1
课程详述
COURSE SPECIFICATION
以下课程信息可能根据实际授课需要或在课程检讨之后产生变动。如对课程有任何疑问，请
联系授课教师。
The course information as follows may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen
circumstances, or following review of the course at the end of the session. Queries about the course should be
directed to the course instructor.
1.
课程名称 Course Title
南亚社会文化导论
Society and Culture of a Subcontinent: Introduction to Anthropology of South Asia
2.
授课院系
Originating Department
社会科学中心 Center for Social Sciences
3.
课程编号
Course Code
SS142
4.
课程学分 Credit Value
2
5.
课程类别
Course Type
通识选修课程 General Education (GE) Elective Courses
6.
授课学期
Semester
秋季 Fall
7.
授课语言
Teaching Language
英文 English
8.
授课教师、所属学系、联系方
式（如属团队授课，请列明其
他授课教师）
Instructor(s), Affiliation&
Contact
（For team teaching, please list
all instructors）
Shakir Ullah 青年会士 Junior Fellow
Society of Fellows in The Liberal Arts, SUSTech 南方科技大学人文社会科学荣誉学会
Email: shakir@mail.sustech.edu.cn
9.
实验员/助教、所属学系、联系
方式
Tutor/TA(s), Contact
无 NA
10.
选课人数限额(可不填)
Maximum Enrolment
（Optional）
2
11.
授课方式
Delivery Method
讲授
Lectures
习题/辅导/讨论
Tutorials
其它(请具体注明)
Other（Pleasespecify）
总学时
Total
学时数
Credit Hours
32
32
12.
先修课程、其它学习要求
Pre-requisites or Other
Academic Requirements
无 NA
13.
后续课程、其它学习规划
Courses for which this
course is a pre-requisite
无 NA
14.
其它要求修读本课程的学系
Cross-listing Dept.
无 NA
教学大纲及教学日历 SYLLABUS
15.
教学目标 Course Objectives
South Asia is the region that includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Maldive and Sri Lanka.
It is one of the world’s culturally diverse and most densely populated regions. The course introduces students to some
core topics in the anthropology of South Asia, such as the study of caste and class, different rituals, cuisines, kinship,
South Asian religion (Hinduism, Islam and Christianity), etc. South Asia provides rich material to learn about
colonialism, nation-building, interethnic relations, and Asian connections, including China (especially recent one as Belt
and Road Initiative). It gives students a chance to explore not only the historical similarities among people but also the
current differences, diversity, and disparities that make up this as one of the most complex regions in the world. Using a
rich body of anthropological research on South Asia, this course will examine several of these topics and more in this
course through lectures, section discussion, readings and ethnographic films.
16.
预达学习成果 Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
-become familiar with the history, physical geography, demographics, religions, caste, kinship, and other cultural
characteristics of South Asian countries
- learn more about cultural diversity in South Asia
-gain a broad perspective and tools for thinking critically, globally, and crossculturally and for locating oneself in this
world
-learn about increasing connections between South Asia and other Asian countries including China
17.
课程内容及教学日历 （如授课语言以英文为主，则课程内容介绍可以用英文；如团队教学或模块教学，教学日历须注明
主讲人）
Course Contents (in Parts/Chapters/Sections/Weeks. Please notify name of instructor for course section(s), if
this is a team teaching or module course.)
