Courses for Fall 2018 | South Asia Studies

	Title	Instructor	Time	Description	Fulfills	Registration Notes
BENG 423-680	INTERMEDIATE BENGALI I	BANERJEE, HAIMANTI	TR 0500PM-0630PM	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.
GUJR 402-680	BEGINNING GUJARATI I	DESAI, RAKI	MW 0500PM-0700PM	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.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE
GUJR 422-680	INTERMEDIATE GUJARATI I	DESAI, RAKI	MW 0700PM-0830PM	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.		PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
HIND 400-401	BEGINNING HINDI-URDU - Part I	PIEN, JOSHUA	TR 0300PM-0430PM F 1100AM-1200PM	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.
HIND 420-001	INTERMEDIATE HINDI I	PIEN, JOSHUA	TR 1030AM-1200PM	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.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE
HIND 430-001	Readings in Hindi Literature	PIEN, JOSHUA	TR 0130PM-0300PM	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.		PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE
HIND 500-001	BEG HIN/URD FOR GRADS	SREENIVASAN, RAMYA	TBA TBA-	Beginning in the fall semester of 2014 Beginning Hindi and Beginning Urdu will be merged into a single course, Beginning Hindi-Urdu. At the beginning level spoken Urdu and Hindi are identical except for a few minor points. The broad outline of the course will thus remain the same as that of the current Beginning Hindi and Urdu courses. Students will learn to communicate with the language in a variety of everyday culturally authentic situations. Additional Urdu and Hindi culture will be integrated through authentic materials such as Bollywood film and music clips, and simple written texts. There will be equal emphasis on both scripts and cultures, and parallel written materials will be provided in both scripts. Students will be expected to develop first-year proficiency in one script of their choice, and will be encouraged to learn both. By merging the two courses students will be exposed to a broader range of linguistic and cultural styles, and students will thus have the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding that more closely resembles that of Hindi and Urdu native speakers. Please direct further inquiries to Josh Pien at jpien@sas.upenn.edu See schedule and classroom for HIND400/401
HIND 520-001	INTERMEDIATE HIND GRADS	SREENIVASAN, RAMYA	TBA TBA-	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.
HIND 530-001	ADV HINDI FOR GRADS	SREENIVASAN, RAMYA	TBA TBA-	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.
MLYM 408-680	BEGINNING MALAYALAM I	KURICHI, JAMES	TR 0600PM-0800PM	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.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
MLYM 428-680	INTERMEDIATE MALAYALAM I	KURICHI, JAMES	MW 0600PM-0730PM	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.		PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
MLYM 438-680	ADVANCED MALAYALAM	KURICHI, JAMES	MW 0430PM-0600PM	Reading, writing, comprehension, grammer and speaking at the advnaced level of Malayam are the objectives of this course.
PUNJ 404-680	BEGINNING PUNJABI I	GAHUNIA, AMRIT	MW 0100PM-0300PM	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.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
PUNJ 424-680	INTERMEDIATE PUNJABI I	GAHUNIA, AMRIT	TR 0430PM-0600PM	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.		PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
PUNJ 434-680	ADVANCED PUNJABI	GAHUNIA, AMRIT	TBA TBA-	The objective of the course is to improve proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Fall semester: Readings in Punjabi Literature - This course addresses the individual needs of learners. This is a one semester course. The focus of the course will be to study the interpretation of written and oral materials on social, political and contemporary cultural topics from modern literature, literary criticism, poetry and drama. Weekly written compositions and oral presentations will be assigned. Grading will be based on this. Spring semester: Punjabi Popular Culture- This course focuses on different aspects of popular Punjabi culture as they are represented in media - television, internet, magazines, newspapers, film, and music. This course aims at making the best use of class participation to improve all four language skills. This is also a one semester course.
