Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2020 - IS 313W D100

Nationalism, Democracy and Development in Modern India (4)

Class Number: 5000

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Tue, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    45 units. Recommended: IS 210 or 220.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An examination of the differing narratives of nation and modernity in the struggle for independence from colonial rule in India, and their implications for the post-colonial state, for politics and for India's economic development. Writing.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course is designed to introduce students to politics in South Asia in the period after independence from colonial rule. The course pays greatest attention to the region’s largest country, India, but will also incorporate the experiences of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in substantial measure. The themes discussed during the course will be those that are important both to South Asia as well as to a general study of politics in developing countries. The course is organized around seven different themes – colonial inheritance, state formation and nation-building, democracy and authoritarianism, state and society, ethnic and secessionist conflict, political economy of development, and international issues.

The course will begin by analyzing the impact of colonialism and then trace the historical process of political change and nation-building in mainly India. After analyzing varied democratic trajectories in the region, the course turns its focus to state institutions and state-society interactions. In the second term, the course delves into various challenges to state and nation-building, issues related to the political economy of development, and ends with a brief focus on international issues.

We will also consider the impediments to democratic development, and why some states in South Asia have not been able to overcome these impediments. Time will be devoted to discussing and debating the causes and consequences of the Asian economic miracle and the Asian economic crisis that followed. We will examine the future of democracy in the region and the role political institutions play in policy making. Key internal conflicts affecting the human security of millions of South Asians will be analyzed in their unique historical and cultural context.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

The objective of the course is to promote critical engagement with a wide range of empirical, historical and narrative literature. Students will learn to display this engagement through analytical essay writing and the presentation of complex arguments in seminar discussions and presentations. By the end of the course, they should have acquired a sound knowledge of key theoretical and practical debates on the issue of nationalism and India.

As this is a writing intensive course, emphasis will be placed on enhancing proper writing skills in the discipline. Detailed feedback will be provided on the draft writing assignment. This will help students properly present and engage in the Indian debate.

Grading

  • Term Paper Outline 5%
  • Term Paper Draft and Final Version 40%
  • Presentation and Seminar Participation 15%
  • Midterm 15%
  • Final Exam 25%

NOTES:

Students will be required to submit their written assignments to Turnitin.com in order to receive credit for the assignments and for the course.

The School for International Studies strictly enforces the University's policies regarding plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty. Information about these policies can be found at: http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/teaching.html.

REQUIREMENTS:

This course will be delivered via online platforms, such as Zoom, Canvas, Blackboard, etc.

Students are required to have a computer, with a microphone, webcam, and speakers. They also must have good access to the Internet.

Microsoft Office is required, and a free version of Office 365 is available to SFU students here: https://www.sfu.ca/itservices/technical/software/office365.html.

Students will be required to upload assignments to Canvas and through Turnitin.com.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Rajeev Bhargava (eds.), Understanding Contemporary India: Critical Perspectives, Orient Black Swan, 2015, ISBN 978812542723

Yasmin Khan, The Great Partition: The Making of India/Pakistan, Yale University Press, 2007, ISBN 9780300120783

Articles on Reserve.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).