Department of History Fall 2001
 

Instructor: SANJAY JOSHI Meeting time: W 3 - 5:30 pm

Office: LA 206 Office Hours: MWF 12:30-1:30,

Phone: 523-6216 and by appointment

Web page: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6E-mail: Sanjay.Joshi@nau.edu
 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course highlights some of the key moments of modern South Asian history through films. Historically, we will be examining a period starting from the revolt of 1857 and taking our study to some issues in contemporary India. Through this course we will examine how the history of British colonialism, South Asian nationalism, and then politics, society, and culture in post colonial India are represented in a variety of films. The viewing and analysis of films will be supplemented and facilitated through reading relevant books and articles (including information available on the internet) on the subjects of the films we see. In this course I use films to help make the history of this fascinating period and region come alive in a way not always possible through texts. However, I must stress that the assigned readings are an equally integral part of this course. Though our primary aim will be to gain a nuanced understanding of modern South Asian history, we will also use this course to critically examine the visual representation of this history in films. 
 

READINGS AND FILMS

Given the number of films we see in the class, there is only textbook of modern South Asian history and a few articles available on reserve, both electronic and in hard copy, at Cline library. However, I do expect all students to come to class having already read the assigned readings, and certainly establish connections between readings and the films in their weekly assessments. 
 

ASSIGNMENTS AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Students will write weekly analytical reviews of NINE the films screened as part of this course, in each case connecting their reading of the film with the material in the readings assigned to go with the film. The due dates are mentioned in the schedule for each of the reviews. If you submit more than nine reviews, the best nine grades will count toward your final grade. 
 

2. You will also write a term paper based on some independent research, basing the paper on one or more of the themes present in the films and readings. I expect a written proposal containing the subject, sources, and a tentative thesis of your paper by October 10^th. 
 

3. Regular, informed, participation in class discussions is a required, and important, part of this class. 
 

4. There will be no exams. 
 

ATTENDANCE AND COURSE POLICY

I expect regular attendance of course, without which there is no point in your being enrolled in this course. Missing classes will undoubtedly and negatively impact on your performance, especially given the discussion-oriented nature of this course. If you miss a class, EVEN FOR REASONS ALLOWED FOR BY UNIVERSITY POLICY, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to arrange to meet or call a classmate and find out what happened in that class, and then come to me with a plan on how to make up for what you missed. 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, critical thinker, and scholar. 
 

PLEASE NOTE: I do not give extensions, incompletes, or make-up exams, except in cases allowed for by University Policy. 
 

Plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated, and will result in failing the course. Please consult the section on AAcademic Integrity@ in the NAU Policy Statements appended to this syllabus for further details. IT IS THE STUDENTS' RESPONSIBILITY TO FAMILIARIZE HERSELF/HIMSELF WITH THESE MATTERS AS DEFINED BY THE UNIVERSITY. 
 

EVALUATION

Maximum points:

Film and Reading Reviews (10 points each) 90

Term Paper 30

Class Attendance & Discussion Participation 10

TOTAL FOR COURSE 130 points 
 

The final grades for the course will be determined according the criteria listed below:

115-130 = A; 100-115= B; 85-99 = C; 74-84 = D; below 74 = F.
 

PROVISIONAL COURSE SCHEDULE (subject to modification) 

August 29 Course Introduction and Lecture on South Asian history.

Readings

Skim Bose and Jalal, Chapters One through Six.
 

September 5 The Revolt/Mutiny and Reactions

Screening

Shatranj Ke Khilari translated as Chess Players By Satyajit Ray. Subtitled, 130 minutes.

Readings

Bose and Jalal, Chapters Seven, Eight, Nine.

Francis Hutchins, AThe Response to the Mutiny of 1857 and the abolition of the East India Company.@ From his, Illusion of Permanence. (reserve)
 

September 12 Culture and Colonialism in the High Noon of Empire

Screening

Man Who Would Be King. Director, John Huston. Starring Sean Connery and Michael Caine, based on a story by Rudyard Kipling. English, 129 minutes

Readings

Bose and Jalal, Chapter Ten.

Edward Said=s introduction to Rudyard Kipling=s Kim and Cultural Imperialism. (reserve)

Assignment

Analysis of Chess Players and readings due.

Please note: I will be out of the country for the next two classes, however, screenings will continue and I expect you to attend, and use the time at the end of the class to discuss issues from the films. I will return and answer any questions you may have about films or readings.
 

September 19 Colonialism and the Decay of the Old Order

Screening

Jalsaghar translated as The Music Room. By Satyajit Ray. Subtitled. 100 minutes.

Readings

Bose and Jalal, Chapter Ten, and revisit Chapter Seven.

Nichlas Dirks, AThe Sovereignity of History: Culture and Modernity in the Cinema of Satyajit Ray.@ From Timothy Mitchell ed. Questions of Modernity. (reserve)

Assignment

Analysis of Man Who Would be King and readings due.
 

