Obviously, for those students who will go on to take other
World Religions classes or courses in Anthropology, International Relations, or
the like, I want this course to serve as a foundation, introducing general
concepts that they can later clarify and modify. But those students represent a
small group compared to the class as a whole. For a variety of reasons, it is
the case that for a good number of students, my Hinduism class is the one of
the few classes in which they will do one or all of the following: Read more
than fifty pages a week, write a research paper, learn anything about India
(sometimes Asia), or think about what different people mean when they use the
term “religion.” Above all, I want students to see these exercises and the
ideas they are meant to elucidate as inherently valuable. I fully expect the
specifics of my lectures and their assignments to fade quickly from memory, but
I hold out the hope that after the course is over the students will begin to
think and continue to think that sustained and rigorous reflection on big ideas
is something worth doing.
After years of teaching this class with various introductory
textbooks, I was very happy when Wendy Doniger’s The Hindus was published in 2010 and I have been using it ever
since. I chose the Hindus because
Prof. Doniger was my mentor at Chicago and I worked for her as a research and
teaching assistant when she was writing this book, so I knew very well that its
style and editorial selections would align with my own. In the past I have
supplemented it with scholarly articles and primary texts, but in the last two
years I have decided to use the Textual
Sources book to provide most of the accompanying readings for the sake of
simplifying and streamlining the way in which students access assignments.
Along with the texts, I present the students with videos. Altar of Fire and Aghori I have been using for years and although they present some
problems (a certain voyeuristic overtone in the latter and a maddening lack of
subtitles combined with poor audio quality in the former) I have developed a
personal commentarial tradition to mitigate their shortcomings. Other videos I
find on YouTube (like some good video tours of the IVC ruins) or have been made
available recently (To Earn Our Bread). I also think field
trips, either to museums (the Yoga exhibit was a great success) or to observe
Hindu life and community, are an essential part of the course. The trip to New
Vrindaban is a great opportunity for them and for me. It is a long day of
traveling, but it is worth it to see the crowd (generally upwards of 50% South
Asian heritage) gathered for the 24-hour chanting marathon. I even filmed the
first one and put the video online.
Usually less than a third of the students are able to attend, but the ones that
do rate them as the highlights of the course. Making them earlier rather than
later can also help build camaraderie.
The assignments are self-explanatory, but the discussion questions
are somewhat new for me. For the last few years, I have been using them to see
how well the students are engaging the readings and also incorporating the most
perceptive ones (and occasionally some “ringers” of my own) into my lecture by
putting them up on slides and breaking the class into small groups to discuss
them. I have also started having students at the beginning of the semester
break up into small groups and have each group examine the title, chapter
headings, images, and other paratextual material of a different introductory
Hinduism text. The purpose of this exercise is to demonstrate how many ways
there are to conceive of this topic and teach it (anthropological, art
historical, sociological, philosophical) and to get the students used to seeing
a text as an argument rather than a presentation of fact.
Syllabus:
Hinduism
I. Purpose:
India is the world’s largest democracy and one of its
fastest growing economies. However, even with India poised to become a dominant
global force in the near future, the majority of Americans have little or no
understanding of one of the primary forces that have shaped its culture and
history—Hinduism, the religion of 800 million Indians and millions more across
the world. With a history that goes back almost 4000 years and a bewildering
multiplicity of forms that ranges from popular goddess worship in remote Indian
villages to massive ISKCON temple complexes like the one in Wheeling, West
Virginia, Hinduism presents a confusing and complicated picture. Cutting
through the initial confusion with readings, assignments and lectures, students
in this class will develop a solid understanding of the basic contours of
Hinduism while also learning to appreciate its richness and nuanced complexity.
II. Learning
Outcomes:
1.
To introduce students to the practices,
concepts, personalities, narratives, and history of Hinduism, using primary and
secondary texts, films and field trips
2.
To develop a cultural sensitivity that
allows students to understand practices, beliefs and sensibilities in their
unique contexts
3.
To improve the students’ critical
thinking and reading skills through reading assignments, weekly quizzes and
exams
4.
To improve their written and oral
communication skills through a research paper
III. Required
Texts:
1.
Wendy Doniger, The Hindus: An Alternative History (New York: Penguin, 2010)
2.
Wendy Doniger, Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism (Chicago: The University
of Chicago Press, 1988)
3.
Additional readings will be available
on Blackboard.
