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Courses for Fall 2024

Title Instructor Location Time All taxonomy terms Description Section Description Cross Listings Fulfills Registration Notes Syllabus Syllabus URL Course Syllabus URL
BENG 0300-680 Intermediate Bengali Part I Haimanti Banerjee TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM This course develops the student's prior knowledge of Bengali. An attempt is made to gear the syllabus to meet the specific needs of students. The focus of the course is to develop the oral and aural skills of the learner as well as improve writing skills and reading strategies. Emphasis is also laid on increasing the sociolinguistic and strategic competence of the learners so that they will be able to function in the target culture. Besides discussions on various aspects of Bengali life, students read some short literary texts in the original Bengali version. BENG5300680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
BENG 5300-680 Intermediate Bengali Part I Haimanti Banerjee TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM This course develops the student's prior knowledge of Bengali. An attempt is made to gear the syllabus to meet the specific needs of students. The focus of the course is to develop the oral and aural skills of the learner as well as improve writing skills and reading strategies. Emphasis is also laid on increasing the sociolinguistic and strategic competence of the learners so that they will be able to function in the target culture. Besides discussions on various aspects of Bengali life, students read some short literary texts in the original Bengali version. BENG0300680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
GUJR 0100-680 Beginning Gujarati Part I Raki Desai TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM During the first year of Gujarati, major emphasis is placed on acquiring phonetics, grammatical patterns, and basic vocabulary. These goals are accomplished through guided drills and conversations accompanied by formal instruction on Gujarati grammar. From the outset, students are also taught the Gujarati writing system, which is used for all materials. By the end of the first year of instruction, student should be able to carry on coherent conversations on selected topics, read simple texts and compose short pieces in Gujarati. GUJR5100680
GUJR 0300-680 Intermediate Gujarati Part I Raki Desai TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM This course is designed as a continuation of beginning Gujarati. The course objectives are to expand the mastery of sentence patterns and augment vocabulary and its usage through intensive grammar and comprehension exercises. A special emphasis will be placed on greater cultural awareness. Upon completion of this course students should be able to interact socially with added confidence and greater expressiveness. Students should also experience a great improvement in their comprehension of spoken and written language. During the second year of Gujarati, students are introduced to progressively more difficult reading selections, along with additional instructions in the formal grammar of the language. To maintain and develop oral and aural command of the language, readings are discussed in Gujarati. To develop their writing abilities, students are also expected to compose short essays on their readings. GUJR5300680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
GUJR 1500-680 Advanced Gujarati I Raki Desai TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM Comprehensive study in reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension to gain advanced knowledge of Gujarati. Instructor may use poetry and/or prose as tools to engage students while having them create their own written works. Contact instructor for details. GUJR5500680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
GUJR 5100-680 Beginning Gujarati Part I Raki Desai TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM During the first year of Gujarati, major emphasis is placed on acquiring phonetics, grammatical patterns, and basic vocabulary. These goals are accomplished through guided drills and conversations accompanied by formal instruction on Gujarati grammar. From the outset, students are also taught the Gujarati writing system, which is used for all materials. By the end of the first year of instruction, student should be able to carry on coherent conversations on selected topics, read simple texts and compose short pieces in Gujarati. GUJR0100680
GUJR 5300-680 Intermediate Gujarati Part I Raki Desai TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM This course is designed as a continuation of beginning Gujarati. The course objectives are to expand the mastery of sentence patterns and augment vocabulary and its usage through intensive grammar and comprehension exercises. A special emphasis will be placed on greater cultural awareness. Upon completion of this course students should be able to interact socially with added confidence and greater expressiveness. Students should also experience a great improvement in their comprehension of spoken and written language. During the second year of Gujarati, students are introduced to progressively more difficult reading selections, along with additional instructions in the formal grammar of the language. To maintain and develop oral and aural command of the language, readings are discussed in Gujarati. To develop their writing abilities, students are also expected to compose short essays on their readings. GUJR0300680
GUJR 5500-680 Advanced Gujarati I Raki Desai TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM Comprehensive study in reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension to gain advanced knowledge of Gujarati. Instructor may use poetry and/or prose as tools to engage students while having them create their own written works. Contact instructor for details. GUJR1500680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
HIND 0100-401 Beginning Hindi-Urdu Part I Josh H. Pien MTWR 12:00 PM-12:59 PM In this course, students learn the fundamentals of Hindi-Urdu through hands-on practice using the language. Classes are interactive and there is a strong emphasis on the acquisition of speaking skills with attention to reading and writing to support this goal. Topics include: introductions; talking about yourself, your friends and your family; describing physical spaces such as the home and the city; daily life and daily routines; and likes, needs, wants, and interests. Students will also engage with level-appropriate authentic materials from the Hindi-Urdu speaking world. Beginning Hindi-Urdu I assumes no previous knowledge of Hindi-Urdu. Students with listening abilities but no speaking abilities are also welcome to enroll. The course teaches a single core spoken language style that is common to both Hindi and Urdu. All written materials are provided in both scripts, and students learn one script of their choosing. URDU0100401
HIND 0300-401 Intermediate Hindi Part I Josh H. Pien TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM Intermediate Hindi I is the first part of the second-year Hindi sequence. In this course, we review and refine first-year language skills while also significantly expanding those skills. The course provides students with the tools needed to engage confidently and substantively with other Hindi speakers and with authentic materials in Hindi. Course materials include Bollywood film clips, folk tales and mythology, and short flash fiction pieces about current societal issues. The materials are carefully selected for students of this level, they engage a mix of reading and listening skills, and they present core vocabulary which students will find useful in real-world communication contexts. In-class activities emphasize speaking through structured, form-focused practice; pair and group discussions; and a variety of additional engaging topics. The course assumes the prior successful completion of Beginning Hindi-Urdu II or the equivalent proficiency. Students who can speak Hindi but are unable to read or write may place into this course but should contact the instructor a few weeks before the beginning of the semester to ensure that this is the appropriate level. HIND5300401
