SOCI305

(Study Abroad course). This course is an introduction to contemporary Indian life and culture, and provides a scaffold for the subsequent courses on development, sustainability and social movements that comprise the India Study Abroad semester program. In addition, the course also serves as the springboard for many field study project ideas. Through a combination of readings, lectures, films, field study experiences, reflection journals, and assignments, students will gain foundational knowledge about contemporary India and its complex and often contradictory contexts. At the same time, we will also explore the ways in which contemporary India's strengths and weaknesses are rooted in the extensive, complicated history.

Any course on Indian culture must be premised on both its contemporary image, and the historical precedents that influence and impact India's current social, political, and economic realities. Through this course students will explore the key facets of modern Indian life and culture--social structures, economic issues, geographic constraints, and religious and philosophical traditions. By studying the political, social, cultural and religious history (from pre-colonial to post-colonial times) and the varied geography of the subcontinent, students will gain a framework for understanding Indian civilization and relating this knowledge to the political, social and economic challenges in modern Indian society.