What and Why: Explore South Asia through the politics of language in this introductory course. Whether you are curious about the region, have been greeted with a ‘namaste’ at your local yoga class, or grew up around South Asian languages, this course invites you to bring your curiosity and questions. We will put these in conversation with essays, poetry and academic texts by South Asian and diasporic authors to explore language’s links to postcolonial literature, history and identity. Across three modules on representation, colonialism, and speech and accent, we will study how debates about language have shaped the region and its diaspora.
The course has two goals – one, it will familiarize you with the history of modern South Asia and how the region is represented in diasporic contexts, such as the United States. Two, it will enable you to deepen your understanding of language and its uses in your life and writing. To that end, we will explore how texts in a variety of genres (literature, history, political tracts and non-academic writing) by diverse writers (academics, public intellectuals and literary figures) have made claims about language and its relationship to the self and the world.
How: You will use the course readings to produce a mix of academic and non-academic writing, including a translation project. There are no prerequisites, and you do not need prior familiarity with any South Asian language, except English. While all the texts we read for the course will be available to you in English, given the course foci you will be strongly encouraged to draw on any existing proficiency (fleeting, spoken or written) in languages other than standard English, including those not typically associated with South Asia. You will also compare texts written in different kinds of English to cultivate awareness about diverse writing styles and voices.
Course Goals:
This course will enable you to:
- Understand and evaluate the following key concepts and their relationship to modern South Asia: representation, colonialism, speech and accent
- Develop basic knowledge of modern South Asia and the ability to contextualize South Asian literature and history
- Analyze and work with the diverse texts covered in this course, including primary historical sources, literature and academic essays
- Engage critically with readings to develop your own response to them
- Create and complete a translation project that relates to your interests outside of this course