HIND 1500-401 Advanced Hindi Josh H. Pien MW 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This is an advanced course designed to expand students’ language abilities while also deepening their understanding of the Hindi-speaking world. The course is organized around the following three areas of focus: 1) Surveying Hindi – We survey a range of Hindi sources – literary, journalistic, contemporary, historical, print, video – that provide diverse viewpoints on the social and cultural life of South Asia and Hindi-speaking communities. 2) Situating Hindi – The course places course materials in historical context and explores Hindi's place in the language politics of South Asia. 3) Using Hindi – We devote time to understanding the linguistic structure of Hindi and its vocabulary to enable students to speak and write Hindi with greater confidence and precision. Classes are interactive. Prerequisite: Intermediate Hindi II or the equivalent proficiency. Please contact the instructor for placement. This course fulfills the College’s cross-cultural analysis requirement. Topics vary by semester and the course may be repeated for credit. Students who complete two semesters may earn a Hindi Language Certificate, which will be noted on their transcript. HIND5500401
HIND 5100-401 Beginning Hindi-Urdu Part I Josh H. Pien MTWR 12:00 PM-12:59 PM This introductory course core proficiency in Hindi-Urdu up to the intermediate level. It is designed for students with little or no prior exposure to Hindi or Urdu. The course covers all four language skills (speaking, lsitening, reading, and writing) and all three models of communication (interpersonal, presentational, interpretive). Students will develop literacy skills in the primary script of their choice (Hindi or Urdu script). All written materials will be provided in both scripts. All meetings are interactive and students acquire the language by using it in realistic contexts. Culture is embedded in the activities and is also introduced through various authentic materials. URDU5100401
HIND 5300-401 Intermediate Hindi Part I Josh H. Pien TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM In Intermediate Hindi the student continues to develop the four language skills, with an emphasis on real-life situations--through hearing and practicing conversation on everyday topics, reading a variety of authentic texts ranging from advertisements to short stories, watching segments of current films, and carrying out short research projects using Hindi sources. There is a strong emphasis on vocabulary development and on using contextually appropriate styles of spoken and written Hindi. HIND0300401
HIND 5500-401 Advanced Hindi Josh H. Pien MW 10:15 AM-11:44 AM Advanced Hindi aims at systematically developing higher level linguistic functions and cultural nuances. Students learn to describe, narrate and support opinions in informal and formal styles. The objective of the course is to promote a meaningful interaction with written literature and with native speakers in a socially acceptable manner in a variety of simple and complicated situations. A variety of authentic materials are used, such as short stories, plays, newspapers, magazines, videos, television and radio broadcasts, and interviews. Every semester the course materials and foci vary depending on the needs and interests of students in the class. HIND1500401
MLYM 0100-680 Beginning Malayalam Part I TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM This course is designed to develop skills in reading, writing, and speaking. It will focus on the alphabet, basic vocabulary, nouns (cases, gender and number), verbs and their basic tenses, numerals, rules of joining words, adjectives, adverbs, and sentence structure. Guided conversation will be a part of every class. Students will receive considerable training in speaking and writing their own sentences and paragraphs. MLYM5100680
MLYM 0300-680 Intermediate Malayalam Part I TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM This course is designed to further the language skills learned in Beginning Malayalam. Direct and indirect speech, passive voice, postpositions, and rules of joining words, will be included. Reading and discussion of texts from current Malayalam literature (essays, narration, short stories, and poems) will be a major portion of the course. MLYM5300680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
MLYM 5100-680 Beginning Malayalam Part I TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM This course is designed to develop skills in reading, writing, and speaking. It will focus on the alphabet, basic vocabulary, nouns (cases, gender and number), verbs and their basic tenses, numerals, rules of joining words, adjectives, adverbs, and sentence structure. Guided conversation will be a part of every class. Students will receive considerable training in speaking and writing their own sentences and paragraphs. MLYM0100680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
MLYM 5300-680 Intermediate Malayalam Part I TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM This course is designed to further the language skills learned in Beginning Malayalam. Direct and indirect speech, passive voice, postpositions, and rules of joining words, will be included. Reading and discussion of texts from current Malayalam literature (essays, narration, short stories, and poems) will be a major portion of the course. MLYM0300680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
PASH 0100-680 Elementary Pashto I The first semester is focused on mastering the writing system, basic structures, and simple conversation using texts, writing samples, and numerous structure and dialogue drills.We remain within the present and future tenses only, developing vocabulary with lessons and discussions centered around greetings, family, weather, foods, and directions. Students use authentic online and textbook materials. PASH5100680
PASH 0300-680 Intermediate Pashto I A more in-depth study of the Pashto language. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening comprehension are all stressed in this more advanced course which also builds on the grammer of beginning level. PASH5300680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
PASH 5100-680 Elementary Pashto I The first semester is focused on mastering the writing system, basic structures, and simple conversation using texts, writing samples, and numerous structure and dialogue drills.We remain within the present and future tenses only, developing vocabulary with lessons and discussions centered around greetings, family, weather, foods, and directions. Students use authentic online and textbook materials. PASH0100680
PASH 5300-680 Intermediate Pashto I A more in-depth study of the Pashto language. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening comprehension are all stressed in this more advanced course which also builds on the grammer of beginning level. PASH0300680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
PUNJ 0100-680 Beginning Punjabi Part I Amrit Gahunia TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM This course emphasizes speaking and reading skills in Punjabi. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to interact meaningfully and in a socially acceptable manner in a variety of simple situations involving everyday conversational topics. Further, students should be able to read and understand the main idea and most details of simple connected texts. This course will utilize authentic printed, audio, and video materials and will provide opportunities for natural communication both within and outside the classroom. PUNJ5100680
