Sophomore Seminar: Gandhi and His Precursors
HIST 181
Spring 2013 not offered
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| Certificates: South Asia Studies |
This course examines the life and work of Mohandas K. Gandhi and explores the intellectual and ideological influences that shaped his career in politics and social activism. Popularly known as Mahatma, or Great Soul, Gandhi stands out above all other characters in the story of India's independence. His visionary leadership of a national nonviolent movement against the British empire is often portrayed as an achievement of singular charisma and unprecedented political methods. Yet Gandhi's undeniable originality in thought and action was informed by an eclectic assembly of writers, politicians, mystics, and social reformers who preceded him. Far from being a lone genius, Gandhi's greatest skill was marshaling the best human and intellectual resources he could find toward his goal of releasing India from the materials and psychological bonds of empire. Through a close study of figures such as Leo Tolstoy, Henry David Thoreau, John Ruskin, Annie Besant, Swami Vivekananda, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, and Rabindranath Tagore, our course will investigate how Gandhi drew on existing ideas as he helped forge a new future for India and the world. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
Major Readings:
M.K. Gandhi, AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY: THE STORY OF MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH (Beacon, 1993)
Anthony Parel, ed., HIND SWARAJ AND OTHER WRITINGS (Cambridge, 2009)
Elleke Boehmer, ed., EMPIRE WRITING (Oxford, 2009)
Ashis Nandy, THE INTIMATE ENEMY (Oxford, 2010)
Leo Tolstoy, LAST STEPS: THE LATE WRITINGS OF LEO TOLSTOY (Penguin, 2009)
Dennis Dalton, MAHATMA GANDHI: NONVIOLENT POWER IN ACTION
TRANSCENDENTALISM: ESSENTIAL ESSAYS OF EMERSON & THOREAU (Prestwick House, 2008)
Rabindranath Tagore, THE HOME AND THE WORLD (Penguin, 2005)
and selected articles and handouts
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Examinations and Assignments:
Three reading responses (2 pages each); midterm research project; final paper based on primary sources and shaped by an understanding of relevant secondary sources; and active class participation. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Students are expected to attend every class and come prepared to participate in the discussion. Reading should be completed before each class meeting and will be used as the basis for discussion.
This course counts toward the South Asian Studies certificate as a "Historical Inquiry" course. |
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