2012-2013 Academic Catalog

Apr 27, 2024

2012-2013 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

ID 225 - Political Economy, Geography, and Culture in South Asia-A Survey

South Asia represents one-sixth of the global population and is amongst the poorest regions of the world. It is a region that encompasses Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives. This course is an interdisciplinary introduction to the field of South Asian studies. It explores a broad range of issues in the light of the physical, economic, cultural and political diversity of South Asia since the late-colonial period to the present. Some of these issues are economic development, state formation, popular culture, religion, interstate and intrastate conflicts, systems of social stratification, security, civil society and social movements, and arms race and terrorism. It will also examine the role of extra-regional actors (Russia, China, and United States) in relation to these issues. The emphasis will not just be on understanding South Asia for its own sake, but also to think about its role in the processes of globalization.