Everyday Life in South Asia

In this course we will look at aspects of everyday life in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Topics will include religion, history, trade, migration, colonialism, and the contemporary construction and operation of caste, class, gender, religion, modernity, tradition, the nation, and the body. How are changes in the world today challenging formations of identity in South Asia? What new ideas, identities, and collectivities are emerging? Drawing on works from anthropology, history, literature, and popular culture, students will be exposed to a range of critical methods and approaches.