HSY4140

The Raj imagined:Stories and films of "British" India in their historical context

(ART)

Ian Copland

12 Points + 2 hours per week + First Semester + Clayton + Prerequisite: A Third Year sequence in History

Synopsis: India exists in British consciousness, just as bilati-Britain-figures in educated Indians' imaginings during the Raj era. A few hold literary classic status, yet a number of stories by British authors set in India provide valuable evidence for how the English "constructed" India. Stories by Indian writers also reveal mindsets of Indian middle class and attitudes more ambiguous than from reading mainstream accounts. This unit seeks to test the utility of works of imagination as historical documents by comparing several English literary/filmic representations of the Raj with landmark "political" novels/films by Indian writers and directors, and testing these against historical records.

Assessment: Class participation: 10% + Research essay (7,000 words): 60% + Examination (2 hours): 30%