This course surveys the history of South Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, from the earliest periods of Indian history to 1857. The purpose of this course is three-fold:

– to provide the necessary background knowledge to understand the later processes of colonisation and state formation in South Asia;

– to survey the historical foundations and development of religious traditions of South Asia in order to appreciate the place of those religions in South Asia today;

– to introduce changing conceptions of the past of South Asia and the major scholarly debates on issues in pre-colonial South Asian history today.

The course begins with the physical environment of South Asia, then goes on to examine Indus culture and developments associated with the Hindu tradition, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, the arrival of Islam, the establishment of the Mughal empire, the arrival of the European powers (Portuguese, Dutch and English) and how a trading company took control of large parts of the subcontinent. As well as tracing the major historical and political events, the course will also explore the social and cultural developments that accompanied and contributed to the development of South Asia.

On successfully completing the requirements of this course, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of key actors, events and locations in South Asian history up until 1857

2. Discriminate between early and later manifestations of the religious traditions of India

3. Explain developments in South Asian society and culture up to 1857

4. Differentiate between interpretations of South Asian historical evidence

5. Select appropriate sources to address a research problem

6. Communicate research results in an essay with accepted scholarly apparatus

Item A Weekly tutorial reading notes 10%

Item B Participate in tutorial discussion 10%

Item C Essay plan with annotated bibliography (1200 words) 15%

Item D Essay (3000 words) 35%

Item E End of semester exam 30%

The workload (per week) will be:

2 X 1 hour lectures

1 X 1 hour tutorial (except for weeks 1 and 13)

7 hours independent study

6 university courses (36 units).

Incompatible with ASIA6270.

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Nil