Courses for Fall 2017 | South Asia Studies

	Title	Instructor	Location	Time	Description	Fulfills	Registration Notes
BENG 403-680	BEGINNING BENGALI I	BANERJEE, SANJUKTA	WILLIAMS HALL 2	TR 0500PM-0700PM	This course introduces students to colloquial Bengali. It gives equal emphasis to each of the four skills, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Language will be studied in the context of socio-cultural aspects of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Besides lessons from the text, a major portion of the syllabus will be based on topics drawn from films, cultural events, festivals, food, and religion.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
BENG 433-680	ADVANCED BENGALI	BANERJEE, HAIMANTI	WILLIAMS HALL 23	TR 0500PM-0630PM	The objective of this course is to develop the proficiency level of the students in all the four skills by using different genres of Bengali literature (West Bengal and Bangladesh) s its course content. Reading comprehension will be enhanced as students learn to understand authentic texts at the linguistic and cultural level while discussion (description, narration, supporting opinion) on issues related to these texts aim to hone the oral and written skills. Studentswill be allowed to work on individual texts & topics(with the instructors permission)for their final project. This is a one semester course. Spring: Bengali Popular Culture- This course aims to use as its content, different aspects of popular Bengali culture as they are represented in media (film, television, magazines, newspapers) and arts (fashion, local and regional art, music). Students will be expected to develop their linguistic skills (description, narration, supporting opinion) and socio-cultural awareness while interacting with these varied types of texts. Students will be allowed to work on individual texts & topics (with the instructors permission) for their final project. This is a one semester course.
GUJR 402-680	BEGINNING GUJARATI I	DESAI, RAKI	WILLIAMS HALL 27	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	WILLIAMS HALL 27	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	WILLIAMS HALL 304 WILLIAMS HALL 216 WILLIAMS HALL 216	T 0900AM-1030AM R 0900AM-1030AM 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	WILLIAMS HALL 214 WILLIAMS HALL 304	T 1030AM-1200PM R 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	WILLIAMS HALL 301	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-
MLYM 408-680	BEGINNING MALAYALAM I	KURICHI, JAMES	WILLIAMS HALL 29	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	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 19	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	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 19	MW 0430PM-0600PM
PUNJ 404-680	BEGINNING PUNJABI I	GAHUNIA, AMRIT		CANCELED	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	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 17	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	GODDARD LAB 103	TR 1200PM-0130PM	The objective of the course is to improve proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing. This course addresses the individual needs of learners. 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, television, internet, magazines, newspaper, music and film. Weekly written compositions and oral presentations will be assigned. Grading will be based on this.
SAST 001-401	INTRO TO MODERN INDIA	SEVEA, TERENJIT	MCNEIL BUILDING 286-7	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 005-401	PERFORMING ARTS IN SOUTH ASIA	SREENIVASAN, RAMYA	LERNER CENTER (MUSIC BUILDING 101	MW 0200PM-0300PM	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)	SECTION ACTIVITY CO-REQUISITE REQUIRED; CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; ARTS & LETTERS SECTOR; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 006-601	HINDU MYTHOLOGY	PATEL, DEVEN	WILLIAMS HALL 24	T 0500PM-0800PM	Premodern India produced some of the world's greatest myths and stories: tales of gods, goddesses, heroes, princesses, kings and lovers that continue to capture the imaginations of millions of readers and hearers. In this course, we will look closely at some of these stories especially as found in Purana-s, great compendia composed in Sanskrit, including the chief stories of the central gods of Hinduism: Visnu, Siva, and the Goddess. We will also consider the relationship between these texts and the earlier myths of the Vedas and the Indian Epics, the diversity of the narrative and mythic materials within and across different texts, and the re-imagining of these stories in the modern world.	Arts & Letters Sector (all classes)	ARTS & LETTERS SECTOR
SAST 007-401	INTRO MODRN S.ASIA LIT: NEW LITERATURES OF RESISTANCE AND REPRESENTATIONS	GOULDING, GREGORY	WILLIAMS HALL 305	MWF 1000AM-1100AM	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	ANNENBERG SCHOOL 111	MW 1200PM-0100PM	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)	CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCE SECTOR; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 009-401	INTRODUCTION TO HINDUISM	SONEJI, DAVESH	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 25	TR 1200PM-0130PM	This course introduces students to the history, texts, philosophies and rituals of South Asia's oldest living religious traditions, represented today by the term "Hinduism." At the same time, it problematizes the idea of a monolithic "Hindu Tradition", in favor of an approach that recognizes several distinct, dynamic, yet symbiotic Hindu religious cultures. The course also places emphasis on the vitality of today's Hinduism(s), and the various historical, ritual, cultural, and social contexts that they represent and constitute. The course is organized around six modules: (1)Issues in the Academic Study of Hinduism; (2) Sanskrit (textual) tradition; (3) Philosophy; (4) Theology; (5) Ritual; and (6) Modernity and Contemporary Politics.		CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 050-401	INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN PHILOSOPHY	PATEL, DEVEN	MCNEIL BUILDING 309	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, standardsof proof, the discourse on the aims of life. The readings will emphasize classical Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain philosophical articulations (from 700 B.C.Eto 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; CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; HISTORY & TRADITION SECTOR; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 057-301	PLANNING TO BE OFFSHORE	GANGULEE, SRILATA	PSYCHOLOGY LAB C41	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 104-401	BEGINNING TABLA I	BHATTI, AQEEL	WILLIAMS HALL 812	MW 0500PM-0630PM	An introduction to the tabla, the premier drum of north Indian and Pakistani classical music traditions.
