A Multi-Media Approach to the Humanities of South Asia
This course fulfills the GE requirements for:
Global and Cultural Awareness & Arts
From Vedic Culture to Bollywood and From Buddhism to Qawwali Rock
South Asia has given birth to extraordinarily rich spiritual, intellectual, and artistic traditions, all of which have played a major role in shaping world history. Boasting the most ancient surviving civilization, South Asia also houses the world’s largest democracy and dominates the current global stage economically and culturally. From the ancient Vedic rituals, the revolutionary doctrines of Buddhism, and the captivating poetry of South Asian Sufism to the innovative writings of Tagore, the brilliance of Hindustani classical music, and the charms of Bollywood cinema, South Asia’s historical legacies and modern contributions make this region of the world a fascinating and indispensable subject for students at Brigham Young University.
The four units covered in the course are:
Ancient South Asia
The Coming of Islam
The British Raj
The Modern Arts of South Asia.
The emphasis in this course is on exposing students to 1) some of the basic philosophical and religious ideas that have shaped South Asian cultures, and 2) some of the important works of art, oral performance, literature, music, theater, and cinema produced by those cultures. The course will dwell on some subjects over others because of the accessibility of historical materials and the availability of scholarly research in English.
Come explore 6 major themes in the courses:
- Learning how to approach the unfamiliar
- Recognizing the differing effects of technology in human communication
- Understanding cultural syncretism
- Appreciating the inter-relationship of religion and the arts
- Acknowledging the role of the arts as a corrective
- Finding reputable sources
Class Video: Art as a Corrective