Department of History                                                                                                        Spring 2026

 

HISTORY 314/314H    CONTEMPORARY INDIA: 1947 TO THE PRESENT

A Liberal Studies/ General Studies Course in the Social and Political Worlds Block.  Also fulfills the NAU Global Diversity/ Global Perspectives Requirement.

 

Instructor: SANJAY JOSHI                                                                             Meeting Time: Mon-Wed 2:20-3:35

Office: LA 206                                                                                               Class Location: Liberal Arts, Room 310

E-mail: Sanjay.Joshi@nau.edu                                                                    Office Hours: Mon-Fri 12:25-1:25 pm Phone: 523-6216                                                                                                                             and by appointment

                                                                                    

Course Web Page: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/contemporaryindia.html

 

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 social, political and economic developments in India since independence in 1947 and places these developments in a historical and comparative context. Exploring the sources of India’s diversity as well as unity, riches as well as poverty, the roots of cooperation as well as conflict, progress as well as limitations, the course aims at achieving a nuanced understanding of the working of the world’s largest democracy. Studying the work of well-known scholars, fiction, films, as well as some sources of information available over the Internet, this course introduces students to multiple facets of contemporary India.

 

Each semester, this course also focuses on a particular theme. For this semester, I have chosen to focus on the history of populist Hindu majoritarianism. Though we will be studying a history specific to India, this is a phenomenon with many comparisons possible across the globe in our times.

 

The class will be run in a lecture-cum-discussion format. I hope discussions between the students and the instructor will form a significant part of the learning experience. There will, of course, be a considerable amount of lecturing too, whose frequency and content will depend on my agenda as well as the nature of questions asked by the students! The course demands that students come to class having done the assigned readings and prepared to discuss them with the instructor and fellow students.

 

READINGS

Just one textbook has been ordered for this course at the NAU Bookstore and is required reading for all students.

Ramachandra Guha. India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy. New York: Ecco (Harper Collins), 2007. ISBN-13: 978-0060958589

However, there are several shorter required readings available on the internet. There are direct clickable links to most of these readings available through the electronic version of this syllabus on the COURSE WEB PAGE. These are as much a required part of the class readings as your textbook. As a matter of habit, I urge you to visit all course-related web sites in advance and save or print the required readings. As I am sure most of you are aware, connections to web sites often fail at the very time we need them most! For that reason, having soft or hard copies of the readings in advance will prevent panic the night before class, or a few hours before!! Please note that many links require you to be logged in via the NAU domain, either from campus or via VPN.

 

STUDENT LEARNING EXPECTATIONS/OUTCOMES FOR THIS COURSE

Fifteen weeks from now, you all will have developed some sense of the complex history of the Indian subcontinent from 1947 to the present day. To help you understand this history, the course assigns a variety of readings. It is critical that you complete your assigned readings before coming to class. Lectures will always relate to the topics assigned but will not summarize 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. But my efforts will only help if you bring an active engagement with the contents of this course. An active engagement will allow students to:

·       Learn through texts, lectures, and films, the important events of processes of South Asian history since 1947.

·       Demonstrate, through the in-class examinations, their grasp of the details of this complex history.

·       Demonstrate through in-class discussions and discussion notes, their understanding of assigned textual materials and participate in critical discussions of sources and their interpretation.

·       Demonstrate through the term paper as well the essay sections of the examinations, their ability to independently identify, and critically read, analyze, and compile information from a variety of sources: fictional as well as historical, and information from Indian news and scholarly sources.

 

WORK HABITS: I strongly urge all students to back up their written work in multiple locations. In addition to your hard drive, please back up your work on the cloud (working on or uploading regularly to Google Docs is one possibility) and an external “thumb” drive. “My computer crashed” or “the file was accidentally deleted” are treated on par with excuses like “the dog ate my homework.”

 

ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course uses primarily three types of instruments to assess your achievement of the learning objectives listed above. In addition to regular participation in class activities, you must take one exam, produce short discussion notes responding to specific questions three times during the semester, and write one formal paper evaluating Hindu Nationalism in the context of culture and politics of India since 1947. All assignments are due on the dates indicated in the schedule. I do not accept late assignments unless allowed by University policy. Health-related absences or tardiness in submitting assignments will require documentation.