SAST 001-401	INTRO TO MODERN INDIA	SEVEA, TERENJIT	TR 1200PM-0130PM	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.	History & Tradition Sector (all classes)	CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; HISTORY & TRADITION SECTOR; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 005-601	PERFORM ARTS SOUTH ASIA	GURURAJA, SAMANA	TR 0500PM-0630PM	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)	CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; ARTS & LETTERS SECTOR; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 007-401	INTRO MODRN S.ASIA LIT: NEW LITERATURES OF RESISTANCE AND REPRESENTATIONS	GOULDING, GREGORY	MW 0200PM-0330PM	This course will provide a wide-ranging introduction to the literatures of South Asia from roughly 1500 to the present, as well as an exploration of their histories and impact on South Asian society today. How are literary movements and individual works- along with the attitudes towards religion, society, and culture associated with them - still influential in literature, film, and polular culture? How have writers across time and language engaged with questions of caste, gender, and identity? We will read from the rich archive of South Asian writing in translation - from languages that include Braj, Urdu, Bangla, and Tamil - to consider how these literatures depict their own society while continuing to resonate across time and space. Topics of dicussion will include the Bhakti poetries of personal devotion, the literature of Dalits - formerly referred to as the Untouchables - and the ways in which literature addresses contemporary political and social problems. Students will leave this course with a sense of the contours of the literatures of South Asia as well as ways of exploring the role of these literatures in the larger world. No prior knowledge of South Asia is required; this course fulfills the cross-cultural analysis requirement.		CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 008-401	INDIA: CULTURE & SOCIETY	SREENIVASAN, RAMYA	MW 0200PM-0300PM	What makes India INDIA? Religion and Philosophy? Architectural splendor? Kingdoms? Caste? The position of women? This course will introduce students to India by studying a range of social and cultural institutions that have historically assumed to be definitive India. Through primary texts, novels and historical sociological analysis, we will ask how these institutions have been reproduced and transformed, and assess their significance for contemporary Indian society.	Hum & Soc Sci Sector (new curriculum only)	SECTION ACTIVITY CO-REQUISITE REQUIRED; CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCE SECTOR; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 050-401	INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN PHILOSOPHY	PATEL, DEVEN	MW 1100AM-1200PM	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.		SECTION ACTIVITY CO-REQUISITE REQUIRED
SAST 057-301	PLANNING TO BE OFFSHORE	GANGULEE, SRILATA	TR 1200PM-0130PM	Freshman Seminar. In this course we will trace the economic development of India from 1947 to the present. Independent India started out as a centrally planned economy in 1949 but in 1991 decided to reduce its public sector and allow, indeed encourage, foreign investors to come in. The Planning Commission of India still exists but has lost much of its power. Many in the U.S. complain of American jobs draining off to India, call centers in India taking care of American customer complaints, American patient histories being documented in India, etc. At the same time, the U.S. government encourages highly trained Indians to be in the U.S. Students are expected to write four one-page response papers and one final paper. Twenty percent of the final grade will be based on class participation, 20 percent on the four response papers and 60 percent on the final paper.		FRESHMAN SEMINAR; FRESHMAN SEMINAR
SAST 058-401	Doing Research: Qualitative Methods and Research	MITCHELL, LISA	TR 1030AM-1200PM	This interdisciplinary course introduces students to qualitative research methods and frameworks in the social sciences and humanities. The goals of the semester will be for each student to develop their own research proposal for a specific project that they could imagine pursuing over the summer or later in their undergraduate career,and to develop a web-based exhibit of one Penn-based research collection of interest. Students will be introduced to a range of textual, archival and media collections and databases available at Penn, with particular attention to South Asia and other specific regions of interest to course participants. The class will visit the Penn Musuem object collections and archives, the Art library, the Kislak Center for Rare Books and Manuscripts, Film Archives, and other special collections on campus, and meet with a representative from the Center for Undergraduate Research Funding (CURF). Students will learn how to frame an effective research question, situate it in relation to existing research, select the most appropriate methods for addressing the question, and develop an effective research plan. Each week students will be introduced to a new set of frameworks for analysis, see specific examples of their application drawn from anthropological, historical, and related scholarship and have opportunities to practice applying and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of specific methodological tools. Students will also have the opportunity to identify sources of funding for summer research projects and prepare applications for these opportunities as part of the course. The course is ideal as an introduction to both the excellent libraries and research collections housed at Penn, and to a wide range of intellectual frameworks for engaging with these collections - a great way to kick off your undergraduate experience at Penn!		CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; FRESHMAN SEMINAR; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS; FRESHMAN SEMINAR
SAST 104-401	BEGINNING TABLA I	BHATTI, AQEEL	MW 0500PM-0630PM	An introduction to the tabla, the premier drum of north Indian and Pakistani classical music traditions.
