This module introduces students to the field of history, with a focus on East, Southeast, and South Asia. Among the topics to be discussed are interaction with the West, various forms of nationalism, and the impact of globalization. Students are encouraged to think comparatively and to formulate their own opinions and positions on historical issues based on what they have learned in the module. The module is intended for students from any faculty who are interested in learning more about the history of the region.
Students can expect to attain:
An informed, broad understanding of Asian History from earliest times to the present (with a focus on modern history)
An introduction to historical thinking (causality, change over time, context, contingency, complexity), the "tools" provided by historical analysis
An ability to engage and think about contemporary Asia critically by learning how to identify connections between past and present, and historicize and situate events, processes, and individuals
An appreciation of and introduction to comparative analysis of societies, patterns, and dynamics