Minor in South Asian Studies
College of Liberal & Creative Arts
Dean: Dr. Ifeoma Kiddoe Nwankwo
Minor in South Asian Studies
Fine Arts Building, Room 366
Phone: (415) 338-6511
Co-Coordinator: Santhi Kavuri-Bauer, School of Art
Science Building, Room 222
Phone: (415) 338-7541
Co-Coordinator: Christopher Chekuri, Department of History
Program Scope
South Asia refers to Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. These countries are members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The Minor in South Asian Studies is multidisciplinary and designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the culture, history, economics, and politics of South Asia and its diaspora. The region of South Asia is a crucial area of study given its linguistic, ethnic, and religious diversity (its traditions draw from Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, and others), its experience of British colonial rule and independence, its recent economic expansion and technological influence globally, and the widespread migration of South Asians over the last century. The study of South Asia thus offers students opportunities to explore pressing questions concerning colonialism and nationalism, political conflict and government, economic liberalization, cultural diversity and its expression in literature, art, and popular culture, and globalization.
The South Asian Studies minor is useful for students planning careers in education, social service, law, politics, government, business, media, and art, both nationally and internationally. It also prepares students for graduate study in a number of academic fields.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the diversity and complexity of South Asian culture, politics, history, immigration, and other social formations.
- Articulate and critically evaluate main discourses and debates in the scholarship of South Asian studies through research and response papers, exams, and class presentations.
- Apply theory and methodology from a range of academic disciplines in the arts, humanities, and social sciences to communicate the causes of South Asian historical and current debates.
South Asian Studies Minor
The minor consists of 18 units; three courses are taken from the core curriculum, which give students a basic framework for South Asian studies. These courses fully concentrate on South Asia and/or the diaspora and provide students with a broad introduction to the history, culture, and politics of South Asia (one course each needs to be taken from the clusters of “Culture of South Asia,” “History and Politics of South Asia,” and “South Asian Diaspora”).
The remaining units can be taken from the core curriculum or from a long list of electives. Elective courses provide the opportunity for more in-depth or topical and comparative study as well as the study of South Asia in relation to other regions of the world.
The minor is designed to give flexibility to students who can select from courses across disciplines, including Art History, Asian American Studies, Economics, English, Ethnic Studies, History, Holistic Health, Humanities, International Business, International Relations, Philosophy, Political Science, and Women and Gender Studies.
For more information, contact the program directors: Santhi Kavuri-Bauer or Christopher Chekuri.
South Asian Studies Minor – 12 units minimum
A minimum of 6 upper-division units are required to complete the minor.
All coursework used to satisfy the requirements of the minor must be completed with a minimum grade point average of 2.0.
Requirements (12-16 units)
Select four courses from the list below. Only two classes may be taken from any one department:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AA S 210 | History of Asians in the United States | 3 |
| AA S 540 | South Asians in the United States | 3 |
| ARTH/HUM 205 | Asian Art History | 3 |
| ARTH 411 | South Asian Art I: Neolithic to Medieval Periods | 3 |
| ARTH 412 | South Asian Art II: Early Modern to Contemporary Periods | 3 |
| ARTH/HUM 496 | Art, Architecture, and Space in the Islamic World | 3 |
| HIST 370/HUM 582/CLAS 582 | Tales from Ancient India: Hinduism and Buddhism | 3 |
| HIST 372 | India and the British Empire | 3 |
| HIST 373 | Contemporary India | 3 |
| HIST 374/HUM 586 | Bollywood and Beyond: Indian History Through Film | 3 |
| I R 335 | Muslim Societies in Transnational Perspective | 4 |
| I R 460/HIST 430 | Rising Powers | 4 |
| PLSI/I R 412 | South Asian Politics | 4 |
| PLSI/I R 416 | Ethnicity and Nationalism | 4 |
| RRS 657/AA S 541 | South Asian Diaspora | 3 |