PUNJ 0300-680 Intermediate Punjabi Part I Amrit Gahunia TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM This course is designed as a continuation of Beginning Punjabi, but can also be taken by anyone who can demonstrate a similar level in proficiency of the language. The course objectives are to expand the mastery of sentence patterns and augment vocabulary and its usage through intensive grammar review and comprehension exercises. A special emphasis will also be placed on greater cultural awareness. Upon completion of this course students should be able to interact socially with added confidence and greater expressiveness. Students should also experience a great improvement in their comprehension of the spoken and written language. PUNJ5300680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
PUNJ 5100-680 Beginning Punjabi Part I Amrit Gahunia TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM This course emphasizes speaking and reading skills in Punjabi. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to interact meaningfully and in a socially acceptable manner in a variety of simple situations involving everyday conversational topics. Further, students should be able to read and understand the main idea and most details of simple connected texts. This course will utilize authentic printed, audio, and video materials and will provide opportunities for natural communication both within and outside the classroom. PUNJ0100680
PUNJ 5300-680 Intermediate Punjabi Part I Amrit Gahunia TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM This course is designed as a continuation of Beginning Punjabi, but can also be taken by anyone who can demonstrate a similar level in proficiency of the language. The course objectives are to expand the mastery of sentence patterns and augment vocabulary and its usage through intensive grammar review and comprehension exercises. A special emphasis will also be placed on greater cultural awareness. Upon completion of this course students should be able to interact socially with added confidence and greater expressiveness. Students should also experience a great improvement in their comprehension of the spoken and written language. PUNJ0300680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
SAST 0001-401 Introduction to Modern India Daud Ali MW 12:00 PM-1:29 PM This introductory course will provide an outline of major events and themes in Indian history, from the Mughal Empire in the 16th century to the re-emergence of India as a global player in the 21st century. The course will discuss the following themes: society and economy in Mughal India; global trade between India and the West in the 17th century; the rise of the English East India Company's control over Indian subcontinent in the 18th century; its emergence and transformation of India into a colonial economy; social and religious reform movements in the 19th century; the emergence of elite and popular anti-colonial nationalisms; independence and the partition of the subcontinent; the emergence of the world's largest democracy; the making of an Indian middle class; and the nuclearization of South Asia. HIST0850401 History & Tradition Sector (all classes)
SAST 0004-401 India's Literature: Love, War, Wisdom and Humor TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM This course introduces students to the extraordinary quality of literary production during the past four millennia of South Asian civilization. We will read texts in translation from all parts of South Asia up to the sixteenth century. We will read selections from hymns, lyric poems, epics, wisdom literature, plays, political works, and religious texts. COML0004401 Arts & Letters Sector (all classes)
SAST 0005-001 Performing Arts of Modern South India Davesh Soneji TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM This course is a survey of selected traditions of theater, music, and dance in India and surrounding regions. Topics include ritual practices, theater, classical dance, classical music, devotional music, regional genres, and contemporary popular musics. Readings and lectures are supplemented by audio and visual materials and live performances. The aim of the course is to expose students to a variety of performance practices from this part of the world and to situate the performing arts in their social and cultural contexts. The course has no prerequisites. Arts & Letters Sector (all classes)
SAST 0050-401 Introduction to Indian Philosophy Deven Patel TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This course will take the student through the major topics of Indian philosophy by first introducing the fundamental concepts and terms that are necessary for a deeper understanding of themes that pervade the philosophical literature of India -- arguments for and against the existence of God, for example, the ontological status of external objects, the means of valid knowledge, standards of proof, the discourse on the aims of life. The readings will emphasize classical Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain philosophical articulations (from 700 B.C.E to 16th century CE) but we will also supplement our study of these materials with contemporary or relatively recent philosophical writings in modern India. PHIL1252401, RELS0055401 History & Tradition Sector (all classes)
SAST 0063-401 East & West: A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Cultural History of the Modern World Lisa A Mitchell MW 10:15 AM-11:14 AM Sugar and Spices. Tea and Coffee. Opium and Cocaine. Hop aboard the Indian Ocean dhows, Chinese junks, Dutch schooners, and British and American clipper ships that made possible the rise of global capitalism, new colonial relationships, and the intensified forms of cultural change. How have the desires to possess and consume particular commodities shaped cultures and the course of modern history? This class introduces students to the cultural history of the modern world through an interdisciplinary analysis of connections between East and West, South and North. Following the circulation of commodities and the development of modern capitalism, the course examines the impact of global exchange on interactions and relationships between regions, nations, cultures, and peoples and the influences on cultural practices and meanings. The role of slavery and labor migrations, colonial and imperial relations, and struggles for economic and political independence are also considered. From the role of spices in the formation of European joint stock companies circa 1600 to the contemporary cocaine trade, the course's use of both original primary sources and secondary readings written by historians and anthropologists will enable particular attention to the ways that global trade has impacted social, cultural, and political formations and practices throughout the world. ANTH0063401 Hum & Soc Sci Sector (new curriculum only)
SAST 0104-001 Beginning Tabla I Aqeel Bhatti MW 5:15 PM-6:44 PM An introduction to the tabla, the premier drum of north Indian and Pakistani classical music traditions.
SAST 0106-001 Beginning Sitar I TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM This course is an introduction to the repertoire and performance practices of the North Indian sitar. Fundamentals of sitar technique, composition, and improvisation are presented and practiced in class. Class lectures and discussions, audio and video material, and reading and listening assignments on selected topics supplement practice, to provide an overview of the social and historical context and the formal structures of North Indian music in general. There are no prerequisites for the course, but some experience with instrumental or vocal music is suggested. Each student is expected to put in two hours of individual practice per week, and complete reading, audio, and written assignments. The class gives a group performance at the end of the semester.
