Northern Arizona University College of Arts and letters
Department of History fall 2011
HISTORY 312: GANDHI'S INDIA
Instructor: SANJAY JOSHI Time and Location : MWF 9:10-10:10, LA 321
Office: LA 206 Office Hours: MW 11:15-12:30, and by appointment
E-mail: Sanjay.Joshi@nau.edu Phone: 523-6216
Course Page: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/gandhi'sindia.html
A Liberal Studies Course in the Social and Political Worlds Block. Also fulfills NAU's Global Diversity Requirement. A copy of this syllabus can also be found on the course web page; also check the links below:
Through a focus on the times, ideas, achievements, and limitations, of one of the most remarkable individuals of the twentieth century, this course examines the history of British colonialism and Indian nationalism. To understand Gandhi's India, we need to first understand the nature of British imperialism against which Indian nationalisms, including Gandhi's, evolved. This course therefore covers the period from the mid 1700s to 1947. In addition to Gandhi's ideas and activities, the course examines the material and ideological structures of British imperialism, and the many strands of nationalism in British India. One of our objectives is to understand nationalisms rather than a singular nationalism - and to realize that nationalism could mean different things to different people. What makes this particularly obvious in Gandhi's India was that decolonization in 1947 created not one, but two independent nation-states - India and Pakistan. Looking at this history will not only afford insight into the life and work of Gandhi, but also allow us to better evaluate the nature of the transition that took place in 1947.
Readings
We use the textbook by Barbara and Thomas Metcalf to allow us to understand the historical context of the themes we study in the course. David Hardiman's excellent book analyzes Gandhi's life and work from his own context and the contemporary one. To give you a sense of what Gandhi himself said there is his very short pamphlet, Hind Swaraj -- which is often regarded as the nearest thing he came to outlining a manifesto of his beliefs. I have also included a novel, Premchand's Godaan (Gift of a Cow) to provide a fictional, but still very authentic account of how common folk in India lived their lives under British rule. There are a few other short readings, which I will make available through electronic reserves, and give you direct links from the course web page. I have deliberately provided you with many different points of views in these readings in the hope that you will make your own informed arguments about the issues we discuss in this course.
The following REQUIRED texts have been ordered at the NAU Bookstore:
1. Barbara and Thomas Metcalf. A Concise History of India. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Second Edition.
2. M. K. Gandhi. Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule. Ahmedabad: Navajivan Publishing House, 1996.
3. Premchand. Gift of a Cow (Original title Godaan). Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2002.
4. David Hardiman. Gandhi in his Times and Ours. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
IN ADDITION: Short scholarly articles and/or fictional writing which are a REQUIRED part of reading for this course will be on electronic reserve.
Course Requirements, Assignments and Evaluation
1. Mid Term Exam : The mid term will be worth 200 points, and will consist of short answer and longer-answer questions and may include a map component.
2. Discussion Notes : This may be a relatively new kind of assignment for you, so do pay attention to the following:
You will be given specific questions or topics around which to frame your discussion notes a few days in advance of the discussion day. On the day of the discussion you need to come prepared with TWO copies of your notes (two to three typed pages) on the questions set for discussion. You will hand one copy of the notes to me, and use the other to participate in the discussion. On the class meeting immediately following the formal discussion, you will submit a revised FINAL set of notes, on which you will be evaluated for this assignment.
To evaluate the notes I will be looking for both a clearly-outlined THESIS in response to each question, AND relevant data/evidence to support your thesis. As the assignment indicates, the evidence/ data can be in "note" form. Notes that do not indicate a clear thesis or sufficient supporting data will be penalized at my discretion. To allow you to get used to the requirements of this assignment, they have been weighted progressively. The first two set of notes will be worth 100 points each, and the latter two worth 150 points each.
The class will be divided into small groups to facilitate the formal discussions. Attendance and participation in all discussions is mandatory; there is no possibility of make-ups in this regard. If University-related business compels you to miss the discussion, you will be allowed to submit the FINAL notes in advance of your departure.
3. Paper : The paper, worth 250 points, needs to be about 1700-2000 words in length and will ask you to undertake a HISTORICAL reading of Godaan. In the paper you will be expected to combine your understanding of the story with the HISTORICAL background of events, ideas, personalities, and processes you have obtained from class readings, discussion and lectures. Detailed instructions for writing the paper will be provided when formally assigned.
