinations, your grasp of the details of this long history.

*demonstrate through the paper as well the essay sections of the examinations, your ability to critically read and analyze a variety of sources.

Syllabus Requirements

Syllabus Policy Statements

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

NAU expects every student to firmly adhere to a strong ethical code of academic integrity in all their scholarly pursuits. The primary attributes of academic integrity are honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, and responsibility. As a student, you are expected to submit original work while giving proper credit to other people’s ideas or contributions. Acting with academic integrity means completing your assignments independently while truthfully acknowledging all sources of information, or collaboration with others when appropriate. When you submit your work, you are implicitly declaring that the work is your own. Academic integrity is expected not only during formal coursework, but in all your relationships or interactions that are connected to the educational enterprise. All forms of academic deceit such as plagiarism, cheating, collusion, falsification or fabrication of results or records, permitting your work to be submitted by another, or inappropriately recycling your own work from one class to another, constitute academic misconduct that may result in serious disciplinary consequences. All students and faculty members are responsible for reporting suspected instances of academic misconduct. All students are encouraged to complete NAU’s online academic integrity workshop available in the E-Learning Center and should review the full Academic Integrity policy available at https://policy.nau.edu/policy/policy.aspx?num=100601.

COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

All lectures and course materials, including but not limited to exams, quizzes, study outlines, and similar materials are protected by copyright. These materials may not be shared, uploaded, distributed, reproduced, or publicly displayed without the express written permission of NAU. Sharing materials on websites such as Course Hero, Chegg, or related websites is considered copyright infringement subject to United States Copyright Law and a violation of NAU Student Code of Conduct. For additional information on ABOR policies relating to course materials, please refer to ABOR Policy 6-908 A(2)(5).

COURSE TIME COMMITMENT

Pursuant to Arizona Board of Regents guidance (ABOR Policy 2-224, Academic Credit), each unit of credit requires a minimum of 45 hours of work by students, including but not limited to, class time, preparation, homework, and studying. For example, for a 3-credit course a student should expect to work at least 8.5 hours each week in a 16-week session and a minimum of 33 hours per week for a 3-credit course in a 4-week session.

DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR

Membership in NAU’s academic community entails a special obligation to maintain class environments that are conductive to learning, whether instruction is taking place in the classroom, a laboratory or clinical setting, during course-related fieldwork, or online. Students have the obligation to engage in the educational process in a manner that does not interfere with normal class activities or violate the rights of others. Instructors have the authority and responsibility to address disruptive behavior that interferes with student learning, which can include the involuntary withdrawal of a student from a course with a grade of “W”. For additional information, see NAU’s Disruptive Behavior in an Instructional Setting policy at https://nau.edu/university-policy-library/disruptive-behavior.

NONDISCRIMINATION AND ANTI-HARASSMENT

NAU prohibits discrimination and harassment based on sex, gender, gender identity, race, color, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status and genetic information. Certain consensual amorous or sexual relationships between faculty and students are also prohibited as set forth in the Consensual Romantic and Sexual Relationships policy. The Equity and Access Office (EAO) responds to complaints regarding discrimination and harassment that fall under NAU’s Nondiscrimination and Anti- Harassment policy. EAO also assists with religious accommodations. For additional information about nondiscrimination or anti-harassment or to file a complaint, contact EAO located in Old Main (building 10), Room 113, PO Box 4083, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, or by phone at 928-523-3312 (TTY: 928-523-1006), fax at 928-523-9977, email at equityandaccess@nau.edu, or visit the EAO website at https://nau.edu/equity-and-access.

TITLE IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, protects individuals from discrimination based on sex in any educational program or activity operated by recipients of federal financial assistance. In accordance with Title IX, Northern Arizona University prohibits discrimination based on sex or gender in all its programs or activities. Sex discrimination includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking. NAU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education programs or activities that it operates, including in admission and employment. NAU is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination based on sex or gender and provides a number of supportive measures that assist students, faculty, and staff.

One may direct inquiries concerning the application of Title IX to either or both the Title IX Coordinator or the U.S. Department of Education, Assistant Secretary, Office of Civil Rights. You may contact the Title IX Coordinator in the Office for the Resolution of Sexual Misconduct by phone at 928-523-5434, by fax at 928-523-0640, or by email at titleix@nau.edu. In furtherance of its Title IX obligations, NAU promptly will investigate or equitably resolve all reports of sex or gender-based discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct and will eliminate any hostile environment as defined by law. The Office for the Resolution of Sexual Misconduct (ORSM): Title IX Institutional Compliance, Prevention & Response addresses matters that fall under the university's Sexual Misconduct policy. Additional important information and related resources, including how to request immediate help or confidential support following an act of sexual violence, is available at https://in.nau.edu/title-ix.

ACCESSIBILITY

Professional disability specialists are available at Disability Resources to facilitate a range of academic support services and accommodations for students with disabilities. If you have a documented disability, you can request assistance by contacting Disability Resources at 928-523-8773 (voice), ,928-523-8747 (fax), or dr@nau.edu (e-mail). Once eligibility has been determined, students register with Disability Resources every semester to activate their approved accommodations. Although a student may request an accommodation at any time, it is best to initiate the application process at least four weeks before a student wishes to receive an accommodation. Students may begin the accommodation process by submitting a self-identification form online at https://nau.edu/disability-resources/student-eligibility-process or by contacting Disability Resources. The Director of Disability Resources, Jamie Axelrod, serves as NAU’s Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator and Section 504 Compliance Officer. He can be reached at jamie.axelrod@nau.edu.

RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH

Students who engage in research at NAU must receive appropriate Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training. This instruction is designed to help ensure proper awareness and application of well-established professional norms and ethical principles related to the performance of all scientific research activities. More information regarding RCR training is available at https://nau.edu/research/compliance/research-integrity.

MISCONDUCT IN RESEARCH

As noted, NAU expects every student to firmly adhere to a strong code of academic integrity in all their scholarly pursuits. This includes avoiding fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism when conducting research or reporting research results. Engaging in research misconduct may result in serious disciplinary consequences. Students must also report any suspected or actual instances of research misconduct of which they become aware. Allegations of research misconduct should be reported to your instructor or the University’s Research Integrity Officer, Dr. David Faguy, who can be reached at david.faguy@nau.edu or 928-523-6117. More information about misconduct in research is available at https://nau.edu/university-policy-library/misconduct-in-research.

SENSITIVE COURSE MATERIALS

University education aims to expand student understanding and awareness. Thus, it necessarily involves engagement with a wide range of information, ideas, and creative representations. In their college studies, students can expect to encounter and to critically appraise materials that may differ from and perhaps challenge familiar understandings, ideas, and beliefs. Students are encouraged to discuss these matters with faculty.

Last revised August 4, 2022