SAST 0519-401 Partition and the Making of South Asia Suvir Kaul R 12:00 PM-2:59 PM This course explores an aspect of Postcolonial literature intensively. See the English Department's website at www.english.upenn.edu for a description of the current offerings. ENGL0519401 Hum & Soc Sci Sector (new curriculum only) https://coursesintouch.apps.upenn.edu/cpr/jsp/fast.do?webService=syll&t=202430&c=SAST0519401
SAST 1000-401 South Asians in the United States Fariha Khan TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM This course investigates the everyday practices and customs of South Asians in America. Every immigrant group has its own history, customs, beliefs and values, making each unique while simultaneously a part of the "melting pot" or salad bowl" of American society. Yet how do people define themselves and their ethnicities living in a diasporic context? By taking into account the burgeoning South Asian American population as our model, this course will explore the basic themes surrounding the lives that immigrants are living in America, and more specifically the identity which the second generation, born and/or raised in American, is developing. South Asians in the U.S. will be divided thematically covering the topics of ethnicity, marriage, gender, religion, and pop culture. Reading and assignments will discuss a variety of issues and viewpoints that are a part of the fabric of South Asia, but will focus on the interpretation of such expressive culture in the United States. ASAM1000401
SAST 1124-401 Narrative Across Cultures Ania Loomba MW 3:30 PM-4:59 PM The purpose of this course is to present a variety of narrative genres and to discuss and illustrate the modes whereby they can be analyzed. We will be looking at shorter types of narrative: short stories, novellas, and fables, and also some extracts from longer works such as autobiographies. While some works will come from the Anglo-American tradition, a larger number will be selected from European and non-Western cultural traditions and from earlier time-periods. The course will thus offer ample opportunity for the exploration of the translation of cultural values in a comparative perspective. COML1025401, ENGL0039401, MELC1960401, THAR1025401 Arts & Letters Sector (all classes)
SAST 1460-401 Islam in Modern World Jamal J. Elias TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This course key issues facing Muslims in the modern world with an emphasis on gaining an understanding of how Muslims view themselves and the world in which they live. Beginning with a discussion of the impact of colonialism, we will examine Islamic ideas and trends from the late colonial period until the present. Readings include religious, political and literary writings by important Muslim figures and focus on pressing issues in the Islamic world an beyond: the place of religion in modern national politics; the changing status of women; constructions of sexuality (including masculinity); pressing issues in bioethics; Islam, race and immigration in America; the role of violence; and the manifestations of religion in popular culture. MELC0555401, RELS1460401 Hum & Soc Sci Sector (new curriculum only)
SAST 1560-401 Economic Histories of Modern South Asia, c. 1600 - Present Brian T Cannon TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM Courses on the economic history of South Asia typically begin circa 1750, when European Company produced data series legible to economic historians first become available. This course departs from that trend, by beginning with the expansion of the Mughal empire and its deeply bureaucratized revenue system, along with the arrival of the British and Dutch East India Companies in the early seventeenth century. The course ends not in 1947 (with the decolonization of the subcontinent), but rather with the liberalization of independent national economies in the late twentieth century, which significantly altered the commercial landscape by permitting the entrance of foreign direct investment. We will analyze numerous economic and socio-political phenomena that played into commercial development and change across the subcontinent during this period, including: the organization and influence of colonial joint-stock companies; systems of land tenure; the role of ecology in affecting economic production and consumption; industrial growth and the rise of economic urbanism; labor organization and the significance of kinship and patronage; and the immense influence of the informal (i.e. “shadow” or “black”) economy, comprising some three-fourths of the South Asian labor force. The course will also introduce students to some of the theoretical literature in economic history scholarship. No prior knowledge of south Asia or economic history is required. HIST1560401
SAST 1730-401 Introduction to Buddhism Justin Mcdaniel M 1:45 PM-3:44 PM This course seeks to introduce students to the diversity of doctrines held and practices performed by Buddhists in Asia. By focusing on how specific beliefs and practices are tied to particular locations and particular times, we will be able to explore in detail the religious institutions, artistic, architectural, and musical traditions, textual production and legal and doctrinal developments of Buddhism over time and within its socio-historical context. Religion is never divorced from its place and its time. Furthermore, by geographically and historically grounding the study of these religions we will be able to examine how their individual ethic, cosmological and soteriological systems effect local history, economics, politics, and material culture. We will concentrate first on the person of the Buddha, his many biographies and how he has been followed and worshipped in a variety of ways from Lhasa, Tibet to Phrae, Thailand. From there we touch on the foundational teachings of the Buddha with an eye to how they have evolved and transformed over time. Finally, we focus on the practice of Buddhist ritual, magic and ethics in monasteries and among aly communities in Asia and even in the West. This section will confront the way Buddhists have thought of issues such as "Just-War," Women's Rights and Abortion. While no one quarter course could provide a detailed presentation of the beliefs and practices of Buddhism, my hope is that we will be able to look closely at certain aspects of these religions by focusing on how they are practiced in places like Nara, Japan or Vietnam, Laos. EALC0501401, RELS1730401
SAST 2262-401 The Making of Medieval India Daud Ali M 5:15 PM-8:14 PM This course will provide an in-depth understanding of South Asia in what is often called its 'medieval' period--from the rise of the great temple kingdoms until the end of the Delhi Sultanate in the sixteenth century (c. 500 CE - c. 1500 CE). This millenium is arguably one of the most transformative in South Asia's history, a period when many of its most distinctive social and cultural features evolved. The course will provide both an overview of the period as well as an introduction to major interpretations and types of sources (textual, visual, and archaeological). The focus throughout the course will be on the heterogeneous development of states, societies and cultures with special attention to long-term processes of transformation. One set of themes explored will be largely social and economic, focusing on the development of agrarian and peasant societies, aristocracies and intellectuals, as well as the role of mercantile, pastoralist, nomadic and forest-living groups. Another set of themes will explore cultural transformation, including the development, transformation and interaction of religious practices, the emergence of cosmopolitan and regional literary cultures, and the rise of distinctive urban, courtly, and rural world views. Special themes of discussion may include violence and manners, material cultures, religious conflict, devotional religion and gender relations. SAST6262401
SAST 2452-301 Urdu Literature in Translation Mustafa A Menai MF 3:30 PM-4:59 PM This course will look at Urdu-Hindi expressions of resistance to militant fundamentalism trends, as well as literature resisting the influence of liberal progressive thought. Through comparisons of these divergent trends, we will explore the real inersections, comfortable comprises and contradictions that are internalized by people on the ground in developing societies. The historical and linguistic roots of resistance poetry will be studied, contrasting South Asian Urdu-Hindi poetry and prose (original and translated) with resistance movements from other parts of the world. This course provides students with the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of Urdu culture, literature, and society while expanding and refining their Urdu language skills. We will explore various social, political, and cultural issues through authentic sources such as journalism and media, prose literature and poetry, and film and music. The course is designed to be flexible to address students' needs and interests. It targets students with two years of Urdu study or the equivalent proficiency. Prerequisite: Intermediate reading, writing and speaking skills in Urdu are recommended but contact the instructor if you are unsure of your eligibility and want to discuss further.
