POS 344: The Politics of India
Fall 2015
Mondays & Wednesdays, 2:00 – 3:15 p.m.
AUD 514
Professor: Philip Hultquist, Ph.D.
Email: phultquist@roosevelt.edu
Office Hours: TU & TH, 10:30am-Noon Office: AUD 844 (8th Floor Fire Escape)
Or by appointment
Phone: 312-341-2117
Course Description:
“That India belongs to two worlds is a familiar platitude that happens to be true.”
- Barrington Moore, Jr. in Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy
India is home to over 1.2 billion people, a few of whom are the richest in the world, and many
others are among the poorest. It is the world’s largest democracy, where the 2014 election saw
the most voters in any election in human history. Yet a large segment of the society is
characterized by the social hierarchy of the caste system. India is one of the most diverse
countries on the planet, with social cleavages across class, religion, language, ethnicity, and
caste—of which many groups have armed and fought against each other or the government. Its
economy is one of the fastest growing in the last two and half decades and is currently the 4th
largest economy (adjusted purchasing power parity). It is also one of the only two countries with
nuclear weapons to actually go to war against another nuclear weapons state. Most importantly,
the shape of the next century will likely be decided by how India responds to the rise of China as
the two overtake the US and Europe to become the most powerful places in the international
system. For these, and many other reasons, learning about the politics of India is not simply
fulfilling our intellectual curiosity, but is actually crucial to understanding the future of the
planet.
India’s rich history and remarkable diversity allows us to evaluate the most interesting questions
and theories that comparative politics has to offer. This course will do so across several sections
and recurring themes. First, we explore the how India became the country it was at independence
by examining (briefly) its early history, how British colonialism shaped its trajectory, and how
Indians became the first Asian country to break free of Europe colonization. We will also explore
how India’s political institutions work, the origin of the party system and how it changed, and
how politics interacts with religion, gender, and caste. We learn how federalism works in a
society with such incredible diversity and conclude by pondering the fate of Indian nationalism
and whether it can succeed in the face of so many competing ideas and sub-nationalisms. Prerequisites include: Introduction to Comparative Politics.
Student Learning Objectives:1
Students will be able to demonstrate factual knowledge of the political and social history of
India, as well as some descriptive characteristics, through description and identification on
exams.2
Students will be able to demonstrate conceptual knowledge of class material (including theory)
through definition, description and identification on exams.3
1
2
Based on the revised version of Bloom’s taxonomy.
“Remember” and “Understand” from the revised version of Bloom’s taxonomy.
1
Students will be able to demonstrate conceptual understanding by applying concepts and
theories to Indian States and political parties on exams and through two short papers.3
Students will be able to demonstrate critical thinking and the ability to analyze on exams and
two short papers.4
Students will be able to demonstrate oral communication skills by presenting their findings
from their short papers to the class.5
Students will be able to demonstrate awareness of social justice and engagement in
civil life during in-class discussions and/or short papers, many of which will require
addressing issues of social justice, such as: sexism, poverty, communalism, etc.5
Texts and Reading
There are no required books for this course. Readings will be drawn from various articles
and book chapters. All readings found in the reading and lecture schedule are required
unless noted as a suggested reading. They will all be posted on the course Blackboard
page in the “Readings (by theme)” folder. The website for Blackboard is:
http://roosevelt.blackboard.com/webapps/login/. If you need help logging in, please
contact the instructor as soon as possible.
I do recommend buying the following book to understand India’s modern history.
•
Guha, Ramachandra. 2007. India After Gandhi: The History of the World’s
Largest Democracy. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin.
Current Events. Students are expected to keep up on current events related to South Asia. You
should follow one of the following online papers.
BBC India at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/asia/india/
The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
For reference, you may find the following timelines helpful.
- India- http://www.aljazeera.com/focus/indiaelections/2009/04/2009411155337721574.html
- Pakistan-http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2012/01/20121181235768904.html
Student Responsibilities and Course Policies
Attendance. Students are expected to attend all lectures and participate in class discussions. Your
attendance is factored into your participation grade. Beyond the participation grade, if you miss
more than 14 class periods, you CANNOT pass the class.