4. Class Participation : My subjective assessment of your attendance and participation in class activities (including the discussions) will count toward 5 points of the total course grade.
Grades
The grades for the course will be determined according to the following criteria:
Paper 250 points
Mid-Term Exam 200 points
Discussion Notes (100 points first two, 150 points last two) 500 points
Class Participation 50 points
TOTAL FOR COURSE 1000 points
The grading scale for the course will be as follows:
900-1000 = A; 800-899 = B; 700-799 = C; 600-699= D; below 600 = F.
Attendance and Course Policy
I expect regular class attendance, of course, without which there is no point in your being enrolled in this class. Missing too many classes will undoubtedly have a negative impact on your class performance. Absence from discussion groups will certainly bring your grade down as there is no possibility of make-ups for that part of the class.
If you miss a class, whatever your reasons for doing so, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to find out what happened in that class by contacting a classmate. I also expect you to come to class having done all the required reading, and prepared to engage in discussion. Finally, I expect you to be motivated to learn about the subject, and to improve your skills as a historian.
PLEASE NOTE: I do not give extensions, incompletes, or make-up exams, except in cases required by University policy. Full documentation of reasons for absence will be required in such cases. Plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will result in failing the course. Please consult the NAU Student Handbook's sections on academic dishonesty (particularly Appendix F) if you are not certain of the meaning of any of these terms. IT IS THE STUDENTS' RESPONSIBILITY TO FAMILIARIZE HERSELF/HIMSELF WITH THESE MATTERS AS DEFINED BY THE UNIVERSITY.
Provisional Course Schedule and Assignments (BOTH subject to modification)
PART ONE : INTRODUCTIONS
August 29 Course Introduction
August 31 An Introduction to Indian History
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, A Concise History of India, Preface and Chapter One.
PART TWO : THE CONTEXT FOR GANDHI: BRITISH IN INDIA
September 2-9 Coming of British Rule
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Two.
September 12-16 Company Raj
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Three.
Assignment
Questions for Discussion #1: From Traders to Rulers: Consequences for India.
September 19 Discussion #1 : Traders to Rulers and its Consequences for India
PART THREE : BEFORE GANDHI: COLONIALISM and EARLY NATIONALISTS
September 21-23 Revolt and the Colonial State
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Four.
September 25-29 Colonizers and the Colonized
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Five.
Assignment
Questions for Discussion #2: Class, Gender, and Early Indian Nationalism.
October 3-7 Gender, Colonialism, and Nationalism .
Reading
1. Sumanta Banerjee "Marginalization of Women's Popular Culture in Nineteenth Century Bengal" in Kumkum Sangari and Sudesh Vaid ed. Recasting Women (Delhi: Kali for Women, 1989) http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/Banerjeewomenspopculture.pdf
2. Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain (1880-1932) "Sultana's Dream." Originally published in The Indian Ladies Magazine, Madras, India, 1905, in English. http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/sultana/dream/dream.html
October 10 Discussion #2: Nation, Class, and Gender in early Nationalism.
October 12 MID TERM REVIEW
October 14 MID TERM EXAM
PART FOUR : THE MAHATMA AND THE OTHERS OF GANDHIAN NATIONALISM
October 17-19 The Political Background
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Six, pp. 167-189.
October 21-24 Gandhi's India
Reading
David Hardiman, Gandhi in His Time and Ours pp. 1-65, Chapters 1 through 3.
October 26- November 2 Gandhi's Manifesto
Reading
M.K. Gandhi, Hind Swaraj. (entire text).
David Hardiman, "An Alternative Modernity" pp. 66-77 of Gandhi in His Time and Ours.
Assignment
PAPER ASSIGNED
November 4-7 Worlds of the Gandhian Peasant
Reading
Premchand's Gift of a Cow (Godaan). (entire text)
November 9 No Class Watch Richard Attenborough's GANDHI on your own over the long weekend.
November 11 Veteran's Day Holiday
November 14-16 Gandhi, Women, Gender and Sexuality
Reading
David Hardiman, "Father of the Nation" chapter 5, pp. 94-122 of Gandhi in His Time and Ours.