SAST 106-401	BEGINNING SITAR I	MINER, ALLYN	WILLIAMS HALL 812	TR 0430PM-0600PM	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 124-401	NARRATIVE ACROSS CULTURES	LOOMBA, ANIA	ANNENBERG SCHOOL 111	TR 0300PM-0430PM	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.	Arts & Letters Sector (all classes)	CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; ARTS & LETTERS SECTOR; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 144-401	MODERN ISLAM AND POETRY	MOHAMMAD, MAHBOOB	WILLIAMS HALL 321	TR 0300PM-0430PM	The transformation of the Middle East into an Islamic civilization and its historical development from the time of Mohammed to the establishment of Ottoman, Savavid, and Mughal empires in the sixteenth century. Rise of Islam, the early Islamic empire, political fragmentation and cultural continuity in Muslim societies from Spain to North India. Within this wide chronological and geographical framework we will focus on the role of Islamic thought, institutions, and identities in a limited number of particularly revealing historical contexts. Primary sources in translation complement the two course textbooks.		CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 146-401	ISLAM IN MODERN WORLD	ELIAS, JAMAL	CLAIRE M. FAGIN HALL (NURSING 110	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 217-404	CU IN S.EAST ASIA: SUFIS AND GODS, TEMPLES AND SHRINES OF S.EAST ASIA	OBROCK, LUTHER		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) 21 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		CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; PERMISSION NEEDED FROM DEPARTMENT; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 217-407	CU IN INDIA: THE PERFORMING ARTS OF MODERN SOUTH INDIA	SONEJI, DAVESH	WILLIAMS HALL 741	TR 0430PM-0600PM	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) 21 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		CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; PERMISSION NEEDED FROM DEPARTMENT; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 252-401	MUSIC OF SOUTH & SE ASIA	SYKES, JAMES	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 406	TR 1030AM-1200PM	What role does music play in articulating religious identities and spaces? What is the importance of ritual musics as they persist and change in the modern world? How does music reflect and articulate religious ways of thinking and acting? In this course, we explore these and other questions about the interrelations between music, religion, and ritual in South and Southeast Asia. Focusing on India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Indonesia, the course emphasizes musics from Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and Christian traditions; nevertheless, it draws widely to touch upon sacred musics in Pakistan, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, and among some indigenous peoples in the region. Throughout, we explore ontologies of sound; sonic occurrences in religious structures, public processions, and pilgrimage sites; the construction of religion and ritual as ideas forg ed through colonial encounter and modern scholarship on religion; the politics of sacred sounds in today's public spaces and contemporary media, such as television and online; and the surprising fluidity between popular and sacred musical genres.
