Program of Study

The Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations offers a major leading to a B.A. to students whose primary interests lie in language and literature. Students whose interest in South Asia is more general should refer to the program described listing under South Asian Studies.

Program Requirements

Prior to starting the major program, students must take a two-quarter sequence "Introduction to the Civilization of South Asia" (SALC 20100-20200) and demonstrate competence in a South Asian Language equivalent to one year of study. The South Asian Civilization sequence will meet the civilization studies requirement in general education. The major consists of at least three courses in a South Asian language at or above the intermediate level and six additional courses on South Asia. Students currently may design a program of study in Bangla (Bengali), Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, and Urdu. Any courses offered in the department may be used to meet the requirement of six additional courses on South Asia, although only three of the six may be language courses; courses offered in other departments may also be used in this respect, upon prior approval of the departmental adviser.

Summary of Requirements

General SALC 20100-20200

Education

Major 3 courses in a second-year (or higher) South Asian language*

6 courses on South Asia

* Credit may not be granted by examination. Courses must be taken at the University of Chicago.

Honors. A student who wishes to be considered for honors must (1) maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher, (2) maintain a departmental GPA of 3.3 or higher, and (3) complete a B.A. paper of superior quality. In order to be eligible to write a B.A. paper in SALC, the student must demonstrate the first two requirements by Winter Quarter of their third year (with verification in a letter from their adviser). In Winter Quarter of their third year, the student will arrange to work with a faculty member of SALC for two quarters of the following year. It is the student's responsibility to locate and make an arrangement with an appropriate faculty member who will be in residence during their fourth year. Credit toward the major is given after successful completion of the second quarter, in which the paper must be submitted. The B.A. paper must be substantively different from any paper previously submitted by the student to any other department, for honors or otherwise, and must be judged to be superior by the faculty adviser and a second SALC faculty reader.

Grading. Students majoring in South Asian Languages and Civilizations must take a quality grade in all courses used to meet requirements for the major. A quality grade must be taken in all language courses.

Faculty

M. Alam, E. Bashir, D. Chakrabarty, S. Collins, V. Devi, W. Doniger, P. Engblom,
R. B. Inden, N. Jorden, J. Lindholm, P. Lothspeich, S. Pollock, V. Ritter, C. B. Seely

Courses

South Asian Languages and Civilizations (salc)

20100-20200. Introduction to the Civilization of South Asia I, II. (=ANTH 24101-24102, HIST 10800-10900, SASC 20000-20100, SOSC 23000-23100) PQ: Completion of the general education requirement in social sciences. Must be taken in sequence. This course fulfills the general education requirement in civilization studies. This sequence of courses provides an introduction to core themes in the formation of culture and society in South Asia before colonialism. In the Autumn Quarter, readings selected mainly from Sanskrit and vernacular sources address ideas and practices relating to space, time, self, power, language, love, beauty, death, and spirit. The Winter Quarter focuses on Islam in South Asia, Hindu-Muslim interaction, Mughal political and literary traditions, and South Asia's early encounters with Europe. S. Pollock, Autumn; M. Alam, Winter.

20400/48200. The Mahabharata in English Translation. (=FNDL 24400, HREL 35000, RLST 26800) A reading of the Mahabharata in English translation (van Buitenen, Narasimhan, P. C. Roy, and Doniger), with special attention to issues of mythology, feminism, and theodicy. W. Doniger. Winter.

20500/30500. Film in India. (=ANTH 20600/31100, CMST 24100/34100, HIST 26700/36700) Some knowledge of Hindi helpful but not required. For course description, see History. R. Inden. Autumn.

20701/30701. Postcolonial Theory. (=HIST 26601/36601) This introductory course discusses "colonial discourse analysis" and postcolonial theory and critiques thereof. We also investigate the impact of postcolonial criticism on different disciplines in the humanities and the social sciences. D. Chakrabarty. Autumn.

20800/30800. Music of South Asia. (=MUSI 23700/33700, RLST 27700) PQ: Any 10000-level music course or consent of instructor. For course description, see Music. P. Bohlman. Offered 2005-06; not offered 2004-05.

20901/30901. Indian Philosophy I: Origins and Orientations. (=DVHR 30200, DVPR 30200, HREL 30200, RLST 24201) For course description, see Religious Studies. Winter.

20902/30902. Indian Philosophy II: The Classical Traditions. (=DVPR 30300, HREL 30300, RLST 24202) PQ: SALC 20901/30901. For course description, see Religious Studies. M. Kapstein. Spring.

