History 160/799: Topics in Global History

Hindus and Muslims in India

Summer 2021, Session I, Asynchronous Online, 3 Cr., No Prereqs
Pathways Flexible Core: World Cultures and Global Issues

Name: Prof. Julie Hughes, PhD

Email: Julie.Hughes@qc.cuny.edu (response w/in 24 hrs)
Office Hrs: Tues. & Fri., 11:00am-12:30pm (login on Blackboard under Contact Information)

COURSE OVERVIEW
India is home to 1.35 billion people, including more than a 180 million Muslims. This course examines
the complex history of the relationship between the Hindu majority and the Muslim minority, with its
patterns of coexistence, violence, and creativity. It looks at the origins of these communities, the
development of modern religious identities, the implications of concepts like “majority” and
“minority,” the role of religious identity in nationalism (and vice versa), and alternative models of
“being Muslim” and “being Hindu.” Ultimately, it explores the challenges and possibilities of secular
democracy in a society that has given a central place to religion in the identity of the citizen.

I expect all of us to stay on top of assigned reading and audio-visual content. We will be participating
in online discussions, blogs, and submitting a second week portfolio (of your online participation),
midterm primary source analysis, and final portfolio (of your online participation) with essay. We will
work on how to identify the thesis in a work of historical scholarship, and you will have the chance to
demonstrate your ability to construct and support theses of your own.

MA students taking the course as a 799 will also submit a paper topic and prospective thesis, and write
a research paper of 6-8 pages.

FORMAT
This course is completely online. It features a mixture of audio-visual content (including pre-recorded
weekly intros, historical videos, excerpts from historical speeches, and documentary short films) and
written content (lecture notes, scholarly articles and book chapters, newspaper articles, and historical
primary sources). In addition, there are participatory elements, allowing students to interact with me
(I will be holding regular virtual office hours), and directly with one another through a “First Takes” blog
for digesting primary source readings, historical speeches, and videos; a “Thesis in Brevis” blog for
identifying, explaining, and evaluating the main theses of assigned readings; an “Indilogia” discussion
for helping each other with important historical figures, events, and concepts; and a collaborative
“Thesis Workshop” discussion for MA students working on their papers – undergrads are encouraged
to help out!

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REQUIRED READINGS, AUDIO-VISUAL CONTENT, ASSIGNMENTS
All required readings, including lectures, are available for download on Blackboard. Links to all required
audio-visual content are also on Blackboard. You can also find information on all assignments there.

TIME COMMITMENT
When taught in person, this course requires ten hours of class in addition to the time spent doing
required readings and other assignments. You’ll need to budget just as much time for the online format.
A portion of the time that would have gone towards lectures will be needed to read the provided
lecture notes. The remainder should be used for participation in online discussion fora.

BREAKDOWN OF GRADE:
Undergrads MA students Due Date
Participation + Intro Video 15% 10% n/a + Wed., Jun. 9, 5pm
MA Paper Topic & Prospective Thesis n/a 5% Fri., Jun. 11, 5pm
Second Week Portfolio 20% 15% Thurs., Jun. 17, 5pm
Midterm Primary Source Analysis 20% 15% Mon., Jun. 21, 5pm
Final Portfolio 20% 10% Wed., Jun. 30, 5pm
Final Essay 25% 20% Wed., Jun. 30, 5pm
MA Paper n/a 25% Fri., Jul. 2, 5pm

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Gather, interpret, and assess information from a variety of sources and points of view.
• Evaluate evidence and arguments critically and analytically.
• Produce well-reasoned written or oral arguments using evidence to support conclusions.
• Analyze culture, globalization, or global cultural diversity, and describe an event or process from
more than one point of view.
• Analyze the significance of one or more major movements that have shaped the world’s
societies.
• Analyze the historical development of one or more non-U.S. societies.
• Analyze and discuss the role that race, ethnicity, class, gender, language, sexual orientation,
belief, or other forms of social differentiation play in world cultures or societies.

LATE POLICY
At times you may be overwhelmed by work or unforeseen circumstances may arise. To accommodate
such possibilities, each of you has a total of three “Grace Days” for the semester that you may use to
turn in an assignment late without penalty. You may use them on any assignments except the MA
Paper and Final Essay (I need these on time to allow grading by the college deadline). Saturdays and
Sundays count. After using your Grace Days, late assignment grades will drop by 1/3 letter grade for
each 24-hrs (or portion thereof) that they are late.

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ONLINE ETIQUETTE AND HARASSMENT
We are all invested in maintaining a supportive and welcoming online environment, free of harassment.
I will monitor all discussions, and encourage each of you to keep an eye open for any potential problems
and be ready to issue gentle rebukes if necessary. The main rule? Be kind.

TECHNICAL HELP FOR BLACKBOARD

For content questions or difficulty locating specific information about this course, please contact Prof.
Hughes. For technical questions about Blackboard, please create a ticket online with the ITS Helpdesk
or call (718) 997-4444. Lots of information to assist you in using Blackboard is available online at:
http://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/cis/core-functions/cuny-blackboard/user-
guides/student/. Or try Blackboard’s own help site: https://help.blackboard.com/Learn/Student

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Candidates with disabilities needing academic accommodation should 1) register with and provide
documentation to the Special Services Office, which is doing all services virtually this year; 2) provide
the professor with a letter indicating the need for accommodation and what type. This should be done
during the first week of class. For more information about services available to Queens College
candidates, visit the website, or contact: Special Service Office; Director, Miriam Detres-Hickey, Frese
Hall, Room 111; 718-997-5870. E-mail address: qc_spsv@qc.cuny.edu.

