Martha Selby

This course will provide a historical and cross-cultural overview of the relationship between feminine and religious cultural expressions through comparative examinations and analyses of various goddess figures in world religions. We will begin our study in Asia; specifically in India, where goddess worship is a vital part of contemporary Hinduism in all parts of the subcontinent. From the goddesses of the Hindu tradition (Kālī and Lakṣmī, for example), we will move on to female figures in the Jain and Buddhist Mahāyāna pantheons (such as Kuan-Yin, popular in China, Korea, and Japan), and then on to some of the goddesses of western antiquity (Inanna, Isis, Athena, and Aphrodite), including a brief consideration of Mary in her various goddess aspects. We will end the course with a brief study of “neo-pagan” goddess worship in America. Issues relating to gender, sexuality, power, and violence (domestic and political) will be emphasized as themes throughout the course.

This writing-intensive course will provide the student with a comprehensive overview of literature produced in the languages of South India (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada). We will begin with a study of the Tolkāppiyam, the earliest extant Tamil text on phonetics, grammar, and poetry, paying special attention to the sections on poetic convention and generic taxonomies. This will give us the means to study poetry produced in the classsical caṅkam period. We will read a wide variety of poems from the eight anthologies of classical Tamil that treat akam (romantic/erotic) and puram (heroic/ethical) themes. We will then move on to the two twin Tamil epics, the Cilappatikāram and Maṇimēkalai, followed by a thorough exploration of South Indian religious literature originally composed in Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu. To make these classical texts more relevant, we will also read recent anthropological studies that demonstrate how certain Tamil literary paradigms have deep cultural significance in contemporary South Indian society. During the last few weeks of the course, we will read samples from contemporary fiction and poetry originally written in Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada.

Grading:

• 2 short interpretive essays (3-5 pages): 25%
• 1 research paper (15-20 pages): 25%
• 2 take-home essay exams (midterm and final): 50%

The course will provide you with a comprehensive historical overview of gender issues as they are represented in the great textual traditions of South Asia (these categories include Vedi materials, medical literature, treatises on law and sexual behavior, and tests that outline the great debates over questions of gender identity and salvation preserved for us in certain Jaoina and Buddhist materials). To make these classical tests more relevant, readings in recent anthropological studies of religions will also be included to enable you to trace recurring themes, images, and symbols. 

Grading:

• 2 short reactions papers (3-5 pages): 20%
• 1 research paper (15-20 pages): 30%
• 2 take-home essay exams: 50%

This course will provide a historical and cross-cultural overview of the relationship between feminine and religious cultural expressions through comparative examinations and analyses of various goddess figures in world religions.  We will begin our study in Asia; specifically in India, where goddess worship is a vital part of contemporary Hinduism in all parts of the subcontinent.  From the goddesses of the Hindu tradition (K?l? and Laks?m?, for example), we will move on to female figures in the Buddhist Mah?y?na pantheon (such as Kuan-Yin, popular in China, Korea, and Japan), and then on to some of the goddesses of western antiquity (Inanna, Isis, Athena, Aphrodite, and Mary in her aspects as mother and intercessor).  We will end the course with a study of contemporary goddess worship in the United States as an important expression of Neo-Paganism.  Issues relating to gender, sexuality, power, and violence (domestic and political) will be emphasized as themes throughout the course.

This graduate-level seminar will introduce students to the craft of literary translation through a wide variety of approaches.  Over the course of the semester, we will read various tracts, articles, and books on the theory and craft of translation from a wide range of Euro-American and South Asian stances and viewpoints.  We will analyze editions of various classics from India that have been translated into English repeatedly, paying particular attention to the political nature of the act and art of translation in its colonial and post-colonial contexts. 

This seminar will also have a practical component, and one hour of our meeting period each week will allos students to present translations-in-progress to their peers for comment and critique. 

Graduate standing required.  Students must have a good working knowledge of at least one South Asian language, classical and/or modern.