IV. Expectations:
A.
YOURS: As students in a 3000-level course (the second most advanced
available to undergraduates), you should expect to do quite a bit of reading—1,071
pages total. But that is not such a large number, given the size of our topic.
The average reading assignment is about 40 pages for each class, with 56 pages
being the maximum page amount you will ever be assigned and 21 pages being the
minimum. Part of what you will be learning in this class is how to read texts
like a historian of religions, which is different from how you read a novel, a
newspaper or a blog post. Please begin your reading with the following tips based
on those found in Study Guides and
Strategies (www.studygs.net).
In addition, I suggest you read the assigned section of The Hindus before the sections from Textual Sources or other assigned
readings. If you have questions, email me or post them on the class Blackboard
page and I will attempt to address them in the lecture period. You may also ask
them in class of course, but I would appreciate the time to prepare an answer.
Since the material we will be reading and discussing is so
inherently fascinating and provocative, I know there won’t be any napping,
texting, tweeting, Facebooking or any of the other things first-year students
may tend to do in a big boring lecture course.
B. MINE: Here is what you may expect of me:
1.
I will return emails promptly (within 3
hours if they are sent between 9 AM and 5 PM Monday-Thursday and within 12
hours if they are sent any other time).
2.
I will be in my office between 1:30 PM
and 3:00 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays unless otherwise announced, but if you
really need to see me, please make an appointment so I can set aside time for
you. And if you are in class or otherwise unable to make my regular hours I
will be glad to schedule an appointment at another time when we can both make
it.
1.
The first will be a trip to the Cleveland Art
Museum on Saturday, September 6th
to see the traveling exhibit Yoga: The Art of Transformation. We will leave
about 8:00 in the morning and get back around 8:00 in the evening. Lunch,
dinner and tickets to the exhibit will be provided.
2.
The second will be a trip to the ISKCON (Hare Krishna)
community of New Vrindaban near Moundsville, WV on Saturday, October 11th to tour the Palace of Gold and
see devotees participating in a 24-hour Kirtan, a marathon of continuously chanting
the names of Krishna, often while singing and dancing. Again, we will leave
about 8:00 in the morning and get back around 8:00 in the evening and a vegetarian
lunch and dinner will be provided. You can read an article about and view a
video of last year’s trip here:
3.
There may be other opportunities for extra credit
throughout the semester that I will announce either in class or on the OhioUniversity Comparative Religion Club Facebook page.
D. WENDY DONIGER LECTURE: Prof. Doniger will
be coming all the way from Chicago to give a talk on Monday, November 3rd at 8pm in the Baker University
Center Theater. This is both a rare opportunity and a required class
meeting.
V. Assignments:
1.
Fourteen sets of discussion questions
2.
Twelve Blackboard quizzes
3.
Midterm exam
4.
Final exam
5.
Research paper of 1250-1500 words
VI. Basis
of Grades:
A. Participation
(100 points, weighted as 10% of your grade)
1.
Attendance
(58 points): After one allowable absence, there are 29 class meetings
(this includes the Doniger lecture on November 3rd) each worth two
points. I will subtract two points per unexcused absence.
2.
Discussion
Questions (42 points): Additionally, for each Tuesday class meeting, you
will submit three questions worth one point each on the assigned reading the day before class at 5pm on Blackboard.
Do not email the questions to me or to Leo, we will only accept them via
Blackboard. I will have a list of these questions in the morning, so be
prepared to answer your own (and your classmates’) questions in class.
B. Weekly
Blackboard quizzes (100 points, averaged and weighted as 20% of your grade): Quizzes
are due one hour before class begins on Thursday and will cover the material
for that week. There is one response paper due in class on week fourteen.
C. Midterm
exam (100 points, weighted as 25% of your grade): The
midterm exam will be in class Thursday, October 3.
D. Final
exam (100 points, weighted as 25% of your grade): The
final exam will be due on Blackboard Thursday, December 11 at 10:00 am.
E. 1250-1500-word
research paper (200 points, weighted as 20% of your grade): Due on
December 4th, this assignment allows
you to choose, in consultation with me and World Religions librarian Tim Smith, whatever topic you wish that relates
to Hinduism. Examples of paper topics include gender and Hinduism, the concept
of time in Hinduism, Hindu ritual, caste and Hinduism, the self in Hinduism, Yoga
in the west, Hindu new religious movements, Hinduism and nationalism, etc. The
only requirement is that you use at least three scholarly sources that have not
been assigned for class.
