This course examines the history of India since 1880. We will concentrate on the impact of colonialism on the Indian subcontinent and on the formation of the modern states of India and Pakistan. The culture of colonialism, the nature of the colonial state, and the emergence of nationalism are themes which are explored.
Thematically, this course explores the making of the modern Indian subcontinent in the course of interaction with colonial ‘modernity’ and the birth of organized nationalist movement. Chronologically, we will survey the history of the Indian subcontinent from the inception of colonial rule in the late eighteenth century to the establishment of independent nation-states of India and Pakistan in the middle of the twentieth century.
The course hopes to provide a good understanding of modern South Asian history as a basis for more advanced study, and as training in historical methods. Students will be asked to consider a range of historical controversies demonstrating the perpetual disagreements of historians but also the need to understand historical techniques and to develop skills of historical judgments.
Since this is a survey course there are no prerequisites.
This course is cross-listed with AIST 1021