SAST 2550-401 Modern Southeast Asia Andrew M. Carruthers TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This first-year friendly course provides a broad introductory overview of modern Southeast Asia, surveying the region's extraordinary diversity and ongoing social, economic, and political transformations. Centering on the nation-states that have emerged following the second World War, we will assess elements of Southeast Asian geography, history, language and literature, cosmologies, kinship systems, music, art and architecture, agriculture, industrialization and urbanization, politics, and economic change. We will remain particularly attentive to the ways Southeast Asians negotiate and contend with ongoing challenges with modernization, development, and globalization. ANTH2550401
SAST 2554-401 Religion and Resistance in South Asia Mahboob Ali Mohammad MW 1:45 PM-3:14 PM In this course, we focus on various medieval and contemporary devotional forms of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam in South Asia. Several definitions try to tie the idea of devotion to classicism and traditionalism with a set of conservative ideas. However, this course introduces the students to a diverse and pluralistic understanding of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam that also has a history of resistance and protest beginning with poets such as Kabir and others from the Bhakti movement, and Sufi devotional contexts in South Asia. We read about the histories of these rebellious poets and their interventions into the traditional practices of devotion. We also discuss about how these medieval trends find their way into contemporary times enriching the discourses of Dalit, Muslim and Feminist movements. SAST5554401
SAST 5554-401 Religion and Resistance in South Asia Mahboob Ali Mohammad MW 1:45 PM-3:14 PM In this course, we focus on various medieval and contemporary devotional forms of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam in South Asia. Several definitions try to tie the idea of devotion to classicism and traditionalism with a set of conservative ideas. However, this course introduces the students to a diverse and pluralistic understanding of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam that also has a history of resistance and protest beginning with poets such as Kabir and others from the Bhakti movement, and Sufi devotional contexts in South Asia. We read about the histories of these rebellious poets and their interventions into the traditional practices of devotion. We also discuss about how these medieval trends find their way into contemporary times enriching the discourses of Dalit, Muslim and Feminist movements. SAST2554401
SAST 5860-301 History of Islam in Asia Megan E Robb W 12:00 PM-2:59 PM This class is designed to structure reflection on Islam and Islamic culture in South Asia-- Indonesia, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Contrary to the popular perception that the Middle East defines Islam, Asian countries not only host the most Muslims in the world but have been the source of some of Islam's most important social and reform movements in the last three hundred years. This class looks at the history of Muslim societies across Asia not just as a religious community but also as a social and cultural bloc (a distinctive part of what Marshall Hodgson called the 'Islamicate' world, but also an area that challenges some of Hodgson's assumptions about the Islamicate world). This course allows for the study of the Muslim world between the years1700 to present. The class will allow students to compare and contrast Muslim societies over the last three centuries, examine points of confluence for geographically- or culturally- distinct Muslim peoples in the last three centuries, and in their writing assignments focus on the history of one society in a wider Islamicate context. In the process students will gain a more nuanced awareness of how Islam has made an impact in Asian countries, and how Asian countries have in turn impacted Islam. RELS5860301
SAST 6262-401 The Making of Medieval India Daud Ali M 5:15 PM-8:14 PM This course will provide an in-depth understanding of South Asia in what is often called its 'medieval' period--from the rise of the great temple kingdoms until the end of the Delhi Sultanate in the sixteenth century (c. 500 CE - c. 1500 CE). This millenium is arguably one of the most transformative in South Asia's history, a period when many of its most distinctive social and cultural features evolved. The course will provide both an overview of the period as well as an introduction to major interpretations and types of sources (textual, visual, and archaeological). The focus throughout the course will be on the heterogeneous development of states, societies and cultures with special attention to long-term processes of transformation. One set of themes explored will be largely social and economic, focusing on the development of agrarian and peasant societies, aristocracies and intellectuals, as well as the role of mercantile, pastoralist, nomadic and forest-living groups. Another set of themes will explore cultural transformation, including the development, transformation and interaction of religious practices, the emergence of cosmopolitan and regional literary cultures, and the rise of distinctive urban, courtly, and rural world views. Special themes of discussion may include violence and manners, material cultures, religious conflict, devotional religion and gender relations. SAST2262401
SAST 6612-301 Performance, Politics, and Power in Modern India Davesh Soneji W 10:15 AM-1:14 PM This seminar locates performance in modern India – understood here as music, theatre, and dance – in the context of its social production and the production of its value. On the one hand, the course builds on perspectives drawn from Marx, Bourdieu, and others, and on the other, it examines themes of social hierarchy, taste habits, labor and corporeal exertion, and caste to think about the braiding of the arts and politics in modern India. A primary objective of the course is to de-center earlier nationalist-inflected histories about the arts in modern India, and bridge new thinking on performance across diverse forms of knowledge and critical methods. The seminar revolves around a number of significant questions for the study of culture in modern India. How does the modern Indian nation-state mediate and mold taste-habits and hierarchies? How do we historicize the making of the hierarchy of so-called “classical” and “folk” performance in modern India? How can we think of the arts as commodities of exchange and vessels of capital in the context of the majoritarian state? To what extent do late nineteenth and early twentieth-century “reform” and projects of cultural reinvention undergird the contemporary practice of these arts, particularly in the age of the majoritarian Hindu state? How do Dalit-Bahujan and minority religious communities claim their pasts and engage in articulatory practices that stage new modes of identity and resistance?