1.
50
points: An annotated bibliography of at least three scholarly sources found through the
library’s Hinduism course guide (located at http://libguides.library.ohiou.edu/hinduism) due on Blackboard on November 13th.
2.
50
points: A clearly stated thesis due in
the form of a 250-word paper proposal on Blackboard on November 20th.
3.
100
points: Paper. I will
grade the paper itself according to a rubric (available on Blackboard) adapted from
Marie Norman of Carnegie Mellon University.
XI. CLASS
SCHEDULE
WEEK
ONE: THE PROBLEM WITH "HINDUISM"
T 8/26:
Two Questions
Agenda:
1.
Introductions
2.
Is yoga religious?
3.
Why are there so many gods in Hinduism?
Th
8/28: Reading The Hindus: An Alternative
History
Reading (41 pages):
1.
The Hindus
pp. 1-16
2.
Eswaran Sridharan and Anthony Cerulli,
“Editors’ Introduction to the Roundtable on Intellectual Freedom, Vigilantism,
and Censorship in India” in India Review 13.3
(2014), pp. 274-276
3.
Vinay Lal, “State, Civil Society, and
the Right to Dissent: Some Thoughts on Censorship in Contemporary India” in India Review 13.3 (2014), pp. 277-282
4.
Romila Thapar, “Banning Books”
in India Review 13.3 (2014), pp.
283-286
5.
Deepak Sarma, “The Doniger Difficulty:
Colonial Cotton and Swadeshi Sensibilities” in India Review 13.3 (2014), pp. 287-289
6.
Aarti Sethi and Shuddhabrata Sengupta,
“Toward a Readers’ Uprising: Reflections in the Wake of Assaults on Books and
Authors in Today’s India” in India
Review 13.3 (2014), pp. 290-299
Assignment:
1.
Quiz #1 due at 8am on BB
Agenda:
1.
Introducing the subject
2.
Religious Studies/World
Religions/History of Religions vs. Theology
3.
Who speaks for Hinduism?
WEEK TWO: THE INDUS VALLEY
T 9/2:
Working from the Margins
Reading (37 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 17-49
2.
Textual
Sources pp. 1-5 (“Introduction to the Sanskrit Sources”)
Assignment:
1.
First set of discussion questions due
at 5pm the day before class on BB
Agenda:
1.
Group activity on defining Hinduism
2.
The “Zen Diagram”
3.
Orthodoxy and orthopraxy
Th 9/4:
Harappa and Mohenjo Daro
Reading (34 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 50-84
Assignment:
1.
Quiz #2 due at 8am on BB
Agenda:
1.
Indo-European, Dravidian,
Tibeto-Burman, Austro-Asiatic
2.
Interpreting the remnants of the IVC
3.
Religion and archaeology
WEEK
THREE: HISTORY AND PREHISTORY
T 9/9:
The Aryan Invasion/Migration
Reading (38 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 85-102
2.
Romila Thapar, “Some Appropriations of
the Theory of Aryan Race” in Thomas R. Trautmann, The Aryan Debate pp. 107-128 on BB
Assignment:
1.
Second set of discussion questions due at
5pm the day before class on BB
1.
Aryans on the move
2.
Who is an Indo-European?
3.
Aryans, race and politics
Th 9/11:
The Vedas
Reading (38 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 103-134
2.
Textual
Sources 2.1.1 (Vedas: Rituals—Rig
Veda: “The Invocation of Agni,”
“Hymn to the Funeral Fire” and “The Horse Sacrifice,” pp. 6-10)
3.
Textual
Sources 2.2.1 (Vedas: Myths—Rig
Veda: “The Dismemberment of the Cosmic Person,” “The Three Strides of
Vishnu” and “Rudra,” pp. 27-29)
4.
Textual
Sources 2.3.1 (Vedas: Philosophy—Rig
Veda: “Creation,” p. 33)
1.
Quiz #3 due at 8am on BB
Agenda:
1.
Swastikas, Aryans and Nazis
2.
G. Dumézil’s Trifunctional Hypothesis
3.
Introducing the gods
Reading (49 pages):
1.
William K. Mahoney, “The Gods as
Artists” in The Artful Universe pp. 17-40
on BB
2.
Brian K. Smith, “Classifying the Gods”
in Classifying the Universe pp.
