AN453 Half Unit
The Anthropology of India
This information is for the 2008/09 session.
Teachers responsible
Dr h Narasimhan, Dr H Donner, A506 and Dr A Desai Availability
For MSc Social Anthropology, MSc China in Comparative Perspective and MSc Anthropology and Development. Course content
Society and culture in modern India.
The caste system; the village and its local economy; kingship. The modern transformation of caste and stratification systems; untouchability and reservations. Modern industry and economic development and their impact on caste and class. Popular Hindu belief and practice and the social organisation of religion; religious reformism and nationalism. Modern politics and the state; the impact of globalisation. Teaching
Lectures weekly MT, Seminars weekly MT. Formative coursework
Students are expected to prepare discussion material for presentation in the seminars. Reading list
V Das, Structure and Cognition: Aspects of Hindu Caste and Ritual; L Dumont, Homo Hierarchicus; C Fuller, Servants of the Goddess; The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Indian Society; A Gold, Fruitful Journeys; J Parry, Death in Banaras; Caste and Kinship in Kangra; M Srinivas, Religion and Society among the Coorgs.
Detailed reading lists are provided at the beginning of the course.
Assessment
There is a two-hour examination (100%) in the ST. ^
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