SAST 6623-401 Literary History and Aesthetics in South Asia Deven Patel This seminar surveys the multiple components of literary culture in South Asia. Students will engage critically with selected studies of literary history and aeshetics from the past two millennia. In order to introduce students to specific literary cultures (classical, regional, contemporary) and to the scholarly practices that situate literature in broader contexts of culture and society, the course will focus both on the literary theories - especially from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries - that position South Asia's literary cultures within broader disciplinary frameworks that use literary documents to inform social, historical and cultural research projects. The aim is to open up contexts whereby students can develop their own research projects using literary sources. COML6623401
SAST 7760-401 Partition in South Asia Suvir Kaul
Sara Kazmi
M 1:45 PM-4:44 PM This course examines the ways in which imaginative literature and film have addressed the difficult sociopolitical issues leading up to, and following from, the independence and partition of British India. Looking to theoretical and political debates, novels, short stories, poetry, and some films, this course will acknowledge the continuing role played by the events of Partition in shaping the cultural, social, and political realities of contemporary South Asia. COML7760401, ENGL7760401
SKRT 0100-401 Sanskrit 1st Year, Part I Kashi Gomez MW 12:00 PM-1:29 PM During the first semester of beginning Sanskrit, students will be introduced to the script, phonetics, and grammar of the Sanskrit language. By the end of the semester they will be able to begin to read Sanskrit texts and compose Sanskrit sentences in addition to carrying out simple conversation. They will build the requisite skills to read, by the second semester, simple inscriptions and sections from texts like the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita, Pancatantra, and Yoga Sutra. Students will also be introduced to many features of Sanskrit culture. SKRT5100401
SKRT 0300-401 Sanskrit 2nd Year Part I Kashi Gomez TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This course will lead students to consolidate their knowledge of Sanskrit grammar and increase their familiarity with Sanskrit literature of all kinds, including epic, literary, philosophical, and narrative genres of texts. It will also introduce students to the study and reading of inscriptional materials. SKRT5300401
SKRT 1000-401 Readings in Sanskrit Literature Kashi Gomez MF 1:45 PM-3:14 PM This course is for advanced students of Sanskrit. Designed as a seminar, the course aims to take students through the primary and secondary sources of Sanskrit literary and phlosophical production. Each semester will focus on a different genre: epic, belles-lettres, lyric poetry, drama, philosophy, shastra, advanced grammar, history, poetics, and epigraphy. We will focus on original sources, secondary scholarship, and theoretical approaches toward the translation and study of Sanskrit texts. SKRT6000401
SKRT 5100-401 Sanskrit 1st Year, Part I Kashi Gomez MW 12:00 PM-1:29 PM During the first semester of beginning Sanskrit, students will be introduced to the script, phonetics, and grammar of the Sanskrit language. By the end of the semester they will be able to begin to read Sanskrit texts and compose Sanskrit sentences in addition to carrying out simple conversation. They will build the requisite skills to read, by the second semester, simple inscriptions and sections from texts like the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita, Pancatantra, and Yoga Sutra. Students will also be introduced to many features of Sanskrit culture. SKRT0100401
SKRT 5300-401 Sanskrit 2nd Year Part I Kashi Gomez TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This course will lead students to consolidate their knowledge of Sanskrit grammar and increase their familiarity with Sanskrit literature of all kinds, including epic, literary, philosophical, and narrative genres of texts. It will also introduce students to the study and reading of inscriptional materials. SKRT0300401
SKRT 6000-401 Readings in Sanskrit Literature Kashi Gomez MF 1:45 PM-3:14 PM This course is for advanced students of Sanskrit. Designed as a seminar, the course aims to take students through the primary and secondary sources of Sanskrit literary and phlosophical production. Each semester will focus on a different genre: epic, belles-lettres, lyric poetry, drama, philosophy, shastra, advanced grammar, history, poetics, and epigraphy. We will focus on original sources, secondary scholarship, and theoretical approaches toward the translation and study of Sanskrit texts. SKRT1000401
TAML 0100-680 Beginning Tamil Part I Vasu Renganathan MW 5:15 PM-7:14 PM This course introduces students to colloquial Tamil and formal written Tamil. A balance between production skills, namely writing and speaking, and comprehension skills, namely reading and listening, will be maintained throughout the course. Reading materials will introduce students to customs and habits of the Tamil speakers in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore. Lessons in the class will be based on a set of Tamil learning lessons and videos made available at http://www.southasia.upenn.edu/tamil and the book by the Instructor titled "Tamil Language in Context", information available at http://www.thetamillanguage.com. By the end of the semester, students will have a working knowledge in reading Tamil text with a basic skill to write and speak the language at ACTFL's Beginner mid level. TAML5100680
TAML 0300-680 Intermediate Tamil Part I Vasu Renganathan TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM This course develops the skills obtained either from the Beginning Tamil course or from students' prior exposure to Tamil by some other means. Basic knowledge of Tamil script, reading and writing in Tamil is required to take this course. Heavy emphasis will be made on using the language in actual environments both in spoken medium and in written medium. Multimedia materials such as audio and video facilities from the book and the website Tamil Language in Context (http://www.southasia.upenn.edu/tamil) will be used extensively to provide students an exposure to the Tamil culture and customs as followed in Tamilnadu, India. Besides improving their speech and writing, students will also be introduced gradually to Tamil literature, which has two thousand years of literary history. The learning process in this course will be facilitated by the lessons and videos as provided in the website and the book. By the end of this course, students will have ACTFL's intermediate mid level proficiency in Tamil. TAML5300680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