Reading. Each student is expected to complete assigned readings BEFORE its corresponding
lecture.
Communication. According to university policy, students are responsible for communications to
their Roosevelt e-mail address.
3
“Apply” from the revised version of Bloom’s taxonomy.
“Analyze” from the revised version of Bloom’s taxonomy.
5
Based on the university-wide learning objective.
4
2
Intellectual Honesty. Intellectual honesty is essential to our purpose. Plagiarism, in any form, is
grounds for automatic failure in the course and further disciplinary measures by the University.
At the very least, the student will not be allowed to withdraw from the course and I will submit a
formal notification of the incident to your major department chair, college dean, and the
University’s Assistant V. P. for Student Services. The instructor will overview common issues
with plagiarism and how to avoid them before the first writing assignment. However, you are
always welcome to consult with the instructor if you have any questions about what constitutes
plagiarism. See also: The University’s plagiarism policy (http://www.roosevelt.edu/plagiarism)
and http://www.plagiarism.org for more information.
Make-up Policy. If a student has a University-approved excuse for missing an examination AND
if the instructor is notified PRIOR to the examination, arrangements for a make-up examination
will be made. This policy is for exams only.
Disability: If you have a disability or other condition that requires special
accommodation, you are encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Services in the
Academic Success Center at the start of the term. Location: AUD 128, phone: 312-3413810; web: http://www.roosevelt.edu/dss/default.htm. Students who are requesting
special accommodations must contact the ASC within the first two weeks of the
semester.
Presentation Preparedness. Students who are absent or are unprepared for the presentation will be
docked 50% of that presentation grade and must be made up in the following class period.
Classroom Etiquette. Basic professional adult behavior norms apply. I expect students to
be respectful of the class by paying attention to their instructor and their classmates and
by facilitating an open arena for debate about many topics. I also want to reinforce norms
of professional behavior that if conformed to will serve the students well beyond their
academic career. To that end, students will not use distracting electronic devices, such as
cell phones or tablets. (Yes, I can tell when you are texting.) If you are using a tablet
version of the book, please let me know, so I know you are using your laptop or tablet
legitimately.
Completion. Grades of incomplete (I) will only be given in extraordinary circumstances.
Withdrawals: Prior to and including the first week of the fall or spring semester sessions,
students may drop one or more courses with no record of the class appearing on the transcript. In
weeks two through ten of the fall or spring semester, students may complete a Change in
Registration form in person or by fax. The form is found on the web
at http://www.roosevelt.edu/registrar/forms. Online withdrawals after the semester has begun
are not an option. The course will be recorded on the transcript with the notation of "W"
indicating that the student withdrew.
The deadline for withdrawing from this course is October 27th. This means all forms must be
submitted no later than this date. University policy has recently changed, whereby students will
only be able to request a withdrawal after the official withdrawal date if they have extenuating
circumstances that can be documented, e.g., personal illness, illness of close family member, etc.
3
Simply “missing” the withdrawal date is not an acceptable reason for the registrar to grant a late
withdrawal request. The reason should also be non-academic.
Withdrawing from courses may have serious consequences for academic progress towards the
degree, for financial aid eligibility, for repayment of refunds, visa requirements (for international
students), and eligibility for competition (for student athletes). Students should consult carefully
with their instructors and academic advisors and must meet with a financial aid advisor before
withdrawing from classes after the semester has begun. Tuition Refund Schedule and
Withdrawal deadlines are published for each semester and for summer session on the Important
Dates page of the website at http://www.roosevelt.edu/registrar/ImportantDates
Crisis Policy. If you are experiencing difficulties with your health, personal life or any
other crisis that is affecting your ability to come to class and complete the work, it is
imperative that you alert the instructor as soon as possible. The best path is to see
someone at Roosevelt’s counseling center, who (with your permission) can then alert all
your professors that you are having trouble.