This writing-intensive course will provide the student with a comprehensive overview of narrative literature and poetry composed in the three classical languages of India (Old Tamil, Sanskrit, and Prakrit). We will begin with a study of aesthetic conventions. First, we will examine rasa theory as it is spelled out in the Sanskrit Natyashastra, and we will then move on to dhvani or “poetic resonance” as an analytical category described by the theoreticians Anandavardhana and Abhinavagupta. We will then read excerpts from the Tolkappiyam, the earliest extant Tamil text on phonetics, grammar, and poetry, paying special attention to the sections on poetic convention and generic taxonomies. This will give us the means to study poetry produced in India’s classical period. In tandem with our explorations of literary convention, we will read a wide variety of poems from various collections from the Sanskrit and Prakrit traditions, and will then read selections from the eight anthologies of classical Tamil that treat akam (romantic/erotic) and puram (heroic/ethical) themes. We will then move on to an exploration of epic and story literature from the Sanskrit and Tamil languages.

Core Readings and Methods in Asian Studies. Various theories and methods used in the field of Asian studies, including disciplinary history, controversies, and the diversity of approaches within the field.

Study of various aspects and periods of South Asian culture and society.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

This graduate-level seminar will introduce students to the craft of literary translation through a wide variety of approaches.  Over the course of the semester, we will read various tracts, articles, and books on the theory and craft of translation from a wide range of Euro-American and South Asian stances and viewpoints.  We will analyze editions of various classics from India that have been translated into English repeatedly, paying particular attention to the political nature of the act and art of translation in its colonial and post-colonial contexts. 

This seminar will also have a practical component, and one hour of our meeting period each week will allos students to present translations-in-progress to their peers for comment and critique. 

Graduate standing required.  Students must have a good working knowledge of at least one South Asian language, classical and/or modern.

This course will provide a historical and cross-cultural overview of the relationship between feminine and religious cultural expressions through comparative examinations and analyses of various goddess figures in world religions.  We will begin our study in Asia; specifically in India, where goddess worship is a vital part of contemporary Hinduism in all parts of the subcontinent.  From the goddesses of the Hindu tradition (K?l? and Laks?m?, for example), we will move on to female figures in the Buddhist Mah?y?na pantheon (such as Kuan-Yin, popular in China, Korea, and Japan), and then on to some of the goddesses of western antiquity (Inanna, Isis, Athena, Aphrodite, and Mary in her aspects as mother and intercessor).  We will end the course with a study of contemporary goddess worship in the United States as an important expression of Neo-Paganism.  Issues relating to gender, sexuality, power, and violence (domestic and political) will be emphasized as themes throughout the course.

Study of various aspects and periods of South Asian culture and society.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

Study of various aspects and periods of Sanskrit language and culture.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; and Sanskrit 325L, 330, or the equivalent, or consent of instructor.

TRANSLATING INDIA: HISTORY/THEORY/CRAFT

Professor Martha Ann Selby

ANS 388/C L 380M

Course Description

This graduate-level seminar will introduce students to the craft of literary translation through a wide variety of approaches.  Over the course of the semester, we will read various tracts, articles, and books on the theory and craft of translation from a wide range of Euro-American and South Asian stances and viewpoints.  We will analyze editions of various classics from India that have been translated into English repeatedly, paying particular attention to the political nature of the act and art of translation in its colonial and post-colonial contexts.  This seminar will also have a practical component, and one hour of our meeting period each week will allow students to present translations-in-progress to their peers for comment and critique.

Prerequisites:  Graduate standing required.  Students must have a good working knowledge of at least one South Asian language, classical and/or modern.

Texts and readings:

 Bassnett, Susan and Harish Trivedi, eds.  Post-Colonial Translation: Theory and Practice

 Eco, Umberto.  Experiences in Translation

 Niranjana, Tejaswini.  Siting Translation: History, Post-Structuralism, and the Colonial Context

 Ramanujan, A. K. Speaking of Shiva

 Steiner, George.  After Babel: Aspects of Language and Translation

 Course Packet (available at Paradigm)

 Grading/requirements:

 Class participation: 25%

 1 research paper (10-15 pages) on the translation history of the South Asian text of your choice, due mid-semester: 25%

 Final translation project (length may vary), comprising a translation of a section of text, a work of short fiction, or a group of poems, including a practical introductory essay on translation theory and technique: 50%