86-112 on BB
Assignment:
1.
Third set of discussion questions due
at 5pm the day before class on BB
Agenda:
1.
Gods of nature and the social order
2.
What is a Veda?
3.
Group activity on Vedic myth
Th 9/18:
The Sacrifice
Reading (28 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 135-163
Assignment:
1.
Quiz #4 due at 8am on BB
Agenda:
1.
Watch Altar of Fire in class
2.
Discussion of movie
WEEK
FIVE: FROM SACRIFICE TO SAMNYASINS
T 9/23:
Reading the Ritual Texts
Reading (23 pages):
1.
Textual
Sources 2.1.2 (The Vedas: Rituals—The Brahmanas: “The Offering into the Fire (Agnihotra): The
Creation of Fire, the Eater; The Origins of Death and the Fire-Altar; Prajapati
Dismembered and Remembered,” “The Horse Sacrifice: Seed as Rice; Killing the
Dog; Killing the Horse; The Mockery of the Women; The King Copulates with the
People; Dismembering the Horse; The Restorations,” “The Human Sacrifice of
Shunahshepa,” pp. 10-25)
2.
Margaret Stutley, “The Asvamedha or
Indian Horse Sacrifice” pp. 253-261 on BB
Assignment:
1.
Fourth set of discussion questions due
at 5pm the day before class
Agenda:
1.
From Vedas to Brahmanas to Sutras:
Mapping the commentarial tradition
2.
The Brahmin priesthood
3.
Early Hindu ideas of death and evil
Th 9/25:
Vedic Philosophy
Reading (34 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 164-198
Assignment:
1.
Quiz #5 due at 8am on BB
Agenda:
1.
The Upanishads, the last layer of the
Vedas
2.
Philosophy from ritual
3.
Rebirth and release
WEEK
SIX: THE RENOUNCER’S PATH
T 9/30:
The Fourth Stage
Reading (42 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 198-211
2.
Textual
Sources 2.3.2 (The Vedas: Philosophy—Upanishads: “The Self,” “The Ultimate Reality and the Two Birds,”
“Rebirth,” “The Person in the Eye and in Sleep,” “The Self in Sleep: The Wandering
King; The Chariot-Maker,” pp. 34-39)
3.
Kirin Narayan, “Sadhus” pp. 63-87 on BB
Assignment:
1.
Fifth set of discussion questions due
at 5pm the day before class on BB
Agenda:
1.
Watch The Fourth Stage in class
2.
Group activity on asceticism
Th
10/2: ***In-Class Midterm***
WEEK
SEVEN: THE RAMAYANA
T 10/7:
Gender and Epic
Reading (39 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 212-235
2.
Edward C. Dimock, “The Ramayana Story” in The Literatures of India pp. 54-71 on BB
Assignment:
1.
Sixth set of discussion questions due
at 5pm the day before class on BB
Agenda:
1.
The oral tradition
2.
Sita’s predicament
3.
The Horse Sacrifice revisited
Th
10/9: The Multiplicity of Tradition
Reading (49 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 235-251
2.
Textual
Sources 3.2 (Epics—“Ramayana:
The Birth of Sita and the Bending of the Bow; The Song of Kusha and Lava,” pp.
58-64)
3.
A. K. Ramanujan, “Three Hundred
Ramayanas” pp. 22-49 on BB
Assignment:
1.
Quiz #6 due at 8am on BB
Agenda:
1.
The Tamil vs. the Sanskritic tradition
2.
Rama in Southeast Asia
3.
The figure of Hanuman
***NEW VRINDABAN FIELD TRIP SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11TH***
WEEK
EIGHT: THE GREAT EPIC OF INDIA
T 10/14: Introducing the Mahabharata
Reading (37 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 252-276
2.
Gurcharan Das, “The Central Story of
the Mahabharata and Dramatis Personae” in The
Difficulty of Being Good pp. xvi-xxviii on BB
3.
Textual
Sources 3.1 (Epics—“Mahabharata:
The Birth of the Epic Heroes; The Karma of Dharma: Mandavya on the Stake;
Yudhishthira Approaches Heaven with His Dog; Salvation and Damnation in the Bhagavad Gita,” pp. 46-57)
Assignment:
1.
Seventh set of discussion questions due
at 5pm the day before class on BB
Agenda:
1.
The political context
2.
War as sacrifice
3.
