Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Synopsis This subject investigates the theoretical and empirical problems of a study of Asia and the West which we encounter when we engage in the study of Asian societies. These issues are explored not only from the perspective of the challenges facing outsiders who seek to construct an understanding of Asian societies and cultures, but also by looking at how intellectuals (and even non-literate `village intellectuals') in Asia have constructed their own forms of self-understanding. We will focus on current debates about colonialism and the post colonial context. We will look at a series of oppositions that keep recurring in dialogues between Asia and the West; materialism vs spirituality; historical dynamism vs adherence to tradition; male agency vs female submission. It will be the argument of the course that many of these familiar dualities must be recast to understand the present diversity of modern Asian cultures. Intersections with notions of subjectivity and subjected persons, gender, and theories of domination and resistance will receive special attention.
Assessment Written (9000 words ): 100%