 

I.                Mid Term Exam: The mid-term exam (closed book, in class) worth 20 points, will consist of short answer and longer answer questions and may include a map component. No final exam.

II.             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. You need to submit your notes (two to three single spaced typed pages) on Canvas and come to class with another copy of your notes available to participate in the discussion.

 

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 assignments will indicate, 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 set of notes will be worth 10 points, the second 15 points, and the last 20 points. Together discussion notes comprise 45 out of the total 100 points for the course.

 

The class will be divided into small groups to facilitate formal discussions. Attendance and participation in all discussions is mandatory. Please make sure that your other commitments (academic, work-related, or personal) do not conflict with the discussion dates; there is no possibility of making up this assignment. In rare cases, where University-policies permit, I will allow you to submit your notes in advance of your departure.

III.           Evaluating Haider

Your task will be to write a formal paper between 7 to 10 pages (double spaced, one-inch margins, fonts between ten and twelve points) evaluating the film, Haider in the context of history you have learnt in this course.  All conventions of academic writing and citations need to be followed while writing this paper.

Requirements

In addition to course material, this paper requires you to conduct some independent research.  Your paper should use at least five sources beyond course readings (at least three journalistic sources and two scholarly sources) on the Kashmir issue in India since 1947.  Journalistic sources should include at least one source from the Indian subcontinent.  You may also use more polemical websites to gather research material, but these should be used to represent perspectives, rather than factual evidence.  Scholarly sources can include peer-reviewed journals (or their websites), books published by reputable academic presses, or proceedings of conferences.  I would particularly urge you to look at journals such as Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) http://www.epw.in/ or Seminar from India http://www.india-seminar.com/semframe.html.  EPW is archived on JSTOR and Seminar back issues are searchable and accessible on their website.  This assignment will be worth 25 points.

 

I strongly recommend that you discuss your research and outline of the paper with me well before the due date of the paper.

IV. Class Participation: My subjective assessment of your attendance and participation in class activities (including the discussions) will count toward 10 points of the total course grade.

 

EVALUATION

Grades will be determined using the following criteria:

Discussion Notes                                            45 points (10 for the first, 15 second, and 20 third)

Mid Term Exam                                              20 points

Paper Evaluating the film, Haider                  25 points

Attendance and Participation                         10 points

TOTAL FOR COURSE                                100 points

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

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 people inside and outside of an organization. (Class and Discussion Participation, Mid Term Exam, Discussion Notes, 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 discussion notes, written exam and final paper)

3. Equity & Inclusion: Demonstrate 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 Indiais 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.  Preparing and actively participating in formal and informal discussions)

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)

 

Attendance and Course Policies

     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 Policy Statements at  /https://nau.edu/university-policy-library/syllabus-requirements/ and particularly the sections on academic integrity.  IT IS THE STUDENTS' RESPONSIBILITY TO FAMILIARIZE HERSELF/HIMSELF WITH THESE MATTERS AS DEFINED BY THE UNIVERSITY.

     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.

 

Policy on Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (Chat GPT etc.)

This course allows for limited and specific use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies as part of the preparation phase of the work, using these technologies to assist with research, generating discussion questions. On your own, you may use AI to create summaries of topics and developing drafts of text that are then used as an input to the work you do to generate a final assignment – whether those are your notes for discussions or the final paper. In any use of AI, students should be aware of the potential limitations of using generative AI as a tool for learning and research since information is not always reliable or accurate, and should critically evaluate the sources, methods, and outputs of generative AI systems. Any final work (other than the discussion question where you are allowed to use AI) submitted by students that contributes toward the course grade is expected to be generated by the students themselves, working individually or in groups as directed by class assignment instructions. Submitting final work created by generative AI where you are not permitted to use it constitutes an academic integrity violation. If you have any questions about this policy or if you are unsure whether a particular use of generative AI is acceptable, please ask for clarification before using such technologies.