SAST 290-401	SOUTH ASIANS IN THE US	KHAN, FARIHA	STITELER HALL B30	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 405-680	BEGINNING PASHTU I			CANCELED			LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
SAST 407-680	BEGINNING KANNADA I	SWAMINATHAN, VIJAYALAKSHMI		CANCELED	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	WILLIAMS HALL 317	TR 0600PM-0800PM	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	WILLIAMS HALL 820	TR 1030AM-1200PM			PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
SAST 425-680	INTERMEDIATE PASHTU I			CANCELED			PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
SAST 427-680	INTERMEDIATE KANNADA I	SWAMINATHAN, VIJAYALAKSHMI		CANCELED			PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
SAST 517-404	CU IN S.EAST ASIA: INDIA & JAVA: HINDU & BUDDHIST WORLDS	OBROCK, LUTHER		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. The 2-CU course requires: 1) 15 classroom hours at Penn in the Fall term 2) A 12-Day trip to India with the instrucotrduring the winter break to visit key sites and conduct original research (sites vary) 3) 15 classroom hours at Penn in the Spring term and 4) A research paper, due at the end of the spring term. Course enrollment is restricted 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		CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; PERMISSION NEEDED FROM DEPARTMENT; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 517-407	CU IN INDIA: THE PERFORMING ARTS OF MODERN SOUTH INDIA	SONEJI, DAVESH	WILLIAMS HALL 741	TR 0430PM-0600PM	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. The 2-CU course requires: 1) 15 classroom hours at Penn in the Fall term 2) A 12-Day trip to India with the instrucotrduring the winter break to visit key sites and conduct original research (sites vary) 3) 15 classroom hours at Penn in the Spring term and 4) A research paper, due at the end of the spring term. Course enrollment is restricted 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		CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; PERMISSION NEEDED FROM INSTRUCTOR; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 541-401	Religion & Visual Image: Seeing is Believing	ELIAS, JAMAL	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 17	T 0130PM-0430PM	Seeing is Believing engages in a historical, theoretical, and cross-cultural analysis of the place of visuality in religion and of religion in visual culture. We will examine images, buildings, places, objects, performances and events. The geographical, cultural and historical scope of the material is broad, including subjects from Europe, the Islamic World, non-Muslim South Asia, the US and Latin America from the medieval period until the present. Theoretical works will be read in conjunction with representative examples to invite intellectual engagement in a socially and historically grounded way. Important issues to be covered include the relationship of visual to material culture; visual theories versus theories of vision; locating religion in human sensory experience; perception at individual and collective levels; authentics, fakes and simulacra; iconoclasm and image veneration; aesthetics, use and utility; and things.
SAST 543-401	CRITICAL APPROACHES TO RELIGIOUS STUDIES	ROBB, MEGAN		CANCELED
SAST 562-301	MAKING/MEDIEVAL INDIA	ALI, DAUD	WILLIAMS HALL 28	T 0300PM-0600PM	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 millennium 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 worldviews. Special themes of discussion may include violence and manners, material cultures, religious conflict, devotional religion and gender relations.
SAST 618-407	CU IN INDIA: THE PERFORMING ARTS OF MODERN SOUTH 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) 21 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		CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS; PERMISSION NEEDED FROM INSTRUCTOR; CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS
SAST 620-401	Godliness, Miracles, Madness	SEVEA, TERENJIT	DAVID RITTENHOUSE LAB 3N6	R 0130PM-0430PM	This graduate-level course introduces students to religious worlds within port cities of the modern Indian Ocean that were centered upon peripatetic Muslim, Saiva, Christian and Sikh miracle-workers, missionaries and 'gods'. This course will particularly consider how extant, published sources reveal how religion in 19th and 20th century cosmopolitan port cities and islands: was centered upon holy men and women or spiritual beings, and intricately connected to modern economic, political and technological developments in the India Ocean. This course is divided into three parts. In the first part of this course, students will be introduced, on the one hand, to the scholarship on the port cities or islands of, and religions or religious networks in, the modern Indian Ocean. On the other hand, to anthroplogical, historical and literary works on Muslim saints, Christian missionaries and Saiva gods in the Indian Ocean. In the second and main section of this course, students will be introduced to contemporary academic literature pertaining to the inter-linkages between itinerant miracle-workers, missionaries, 'gods' and devotional cults, and economic, political and technological developments in the Indian Ocean. As well as works that explore European institutions, barracks, plantations, cells and asylums, and and steam travel being steeped in customary religion, carnivals, ecstacy, madness and miracle stories. Here, students will be encouraged to consider ways in which a study of religion and religious economies of modern Indian Ocean port cities can be recovered through extracts from a range of anthropological, literary and historical sources. In the third part of this course, students will be encouraged to engage with the question of whether the religion of devotional cults preoccupied with the powers of Muslim, Saiva, Christian, and Sikh miracle-workers, missionaries and 'gods' in cosmopolitan port cities, was a distinct product of circulations within the Indian Ocean.
