THEA 105South Asian Arts in the World

Catalog

This course is a survey of selected areas of culture and civilization in a variety of South Asian countries. The aim of the course is to familiarize students with South Asian cultural and societal contexts while exposing them to a variety of related historical and contemporary issues from around the world. Topics to be discussed in class include ritual practices, mythical beliefs, folklore, theater, dance, music, etc., as well as topics related to the diasporic circumstances of people from different backgrounds. The course incorporates fiction, non-fiction, and film to guide students to explore their understanding of the interactions within cultures, and relies on research drawn from scholarly articles to help students understand South Asian histories. Both in the West and in South Asia, South Asian people are still influenced by their traditional views as well as by Western conditions, and these interactions have helped to shape both cultures' viewpoints. In a world in which everything is conditioned by and interconnected with cultural and societal phenomena from other regions, global interdependency has become one of the most important considerations. This affects every world region, since individual cultures, South Asian and otherwise, have influenced each other in one way or another. Class materials expected to be used in this class and in the class discussions will focus on helping students to recognize these influences and interactions between South Asia and the West, because interdependency is taking on more and more importance in South Asian and South Asian-Western views. Assigned books/chapters/selections, visual materials, and class discussions will help students understand historical and cultural contexts across different world regions. In examining interactions across a globally interdependent world, students will learn how culture is an influential phenomenon that comprises many factors, including rituals, religions, languages, music, dance, and theatre. Class materials include, but are not limited to, reading playscripts, novels, short stories, and articles; and watching films, video excerpts, and theatre representing a variety of cultural and societal backgrounds. These will help students to understand South Asian culture and society while giving them the opportunity to explore interactions with other non-South Asian world regions.