 

PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE (dates, readings and assignments subject to change)

Students are expected to complete readings/films assigned BEFORE the start of class they are assigned

 

SECTION I. INTRODUCTIONS

January 12                                         Introduction to the Course and Area

 

January 14                                         Introduction to Contemporary India

Required Reading

1.     Guha, "Prologue: Unnatural Nation." And, Chapter One.

2.     Sanjay Kak, “A Book Review Ramchandra Guha May Want to Forget” raiot.in (April 5, 2018).

 

Required Viewing Dynasty: The Nehru-Gandhi Story”. Complete watching Part One in over the next two weeks. Part One of the film available on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tshyh8DnJzI. Alternatively watch up to 1:29:00 on this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J44lxwORYOk The second link is also on the Canvas Page for the course.

 

Recommended

You may also want to refer to three other links:

1. A List of Commonly Used Abbreviations and Acronyns in Contemporary India.

2. A GLOSSARY OF INDIAN POLITICS

3. Library of Congress, Country Studies: India, an updated profile

 

January 19                                         No Class.  Dr. Martin Luther King Day. NAU Holiday

 

SECTION II. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: Nehru’s India and Kashmir

January 21                                         Legacy of Nationalisms and Partition                   

Required Readings

Guha, Chapters One and Two.           

January 26                                         A New India: Desires and Discontents

Required Readings

Guha Chapters Three and Four (Kashmir).

 

January 28                                         Problems of the Early Indian State

Required Readings

Guha, Chapters Five and Six.

 

February 2                                         Making of Indian Democracy

Required Reading

Guha, Chapters Seven

 

February 4-9             Kashmir: From Accession to Azadi

Questions for Discussion One assigned February 4th (for discussion February 11th)

           

February 4                                         Roots of Kashmiri Discontent: What is “Freedom”?

Required Reading

1.     Balraj Puri, Kashmir: Towards Insurgency, (Tracts for Our Times Series). Delhi: Orient Longman, 1993, pp. 4-13 and 23-41.

2.     Shahla Hussain, “Kashmiri Visions of Freedom: The Past and the Present,” in Chitralekha Zutshi ed. Kashmir: History, Politics, Representation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018, pp. 89-110.

 

February 9                                         The Kashmiri Experience

Required Reading

1.     Hafsa Kanjwal, “Reflections on the Post-Partition Period: Life Narratives of Kashmiri Muslims in Contemporary Kashmir.” HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies, Vo; 38. No. 2, (December 2018) pp. 40-60.

2.     Arundhati Roy, “The Silence Is the Loudest Sound.” New York Times (August 15, 2019).

 

February 11                           DISCUSSION # 1: The Indian State and Kashmir

 

SECTION III.                       MAKING INDIA MODERN

February 16                                       A Modern State

Required Readings

Guha, Chapters Eight and Nine. Read Eight, Skim chapter Nine.

 

February 18                                       Economic Modernity and Law       

Required Readings

Guha, Chapters Ten and Eleven

 

Mid-Term Exam Study Guide opens February 18th   

 

February 23                                       Ruling the Republic

Required Readings

Guha, Read Chapter Twelve (Kashmir) and skim Thirteen.

February 25                           MID TERM REVIEW

 

March 2                                  MID TERM EXAM

 

Questions for Discussion Two assigned March 4th (Discussion March 18th)

 

March 4                                  NO CLASS if we are on schedule

 

March 9 -13                           SPRING BREAK. No classes but you must watch the documentary “Dynasty: The Nehru-Gandhi Story” PART TWO, over the break. Film Available Streaming online. Part II starts AFTER 1:30:00 on this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J44lxwORYOk or via Canvas.

 

March 16                                Challenges to the Nehruvian Model

Required Readings

SKIM Guha, Chapters Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen. READ Chapter Seventeen

2. “Indian Politics Since Independence: An Overview

 

March 18                    DISCUSSION # 2: Evaluating Nehru        

 

SECTION IV. INDIA AFTER NEHRU: POPULISM AND ITS DANGERS

March 23                                Recourse to Populism: Indira is India

Required Readings

Guha, Chapters Eighteen and Nineteen.

