Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948) is widely regarded as the leader of India's struggle for independence from British rule.  His adherence to a code of non-violence (ahimsa) and sexual renunciation (brahmacharya), and his philosophy of truth-in-action (satyagraha), led many to regard him as "mahatma," or "great soul."  In this sophomore seminar we will examine the life and times of Gandhi, to seek to better understand him as family man, community organiser, national leader, and mahatma.  We will measure recent analytical accounts of his life against his own thoughts and deeds, and the thoughts and deeds of those around him.

This course is a sophomore seminar in the history department, designed to introduce students to the nature of historical evidence and its application in the construction of historical argument.  The reading assignments, short papers, oral report and presentation, research outline, and the final research essay are all geared toward furthering the seminar's main disciplinary goal of introducing students to the nuts and bolts of being a historian.  For those of you interested in the theoretical conundra facing historian's in the 21st century, you may look forward to HIST 362, Issues in Contemporary Historiography.

The semester is divided into four parts.  Part one (weeks 1 and 2) introduces us to the complex social, economic, and political reality that was late nineteenth, early twentieth-century India.  We will get this introduction by reading Jawaharlal Nehru's Discovery of India and related secondary work (see syllabus below).  In addition to being the first prime minister of India (1947-64), Nehru was Gandhi's primary political disciple -- though, as we shall see, they differed on many points.  

In part two (weeks 3 and 4) we will read two very different works by Gandhi, his deeply personal Autobiography and his explicitly political Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule).  This will serve as an introduction to Gandhi's thought and action.  Students will craft a short essay in week three, examining an intersecting moment or idea in Gandhi and Nehru's accounts.  The purpose of this exercise is to begin learning how to weigh evidence, to reconcile conflicting narratives, and to draw wider historical meanings from what may appear to be banal instances.  By week four students are expected to have settled on a research topic.  At the end of week 4, one paragraph descriptions of those topics are due (see syllabus below).

Part three (weeks 5, 6, and 7) moves us into more recent accounts of Gandhi and Gandhian mobilization, focusing in particular (in weeks 5 and 6) on attempts to understand Gandhi using psychosociological tools.  In week 6 students will write an essay comparing the work of Ashis Nandy, Erik Erikson, and Susanne and Lloyd Rudolph, examining in particular the nature of the evidence they adduce and the theoretical paradigms they bring to bear.  In week 7 we turn to Shahid Amin's more recent "subaltern" historiographical assessment of Gandhi, of what Gandhi meant to ordinary people in the heady days of anti-British nationalism.

There is no class in week 8.  Students will use the free week to advance their research projects, and to meet with the instructor for additional guidance if necessary.  On Friday, 3 Nov, 4 p.m., research proposal/outlines are due (see syllabus below).

Part four (weeks 9-12) is reserved for student research project presentations and discussion.  Each week four students will present their research.  Readings for each, consisting of approximately twenty pages of primary source material, will be put on reserve.  The presentations will be structured as follows:  Each presenter will be assigned a student respondent in advance.  That respondent will actually begin the presentation by articulating briefly what s/he sees as the main arguments of the work in question, followed by a thoughtful critique.  The critique should focus on the structure of the outline, the appropriateness of the method, and the relevance of primary and secondary sources.  The respondent should also raise questions and make suggestions.  Total time given to the respondent is ten minutes.  The researcher is then given ten minutes to respond, after which the floor is open to general discussion for twenty minutes.  The respondent's performance will be graded.

The final paper, to be 30 pages in length (the length does not include the required bibliography), or about 7000 to 8000 words, must be typed and double-spaced, with one inch margins.  Footnotes (not endnotes) and a full bibliography of works cited must conform to Kate Turabian's Manual.  The paper is due Friday, Dec 8, 4 p.m.

The grade for the course is to be based on the following calculation:

• Short paper no. 1 = 5%
• Short paper no. 2 = 15%
• Description of research topic, to be expanded into formal research proposal = 20%
• Respondent performance = 10%
• Final paper 50%

The following texts are available at Atticus:

• Gandhi, An Autobiography : The Story of My Experiments With Truth
• Gandhi, Hind Swaraj : And Other Writings
• Erikson, Gandhi's Truth : On the Origins of Militant Nonviolence
• Nandy, The Intimate Enemy : Loss and Recovery of Self Under Colonialism
• Nehru, Discovery of India
• Rudolphs, Gandhi : The Traditional Roots of Charisma
• Amin, Event, Metaphor, Memory : Chauri Chaura 1922-1992

Syllabus schedule
 

Sep 5	Introductions
Week 1:  Sep 12	Historical, cultural, and geographic context.  We will also make a visit to the library to examine the variety of sources to be found there, including Gandhi's Collected Works, the journal Harijan, "Gandhiana", newspapers (Times), Hansard (Parliamentary Papers), and secondary authorities (articles in journals, monographs, survey texts)	Nehru, Discovery, 1-288
Week 2:  Sep 19	Colonialism and Nationalism	Nehru, Discovery, 289-568  In addition, each student will be assigned a book review of the following texts:  Bayly, Washbrook, Irschik, McClane, Guha, Pandey, Cashman, Brown, Seal, Johnson,
Week 3:  Sep 26	Gandhi on Gandhi  Short paper #1:  Choose an event or passage in Gandhi's Autobiography.  Compare it to a relevant passage or passages in Nehru's Discovery.  500 words (not including the passages, if extended quotes are given).	Gandhi, Autobiography, entire
Week 4:  Oct 3	Gandhi on India and the West By now, students should have settled on a research topic for their final paper.  Topics should be chosen with the guidance of the instructor.  One paragraph descriptions of topics, indicating the main primary sources to be used, are due on Friday, 6 Oct, 4 p.m.	Gandhi, Hind Swaraj, entire
Week 5:  Oct 10	Gandhi the man	Erikson, Gandhi's Truth
Week 6:  Oct 17	Gandhi the mahatma Short paper #2:  Contrast the arguments made in these works, the nature of the evidence used in each, and the theoretical paradigms informing each account.  1000 words.	Rudolphs, Gandhi:  The Traditional Roots of Charisma Nandy, Intimate Enemy
Week 7:  Oct 24	Gandhi and the subaltern	Amin, Event, Metaphor, Memory
Week 8:  Oct 31	No class:  individual meetings on topics if necessary.  On Friday, 3 Nov, 4 p.m., students will submit revised research proposals, indicating the research question(s), relevant historiographical issues/works, and a prose outline of the proposed essay (5 pages altogether).  Appended to this should be a one page bibliography showing the main primary and secondary sources.  5 pages.  See Kate Turabian, Manual for Writers, for correct notational format.  These will be graded, of course, and will be distributed in the following weeks to inform your classmates about your topic.
Weeks 9-12:  Nov 7-Dec 5	Topics and readings for remainder of semester to be based on student research projects.  Each week we will focus on 4 student projects.  For each project a student respondent will describe the work, offer a critical appraisal, and raise questions for discussion.  Presenters will distribute ahead of time their research proposal due in week 8.	Student presenters will make common readings available.