Courses & Programs of Study

Chairperson of Undergraduate Studies: William Mazzarella, H 327,

834-4873, mazzarel@uchicago.edu

Program of Study

The B.A. program in South Asian studies offers students an opportunity to study a major world civilization from the perspective of the social sciences. At the same time, humanities courses constitute a significant part of the program: students are required to take at least one year of a South Asian language and are required to take the South Asian civilization sequence; students may include humanities and Divinity School courses either as required or as elective courses. Although advanced work in the program (upper-level course work and B.A. paper) is expected to be oriented to social science concerns and methodologies, today's permeable boundaries between the social sciences and the humanities open the way to course work and B.A. projects that integrate the two perspectives.

Program Requirements

The major requires eleven courses and a B.A. paper. Required courses include: (1) the South Asian civilization sequence (SALC 20100-20200); (2) three courses in a South Asian language to be selected in consultation with the chairperson of undergraduate studies; (3) three courses in the social sciences, preferably from a single discipline; and (4) three electives, preferably courses that strengthen the disciplinary emphasis or reading courses for the B.A. paper. Students should discuss their choice of an appropriate language sequence with the chairperson of undergraduate studies early in their program of study.

Summary of Requirements

2 SALC 20100-20200

3 courses in a South Asian language

3 approved social sciences courses (South Asian courses on the following list may be used to meet this requirement)

3 approved electives

- SASC 29900 (B.A. Paper)

Bachelor's Paper. All candidates for the B.A. degree in South Asian studies are required to write a bachelor's paper of approximately thirty pages in length. Although they may choose to begin their project earlier, students must initiate work on their B.A. paper no later than the beginning of Autumn Quarter of their fourth year. Students are expected to work with a faculty supervisor and to consult the chairperson of undergraduate studies about the suitability of their project. The research paper or project used to meet this requirement may not be used to meet the B.A. paper or project requirement in another major.

Grading. The eight nonelective courses in the South Asian studies program must be taken for quality grades.

Honors. The decision of the award of honors is not made on the basis of any formal program. Students who wish to compete for honors should see the chairperson of undergraduate studies.

Faculty

M. Alam, E. Bashir, P. Bohlman, C. Breckenridge, D. Chakrabarty, B. Cohn, S. Collins,
J. Craig, W. Doniger, M. Ghatak, R. Inden, N. Jorden, M. Kapstein, J. Kelly, A. Kolata,
M. Marriott, W. Mazzarella, M. Mishra, H. Moayyad, K. Morrison, C. M. Naim,
R. Nicholas, J. Nye, J. Perry, S. Pollock, F. Reynolds, C. B. Seely, R. Shweder, R. Taub,
R. Townsend

Courses

For descriptions of the following courses, consult the relevant section of the catalog or the professional school.

Anthropology

ANTH 21407/51800. The Practice of Anthropology: Decolonization, New Nations, and Great Traditions. J. Kelly. Offered 2005-06; not offered 2004-05.

ANTH 22000/35500. The Anthropology of Development. (=ENST 22000) A. Kolata. Spring.

ANTH 25504/42600. Cultural Politics of Contemporary India. W. Mazzarella. Spring, 2005.

ANTH 25505/42605. Gandhi Today: Whatever Happened to the Mahatma? Offered 2005-06; not offered 2004-05.

ANTH 25900/39400. South Asia before the Buddha. (=ANST 25900) K. Morrison. Offered 2005-06; not offered 2004-05.

ANTH 36900. Commerce and Culture: Indian Ocean Trade. (=ANST 26900) K. Morrison. Offered 2005-06; not offered 2004-05.

Economics

ECON 25500. Topics in Economic Growth and Development. PQ: ECON 20200 and 21000. M. Ghatak. Autumn.

ECON 25600. Problems of Economic Policy in Developing Countries. (=PBPL 28600, PPHA 37500) PQ: ECON 20100 and 20200, or consent of instructor. L. Sjaastad. Winter.

ECON 26500. Environmental Economics. (=ENST 26500, PPHA 32800) PQ: ECON 20100 and 21000, or consent of instructor. Concurrent enrollment in ECON 21000 is allowed. G. Tolley. Winter.

Sociology

SOCI 20102/30102. Social Change. W. Parish. Autumn.

South Asian Languages and Civilizations

SALC 20000-20100. Introduction to the Civilization of South Asia I, II. (=ANTH 24101-24102, HIST 10800-10900, SALC 20100-20200, 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. For course description, see South Asian Languages and Civilizations. S. Pollock, Autumn; M. Alam, Winter.

SALC 20500/30500. Films in India. (=ANTH 20600/31100, CMST 24100/34100, HIST 26700/36700) R. Inden. Autumn.

SALC 20701. Postcolonial Theory. (=HIST 26601/36001) D. Chakrabarty. Spring.

SALC 25701/35701. Religion, Sex, Politics, and Release in Ancient India. (=FNDL 23601, HREL 32200, RLST 27300, SCTH 35600) Texts in English. W. Doniger. Autumn.

SALC 26701/36701. Introduction to Modern South Asian History. (=HIST 26900) D. Chakrabarty. Winter.

South Asian Studies

SASC 20000-20100. Introduction to the Civilization of South Asia I, II. (=ANTH 24101-24102, HIST 10800-10900, SALC 20100-20200, 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. S. Pollock, Autumn; M. Alam, Winter.

SASC 29700. Readings in South Asian Studies. PQ: Consent of faculty supervisor and undergraduate studies chair. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

SASC 29900. B.A. Paper. PQ: Consent of faculty supervisor and undergraduate studies chair. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. Autumn, Winter, Spring.