BA History and French / Course details

This unit explores the religious traditions of South Asia in the context of developing modernity, with a particular focus on the region that is now India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Rather than being focused on one religion, it looks at a range of Hindu, Islamic and Sikh traditions, asking how they were shaped by the colonial encounter with Britain in the 19^th Century, and how they have developed in the post-colonial, contemporary period.  In the course of this historically- situated enquiry, key elements of these religious traditions will be examined, so that students will acquire a sound foundational knowledge of some of the key concepts that underpin Hindu, Muslim and Sikh worldviews as they have emerged in modern South Asia.  In the process, students will also gain knowledge and understanding of the modern history and culture of this critical area of the world, home to approximately a quarter of the world’s population.

• To examine some key concepts in the development of modern South Asian religious traditions
• To consider the significance of historical context to an understanding of these concepts
• To develop skills of critical analysis through the examination of specific texts/events and their meanings
• To develop skills of research and critical enquiry appropriate to the University learning environment

By the end of this unit students will

• Have gained an understanding of some key concepts related to modern South Asian religious traditions
• Be able to locate the development of these concepts in the context of social and political history

By the end of this unit students will

• Have developed a critical awareness of the relationship between texts and contexts
• Have developed an appreciation of the significance of conceptual interpretation as a feature of academic work
• Have had experience of generating research questions as an integrated feature of the research process

By the end of this unit students will

• Have developed skills of note-taking on the basis of critical engagement with academic texts
• Have practiced discussion in small groups as a feature of the learning process

By the end of this unit students will

• Have gained skills of critical analysis
• Have gained a critical awareness of the development of religious traditions as a feature of the modern world

• Davis, R. (1995), ‘Introduction: A brief history of religions in India’, in D. Lopez (ed), Religions of India in Practice (Princeton: Princeton University Press)
• Fuller, Christopher (2004), The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India (Princeton: Princeton University Press)
• Hirst, Jacqueline, and John Zavos (2011), Religious Traditions in Modern South Asia, London: Routledge
• King, Richard (1999), Orientalism and Religion (London: Routledge)
• Knott, Kim (2016), Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
• Mittal, S. and G. Thursby (eds) (2006), Religions of South Asia: an Introduction, New York: Routledge