Duryodhana’s point of view
Th
10/16: Dharma
Reading (44 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 277-303
2.
The
Bhagavad Gita pp. 29-47 on BB
Assignment:
1.
Quiz #7 due at 8am on BB
Agenda:
1.
Conflicts of duty
2.
The martial ethic of The Bhagavad Gita
3.
The new religious world of the epic
WEEK
NINE: VERNACULAR LITERATURES AND COUNTER-TRADITIONS
T
10/21: The epic of Pabuji
Reading (32 pages):
1.
Elizabeth Wickett, “The Epic of Pabuji ki par in Performance” pp. 76-108
on BB
Assignment:
1.
Eighth set of discussion questions due
at 5pm the day before class on BB
Agenda:
1.
Watch To Earn Our Bread: Performing for Pabuji in class
2.
Group activity on Pabuji
Th 10/23 The Sitayana
Th 10/23 The Sitayana
Reading (21 pages):
1.
Uma Chakravarti, “The Making and
Unmaking of ‘Tradition’” in Beyond the
Kings and Brahmanas of ‘Ancient’ India pp. 231-252 on BB
Assignment:
1.
Quiz #8 due at 8am on BB
Agenda:
1.
Watch Sita Sings the Blues in class
Reading (56 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 304-337
2.
Textual
Sources 5.1 (Shastras—“The Body: Second Opinions Upon the Aetiology
of Disease; The Humors of the Mind and Body; How Not to Get Sick,” pp. 91-96)
3.
Textual
Sources 5.2. (Shastras—“Birth: Embryology; A Strange Birth; The Perils
of Growing Up,” pp. 97-101)
4.
Textual
Sources 5.3. (Shastras—“Marriage: Women to Marry and Not to Marry;
Women Not to Sleep with; Married Women to Sleep with; Married Women Who Will
Sleep with You; Married Women Who Will Not Sleep with You; The Karma of
Marriage: The King’s Wife, the Brahmin’s Wife and the Ogre,” pp. 101-114)
Assignment:
1.
Ninth set of discussion questions due
at 5pm the day before class on BB
Agenda:
1.
Ayurvedic Medicine
2.
The social science of caste
3.
How to live the good life according to
the Kama Sutra
Th
10/30: Bhakti in South India
Reading (49 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 338-369
2.
Textual
Sources 9.1 (The Tamil Tradition—“Cuntaramurtti: The Harsh Devotee,
” pp. 169-177)
3.
Textual
Sources 9.2 (The Tamil Tradition—“Kampan: The Sight of Sita’s
Jewels,” pp. 177-180)
4.
Textual
Sources 9.3 (The Tamil Tradition—“Kalamekappulavar: Worship by
Insult (Nindastuti),” pp. 180-181)
5.
Textual
Sources 9.4 (The Tamil Tradition—“The Pirate of Tiruccentur,” pp.
181-183)
6.
Textual
Sources 9.5 (The Tamil Tradition—“The Story of Nilanakkanar,” pp.
183-185)
7.
Textual
Sources 9.6 (The Tamil Tradition—“Two Telugu Poets,” pp. 185-187)
Assignment:
1.
Quiz #9 due at 8am on BB
Agenda:
1.
The political context
2.
Devotion to Shiva
3.
The third alliance
4.
Halloween treat
***WENDY
DONIGER TALK MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3 AT 8 PM IN BAKER THEATER—ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED***
T 11/4: Introducing the Puranas
Reading (62 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 370-405
2.
Textual
Sources 4.1 (Puranas: Myths—“How Brahma Created the Universe; The
Four Ages; How Rudra Destroys the Universe,” pp. 64-73)
3.
Textual
Sources 4.2 (Puranas: Philosophy—“The Fruits of Hearing a Purana:
Devaraja the Sinner,” “The Mahabharata Expiated,”
“Karma Transferred in Hell: Vipashcit,” “Ethics: How to Stay out of Trouble,”
pp. 64-84)
4.
Textual
Sources 4.3 (Puranas: Rituals—“An Animal Sacrifice,” “The Origin of
the Lingam,” “The Origin of the Shrine of the Lingam,” pp. 84-91)
Assignment:
1.
Tenth set of discussion questions due
at 5pm the day before class on BB
Agenda:
1.
The ascetic eroticism of Shiva; or,
What does a linga stand for?
2.
The Goddess and the Buffalo Demon
3.
