Indian Philophy, Indian History - 20 credits (RT1223)
Module Tutor: Dr James Hegarty
Summary of course content
A user-friendly introduction to the basic periods and concepts of Indian Philosophy (encompassing Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions) and of Indian history (spanning from the Indus Valley Civilization to post-Independence India).
The course is split into two halves; one half takes up the history of Indian Philosophy, while the other introduces the basic periods of Indian history. Each week a new topic is introduced and discussed. Seminars take up key themes and issues that arise from the content of the weekly lecture.
Credits: 20
Availability of module: Alternative years
Prerequisites
None
Necessary for
N/A
Aims
This module aims to give students a firm foundation in the main schools of Indian philosophy and the basic periods of Indian history.
Learning outcomes
- Outline a broad chronology of the intellectual and political history of South Asia
- Briefly describe some key movements in Indian Philosophy
- Recognize and name primary source material relevant to the study of both Indian philosophy and Indian history
- Select relevant primary and secondary source material for the study of specific issues in the study of Indian philosophy and history
- Comprehend broad trends in Indian philosophical discourse
- Comprehend broad trends in Indian social and political history support of an argument
- Categorize some of the forms and types of Indian philosophical activity
- Categorize some of the forms and types of early south Asian political and social organisation
Teaching methods
Lectures and Seminars
Assessment
2 x 2000 word essay (60%) and an examination (40%)
Suggested book purchases
King, R., Indian Philosophy: An Introduction to Hindu and Buddhist Thought, Edinburgh University Press, 1999.
Kulke, H. and Rothermund, D., A History of India, Routledge, 1986.
Suggested preparatory reading
Potter, K., Presuppositions of Indian Philosphies, Prentice-Hall, 1963.
Radhakrishnan, S., and
Warder, A.K., Outline of Indian Philosophy, Motilal Barnarsidass, 1971
Metcalf, B. D., and Metcalf, T. R., A Concise History of Modern India, Cambridge University Press, 2006.
Richards, J. F., The Mughal Empire, Cambridge University Press, 1996.
Stein, B., A History of India, Blackwell, 1998.
Thapar, R., The Penguin History of Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300, Penguin, 2003.
Primary sources
Moore, C.A., A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy, Princeton University Press, 1957.