Summer 2021 - HIST 252 D100

Islamic India (3)

Class Number: 3487

Delivery Method: Remote

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    May 12 – Aug 9, 2021: Fri, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

A survey of the cultural patterns, social and political forces, and historical contexts that have shaped the Islamic period of Indian history. Special attention will be directed toward the Mughal empire and its decline. Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course is a survey of the cultural patterns, social and political forces, and historical contexts that have shaped the Islamic period of Indian history. Our course will start with India at the cusp of the arrival of Islam (750 AD to 1200). And so we move to studying the growth and development of an Islamic culture in India . During this period we will explore the important changes in Indian economy and society, especially in caste, slavery, religion and technology. We will also see how political movements influenced widespread societal change as we study the rise of provincial dynasties all over India; regional “heroes” who come to challenge the Islamic Sultans of the north. We also see how the early intervention by the Portuguese explorers to the south and west of India infiltrated Islamic defences and coloured Indian culture during this period. This rich multicultural foundation brings us to the establishment and consolidation of the grand empire of the Mughals, the greatest the world had ever seen. We will focus much of our attention on the magnificent achievements of the Mughal Empire, looking at issues such as administration, music, art, society, culture, statecraft, sexuality and international relations. This era of many players in Indian politics allows us to make very fruitful studies of the condition of women, peasants, bilingual agents and emergent Indian mercantile classes whose agency contributes to the fall of Islamic rule and establishment of European colonialism. We end our course with examining the causes and effects of the fall of the Mughals in the 17th century and the early days of British rule.

This course will be delivered synchronously.

Grading

  • Participation 20%
  • Academic journal 20%
  • Primary source analysis 25%
  • Final paper or project 35%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Catherine B Asher and Cynthia Talbot eds. India before Europe 

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

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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 SUMMER 2021

Teaching at SFU in summer 2021 will be conducted primarily through remote methods, but we will continue to have in-person experiential activities for a selection of courses.  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).