Department of History Fall 2000
HISTORY 312: GANDHI'S INDIA
Instructor: SANJAY JOSHI Office Hours: MWF 10:10- 11.10
Office: LA 206 Phone: 523-6216
E-mail: Sanjay.Joshi@nau.edu Class Meetings: MWF 9.10 - 10.00,
Web Page: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/
Location: LA 321
IMPORTANT:
Please look at the "Northern Arizona University Policy Statements" and
the "Classroom Management Statement" at the back of this documentbefore
reading the syllabus.
Course Description
Focusing 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 go back and understand
the nature of British imperialism against which Indian nationalism, including
Gandhi's, evolved. The period we look at therefore stretches 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 then seeks to understand the many strands that went into the making
of Indian nationalism. We will pay particular attention to the events that
led to decolonization, and created in 1947 not one, but two independent
nation-states of 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 India in 1947.
Course Objectives
Our central objective is to gain a nuanced
and comprehensive understanding of the history of British colonialism and
Indian nationalism circa. 1700 - 1947. This study of British colonialism
and Indian nationalism involves engaging with a variety of ideas. We will
explore the links between capitalism and imperialism, between these two
and ideas about race. We will also try to understand Indian nationalism
an ideology and a social construct, in order to question and reveal the
power relations that are so often concealed by all ideologies of nationalism.
Understanding this history and exploring these ideas will lead us to a
better understanding of colonialism and nationalism not only in India,
but also across the world.
Readings
We use one textbook, by Sugata Bose and
Ayesha Jalal, and a short analytical biography of Gandhi by Bhikhu Parekh.
In addition, you will be required to read a few short articles or pieces
of fictional writing about the period covered in the course. In order for
you to get a better sense of social life and attitudes of the times, I
have also included two other readings as part of the course. Gandhi's Hind
Swaraj outlines many of the central tenets of his beliefs and philosophy.
Raja Rao's Kanthapura,
on the other hand, is a fictional
yet still realistic account of the way in which the majority of common
folk in India lived their lives under British rule, and how they responded
to Indian nationalism. It is to understand this perspective, and to realize
that nationalism could come to mean different things to different people,
that we read this novel. There is a deliberate effort to provide you with
many different points of views of Indian history in these readings, in
the hope that you will be able to make your informed arguments and hypotheses
about the important questions we discuss in the course.
The following REQUIRED texts have been
ordered at the NAU Bookstore for this course.
1. Sugata Bose and Ayesha Jalal. Modern South Asia: History, Culture, Political Economy.
This book has a companion web site: http://www.tufts.edu/southasia/
2. M. K. Gandhi. Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule.
3. Bhikhu Parekh. Gandhi.
4. Raja
Rao. Kanthapura.
IN ADDITION: Short scholarly articles
and/or fictional writing which are REQUIRED part of reading for this course
will be available either as handouts or on reserve at Cline Library.
Course Requirements and Evaluation
Students will be expected to write one
paper, take a mid term and a final exam, and write notes and participate
in scheduled discussions.
Discussions
The
class will be divided into small groups to facilitate discussion. 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 on the discussion
topics. You will hand one copy of that to me, and use the other to participate
in the discussion. Attendance and participation in all discussions is mandatory;
there is no possibility of make-ups in this regard. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES
will discussion notes be accepted after the discussion has already taken
place.
Paper
The paper needs to be about 1700-2000
words in length and will ask you to undertake a HISTORICAL reading of Kanthapura.
In this 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 the two books on Gandhi, the textbook,
as well as class lectures. Detailed instructions for writing the paper
will be provided when it is formally assigned.
ALL ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE IN CLASS.
Grades
The grades for the course will be determined according to the following criteria:
Paper 400 points
Final Exam 250 points
Mid-Term Exam 200 points
Discussion Notes (50 points each) 150
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, but
I do not demand it. Missing too many classes will undoubtedly and negatively
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 arrange to meet or call a classmate
and find out what happened in that class. 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 (Subject
to modification)
INTRODUCTIONS
August 28Course Introduction.
August 30 An Introduction to India.
Reading
Bose and Jalal, Modern South Asia, Chapter One.
September 1Introduction to the Books
Reading
Bhikhu Parekh, Gandhi, Skim Chapter One
Gandhi, Hind
Swaraj, READ pp. 4-17.
September 4Labor
Day: No Class
BACKGROUND: BEFORE THE BRITISH
September 6-11India Before the Raj
Reading
Bose and Jalal, Chapters Two and Three.
Bose and Jalal, Chapters Four and Five.
COLONIALISM: ECONOMICS, POLITICS, AND CULTURE
September 13Coming of British Rule
Reading
Bose and Jalal, Chapter Six.
September 15 Economic Logic of Colonialism
Reading
Bose and Jalal, Chapter Seven.
September 18 Culture ofColonialism
Reading
Bose and Jalal, Chapter Eight: Part One.
RESPONSES: APPROPRIATION, REVOLT AND CONTROL
September 20-25
Reading
Bose and Jalal, Chapter Eight: Part Two.
Bose and Jalal, Chapter Nine.
Bose
and Jalal, Chapter Ten.
September 27MID TERM REVIEW
September 29 MID TERM EXAM
GANDHI: THE NATIONALIST BACKGROUND
October 2 (Gandhi's Birthday!) - October 16
Reading
Bose and Jalal, Chapter Eleven, part one.
Bose and Jalal, Chapter Eleven, part two.
Tanika Sarkar, "Hindu Wife and Hindu Nation." (Library Reserve)
October 11-13 Screening of film, "Home and the World" by Satyajit Ray.
Assignment
Questions for Discussion #1: Gender, Class, and Early Indian Nationalism.
October 16 Discussion
#1: Nation, Class, and Gender in the early Twentieth Century.
MAKING OF THE MAHATMA
October 18-November 1
Reading
Parekh, Chapters One through Four.
Bose and Jalal, Chapter Twelve and Thirteen.
Screening of a documentary film on Gandhi.
Recommended: I also urge all students to see Richard Attenborough's feature film, "Gandhi" available at the Media Center, Cline Library.
I also advise you to start reading Hind
Swaraj and the novel Kanthapura
on your own this week.
MANY SIDES OF GANDHIAN NATIONALISM
November 3-20
Reading
M.K. Gandhi, Hind Swaraj. (entire text)
Raja Rao, Kanthapura. (entire text)
Parekh, Chapters Five through Seven
Assignment
PAPER ASSIGNED NOVEMBER 6
Discussion
Questions Assigned November 17
November 22 Discussion
# 2: Evaluating Gandhi
THE MAHATMA MARGINALIZED
November 27 The Congress and the Raj
Reading
Bose and Jalal, Chapter Fourteen.
Assignment
PAPER DUE
November 29 The Congress AS the Raj?
Reading
Bose and Jalal, Chapter Fifteen.
Assignment
Discussion Questions for Discussion on Partition (December 4th).
December 1Towards Freedom and Partition
Reading
Bose and Jalal, Chapter Sixteen, Seventeen.
Short stories on the partition (class handout).
Potential Assignment
To keep reading week free, the notes for
Monday's discussion may be handed in today, though I will also accept them
on Monday, December 4.
December4 Discussion
#4: Why Partition? Who Benefits?
WINDING UP
December 6 Evaluating the 1947 Transition
December 8End
of Term Review
THE FINAL EXAM FOR THIS COURSE WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13,
7:30 TO 9:30 A.M.