           

March 25-30                          Consequence of Populism

Required Readings

Guha, Chapter Twenty, SKIM Chapter Twenty-One, and READ Twenty-Two

 

April 1                                    Dynasty and Democracy

Required Readings

Guha, SKIM Chapter Twenty-One, and READ Twenty-Two

 

April 6                                    Indian Democracy

Required Readings

Guha, Chapters Twenty-Three, Twenty-Four and Twenty-Five.

 

April 8-15                              Two Themes in Recent Politics

Required Readings

Guha, Chapters Twenty-Six, Twenty-Seven, and Twenty-Eight.

Powerpoint on Caste: A historical approach

Questions for Discussion Three assigned April 8th

 

Paper Assignment handed out April 15th

 

April 20th                    DISCUSSION # 3: Evaluating Indian Democracy

SECTION V. CONTEMPORARY INDIA and KASHMIR

Please note: All news articles below are “placeholders” that may well be replaced with other, more current news pieces.  The aim of this set of readings is to get you as current as possible with the themes relating to the subject in contemporary Indian media discussions.

 

 April 22                     Updates on Kashmir

Required Readings

These first two are very short journalistic articles responding to the rescinding of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status within the Indian Union in 2019.  This Timeline (1947-2019) might be helpful  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-16069078 when reading the essays below.

 

  1. Mirza Waheed, India’s illegal power grab is turning Kashmir into a colony The Guardian (August 14, 2019).
  2. Uttaran Das Gupta, “Remembering 'Haider' and Its Depiction of the Prison That is Kashmir” thewire.in (August 9, 2019).
  3. Mohamad Junaid, Deepti Misri, Ather Zia, “Kashmiri Futures: A Beginning.” English Language Notes Vol. 61 no. 2 (October 2023): pp. 1–14.

 

April 27                      Azaadi

Required Viewing and Readings

  1. Sanjay Kak, Jashn-e-Azaadi (2007: 2h 18m)  (also available via Canvas:  this version has a brief write up by Kak and links to reviews as well).
  2. Suvir Kaul "Indian Empire (and the Case of Kashmir)." Economic and Political Weekly 46, no. 13 (2011): 66-75. 

 

Recommended Readings

  1. Mona Bhan, Haley Duschinski, and Ather Zia. “‘Rebels of the Streets’: Violence, Protest, and Freedom in Kashmir.” Introduction to Haley Duschinski, Mona Bhan, Ather Zia, and Cynthia Mahmood ed., Resisting Occupation in Kashmir.  Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018, 1-41.
  2. Syed Zafar Mehdi, “How I became a Kashmiri Rebel in India” in Ather Zia and Javaid Iqbal Bhat ed. A Desolation Called Peace: Voices from Kashmir. New Delhi: Harper Collins, 2019.
  3. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Kashmir (2016-18).

 

April 29                      Victims of Insurgency and State Action

Required Readings

Required Readings

1.     Sanjay Kak, “What about the Kashmiri Pandits” raiot.in (June 20, 2018).

2.     Nitasha Kaul, “India’s Obsession with Kashmir: Democracy, Gender, (Anti-)Nationalism.” Feminist Review 119 (2018): 126-143.

3.     Haley Duschinski and Bruce Hoffman, Everyday violence, Institutional denial and struggles for justice in Kashmir.” Race & Class Vol. 52, 4(2011): 44–70.

 

Recommended Readings

1.     Duschinski, Haley, “‘Survival Is Now Our Politics’: Kashmiri Hindu Community Identity and the Politics of Homeland.” International Journal of Hindu Studies 12, 1 (2008): 41-64.

2.     Samreen Mushtaq, “Home as the Frontier.” Economic & Political Weekly 53, 47 (2018): 54-59.

3.     Seema Kazi, Law, Gender and Governance in Kashmir” in in Chitralekha Zutshi ed. Kashmir: History, Politics, Representation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018, pp. 150-171.