TAML 1500-680 Advanced Tamil Vasu Renganathan TR 7:00 PM-8:29 PM This course is a continuation of the Advance Tamil Course I and its primary focus is to concentrate particularly on any one of the genres of the Tamil language namely Sangam, medieval or modern Tamil, which span a vast variety of texts from Aham, Puram, religious poems along with a whole array of Tamil inscriptions. The familiarity from Advanced Tamil I course will be adequately used to master in any aspect of these three genres of the Tamil language. Based on the general interests of the students who are enrolled in this course specific variety of the text to concentrate upon will be selected. In the past, we have read poems from the Sangam genre Purananuru, Ahananuru, Silappatikaram, Manimekalai etc., along with the parallel religious poems from Tirumurai, Nalayira Divyaprabandam and so on. We have also read as part of this course texts from Islam literature, Tamil inscriptions and other related kinds. Text from the instructors book (to be published), "Ilakkiyap payaNangkaL" will be used to give a birds eye view to students about Tamil literature and the transitions that took place from Sangam, medieval and modern period. This course will train students to have a near-native proficiency in Tamil along with a professional skill in any particular variety of the Tamil language. TAML5500680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
TAML 5100-680 Beginning Tamil Part I Vasu Renganathan MW 5:15 PM-7:14 PM This course introduces students to colloquial Tamil and formal written Tamil. A balance between production skills, namely writing and speaking, and comprehension skills, namely reading and listening, will be maintained throughout the course. Reading materials will introduce students to customs and habits of the Tamil speakers in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore. Lessons in the class will be based on a set of Tamil learning lessons and videos made available at http://www.southasia.upenn.edu/tamil and the book by the Instructor titled "Tamil Language in Context", information available at http://www.thetamillanguage.com. By the end of the semester, students will have a working knowledge in reading Tamil text with a basic skill to write and speak the language at ACTFL's Beginner mid level. TAML0100680
TAML 5300-680 Intermediate Tamil Part I Vasu Renganathan TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM This course develops the skills obtained either from the Beginning Tamil course or from students' prior exposure to Tamil by some other means. Basic knowledge of Tamil script, reading and writing in Tamil is required to take this course. Heavy emphasis will be made on using the language in actual environments both in spoken medium and in written medium. Multimedia materials such as audio and video facilities from the book and the website Tamil Language in Context (http://www.southasia.upenn.edu/tamil) will be used extensively to provide students an exposure to the Tamil culture and customs as followed in Tamilnadu, India. Besides improving their speech and writing, students will also be introduced gradually to Tamil literature, which has two thousand years of literary history. The learning process in this course will be facilitated by the lessons and videos as provided in the website and the book. By the end of this course, students will have ACTFL's intermediate mid level proficiency in Tamil. TAML0300680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
TAML 5500-680 Advanced Tamil Vasu Renganathan TR 7:00 PM-8:29 PM This course is a continuation of the Advance Tamil Course I and its primary focus is to concentrate particularly on any one of the genres of the Tamil language namely Sangam, medieval or modern Tamil, which span a vast variety of texts from Aham, Puram, religious poems along with a whole array of Tamil inscriptions. The familiarity from Advanced Tamil I course will be adequately used to master in any aspect of these three genres of the Tamil language. Based on the general interests of the students who are enrolled in this course specific variety of the text to concentrate upon will be selected. In the past, we have read poems from the Sangam genre Purananuru, Ahananuru, Silappatikaram, Manimekalai etc., along with the parallel religious poems from Tirumurai, Nalayira Divyaprabandam and so on. We have also read as part of this course texts from Islam literature, Tamil inscriptions and other related kinds. Text from the instructors book (to be published), "Ilakkiyap payaNangkaL" will be used to give a birds eye view to students about Tamil literature and the transitions that took place from Sangam, medieval and modern period. This course will train students to have a near-native proficiency in Tamil along with a professional skill in any particular variety of the Tamil language. TAML1500680 Penn Lang Center Perm needed
TELU 0100-401 Beginning Telugu Part I Mahboob Ali Mohammad MTWR 12:00 PM-12:59 PM This course introduces students to the basic Telugu language skills, with an emphasis on practice for listening comprehension, and speaking Telugu. Combined with exposure to Andhra culture, the classroom and online work in this course will enable interested students to pursue further language study in Telugu at the intermediate level, to carry out field research in Andhra Pradesh, or to prepare them to advanced work in Telugu Studies. An introduction to Telugu like this will also be useful for students who just want to acquire basic Telugu language skills for learning a new language or being able to communicate with Telugu speaking family and friends or to enjoy Telugu music and films. TELU5100401
TELU 0300-401 Intermediate Telugu Part I Mahboob Ali Mohammad This course is designed to expand the students' basic language skills in Telugu in order to allow them to function adequately in a Telugu-speaking environment, to immerse themselves in the rich Andhra culture, and to accomplish a more advanced competency in an interesting foreign language. This course is also aimed at students planning to conduct scholarly research in Telugu history, literature or society, or humanities or social science fieldwork in Telugu speaking areas. TELU5300401
TELU 1500-401 Advanced Telugu Mahboob Ali Mohammad This is a course designed for students who have completed four semesters of Telugu. TELU5500401