The rise of the Hindu temple
Th
11/6 The Left-Hand Path
Reading (45 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 406-444
2.
Textual
Sources 6.1 (Tantras: Ritual—“The Five Elements of Tantric Ritual,”
“A Tantric Animal Sacrifice,” “Tantric Sins of Excess,” pp. 131-137)
3.
Textual
Sources 6.2 (Tantras: Philosophy—“Tantric Caste Law,” “Tantric
Release,” pp. 137-138)
Assignment
1.
Quiz #10 due at 8am on BB
1.
Watch Aghori in class
2.
Group activity on Tantric ritual
T 11/11:
Rama and Rahim
Reading (39 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 445-472
2.
Textual
Sources 7.1 (The Hindi Tradition—Kabir: “Warnings,” “Experience,”
“Devotion,” pp. 139-142)
3.
Textual
Sources 7.2 (The Hindi Tradition—Sur Das: “The Child-God,” “The
Milkmaids’ Fascination,” “Song to the Bee,” pp. 142-146)
4.
Textual
Sources 7.3 (The Hindi Tradition—Tulsi Das: “Ramacharitmanas, Balakanda, 50-52,”
pp. 146-148)
5.
Textual
Sources 7.4 (The Hindi Tradition—Eighteenth-Century Sants: “Paltu,”
“Charandas,” pp. 148-150)
Assignment:
1.
Eleventh set of discussion questions
due at 5pm the day before class on BB
Agenda:
1.
The first contact
2.
Kabir
3.
The last Hindu kingdom?
Th 11/13:
Love of God
Reading (44 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 473-502
2.
Textual
Sources 8.1 (The Bengali Tradition—“The Birth of Manasa,” pp.
151-155)
3.
Textual
Sources 8.2 (The Bengali Tradition—“The Biography of Saint
Chaintanya: Krishna’s Decision to Take Birth as Chaitanya; An Encounter with
the Dual Form,” pp. 155-158)
4.
Textual
Sources 8.3 (The Bengali Tradition—Rupa Gosvamin: “The General
Characteristics of Devotion,” “Remembering the Eightfold Activities of Radha
and Krishna,” pp. 158-165)
5.
Textual
Sources 8.4 (The Bengali Tradition—“Poems to Radha and Krishna,” pp.
165-166)
Assignment:
1.
Quiz #11 due at 8am on BB
2.
Annotated bibliography due at 8am on BB
Agenda:
1.
The avatars of Vishnu
2.
The “play” of God
3.
Krishna and Radha
WEEK
THIRTEEN: THE ULTIMATE VS. THE POLITICAL REALITY
T 11/18:
Dreams and Illusions
Reading (28 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 503-524
2.
Textual
Sources 2.3.3 (The Vedas: Philosophy—Vedanta: “Shankara Dreams,”
Ramanuja Dreams,” “Illusion: The Man Who Built a House of Air,” pp. 39-46)
Assignment:
1.
Twelfth set of discussion questions due
at 5pm the day before class on BB
Agenda:
1.
Dualism and Non-dualism
2.
Shankara and Hindu monasticism
3.
Dreams and other realities
Th
11/20: The Mughals
Reading (46 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 527-573
Assignment:
1.
Quiz #12 due at 8am on BB
2.
A clearly stated thesis due in the form
of a 250-word paper proposal due at 8am on BB
Agenda:
1.
The religion of Akbar the Great
2.
The Peacock Throne
3.
Vaishnava revival in the northeast
T
11/25: The Coming of the British
Reading (35 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 574-609
Assignment:
1.
Thirteenth set of discussion questions
due at 5pm the day before class on BB
Agenda:
1.
What is an Orientalist?
2.
The Rebellion of 1857
3.
From Company to Crown
WEEK
FIFTEEN: THE END OF THE EMPIRE AND THE DIASPORA
T 12/2:
From Britain to America
Reading (43 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 610-653
Assignment:
1.
Fourteenth set of discussion questions
due at 5pm the day before class on BB
Agenda:
1.
Making Hinduism into a World Religion
2.
Gandhi and satyagraha
3.
America discovers Hinduism
Th
12/4: The End
Reading (36 pages):
1.
The
Hindus pp. 654-690
Assignment:
1.
Research Paper due at 8am on BB
Agenda:
1.
Hinduism and women
2.
Hinduism and the environment
3.
The rise of the Hindu Right and the
meaning of Modi
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