South Asian Studies Council
The MacMillan Center
210 Luce Hall, 203.436.3517
http://southasia.macmillan.yale.edu
Chair
Sunil Amrith (History)
Professors Sunil Amrith (History), Tim Barringer (History of Art), Veneeta Dayal (Linguistics), Michael Dove (School of the Environment), Robert Jensen (School of Management), Alan Mikhail (History), A. Mushfiq Mobarak (School of Management), Kaivan Munshi (Economics), Rohini Pande (Economics), Kishwar Rizvi (History of Art), Karen Seto (School of the Environment), Kalyanakrishnan Sivaramakrishnan (Anthropology), Kalindi Vohra (Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Ethnicity, Race, and Migration), Steven Wilkinson (Political Science)
Associate Professors Rohit De (History), Nihal DeLanerolle (School of Medicine), Mayur Desai (Public Health), Zareena Grewal (American Studies; Religious Studies)
Assistant Professors Anthony Acciavatti (Architecture), Supriya Gandhi (Religious Studies), Sonam Kachru (Religious Studies), Priyasha Mukhopadhyay (English), Ameera Nimjee (Music), Madiha Tahir (American Studies)
Senior Lecturer Carol Carpenter (School of the Environment)
Lecturer Jane Lynch (Anthropology), Jane Mikkelson (Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations)
Senior Lector Swapna Sharma (Hindi), Aleksandar Uskokov (Sanskrit)
Lector Mansi Bajaj (Hindi)
Students with an interest in South Asian Studies should apply to one of the university’s degree-granting departments, such as Anthropology, History, Political Science, Economics, or Religious Studies. The South Asian Studies Council is part of the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies. It has been organized to provide guidance to graduate students who desire to use the resources of the departments of the university that offer South Asia-related courses.
The South Asian Studies Council aims to bring together faculty and students sharing an interest in South Asia, and it supplements the curriculum with seminars, conferences, and special lectures by scholars from Yale as well as visiting scholars. It provides information concerning grants, fellowships, research programs, and foreign study opportunities.
Language instruction is offered in Hindi and Sanskrit. Students planning to undertake field research or language study in South Asia may apply to the council for summer fellowship support.
For information and program materials, contact the South Asian Studies Council, Yale University, PO Box 208206, New Haven CT 06520-8206; or visit our website, http://southasia.macmillan.yale.edu.
Courses
HNDI 510a, Elementary Hindi Swapna Sharma
An in-depth introduction to modern Hindi, including the Devanagari script. Through a combination of graded texts, written assignments, audiovisual material, and computer-based exercises, the course provides cultural insights and increases proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Hindi. Emphasis placed on spontaneous self-expression in the language. No prior background in Hindi assumed.
HTBA
HNDI 530a, Intermediate Hindi I Mansi Bajaj
First half of a two-term sequence designed to develop proficiency in the four language skill areas. Extensive use of cultural documents including feature films, radio broadcasts, and literary and nonliterary texts to increase proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Hindi. Focus on cultural nuances and various Hindi literary traditions. Emphasis on spontaneous self-expression in the language. Prerequisite: HNDI 520 or equivalent.
MTWThF 10:30am-11:20am
HNDI 532a, Accelerated Hindi I Mansi Bajaj
Development of increased proficiency in the four language skills. Focus on reading and higher language functions such as narration, description, and comparison. Reading strategies for parsing paragraph-length sentences in Hindi newspapers. Discussion of political, social, and cultural dimensions of Hindi culture as well as contemporary global issues.
TTh 2:30pm-3:45pm
HNDI 550a, Advanced Hindi Swapna Sharma
An advanced language course aimed at enabling students to engage in fluent discourse in Hindi and to achieve a comprehensive knowledge of formal grammar. Introduction to a variety of styles and levels of discourse and usage. Emphasis on the written language, with readings on general topics from newspapers, books, and magazines. Prerequisite: HNDI 540 or permission of instructor.
MW 2:30pm-3:45pm
HNDI 598a, Advanced Tutorial Staff
For students with advanced Hindi language skills who wish to engage in concentrated reading and research on material not otherwise offered by the department. The work must be supervised by an adviser and must terminate in a term paper or its equivalent. Prerequisites: HNDI 540, and submission of a detailed project proposal and its approval by the language studies coordinator.
HTBA
SKRT 510a / LING 515a, Introductory Sanskrit I Aleksandar Uskokov
An introduction to Sanskrit language and grammar. Focus on learning to read and translate basic Sanskrit sentences in the Indian Devanagari script. No prior background in Sanskrit assumed. Credit only on completion of SKRT 520/LING 525.
MTWThF 11:35am-12:25pm
SKRT 530a / LING 538a, Intermediate Sanskrit I Aleksandar Uskokov
The first half of a two-term sequence aimed at helping students develop the skills necessary to read texts written in Sanskrit. Readings include selections from the Hitopadesa, Kathasaritsagara, Mahabharata, and Bhagavadgita. Prerequisite: SKRT 520/LING 525 or equivalent.
MWF 10:30am-11:20am
SKRT 560a, Advanced Sanskrit: Readings in Poetry and Drama Aleksandar Uskokov
The purpose of this course is to introduce the jargon of classical Sanskrit literature, specifically the interrelated genres of mahā-kāvya or court epic; nāṭaka or drama; and hagiography or carita. Special attention is given to matters of style and advanced morphology and syntax. Additionally, the course introduces scholastic techniques of text interpretation. Finally, the course looks at the phenomenon of retelling stories from Vedas, the epics, or the Buddhist sūtras in classical Sanskrit literature, thus combining advanced language instruction with learning cultural content. Prerequisites: previous terms of Sanskrit to L4 or equivalent.
TTh 4pm-5:15pm