University Policy on Absence to Observe Religious Holidays: Roosevelt University respects the
rights of students to observe major religious holidays and will make accommodations, upon
request, for such observances. Students who wish to observe religious holidays must inform their
instructors in writing within the first two weeks of the semester of their intent to observe the
holiday so that alternative arrangements convenient to both students and faculty can be made at
the earliest opportunity. See the student handbook for further details.
Course Work and Grading:
Students will be evaluated on their understanding of the class material using the following
grading system:
Participation/Etiquette
Class Contribution project
Better Know an Indian State
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
10%
25% (Paper 15%; Presentation 10%)
25% (Paper 15%; Presentation 10%)
20%
20%
Course Work:
Participation/Etiquette (15%): Students are expected to be present in all classes and participate
in class discussion with thoughtful comments and questions that are on topic. Good classroom
etiquette entails being respectful of your instructor, classmates, and whoever is paying your
tuition by showing up to class on time, being prepared by completing the reading, and
participating in class as if you find the subject matter interesting (note: pretending is okay). This
means listening to the lecture, not looking at your cellphone, contributing thoughtfully, and
always being respectful of others’ opinions. To do any of the above, you must be present in class
consistently.
4
Classes
missed
0-2
3
4
5
6
7
50
40
30
20
10
0
F-
60 70 80 90 100
50 60 70 80 90
40 50 60 70 80
30 40 50 60 70
20 30 40 50 60
10 20 30 40 50
D
C
B- B+ A
Participation / Etiquette
Participation rubric:
A: Student consistently contributes with thoughtful comments/questions that demonstrate he/she
has engaged the reading or other material (e.g., current events); consistently demonstrates
appropriate etiquette.
B+: Student occasionally contributes with thoughtful comments/questions that demonstrate
he/she has engaged the reading or other material (e.g., current events); consistently demonstrates
appropriate etiquette.
B-: Student occasionally contributes with comments/questions that demonstrate he/she has
engaged the reading or other material (e.g., current events); occasionally violates appropriate
etiquette.
C: Student does not contribute or occasionally participates in distracting or counterproductive
ways; consistently demonstrates appropriate etiquette otherwise.
D: Student does not contribute or participates in distracting or counterproductive ways; frequent
violations of classroom etiquette.
F-: Student does not contribute or participates in distracting or counterproductive ways;
continues frequent violations of classroom etiquette after warnings.
Class contribution project (2 options): 25% (Short paper: 15%; presentation 10%)
Project option #1: Indian Political Party
Students will trace the development of an Indian political party (excluding the INC), to
include its ideology, origins, growth, regions of influence, and prospects for the future.
Students will submit their findings in a short paper, organized around the question: What
factors have supported and/or hindered the growth of the party? Students will also report
a short history and current status of their party in a short presentation to the class.
Project option #2: Indian Political Visionary
Students will trace the impact of an Indian political visionary (political leader). The
project should focus on the vision of that leader for what an independent India should
look like and discuss that leader’s ideology, how they came to espouse that ideology, how
powerful that vision/ideology is in contemporary Indian politics. Students will submit
their findings in a short paper, organized around the question: What factors have
supported and/or hindered the implementation of the leader’s vision? Students will also
report on the leader’s vision in a short presentation to the class.
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Better Know an Indian State paper (25%)
India is a federal country with substantial differences between the States/provinces within.
Many of the issues we will learn about regarding India, writ large, take a different shape in
State politics and deserve more attention than we can adequately cover in the course.
Students will write a short descriptive paper that traces the political development of an Indian
State, including the social structure, diversity, level of economic development, and dominant
political forces. Students will present their findings to the class in a short presentation at the
end of the semester.
Exam (2 @ 20% each; 40% of final grade)
Exams consist of short answer and essay questions drawn from lectures, discussions, videos
and readings.
The following scale will determine final grades. Grades are calculated from the raw scores
(“points”) earned by the student.
93 – 100%: A
90 – 92.9%: A-
87 – 89.9%: B+
83 – 86.9%: B
80 – 82.9%: B-
77 – 79.9%: C+
73 – 76.9%: C
70 – 72.9%: C-
67 – 69.9%: D+
60 – 66.9%: D
0 – 59.9%: F
Reading and Lecture Schedule (subject to change)
All class announcements and changes to the reading schedule will be given during regularly
scheduled class time. Regular attendance will ensure you are up to date with the reading
schedule. Missing class is an insufficient excuse for failing to be informed of class schedule.
