The Making of Modern South Asia

This undergraduate seminar course offers a historical introduction to South Asia – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Myanmar. It focuses on the historical evolution of the cultures, polities, and societies in this region from the eighteenth century, through colonial and post-colonial period, to the twenty first century. Using seminal historical events as entry points, this course will not only provide a comprehensive historical survey of this region but also explore several major themes and debates in South Asian historiography such as colonialism, orientalism, and modernity. It will also offer a critical analysis of the several post-independence issues that dominate this region. By utilizing a diverse archive of sources such academic texts, primary documents, movies, literature, and maps this course aims to provide students with a comprehensive overview of and the critical tools to engage with scholarship on