TELU 5100-401 Beginning Telugu Part I Mahboob Ali Mohammad MTWR 12:00 PM-12:59 PM This course introduces students to the basic Telugu language skills, with an emphasis on practice for listening comprehension, and speaking Telugu. Combined with exposure to Andhra culture, the classroom and online work in this course will enable interested students to pursue further language study in Telugu at the intermediate level, to carry out field research in Andhra Pradesh, or to prepare them to advanced work in Telugu Studies. An introduction to Telugu like this will also be useful for students who just want to acquire basic Telugu language skills for learning a new language or being able to communicate with Telugu speaking family and friends or to enjoy Telugu music and films. TELU0100401
TELU 5300-401 Intermediate Telugu Part I Mahboob Ali Mohammad This course is designed to expand the students' basic language skills in Telugu in order to allow them to function adequately in a Telugu-speaking environment, to immerse themselves in the rich Andhra culture, and to accomplish a more advanced competency in an interesting foreign language. This course is also aimed at students planning to conduct scholarly research in Telugu history, literature or society, or humanities or social science fieldwork in Telugu speaking areas. TELU0300401
TELU 5500-401 Advanced Telugu Mahboob Ali Mohammad This is a course designed for students who have completed four semesters of Telugu. TELU1500401
URDU 0100-401 Beginning Hindi-Urdu Part I Josh H. Pien MTWR 12:00 PM-12:59 PM In this course, students learn the fundamentals of Hindi-Urdu through hands-on practice using the language. Classes are interactive and there is a strong emphasis on the acquisition of speaking skills with attention to reading and writing to support this goal. Topics include: introductions; talking about yourself, your friends and your family; describing physical spaces such as the home and the city; daily life and daily routines; and likes, needs, wants, and interests. Students will also engage with level-appropriate authentic materials from the Hindi-Urdu speaking world. Beginning Hindi-Urdu I assumes no previous knowledge of Hindi-Urdu. Students with listening abilities but no speaking abilities are also welcome to enroll. The course teaches a single core spoken language style that is common to both Hindi and Urdu. All written materials are provided in both scripts, and students learn one script of their choosing. HIND0100401
URDU 0300-401 Intermediate Urdu Part I Mustafa A Menai MW 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This course allows students to continue improving their Urdu proficiency while also gaining a broad foundational understanding of Urdu society and culture throughout South Asia. The course provides students the tols needed to handle a variety of authentic written and spoken Urdu sources including film, music, media reports, folk tales, and simple literature. Student will also continue to increase their speaking and writing proficiency to be able to discuss a broad range of concrete, real-world topics. The course is designed for students with one year previous Urdu or Hindi study or the equivalent proficiency. Students with speaking ability in Urdu or Hindi but without reading/writing skills are encouraged to contact the instructor for placement. URDU5300401
URDU 1500-401 Advanced Urdu: Language and Literature Mustafa A Menai MW 12:00 PM-1:29 PM This course is designed to give in-depth exposure to some of the finest works of classical and modern Urdu prose and poetry along with the historical and socio-political trends they represent. Figures covered range from Ghalib (b.1797) to Faiz, Fehmida Riaz, and post 9/11 Urdu prose and poetry. The course is open to both undergraduates and graduate students, subject to having intermediate level proficiency. The course is repeatable, and hte content changes every semester. Multi-media content such as music, videos, blogs etc. will be actively incorporated. Every effort will be made to accommidate individual interests. Students are encouraged to contact the instructor with any questions, or if they are unsure about eligibility. URDU5500401
URDU 5100-401 Beginning Hindi-Urdu Part I Josh H. Pien MTWR 12:00 PM-12:59 PM This introductory course core proficiency in Hindi-Urdu up to the intermediate level. It is designed for students with little or no prior exposure to Hindi or Urdu. The course covers all four language skills (speaking, lsitening, reading, and writing) and all three models of communication (interpersonal, presentational, interpretive). Students will develop literacy skills in the primary script of their choice (Hindi or Urdu script). All written materials will be provided in both scripts. All meetings are interactive and students acquire the language by using it in realistic contexts. Culture is embedded in the activities and is also introduced through various authentic materials. HIND5100401
URDU 5300-401 Intermediate Urdu Part I Mustafa A Menai MW 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This course allows students to continue improving their Urdu proficiency while also gaining a broad foundational understanding of Urdu society and culture throughout South Asia. The course provides students the tols needed to handle a variety of authentic written and spoken Urdu sources including film, music, media reports, folk tales, and simple literature. Student will also continue to increase their speaking and writing proficiency to be able to discuss a broad range of concrete, real-world topics. The course is designed for students with one year previous Urdu or Hindi study or the equivalent proficiency. Students with speaking ability in Urdu or Hindi but without reading/writing skills are encouraged to contact the instructor for placement. URDU0300401
URDU 5500-401 Advanced Urdu: Language and Literature Mustafa A Menai MW 12:00 PM-1:29 PM This course is designed to give in-depth exposure to some of the finest works of classical and modern Urdu prose and poetry along with the historical and socio-political trends they represent. Figures covered range from Ghalib (b.1797) to Faiz, Fehmida Riaz, and post 9/11 Urdu prose and poetry. The course is open to both undergraduates and graduate students, subject to having intermediate level proficiency. The course is repeatable, and hte content changes every semester. Multi-media content such as music, videos, blogs etc. will be actively incorporated. Every effort will be made to accommidate individual interests. Students are encouraged to contact the instructor with any questions, or if they are unsure about eligibility. URDU1500401