SAST 146-401	ISLAM IN MODERN WORLD	ELIAS, JAMAL	TR 1030AM-1200PM	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.	Hum & Soc Sci Sector (new curriculum only)	HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCE SECTOR
SAST 148-301	REL LITERATURES OF INDIA: RELIGIOUS LITERATURES OF INDIA	MOHAMMAD, MAHBOOB	TR 0130PM-0300PM	Beginning with the classical times until now, Indian religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity have a connected history with various literary forms such as poetry and prose narrative. Why and how Indian literatures and religious share a similar history of such an influential narrative tradition? Focusing on this primary question, we study the intersections of religions and literartures of India in classical, pre-modern and contemporary times. Throughout the course, we read several literary texts and learn to interpret and compare diverse literary practices that define the religions of India. Most importantly, we try to capture the contours of the Indian religious writing articulated in multiple settings and many variations that include hymns, chants, epic verses, bhajans and prose narratives along with contemporary literary practices that deal with class, caste, and gender discourses.		CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 169-401	WORLDS OF INDIAN OCEAN	PETRIE, IAN	TR 0300PM-0430PM	Do oceans serve to divide and demarcate distinct cultures and regions? Or do they facilitate exchange, connection and cosmopolitanism? This course will explore the manner in which the Indian Ocean has played both roles throughout history, and how the nature of those divisions and connections has changed over time from the ancient to the modern world. We will reconstruct the intertwined mercantile, religious and kinship networks that spanned the Indian Ocean world, across the Middle East, East Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia and China, illuminating the histories of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam, while also considering the role of successive imperial political formations, from Rome to Britain. Throughout the semester we will seek to understand the Indian Ocean through the people who lived and worked in its milieu - from consuls and military commanders, to traders, brokers, sailors, prisoners and slaves. Course materials will draw on a variety of disciplines (anthroplogy, archaeology, material culture, religious studies) to construct the cultural, economic, and environmental history of the Indian Ocean.
SAST 217-301	CU IN INDIA		CANCELED	C.U. in India is a hybrid, domestic/overseas course series which provides students with the opportunity to have an applied learning and cultural experience in India or South East Asia where students participate in 1) 28 classrom hours in the Fall term 2) a 12-day trip to India or South East Asia with the instructor during the winter break visiting key sites and conducting original research (sites vary) 3) 28 classroom hours at Penn in the Spring term and 4) a research paper, due at the end of the Spring term. Course enrollment is limited to students admitted to the program. For more information and the program application go to http://sites.sas.upenn.edu/cuinindia This is a 2-CU yearlong course DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS MARCH 31st		PERMISSION NEEDED FROM INSTRUCTOR
SAST 217-302	CU IN INDIA		CANCELED	C.U. in India is a hybrid, domestic/overseas course series which provides students with the opportunity to have an applied learning and cultural experience in India or South East Asia where students participate in 1) 28 classrom hours in the Fall term 2) a 12-day trip to India or South East Asia with the instructor during the winter break visiting key sites and conducting original research (sites vary) 3) 28 classroom hours at Penn in the Spring term and 4) a research paper, due at the end of the Spring term. Course enrollment is limited to students admitted to the program. For more information and the program application go to http://sites.sas.upenn.edu/cuinindia This is a 2-CU yearlong course DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS MARCH 31st		PERMISSION NEEDED FROM INSTRUCTOR
SAST 269-401	MIGRATION & MIDDLE EAST	SHARKEY, HEATHER	M 0200PM-0500PM	This reading and discussion-intensive seminar examines the phenomenon of migration into, out of, within, and across the Middle East and North Africa. We will focus on the period from the late nineteenth century to the present, and will emphasize the cultural (rather than economic) consequences of migration. Along the way we will trace connections between the Middle East and other regions-- notably the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, the Caucasus, and Western Europe. Readings are interdisciplinary and include works of history, anthropology, sociology, medical research, literature, political science, geography, and human rights advocacy. As students develop final projects on topics of their choice, we will spend time throughout the semester discussing tactics for research and writing.		CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 290-401	SOUTH ASIANS IN THE US	KHAN, FARIHA	TR 1200PM-0130PM	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.		CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN US; CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE US
SAST 340-401	Religious Bodies and Sex in South Asia	SEVEA, TERENJIT	T 0300PM-0600PM	This graduate-level course introduces students to the writings of key religious scholars in modern South Asia who associated the regeneration of Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism with the cultivation of bodies and sexual practices. Particular attention will be paid towards religious texts produced in modern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh pertaining to sexual bodies, excercises and health; celibacy; body-building; the transmission of sexual knowledge; and the political roles of the 'Hindu', 'Muslim' and 'Sikh' body. In this course, students will be encouraged to engage a range of sources including religio-sexual manuals, autobiographies, novels, speeches, pamphlets, official records, recipes and films. Moreover, students will be introduced to the academic literature on South Asian religious scholars and 'sex gurus' in South and Southeast Asia; religious sexuality in South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe; and, the transcultural literary networks that led to the production of religio-sexual texts in modern South Asia.