CUNY POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Academic Dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and is punishable by penalties,
including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion. Details on college policy are provided online at:
http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/legal-affairs/policies-procedures/academic-
integrity-policy/.

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 COURSE SCHEDULE
Changes may be made to this schedule if necessary; you will receive written notice of any changes.

WEEK ONE

ASSIGNMENTS DUE:

Introduce Yourself – Make Your Own Video! (Wednesday, June 9, 5:00pm)

MA Paper Topic & Prospective Thesis (Friday, June 11, 5:00pm)

1.1 Hindus and Hinduism

Current conflicts; demographics, geography, and chronology; what’s a Hindu (whose vision and
when, caste, time, “Four Ends of Man,” law codes, sovereignty)

A/V
Welcome Video (3 min)

Readings
Lecture 1.1
Roy, Chakrabarti, and Sarkar, The Vedas, Hinduism, Hindutva, 1-97.
Jaffrelot, “Introduction,” Hindu Nationalism: A Reader, 3-25.

1.2 Muslims and Islam

What’s a Muslim (authority, community, and sovereignty)

Readings
Lecture 1.2
“Foundations of Islam in India” and “The Muslim Ruler in India,” SOIT, 383-407 and
408-25.
Kufi, Chachnamah, 101-2 and 168-9.

1.3 First Contacts through Somanatha

Sindh; Ghazni; what happened at Somanatha (Perso-Arabic sources; Hindus and Jains; economy)

Readings
Lecture 1.3
Thapar, “The Setting,” Somanatha: the Many Voices of a History, 17-35.
Farrukhi, qasida for Mahmud of Ghazni, 236-242.
Firishta, History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India, 68-81.

WEEK TWO

ASSIGNMENT DUE:

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 Second Week Portfolio (Thursday, June 17, 5:00pm)

2.1 Delhi Sultanate and Bengal

Delhi Sultanate (establishing power; hiring practices; law and order; Sufis and mysticism); Bengal
(eastern frontier; conversion and adaptation; Sufis and mysticism)

Readings
Lecture 2.1
Ibn Batuta, Travels of Ibn Batūta, 151-175.
Eaton, “The Articulation of Political Authority” and “Early Sufis of the Delta,” 22-94.

A/V
Basant (Saeed, 1997) (13 min)

2.2 Deccan Sultanates & Vijayanagara

Cultural and political borrowings and adaptations; historiography; popular memory

Readings
Lecture 2.2
Wagoner, “Harihara, Bukka and the Sultan,” 300-326.

2.3. Early Mughal Emperors & Rajput Princes

Mughal motivations and values; intermarriage and honor; popular memory

Readings
Lecture 2.3
Rana Pratap and Akbar (Amar Chitra Katha comic books).

WEEK THREE

ASSIGNMENT DUE:

Midterm Primary Source Analysis (Monday, June 21, 5:00pm)

3.1 The Mughals after Akbar

Jahangir; Shah Jahan; Aurangzeb; European Trading Companies (from Calicut through Calcutta;
early intentions and campaigns; control of Bengal)

Readings
Lecture 3.1
Truschke, Aurangzeb, 1-108.

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 3.2 British India and Indian Nationalism
British Colonialism after Plassey; divide and conquer; Rebellion of 1857; early Indian nationalism;
reform and revival; Two-Nation Theory and Partition

Readings
Lecture 3.2
Khan, SOIT, 180-195.
Jinnah, SOIT, 222-233 and 384-387.
Butalia, “Honour,” The Other Side of Silence, 133-184.
Husain, “A Day In August, 1947,”Outlook India, October 29, 2004.

3.3 Independence, Nehruvian Secularism, and Indian-Muslims

Independence, religion, and identity; legal jurisdiction, religion, and gender; Mughal and
Sultanate monuments in modern life

Readings
Lecture 3.3

A/V
Jawaharlal Nehru (speech of August 14, 1947) (5 min)
“Mera Juta hai Japani,” Shree 420 (Raj Kapoor, 1955) (6 min)
Ek, Anek, aur Ekta (Doordarshan, 1974) (7 min)

WEEK FOUR
ASSIGNMENTS DUE:

Final Portfolio & Reflective Essay (Wednesday, June 30, 5:00pm)

MA Paper (Friday, July 2, 5:00pm)

4.1 Hindutva
Ram, temples, and the Hindu nation; BJP; threats to the nation (new states; Pakistan;
Bangladesh; Muslims; Kashmir; cows

Readings
Lecture 4.1
Savarkar, in Jaffrelot, Hindu Nationalism: A Reader, 85-96.
Golwalkar, in Jaffrelot, Hindu Nationalism: A Reader, 97-138.
Patel, “Why Exactly Did Godse Kill Gandhi?” Outlook, January 25, 2015.
Jaffrelot, “The RSS and Politics,” Hindu Nationalism: A Reader, 85-96.

A/V
Ram Ke Naam (Patwardhan, 1992) (1hr 15min)
Kashmir: The Story (Times Now, 2019) (1hr 52 min)

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4.2 Beyond Godhra: The Modi state
Indian fascism; Narendra Modi and Gujarat; CAA and NRC

Readings
Lecture 4.2
Ellis-Peterson, “Inside Delhi: Beaten, Lynched & Burnt Alive,” Guardian, March 1, 2020.
Barry, “The Jungle Prince of Delhi,” New York Times, November 22, 2019.

A/V
“Statue of Unity,” ca. 2013 version (7 min)
Hasan Minhaj, “Indian Elections,” Patriot Act (March 2019) (29 min)

4.3 Concluding Thoughts

Readings
Lecture 4.3