Winter 2005,
Guided Study
Dr. K. J.
Pataki – kpataki@linfield.edu, patakikj@hotmail.com, tel. 503-866-5609
COURSE
DESCRIPTION:
This is a 5-week interdisciplinary course that surveys the
peoples, cultures and lives past and present in South Asia. This is the area or realm between
Southeast Asia, China and the Middle East, of which the subcontinent of India
with its rich, diverse and millennial traditions is particularly evident. Since
our global world increasingly interacts and overlaps and this is particularly
true with ÒAsiaÓ, the course includes information and readings about the other
areas above relevant to South Asia. The course draws on the geographic concepts
of realms, regions, areas and locales for these areas. There is be an early
assignment for the course through the DCE office after registration
formalities, to be completed for discussion at the meeting below:
¯
There
will be a meeting on January 9, 2005, 10AM-2PM, in Taylor 201 on the Linfield
campus in McMinnville to initiate this Guided Study course, present
detailed reading assignments, review the course and its requirements and
discuss the early assignment.
Given the compression of time, it is important that you
attend this meeting to get a sense of the course, its structure and its
intentions; i.e., we are virtual yet real and this meeting
provides reification. Course activities will include a brief
written exercise in Weeks 2 and Week 4, a brief essay in Week 3, a succinct
final in Week 5, a film review, and an essay assignment on a topic to be
determined by the student and instructor due at the end of the course. These
efforts will include interpretation and perspectives by the student. Given the
5-week frame, timing is particularly valuable and punctuality important. Other
information, assignments, contact etc. during the course will be given over the
Internet, and so a Net address is advisable.
The assigned basic readings for each week emphasize South
Asia as such, pertinent peripheral states and factors, and contemporary situations including
cultural, ethnic, environmental, political, religious and post-colonial aspects
and issues. Additional readings from the texts will be provided by email each
Sunday for active flow and continuity. The essay assignment and film will be
elaborated separately. The instructor has extensive experience in these realms,
and can speak on course concerns in addition to the readings.
REQUIRED
READING:
Norton,
J. India and S Asia. Global
Studies, 6th edn. McGraw Hill.
Spencer,
W. Middle East. Global
Studies, 9th edn. McGraw Hill.
Collinwood,
D. W. Japan and the Pacific Rim. Global Studies, 7th end. McGraw
Hill.
Basham, A.
L. The Wonder that Was India.
3rd edn. South Asia Books.
In
bookstore after Week 2:
Ortner,
S. Life and Death on Mt. Everest - Sherpas and Himalayan
Mountaineering.
Princeton.
OR:
Azoy, G. W. Buzkashi: Game and
Power in Afghanistan. Waveland Press.
These books are in the Linfield Bookstore. Some are
available used via the Internet; the Basham 2nd edition is
acceptable. A list of relevant films and their availability for a written
review will be given at the meeting.
WEEKLY
SYLLABUS:
Week 1: Regional overviews; South Asia (SA) as a
geocultural realm; SA
(1/5-11) prehistory and
history; internal regions of SA and their interactions
Week 2: Focus: India, pre-colonial, colonial,
post-colonial and post-
(1/12-28) Independence; its internal,
peripheral and regional aspects
Week 3: Focus: Pakistan; key dynamics in SA:
colonial, cultural, demographic,
(1/19-25) environmental, political,
religious
Week 4: SA in relation to the Southeast Asia (SEA)
and the Middle East (ME)
(1/26-2/1) realms; key and selected aspects
Week 5: Key contemporary aspects of SA and related
issues; related issues
(2/2-8)
from SEA and ME
COURSE
OBJECTIVES:
The course focuses on South
Asia and its geopolitical situation, its multifaceted sociocultural structures,
and its pre-contact, pre-colonial and post-colonial dynamics. Specific
objectives are:
1.
to
assess the present characteristics of the realm
2.
to
review its pre-contact, colonial and post-colonial history
3.
to
assess its contemporary internal and peripheral dynamics
4.
to
consider the role and impact of neighboring realms
5.
to
develop an overview of the realm including appreciation of its
traditional and contemporary concerns, from both indigenous
(internal)
and external (other-nation)
perspectives
6.
to
integrate this information through several written exercises
GRADING:
The final grade is
determined as follows: early
assignment, 5%; brief exercises, 2 X 10%: 20%; midcourse exercise, 20%;
summarizing final, 25%, film review: 10%; essay: 20%. Students with
disabilities who may need special accommodation or have special needs the
instructor should know about should make this known during registration.
As mentioned, this is
a compressed course and it is imperative as well as good for the rest of your
activities to keep up with the readings and assignments. Contact will be
maintained with each student during the course, and the instructor is available
at all times. At the conclusion of this trip, you will have gained considerable
information about a huge, hugely old, densely populated and culturally complex
part of the world, wise in its own ways, which is poised to affect this century
one way or another. You will: have done this in an efficient span of time, be
better informed to assess the issues arising in this part of the globe that
increasingly impact on us, and feel positive about your achievement!