SAST 405-680	BEGINNING PASHTU I		MW 0500PM-0700PM	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.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
SAST 407-680	BEGINNING KANNADA I	SWAMINATHAN, VIJAYALAKSHMI	MW 0530PM-0730PM	This is a systematic introduction to the Kannada language and culture for beginners. The course aims at developing listening and comprehension and a real life interactive speaking ability in a variety of everyday topics. The Kannada script is introduced from the beginning and the language is presented in its socio-cultural context for achieving a meaningful and operational control of the language. Students acquire basic rules for structural and socio-cultural appropriateness. Students learn vocabulary related to a variety of topics during the semester. Class activities include watching videos, role-playing, language games and group work. Evaluation is based on class participation, performance in quizzes and tests and completed assignments.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
SAST 410-680	BEGINNING MARATHI I	RANADE, MILIND	MW 0300PM-0500PM	The first year course in Marathi begins with learning the Devnagari script which is common for other important languages like Hindi and Nepali. With proper emphasis on grammar, vocabulary, and phonetics, the syllabus will see the student becoming able to speak conversational Marathi, read Marathi data from the Internet, and compose simple short essays on selected topics.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
SAST 412-680	INTERMEDIATE MARATHI I	RANADE, MILIND	MW 0500PM-0630PM	Intermediate Marathi builds up upon the Beginning Level of Marathi. Gaining ability to speak about past and future is the most important skill in the intermediate course. Students learn the grammar, vocabulary, sentence structures to narrate and write in simple language about their experiences, short anecdotes, their observations and opinions and future plans.		PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
SAST 425-680	INTERMEDIATE PASHTU I		MW 0700PM-0830PM	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.		PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
SAST 427-680	INTERMEDIATE KANNADA I	SWAMINATHAN, VIJAYALAKSHMI	MW 0400PM-0530PM	This course continues the study of the Kannada language and culture from where the beigginers II course ended. The course continues developing listening and comprehension and a real life interactive speaking ability in a variety of everyday topics. The Kannada script is learned in its socio-cultural context for achieving a meaningful and operational control of the language. Students acquire rules for structural and socio-cultural appropriateness. Students learn vocabulary related to a variety of topics during the semester. Class activities include watching videos, role-playing, language games and group work. Evaluation is based on class participation, performance in quizzes and tests and completed assignments.		PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
SAST 593-301	CASTE & CLASS SOUTH ASIA	SREENIVASAN, RAMYA	R 0300PM-0600PM	This course will explore the histiography and theory of caste and class in South Asia. While we will survey the evidence from the pre-modern period briefly, the primary focus of the course will be on the period between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries. We will examine the degree to which colonial rule triggered particular kinds of class-oriented and caste-oriented 'reform', and the extent to which South Asian actors themselves shaped the nature of such change. The course will also provide an introduction to the work of the Subaltern school historians who have engaged with such questions, and situate them within the wider field of South Asian historiography.
SAST 626-401	SOUTH ASIAN MODERNISMS: LITERATURE,HISTORY,THEORY	GOULDING, GREGORY	M 0330PM-0630PM	This course will explore the multiple literary modernisms of South Asia, interpreted broadly to include the wide range of literary movements in South Asia during the mid-twentieth century. We will begin with the question of definitions before exploring key moments and problems in the complex histories of these literatures. What is literary modernism in South Asian literature? How can it be contextualized within a larger framework of literary modernity? What are hte key conceptual problems brought up within these literatures and the critical discourses associated with them, and how can they be seen in a common framework? How can South Asian modernisms be viewed in relation to modernist periods elsewhere in the world? Key points of methodological inquiry will include the literary history of modern South Asian literatures, the role of translation, and the interaction between artistic movements and global politics. Readings will be in English or in translation, and will include both primary documents as well as other literatures when relevant, and will include works by Rabindranath tagore, Gajana Madhav Muktibodh, Satyajit Ray, Bal Sitaram Mardhekar, Ezra Pound, Virginia Woolf, Bertold Brecht, O.V. Vijayan, Cesar vellejo, Dilip Chitre, and Arun Kolatkar. This course is intended for anyone interested in the history of literary modernism, as well as anyone looking for a deeper understanding of modern South Asian literatures. No proficiency in languages other than English is required, but when possible, we will refer to texts in their original language.