September 26 Emergence of Nationalism and Questions of Gender Relations

Screening

Ghare-Baire translated as Home and World. Directed by Satyajit Ray. Based on a story by Rabindranath Tagore. Subtitled. 130 minutes

Readings

Bose and Jalal, Chapter Eleven.

Tanika Sarkar, "Hindu Wife and Hindu Nation." (reserve)
 

October 3 Understanding Colonialism and Nationalism in South Asia.

No Screenings Lecture plus discussion of readings.

Readings

Bernard Cohn, AIntroduction@ from his Colonialism and Its Forms of Knowledge. (reserve)

Partha Chatterjee, "Whose Imagined Community." From Gopal Balakrishnan ed. Mapping the Nation. (reserve)

Bose and Jalal, Chapter Twelve.

Assignment

Analysis of The Music Room and readings due.
 

October 10 and 17 Gandhian Nationalism and Its Limitations

Screening

Gandhi. Directed by Richard Attenborough. English. 195 minutes.

Readings

Bose and Jalal, Chapters Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen.

Shahid Amin, "Gandhi as Mahatma." From Ranajit Guha ed. Selected Subaltern Studies. (reserve)

Salman Rushdie, "Attenborough's Gandhi." From his Imaginary Homelands. (reserve)

Assignment

Analysis of Home and the World and readings due October 10.
 

October 24 Alternative Nationalisms
 

Screening and Readings to be announced

Assignment

Analysis of Gandhi and readings due.
 

October 31 The Traumas of Partition

Screening

Garam Hava. Translated as Hot Winds. Directed by M.S. Sathyu. Subtitled. 146 minutes.

Readings

Bose and Jalal, Chapter Sixteen.

Mushirul Hasan "Introduction" from his Partition of India. (reserve)

Saadat Hasan Manto, "Toba Tek Singh." From his Kingdom's End and Other Stories. (reserve)

Assignment

Analysis of October 24 film and readings due.
 

November 7 Gender and Partition

Screening

Earth. By Deepa Mehta, based on the novel Cracking India by Bapsi Sidhwa. English and Hindi/Urdu with subtitles. 101 minutes.

Readings

Bose and Jalal, Chapter Seventeen.

Urvashi Butalia, "Abducted and Widowed Women: Questions of Sexuality and Citizenship During Partition." From Meenakshi Thapan ed. Embodiment : Essays on Gender and Identity. (reserve)

Assignment

Analysis of Hot Winds and readings due.
 

November 14 Women's Movements in India

Screening

Mirch Masala translated as Spices. Directed by Ketan Mehta. 98 or128 minutes. Subtitled.

Readings

Urvashi Butalia, "The Women's Movement in India: Action and Reflection" at http://www.twnside.org.sg/title/india1-cn.htm

Vasantha Kannabiran and K. Lalitha, "That Magic Time: Women in the Telangana People's Struggle." In Kumkum Sangari and Sudesh Vaid ed. Recasting Women. (reserve)

OPTIONAL: Review of Spices at http://www.umiacs.umd.edu/users/sawweb/sawnet/movie_reviews2.html#mirch_masala

Assignment

Analysis of Earth and readings due.
 

November 21 Caste, Class, and Gender in Contemporary India

Screening

Bandit Queen. By Shekhar Kapur. English and Subtitles. (Warning, this film contains graphic language, nudity, and can be extremely disturbing. If you do not want to see this, please let me know and I will try to arrange an alternative film)

Readings

"The Lowest Castes in India, Reaching for Power, Shake Up the System." New York Times September 23, 1999 athttp://college2.nytimes.com/guests/articles/1999/09/23/498605.xml
 

D L Sheth, "Secularisation of Caste and Making of New Middle Class." Economic and Political Weekly of India, August 21-28, 1999 http://www.epw.org.in/34-33/sa14.htm#

The references for this article can be found at http://www.epw.org.in/34-33/sa14b.htm
 

Arundhati Roy, AGreat Indian Rape Trick@ at http://www.umiacs.umd.edu/users/sawweb/sawnet/roy_bq1.html
 

A selection of links from a page on Phoolan Devi, at http://www.people.virginia.edu/~pm9k/gifs/ZoForth/Pholan/phoolan.html

Assignment

Analysis of Spices and readings due.
 

November 28 The Politics of Hindu Majoritarianism in Contemporary India

Screening

Father, Son, Holy War. By Anand Patwardhan. Documentary. English and subtitles. 120 minutes.

Reading

Bose and Jalal, Chapters Eighteen and Nineteen.

Thomas Hansen, "Hindu Nationalism and Democracy in India." From his Saffron Wave. (reserve)

Assignment

Analysis of Bandit Queen (or alternative) and readings, due.
 

TERM PAPER FOR THE CLASS IS DUE ON NOVEMBER 30^TH BY 4 P.M. AT THE HISTORY OFFICE
 

December 5 End of Term Review

Discussion and possible screening of some fun films!