SAST 627-401	S.ASIAN LIT AS COMP LIT: SOUTH ASIAN LITERATURE AS COMPARATIVE LITERATURE	GOULDING, GREGORY	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 24	M 0330PM-0630PM	This course takes up the question of reading South Asian Literature both as a collection of diverse literary cultures, as well as the basis for a methodology of reading that takes language, region, and history into account. It takes as a starting point recent work that foregrounds the importance of South Asian language literatures, and their complex inteactions, to an understanding of South Asian literary history, as well as critiques of the concept of world literature that question its underlying assumptions and frequent reliance on cosmopolitan languages such as English. In what ways can we describe the many complex interactions between literary cultures in SOuth Asia, rooted in specific historical contexts, reading practices, and cultural expectations, while maintaing attention to language and literary form? How, in turn, can we begin to think of these literatures in interation with larger conversations in the world? With these considerations in mind, we will examine works of criticism dealing with both modern and pre-modern literatures, primarily but not exclusively focused on South Asia. Topics will include the concept of the cosmopolis in literary and cultural history, the role of translation, the transformations of literature under colonialism, and twentieth centure literary movements such as realism and Dalit literature. Readings may include works by Erich Auerbach, Frederic Jameson, Aijaz Ahmad, Gayatri Spivak, Aamir Mufti, Sheldon Pollack, David Shulman, Yigal Bronner, Shamshur Rahman Faruqi, Francesca Orsini, Subramanian Shankar, Sharankumar Kimbale, and Torlae Jatin Gajarawala. We will also examine selected works, in English and in translation, as case studies for discussion. This course is intended both for students who intend to specialize in the study of South Asia, as well as for those who focus on questions of comparative literature more broadly.
SAST 632-301	HINDUISM&COLONIAL MDRNTY: HINDUISM AND COLONIAL MODERNITY	SONEJI, DAVESH		CANCELED	This seminar deals with the question of modernity in South Asia, with a specific focus on the construction, dissemination, and politicization of Hinduism in nineteenth and twentieth century India. It focuses on three central heuristic lenses--namely those of European imperialism, Orientalism, and nationalism--to study modernity and its discontents. What was at stake in the encounter between colonial modernity and India's religions in nineteenth and early twentieth centuries? How did colonial and native discourses on "reform" and "revival" shape Indian religions as we understand them today? How is modern "Hinduism" inextricably hinged to early forms of cultural transnationalism, Orientalism, and incipient forms of nationalism? This seminar approaches questions such as these and others, with an eye to understanding how nineteenth and early twentieth century discourses continue to shape contemporary understandings of Hinduism in deep and highly politicized ways.		PERMISSION NEEDED FROM INSTRUCTOR
SAST 711-401	SOUTH ASIAN ARCHITECTURE: South Asian Architecture: Practice and Symbolism	MEISTER, MICHAEL	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 17	R 0130PM-0430PM	Research seminar. Topics change. Spring 2016: We will examine the practice and symbolism of South Asian Architecture with case studies of how to build and how to make buildings meaningful.
SKRT 460-001	SANSKRIT 1ST YEAR PART I	LORNDALE, TIMOTHY	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 140	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	WILLIAMS HALL 843	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 480-001	READINGS IN SANKRIT LIT	PATEL, DEVEN	WILLIAMS HALL 219	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	WILLIAMS HALL 4	MW 0500PM-0700PM	This course introduces students to colloquial Tamil and formal written Tamil. A balance between production skills, viz. writing and speaking, and comprehension skills, viz. 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 software made available at the MMETS Server. This software will be customized to the needs of students.		LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE
TAML 426-680	INTERMEDIATE TAMIL I	RENGANATHAN, VASU	WILLIAMS HALL 3	TR 0500PM-0630PM	This course develops the skills obtained either from the Beginning Tamil course or from students' prior exposure to Tamil. The emphasis will be on using the language in actual environments both in spoken medium and in written medium. Multimedia materials such as audio and video facilities will be used extensively to provide students an exposure to the Tamil culture and customs. 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 appropriate software equipped with multimedia facilities.		PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; THE FIRST TERM OF A TWO-TERM COURSE
TAML 446-680	ADVANCED TAMIL	RENGANATHAN, VASU	WILLIAMS HALL 3	TR 0630PM-0800PM			PRIOR LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE; ONE TERM COURSE
TAML 489-380	READINGS CLASSICAL TAMIL	RENGANATHAN, VASU		TBA TBA-			LANGUAGE SKILLS COURSE
TELU 409-001	BEGINNING TELUGU I	MOHAMMAD, MAHBOOB	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 17	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	WILLIAMS HALL 826	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	WILLIAMS HALL 304 WILLIAMS HALL 216 WILLIAMS HALL 216	T 0900AM-1030AM R 0900AM-1030AM 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	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 19	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	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 19	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
URDU 452-301	URDU POETRY IN TRNSLTN: URDU POETRY IN TRANSLATION: POETRY OF RESISTANCE, I AM TRUTH - ANUL HAQ	MENAI, MUSTAFA	FISHER-BENNETT HALL 19	TR 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.