SAST 640-401	RELIGIOUS BODIES & SEX: RELIGIOUS BODIES AND SEX IN SOUTH ASIA	SEVEA, TERENJIT	T 0300PM-0600PM	This graduate-level course introduces students to the writings of key religious scholars in modern South Asia who associated the regeneration of Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism with the cultivation of bodies and sexual practices. Particular attention will be paid towards religious texts produced in modern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh pertaining to sexual bodies, excercises and health; celibacy; body-building; the transmission of sexual knowledge; and the political roles of the 'Hindu', 'Muslim' and 'Sikh' body. In this course, students will be encouraged to engage a range of sources including religio-sexual manuals, autobiographies, novels, speeches, pamphlets, official records, recipes and films. Moreover, students will be introduced to the academic literature on South Asian religious scholars and 'sex gurus' in South and Southeast Asia; religious sexuality in South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe; and, the transcultural literary networks that led to the production of religio-sexual texts in modern South Asia.
SAST 686-401	History of Islam in South Asia	ROBB, MEGAN	MW 0200PM-0330PM	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.
SAST 769-401	FEMINIST THEORY: POSTCOLONIAL FEMINISMS	LOOMBA, ANIA	T 1200PM-0300PM	Specific topic varies. Dissent is a key word in our world today--from the Arab Spring to the American Fall, we have seen expressions of political disobedience and protest around the world. It is more urgent than ever to consider what dissent might mean, what shapes it has taken historically, what connection might exist between it and literature, and what futures are possible. We will read key critical and theoretical work alongside some powerful, tender and controversial writings and films (largely but not exclusively produced in the postcolonial world), to inquire into the politics and poetics of governance and dissent. Students are invited to make connections with other historical and geographical contexts, and explore the different forms of dissent individual, collective, urban, rural, nationalist, pan-nationalist, religious, marxist, or feminist, to name but a few. We will pay special attention to different performances of dissent at a popular, mass or individual level. We will think about the social and cultural channels attention to different performances of dissent at a popular, mass or See the English Department's website at www.english.upenn.edu for a complete description of the current offerings. Students are invited to make connections with other historical and geographical contexts,as we explore the different forms of dissent- individual,collective, urban, rural, nationalist, pan-nationalist, religious, marxist, or feminist, to name but a few. We will pay special attention to different performances of dissent at a popular, mass, or individual level. We will think about the social and cultural channels through which dissent is expressed, spread or quelled, how it might morph, or become obsolete, or give rise to new forms of disobedience.		PERMISSION NEEDED FROM INSTRUCTOR
SKRT 460-001	SANSKRIT 1ST YEAR PART I		MWF 1100AM-1200PM	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.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE
SKRT 470-001	SANSKRIT 2ND YEAR PART I	ALI, DAUD	MF 0200PM-0330PM	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.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE
SKRT 480-301	READINGS IN SANKRIT LIT		F 0200PM-0500PM	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.
TAML 406-680	BEGINNING TAMIL I	RENGANATHAN, VASU	MW 0500PM-0700PM	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.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE
TAML 426-680	INTERMEDIATE TAMIL I	RENGANATHAN, VASU	TR 0500PM-0630PM	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.		PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
TAML 446-680	ADVANCED TAMIL	RENGANATHAN, VASU	TR 0630PM-0800PM	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.		PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; ONE TERM COURSE
TELU 409-001	BEGINNING TELUGU I	MOHAMMAD, MAHBOOB	MTWR 1200PM-0100PM	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.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE
TELU 429-001	INTERMEDIATE TELUGU I	MOHAMMAD, MAHBOOB	MW 0200PM-0330PM	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.		PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; PENN LANGUAGE CENTER PERMISSION NEEDED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
URDU 401-401	BEGINNING HINDI-URDU - PART I	PIEN, JOSHUA	TR 0300PM-0430PM F 1100AM-1200PM	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.
URDU 421-401	INTERMEDIATE URDU I	MENAI, MUSTAFA	TR 0130PM-0300PM	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.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE
URDU 431-401	ADVANCED URDU	MENAI, MUSTAFA	TR 0300PM-0430PM	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.		CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE
URDU 452-301	URDU LIT IN TRANSLATION: URDU POETRY IN TRANSLATION: POETRY OF RESISTANCE, I AM TRUTH - ANUL HAQ	MENAI, MUSTAFA	T 1030AM-1200PM R 1030AM-1200PM	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.