Assignment
Discussion #3 Questions Assigned
November 18 Discussion #3: Evaluating Gandhian Nationalism
PART FIVE : THE MAHATMA MARGINALIZED .
November 21-23 The Congress and the Raj
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, pp. 190-217.
Assignment
Paper on Godaan Due November 23rd.
November 28-30 The Congress and the end of the Raj?
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, pp. 217-230.
Assignment
Discussion #4 Questions Assigned
December 2 Perspectives on Partition and End of Term Review
Reading
1. "Toba Tek Singh" by Saadat Hasan Manto (Frances Pritchett's translation) http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00urdu/tobateksingh/translation.html
2. "Partitioning India Over Lunch" http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6926464.stm
December 4 Discussion # 4: Understanding Partition?
December 6 Final Discussion Notes due.
Northern Arizona University: Policy Statements
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You may obtain a copy of this policy from the college dean's office or from the NAU's Affirmative Action website http://www4.nau.edu/diversity/swale.htm. If you have concerns about this policy, it is important that you contact the departmental chair, dean's office, the Office of Student Life (928-523-5181), or NAU's Office of Affirmative Action (928-523-3312).
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If you have a documented disability, you can arrange for accommodations by contacting the office of Disability Support Services (DSS) at 928-523-8773 (voice), 928-523-6906 (TTY). In order for your individual needs to be met, you are required to provide DSS with disability related documentation and are encouraged to provide it at least eight weeks prior to the time you wish to receive accommodations. You must register with DSS each semester you are enrolled at NAU and wish to use accommodations.
Faculty are not authorized to provide a student with disability related accommodations without prior approval from DSS. Students who have registered with DSS are encouraged to notify their instructors a minimum of two weeks in advance to ensure accommodations. Otherwise, the provision of accommodations may be delayed.
Concerns or questions regarding disability related accommodations can be brought to the attention of DSS or the Affirmative Action Office. For more information, visit the DSS website at http://www2.nau.edu/dss/.
Academic Integrity
The university takes an extremely serious view of violations of academic integrity. As members of the academic community, NAU's administration, faculty, staff and students are dedicated to promoting an atmosphere of honesty and are committed to maintaining the academic integrity essential to the education process. Inherent in this commitment is the belief that academic dishonesty in all forms violates the basic principles of integrity and impedes learning. Students are therefore responsible for conducting themselves in an academically honest manner.
Individual students and faculty members are responsible for identifying instances of academic dishonesty. Faculty members then recommend penalties to the department chair or college dean in keeping with the severity of the violation. The complete policy on academic integrity is in Appendix G of NAU's Student Handbook http://www4.nau.edu/stulife/handbookdishonesty.htm.
Academic Contact Hour Policy
The Arizona Board of Regents Academic Contact Hour Policy (ABOR Handbook, 2-206, Academic Credit) states: "an hour of work is the equivalent of 50 minutes of class time…at least 15 contact hours of recitation, lecture, discussion, testing or evaluation, seminar, or colloquium as well as a minimum of 30 hours of student homework is required for each unit of credit."
The reasonable interpretation of this policy is that for every credit hour, a student should expect, on average, to do a minimum of two additional hours of work per week; e.g., preparation, homework, studying.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
Membership in the academic community places a special obligation on all members to preserve an atmosphere conducive to a safe and positive learning environment. Part of that obligation implies the responsibility of each member of the NAU community to maintain an environment in which the behavior of any individual is not disruptive.
It is the responsibility of each student to behave in a manner that does not interrupt or disrupt the delivery of education by faculty members or receipt of education by students, within or outside the classroom. The determination of whether such interruption or disruption has occurred has to be made by the faculty member at the time the behavior occurs. It becomes the responsibility of the individual faculty member to maintain and enforce the standards of behavior acceptable to preserving an atmosphere for teaching and learning in accordance with University regulations and the course syllabus.
At a minimum, students will be warned if their behavior is evaluated by the faculty member as disruptive. Serious disruptions, as determined by the faculty member, may result in immediate removal of the student from the instructional environment. Significant and/or continued violations may result in an administrative withdrawal from the class. Additional responses by the faculty member to disruptive behavior may include a range of actions from discussing the disruptive behavior with the student to referral to the appropriate academic unit and/or the Office of Student Life for administrative review, with a view to implement corrective action up to and including suspension or expulsion.