22600/32600. Literature of Bengal: English Originally vs. in Translation. In this course we read several of the most prominent Bengali authors writing in English today (e.g., Sunetra Gupta, Amit Chaudhuri, Amitav Ghosh, Jhumpa Lahiri, Monica Ali) and several Bengali authors whose prose fiction is known to English readers primarily or only through translation (e.g., Rabindranath Tagore, Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, Taslima Nasrin, Manik Bandyopadhyay, Mahasweta Devi). Questions of authorial perspective, constructions of the self, and imagined audience are asked of the texts. C. Seely. Autumn.

23002/33002. Gender and Literature in South Asia. (=GNDR 23001/33001) Prior knowledge of South Asia not required. This course investigates representations of gender and sexuality, especially of females and "the feminine" in South Asian literature (i.e., from areas now included in the nations of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka). Topics include classical Indian literature and sexual motifs, the female voice as a devotional/literary stance, gendered nationalism, the feminist movements, class and gender, and women's songs. Texts in English. V. Ritter. Spring.

25701/35701. Religion, Sex, Politics, and Release in Ancient India. (=FNDL 23601, HREL 32200, RLST 27300, SCTH 35600) This course is a study of the four goals of human life (purusharthas) in classical Hinduism with readings in the Laws of Manu, the Kamasutra, the Arthashastra, and the Upanishads. Texts in English. W. Doniger. Winter.

25900/35900. Mythologies of Transvestism and Transsexuality. (=DVHR 40800, GNDR 29300, RLST 27400) For course description, see Religious Studies. W. Doniger. Autumn, 2004.

26701/36701. Introduction to Modern South Asian History. (=HIST 26900/36900) This course concentrates on historiographical debates in modern South Asian history, including Cambridge school, nationalist history, feminist history, history of sexuality, Subaltern studies, and other approaches. D. Chakrabarty. Winter.

27000. Survey of Regional Languages and Literatures of Pakistan. Prior knowledge of South Asian language or cultures not required. This course is intended for students with a broad range of specialization or interests, including South Asian Studies, Linguistics, Middle Eastern Studies, or Anthropology. E. Bashir. Spring.

27701/37701. Mughal, India: Tradition and Transition. (=HIST 26602/36602) PQ: Advanced standing and consent of instructor. Prior knowledge of appropriate history and secondary literature. The focus of this course is on the period of Mughal rule during the late sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, especially on selected issues that have been at the center of historiographical debate in the past decades. We discuss some of the major texts on the basis of which Mughal legitimacy was defined and defended in the period and examine the efforts in the eighteenth century to define a stable basis for Mughal rule after the challenges posed from the outside and the provinces. M. Alam. Spring.

29000. Introduction to the Study of Tibetan Civilization. Tibetan civilization, with continuous history of more than a millennium, has enjoyed a unique position in the cultural life of Inner Asia. This course surveys current knowledge of Tibet, focusing on Tibetan history, literature, and religion. The Tibetan cultural situation in contemporary China is among the topics considered. Readings include recent scholarly writings and Tibetan works in translation. N. Jorden. Winter.

29800. B.A. Paper. PQ: Consent of faculty supervisor and undergraduate studies chair. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. Students who are eligible for honors register for this course for two quarters. The first quarter involves directed reading. The second quarter, which may be credited toward the SALC major, involves the writing of and the submission of the B.A. paper. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

29900. Informal Reading Course. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. This individual reading course with faculty may be used for topics not requiring use of a South Asian language, for independent study, and by nonmajors wishing to explore a South Asian topic. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Bangla (Bengali) (bang)

10100-10200-10300. First-Year Bangla (Bengali) I, II, III. PQ: BANG 10300 or equivalent. The basic grammar of Bangla is presented in this coruse. Students are expected to be able to read simple graded texts and to speak at a "low-intermediate" level by the end of Spring Quarter. C. Seely. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

20100-20200-20300. Second-Year Bangla (Bengali) I, II, III. PQ: BANG 10300 or equivalent. Selected texts from modern Bangla prose and poetry are read in class. Students are expected to be able to read, with the aid of a dictionary, modern Bengali literature and to speak at a "high-intermediate" level by the end of Spring Quarter. C. Seely. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Hindi (hind)

10100-10200-10300. First-Year Hindi I, II, III. This course presents basic grammar of Hindi, the Nagari writing system, conversation practice, oral drill, written exercises, lab work, and simple reading. The Urdu writing system is introduced in the Spring Quarter. M. Mishra. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

20100-20200-20300. Second-Year Hindi I, II, III. PQ: HIND 10300 or equivalent. This intermediate Hindi course presupposes a knowledge of the basic grammar of Hindi and requires a fair amount of reading and translating Hindi prose, along with discussion of advanced topics in Hindi grammar. Regular attention is given to conversation and composition. Texts in Hindi. The class meets for three hours a week. M. Mishra. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Marathi (mara)