 

PAPER EVALUATING Haider due by May 4th, on Canvas by 5 pm. Late submissions cannot be accepted unless there is a documented excuse covered by NAU policies. THERE IS NO FINAL EXAM FOR THIS COURSE.                

LIBERAL STUDIES REQUIREMENTS         

Liberal Studies Mission

The mission of the Liberal Studies Program at Northern Arizona University is to prepare students to live responsible, productive, and creative lives as citizens of a dramatically changing world. HIS 314 supports the mission of the Liberal Studies program in the following ways:

*It helps students gain a deeper understanding of the history of the world’s largest democracy and 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 India since independence from the British in 1947.

*Understanding how such diversity emerged and how traditional identities have been transformed, mobilized and managed in an modern electoral system 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: Social and Political Worlds.

This course provides students with:

*The opportunity to study economic, social, and political developments in India since independence and understanding India’s place in the global comity of nations, promotes a better understanding of the social and political world we inhabit.

*An analytic framework that foregrounds the very different ways in which democracy works in the Indian context, which allows students to understand the diversity that can inhabit what has become the central organizing and rhetorical concept of the modern world order.

Essential Skill: Critical Thinking. The following assignments will help foster this skill among students of HIS 314.

*students will be able to identify the broad contours of the political, social, and cultural history of India from independence to the present day in written examinations.

* through writing a term papers, preparing notes for discussion, and most of all through the final project, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to critically read and interpret primary (particularly news sources)and secondary sources, and reach their own conclusions about the merits of different arguments.

* in all their writings, students will be able to combine evidence from secondary and primary sources to describe the complexities of political, social, and cultural life of India since independence.


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 the online course entitled Academic Integrity @NAU for Students found in their Canvas Dashboard and review the full NAU Academic Integrity Policy.

 

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies bring both opportunities and challenges. Ensuring honesty in academic work creates a culture of integrity and expectations of ethical behavior. The use of these technologies can depend on the instructional setting, varying by faculty member, program, course, and assignment. Please refer to course policies, any additional course-specific guidelines in the syllabus, or communicate with the instructor to understand expectations. NAU recognizes the role that these technologies will play in the current and future careers of our graduates and expects students to practice responsible and ethical use of AI technologies to assist with learning within the confines of course policies.

 

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 more 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. For more information, see the Student Code of Conduct policy.

 

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.   To report a concern related to possible unlawful discrimination or harassment or to request a time to meet, please use the Report an Issue Form.  To file a complaint, please submit the online Complaint Form.  EAO also assists with religious accommodations.  To request a religious accommodation, please use the Religious Accommodation Request Intake Form.  EAO additionally provides access to lactation spaces, and please use to the Lactation Space Request Form to request use of a location.  For additional information about nondiscrimination or anti-harassment, contact EAO at EquityandAccess@nau.edu, or visit the EAO website at https://nau.edu/equity-and-access.  The EAO is located in Old Main on the first floor.

 

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 employees, and covered guests.

 

One may direct inquiries concerning the application of Title IX to either or both the university Title IX Coordinator or the U.S. Department of Education, Assistant Secretary, Office of Civil Rights.  You may contact NAU's Title IX Coordinator at titleix@nau.edu or by phone at 928-523-5434. In furtherance of its Title IX obligations, NAU promptly will investigate or equitably resolve all reports of sex/gender-based discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct and will eliminate any hostile environment as defined by law.  To submit a report, please use the File a Report Form.  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.  ORSM also facilitates reasonable modifications for pregnant or parenting individuals.  Additional important information and related resources, including how to request help or confidential support following conduct covered by the Sexual Misconduct Policy, is available on the ORSM web site, and you also may contact the office at titleix@nau.edu. The ORSM is located in Gammage on the third floor.

 

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 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. For more information and details, students are encouraged to navigate to  the complete policy on Responsible Conduct of Research Training.

 

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, Scott Pryor, who can be reached at scott.pryor@nau.edu or 928-523-5927. Students are encouraged to view the complete policy on 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 14, 2025