2 hours per week，32 hours in total
Week-1: (2Hrs) Course Introduction
Week-2: (2Hrs) Introduction, what is South Asia
Geographical map of South Asia
Major geographic features of South Asia
Major civilizations in South Asia
Readings: Course lecture notes Chapter 1
Film: Local Life in India vs Pakistan: 14 Major Differences in 14 Minutes
Week-3: (2Hrs) Diversity in South Asia
Social and cultural diversity
Recognize the geographic & social diversity of South Asia
3
Readings: Course Lecture notes chapter 2
Week-4: (2Hrs) Culture of South Asia
Features of South Asian social and cultural system
Similarities and differences with each other
Readings: Course lecture notes chapter 3
Week-5: (2Hrs) History of South Asia
Pre-colonial History
Colonial History
Post-Colonial History
Imperial legacies in contemporary South Asia
Major causes and consequences of British colonialism
Readings: Lecture notes chapter 4
Film: TRAIN TO PAKISTAN. Director: Pamela Rooks, 1998
Week-6: (2Hrs) Caste & Class in South Asia
Theories and concepts of caste/class
Compare and contrast class and cast in South Asia
Readings: Robert Parkin, Chapter 1,2,3
Film: Movie: The Caste System in India. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8idvu5zJ8c&t=522s
Week-7: (2Hrs) Religion in South Asia
Main religions in South Asia
Compare the major religions of South Asia
Practicing religions in south Asia
Readings: Robert Parkin, Chapter 4
Film: Dharam
Week-8: (2Hrs) Personhood & Kinship
Theories and concepts of personhood and kinship
Compare/contrast kinship in South Asia
Readings: Robert Parkin, Chapter 5
Mid-term paper due on 10th November 2022, 06:00 PM
Week-9: (2Hrs) Social Stratification system
Hierarchy or Social Stratification
Basis of social stratifications in South Asia
Readings: Lecture notes Chapter 5
Week-10: (2Hrs) Gender & Marriage
Compare/contrast gender/marriage in South Asia
Gender roles in South Asia
History of patriarchy and feminist movements and women empowerment in South Asia
Readings: Robert Parkin Chapter 6
Film: White Rainbow Movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0xo6HawWuo
Film: Modern Brides: Arranged Marriages in South India
Week-11: (2Hrs) Political organizations and social control in South Asia
Types of Political Organizations: Band Societies, Tribal Societies, Chiefdoms, The Modern Nation-State
Mechanism of social control in south Asia
Informal and formal social control
Readings: Lecture notes Chapter 6
Week-12: (2Hrs) Medicine & Healing in South Asia
Indigenous vs cosmopolitan medicines in South Asia
Compare and contrast healing practices in South Asia
Readings: Lecture notes Chapter 7
Film: Return of the Gods: The Shamans of Nepal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88hwmYWljYA
Week-13: (2Hrs) Economy of South Asian Countries
Poverty in South Asia
Obstacles to Economic development
Readings: Lecture notes Chapter 8
Week-14: (2Hrs) Economic change and globalization in South Asia
South Asia and Asia historical and current connections
Silk road, China, and South Asia
4
Development and change through China ‘One Belt One Road’ in South Asia
Economic and cultural corridors
Readings: Lecture notes Chapter 9
Documentary: One Belt One Road Documentary Episode Two: Road of Connectivity
Week-15: (2Hrs) Student presentations
Week-16: (2Hrs) Course Summary
Student presentations continued
Final paper due on January 05, 2023, 06:00 PM
18.
教材及其它参考资料 Textbook and Supplementary Readings
Most of the material on south Asia are available in form of published papers on specific areas and there are little
number of books on overall region of South Asia.Therefore, I compiled different sort of materials into one
comprehensive lecture notes. All readings, films and documentaries are available on the course website. Students are
not required to purchase any book. Videos related to course will sometime be played during the class and sometime the
students need to watch it before coming to class.
Readings:
1. Lecture notes Shakir Ullah, Anthropology of South Asia
2. Parkin, Robert. (2020). South Asia in transition: an introduction to the social anthropology of a subcontinent.
课程评估 ASSESSMENT
19.
评估形式
Type of
Assessment
评估时间
Time
占考试总成绩百分比
% of final
score
违纪处罚
Penalty
备注
Notes
出勤 Attendance
10%
课堂表现
Class
Performance
10%
Class participation is assessed by
your preparedness for the class and
your overall interest and attention in
the classes. You are expected to do
the readings and come to attend all
lectures. I strongly encourage you to
ask questions and participate in
discussion during the class. You are
also welcome to e-mail me
questions or comments before or
after class.
小测验
Quiz
课程项目 Projects
平时作业
Assignments
20%
During the course students will be
invited to give an individual
presentation based on their choice
selected from the topics covered in
the course.
期中考试
Mid-Term Test
30%
Midterm take-home exam. Exam
questions covering the lectures and
readings will be passed out after the
lecture on October 31. Students will
be required to answer 4 questions in
approximately 1600 words. Exams
responses are to be doublespaced,
in 12-point font and submit to
instructor email from your SUSTech
Email or submit to Blackboard.
期末考试
Final Exam
30%
Final take-home exam.Exam
questions covering the lectures and
readings covered in the course will
5
be passed out after the lecture on
December 19. Students will be
required to answer 5 questions in
approximately 2000 words. Exams
responses are to be doublespaced,
in 12-point font and submit to
instructor email from your SUSTech
Email or submit to Blackboard.
期末报告
Final
Presentation
其它（可根据需要
改写以上评估方
式）
Others (The
above may be
modified as
necessary)
20.
记分方式 GRADING SYSTEM
A. 十三级等级制 Letter Grading
B. 二级记分制（通过/不通过） Pass/Fail Grading
课程审批 REVIEW AND APPROVAL
21.
本课程设置已经过以下责任人/委员会审议通过
This Course has been approved by the following person or committee of authority