Northern Arizona University College of Arts and letters
Department of History fall 2016
HISTORY 312: GANDHI’S INDIA
Instructor: SANJAY JOSHI Time and Location: Mo-Wed, 2:20 -3:35, LA 216
Office: LA 206 Office Hours: Mo-Wed. 12 noon -1:00 pm and by appointment[1]
E-mail: Sanjay.Joshi@nau.edu Phone: 523-6216
Course Page: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/gandhi’sindia.htm
please note: electronic readings for the course will be found on this webpage and not on bblearn. Assignments will be handed out in class and not be available on bblearn
A Liberal Studies Course in the Social and Political Worlds Block. Also fulfills NAU’s Global Diversity Requirement. Do check NAU’s Policy Statements at the end of this document.
Course Description
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. This is a History course on Gandhi’s India, and not a course on Gandhi alone. 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 in the PLURAL 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 -- often regarded as the nearest thing he came to outlining a Manifesto. 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 available electronically. The electronic copy of this syllabus gives you direct links to those readings. I have deliberately provided you with many different points of view 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:
IN ADDITION: Short scholarly articles and/or fictional writing, which are a REQUIRED part of reading for this course, will be available as online links, below.
Course Requirements, Assignments and Evaluation
1. Mid-Term Exam: The mid-term exam will be worth 200 points, and will consist of short answer and longer-answer questions and may include a map component. There is no final exam.
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. Usually a week following the formal discussion, you will submit a revised FINAL set of notes; ONE SET FROM THE ENTIRE GROUP. You will be evaluated on both sets of notes for each assignment, with greater weightage to your individual notes.
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.
There will be FOUR discussions. To allow you to get used to the requirements of this assignment, they have been weighted progressively. The first two sets 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 50 points of the total course grade.
ALL ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE IN CLASS
Grades
Your final grade 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 Policy Statements at http://nau.edu/OCLDAA/_Forms/UCC/SyllabusPolicyStmts2-2014/ and particularly the sections on academic dishonesty. 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.
September 5th is Labor Day. No class.
PART TWO: THE CONTEXT FOR GANDHI: BRITISH IN INDIA
September 7 Coming of British Rule
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Two.
September 12-14 Company Raj
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Three/Four.
Assignment (September 12)
Questions for Discussion #1: From Traders to Rulers: Consequences for India.
September 19 Discussion #1: EIC Traders to Rulers and Consequences for India
Revised Notes for Discussion # 1 are due September MONDAY 26th
PART THREE: BEFORE GANDHI: COLONIALISM and EARLY NATIONALISTS
September 21 Revolt and the Colonial State
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Four (remainder).
September 26 Colonizers and the Colonized
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Five.
Assignment (September26)
Questions for Discussion #2: Class, Gender, and Early Indian Nationalism.
September 28 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 3 Discussion #2: Nation, Class, and Gender in early Nationalism.
October 5 MID TERM REVIEW
October 10 MID TERM EXAM
Between October 12 and 17, please watch Richard Attenborough’s GANDHI on your own time. Links from the BBLearn Page for HIS 312
Revised notes from Discussion #2 will be due October 17th.
PART FOUR: THE MAHATMA AND THE OTHERS OF GANDHIAN NATIONALISM
I strongly advise you to start reading Hind Swaraj and Godaan this week.
October 12 The Political Background
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, Chapter Six, pp. 167-189.
October 17-19 Gandhi’s India
Reading
David Hardiman, Gandhi in His Time and Ours pp. 1-65, Chapters 1 through 3.
October 24-26 Gandhi’s Manifesto
Reading
1. M.K. Gandhi, Hind Swaraj. (entire text).
2. David Hardiman, “An Alternative Modernity” pp. 66-77 of Gandhi in His Time and Ours.
October 31 - November 2 Worlds of the Gandhian Peasant
Reading
Premchand’s Gift of a Cow (Godaan). (entire text)
Assignment
TERM PAPER on GODAAN ASSIGNED (November 2nd)
November 7-9 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 7th)
November 14 Discussion #3: Evaluating Gandhian Nationalism
PART FIVE: THE MAHATMA MARGINALIZED
November 16 The Congress and end of the Raj
Reading
Metcalf and Metcalf, pp. 190-230.
Revised notes from Discussion # 3 will be due November16 (Please keep in mind the shorter time for this set of revised notes. You should be more used to doing this by now)
November 21 Toward Partition
Reading
1. David Gilmartin, "Partition, Pakistan, and South Asian History: In Search of a Narrative," Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 57, no. 4 (November 1998) pp. 1068-95. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2659304?origin=JSTOR-pdf or http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/gilmartinpartition.pdf
2. “Toba Tek Singh” by Saadat Hasan Manto (Frances Pritchett's translation)
Assignment
Paper on Godaan Due November 21st
Assignment November 21st
Discussion #4 Questions Assigned
November 23 No Class as I know students will be leaving for the Thanksgiving Holiday
November 28 Partition and Independence
Informal Discussion based on readings already completed.
November 30 Discussion # 4: Understanding Partition
December 5 Wrapping Up
Revised Discussion Notes due in class
NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
POLICY STATEMENTS
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Effective Summer 2016
Approved UCC – 1/28/14
Approved UGC – 2/12/14
[1] There will be ONE Wednesday a month, usually the first, when I will be away at a faculty meeting from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.