10100-10200-10300. First-Year Marathi, I, II, III. This course follows the newly developed textbook Marathi in Context in its focus on developing the basic skills (comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing) of Marathi language use. It covers all the fundamentals of Marathi grammar, but only as they are encountered in context within a wide array of social and conversational "situations." P. Engblom. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

20100-20200-20300. Second-Year Marathi, I, II, III. PQ: MARA 10300 or equivalent. This course significantly extends both the breadth and depth of the social and conversational situations introduced in the first year and includes numerous readings. It covers all the grammar required for reading most kinds of modern Marathi prose texts. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Pali (pali)

10100-10200-10300. First-Year Pali I, II, III. This course is an introduction to the language of the Theravada Buddhist tradition. Essentials of grammar are emphasized, with readings in simpler texts by the end of the first quarter. S. Collins. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

20100-20200-20300. Second-Year Pali I, II, III. PQ: PALI 10300 or consent of instructor. Students in this intermediate Pali course read Pali texts that are chosen in accordance with their interests. The texts read in the introductory course are usually taken from a single, early stratum of Pali literature. The intermediate course takes examples of Pali from different periods and in different styles. Texts in Pali. S. Collins. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Sanskrit (sans)

10100-10200-10300. First-Year Sanskrit I, II, III. The first half (about fifteen weeks) of the sequence is spent mastering the reading and writing of the Devanagari script and studying the grammar of the classical Sanskrit language. The remainder of the sequence is devoted to close analytical reading of simple Sanskrit texts, which are used to reinforce the grammatical study done in the first half of this course. The aim is to bring students to the point where they are comfortably able, with the help of a dictionary, to read simple, narrative Sanskrit. Texts in Sanskrit. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

20100-20200-20300. Second-Year Sanskrit I, II, III. (SALC 20200=SALC 48400, HREL 36000) PQ: SANS 10300 or equivalent. This course begins with a rapid review and consolidation of grammar learned in the introductory course. Reading selections introduce major Sanskrit genres, including verse and prose narrative, lyric poetry, drama, and the intellectual discourse of religion, philosophy, and the sciences. Analysis of the language and style employed in commentatorial texts and practice in reading such texts is also emphasized. S. Collins, Autumn; W. Doniger, Winter; W. Doniger, Spring.

Tamil (taml)

10100-10200-10300. First-Year Tamil I, II, III. The grammar of modern Tamil and a large amount of basic vocabulary are acquired through emphasis on both the reading and aural comprehension of graded texts (largely tales, myths, and fictional and historical anecdotes) that provide constant contextual reinforcement of the major aspects of grammar and vocabulary. Written, oral, and language lab exercises focus on ensuring accurate conceptual understanding and efficient functional control of these basics. This course also emphasizes development of basic conversational skills. N. Cutler, Staff. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

20100-20200-20300. Second-Year Tamil I, II, III. PQ: TAML 10300 or equivalent. Students engage in the following activities that collectively are designed to promote development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking proficiency: (1) use texts such as folktales, religious narratives, short stories, and newspaper articles to develop efficient reading comprehension and to learn about conceptual areas of cultural importance; (2) work with audio tapes, films, and free conversation to develop listening and conversational skills; and (3) complete composition assignments. N. Cutler, Staff. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Telugu (tlgu)

10100-10200-10300. First-Year Telugu I, II, III. V. Devi. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

20100-20200-20300. Second-Year Telugu I, II, III. V. Devi. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Tibetan (tbtn)

10100-10200-10300. First-Year Tibetan I, II, III. The Tibetan language, with a history going back more than one thousand years, is one of Asia's major literary languages. At the present time, it is the first language of close to seven million people in the Tibetan regions of China, as well as in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. This introductory course covers the script and pronunciation, the grammar of the modern Lhasa dialect, and basic reading and speaking skills. N. Jorden. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

20100-20200-20300. Second-Year Tibetan I, II, III. PQ: TBTN 10300 or equivalent, or consent of instructor. This intermediate course covers second-level pronunciation and grammar of the modern Lhasa dialect, and intermediate-level reading and speaking skills. N. Jorden. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Urdu (urdu)

10100-10200-10300. First-Year Urdu I, II, III. This three-quarter sequence presents the basic grammar and vocabulary of Urdu, a language spoken by thirty-five million people in South Asia and one of the official languages of Pakistan. The text used is C. M. Naim's Introductory Urdu and the emphasis is on the written language. E. Bashir. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

20100-20200-20300. Second-Year Urdu I, II, III. PQ: URDU 10300 or equivalent. This course is a continuation of URDU 10100-10200-10300. E. Bashir. Autumn, Winter, Spring.