THE BODY IN INDIAN MEDICINE

ANS 384

Professor Martha Ann Selby

What does it mean to inhabit a body in India?  This is the primary question that we will attempt to answer during the course of the semester in this seminar (graduate standing is required).  The readings and discussion over the course of the term will parallel the development of the human being from conception, infancy and childhood, adulthood and sexuality, and ending with aging and death.  We will take an interdisciplinary approach, and will examine textual materials from an extensive range of sources and time periods.  Sources will include selections from medical literature from India’s ?yurvedic traditions as well as readings from religious narratives that deal directly with issues of embodiment and provide powerful metaphors for it.  We will also be drawing largely on sociological and anthropological studies of the different forms that embodiment takes, from metaphysical issues on what it means to be “alive” or “dead” and the human body’s connection to land and landscape to careful explorations of the body’s outer surfaces in terms of ritual, ascetic, and strictly sartorial concerns with adornment and fashion.  We will also explore the fascinating interfaces between bodybuilding and nation building in India.

Each week, one student will serve as discussion leader and provide the other seminar participants with an 8 to 10-page “topics paper” in advance.  Two other students will be asked to respond with a formal written commentary of 2 to 3 pages, and discussion will proceed from there.  Formal presentations of research in progress will be held during the final 2 weeks of the semester.

Readings:

1.         Wujastyk, Dominik.  The Roots of Ayurveda.

2.         Langford, Jean.  Fluent Bodies: Ayurvedic Remedies for Postcolonial Imbalance.

3.         Daniel, E. Valentine.  Fluid Signs: Being a Person the Tamil Way.

4.         Kakar, Sudhir.  Shamans, Mystics and Doctors.

5.         Lamb, Sarah.  White Saris and Sweet Mangoes: Aging, Gender, and Body in North India.

6.         Barrett, Ron.  Aghor Medicine: Pollution, Death, and Healing in North India.

7.         Parry, Jonathan.  Death in Banaras.

8.         Arnold, David.  Colonizing the Body.

9.         Readings packet (this will include translations of primary texts and a number of articles and chapters from book-length studies)

Grading/Presentations/Requirements:

1 topics paper (8 to 10 pages in length) plus presentation                       20%

2  reaction papers (2 to 3 pages in length) plus presentation                   30% total (15% each)

Formal oral presentation on research paper in progress              20%

Final research paper (20 to 30 pages in length)                          30%

Please check back for updates.

This graduate-level seminar will introduce students to the craft of literary translation through a wide variety of approaches.  Over the course of the semester, we will read various tracts, articles, and books on the theory and craft of translation from a wide range of Euro-American and South Asian stances and viewpoints.  We will analyze editions of various classics from India that have been translated into English repeatedly, paying particular attention to the political nature of the act and art of translation in its colonial and post-colonial contexts. 

This seminar will also have a practical component, and one hour of our meeting period each week will allos students to present translations-in-progress to their peers for comment and critique. 

Graduate standing required.  Students must have a good working knowledge of at least one South Asian language, classical and/or modern.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Prerequisite: Sanskrit 312L with a grade of at least C.

Study of various aspects and periods of South Asian culture and society.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

Study of various aspects and periods of South Asian culture and society.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

This course is an introduction to South Asian cultures and histories. Students will be introduced to major thinkers, ideas, histories, issues, and movements of South Asia. While a clear set of factual information will be integral to the course, the equally important goal of the course is to learn to understand South Asian literatures, art, religion, law, or other cultural expressions as sources for our own humanistic and ethical development. Thus, the primary goal of this course is to train students in how to “read” South Asia in such a way that it can mean something to them.

Grading:

• Attendance and Participation (20%)
• Reading responses and Documentary and Film Review (25%)
• Three in class written quizzes (30%)
• Book Review (10%)
• Final Presentation (15%)

Please check back for updates.

This course is an introduction to South Asian cultures and histories. Students will be introduced to major thinkers, ideas, histories, issues, and movements of South Asia. While a clear set of factual information will be integral to the course, the equally important goal of the course is to learn to understand South Asian literatures, art, religion, law, or other cultural expressions as sources for our own humanistic and ethical development. Thus, the primary goal of this course is to train students in how to “read” South Asia in such a way that it can mean something to them.

Grading:

• Attendance and Participation (20%)
• Reading responses and Documentary and Film Review (25%)
• Three in class written quizzes (30%)
• Book Review (10%)
• Final Presentation (15%)

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Study of various aspects and periods of South Asian culture and society.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.