Date
Topic and Reading
M 8/24
Introduction
India’s Current Status
Why India Matters
Overview of the Themes of the Course
W 8/26
Brief Early History and Social Diversity
Reading:
- Guha 2007 "Prologue: Unnatural Nation" 1-15
M 8/31
Brief Early History and Colonization
Reading:
- Corbridge and Harriss 2000 "Light of Asia"
W 9/2
Independence Movement
Reading:
- Hardgrave and Kochanek “Legacies of National History”
M 9/7
Labor Day: No Class
6
W 9/9
Independence and partition
Reading:
- Cohen 2004 "The Idea of Pakistan"
- Guha 2007 "The Logic of Division" 41-50
M 9/14
In-Class Video: The Day India Burned
W 9/16
Statebuilding and political order
Consolidating Princely States / Case of Kashmir
Reading:
- Guha 2007 "Apples in the Basket"
- Guha 2007 "A Valley Bloody and Beautiful" 74-96
M 9/21
Statebuilding and political order
Nehru’s Vision of Modern India
Reading:
- Corbridge and Harriss 2000 "Invention of Modern India"
W 9/23
Student Presentations
Alternative Visions of Modern India
M 9/28
Statebuilding and political order
Political Institutions
Reading:
- Hardgrave and Kochanek “Institutions of Governance”
W 9/30
Party Systems
The Congress System
Reading:
- Chhibber and Kollman “Introduction and India section”
- Hardgrave and Kochanek “The Congress System and Its Decline”
M 10/5
Student Presentations
Indian Political Parties
W 10/7
Party System Change - Political equality amid social hierarchy
Reading:
- Ganguly and Mukherji 2011 "Political Mobilization in India"109-140
Suggested Reading:
- Varshney 2000 "Is India becoming more democratic?" 3-25
M 10/12 Why Regional Parties?
Reading:
- Ziegfeld 2012 “Coalition Government and Party System Change: Explaining the
Rise of Regional Parties in India.”
7
W 10/14 The Puzzle of India’s Democracy
Reading:
- Varshney 1998 "Why Democracy Survives"
Suggested Reading:
- Lipset 1960 "Economic Development and Democracy"
- Chadda 2000 "History of Democracy in South Asia" 23-50
M 10/19 The Puzzle of India’s Democracy
Reading:
- Tudor 2013 “Explaining Democracies Origins: Lessons from South Asia”
W 10/21 MID-TERM EXAM
M 10/26 Religious Politics and the Challenge of Secularism
Reading:
- Hibbard 2010 “The Rise and Decline of Indian Secularism”
- Hibbard 2010 “Embedding Communalism in Indian Politics”
W 10/28 Ethnic conflict
Hindu-Muslim relations
Reading:
- Varshney 2001 "Ethnic Conflict and Civil Society: India and Beyond"
M 11/2
Ethnic Conflict
Electoral Violence
Reading:
- Wilkinson 2004 “Intro-Electoral Incentives for Ethnic Violence”
- Wilkinson 2004 “Ch.5-Electoral Incentives for Hindu-Muslim Violence”
W 11/4
Caste and Politics
Reading:
- Jaffrelot 2000 Sanskitization versus Ethnicization
M 11/9
Gender relations
Reading:
- Sen "Women and Men" in the Argumentative Indian
Suggested Reading:
- Sen 1990 "More than 100 Million Women are Missing"
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1990/dec/20/more-than-100-millionwomen-are-missing/?pagination=false
W 11/11 Class, Poverty, and Politics
Reading:
Varshney 2000 “Why have poor democracies not eliminated poverty?”
8
M 11/16 States, Regionalism, and Federalism
Reading:
- Hardgrave and Kochanek "Challenge of Federalism" pp.142-172
W 11/18 States, Regionalism, and Federalism
The Case of Punjab
Reading:
- Hardgrave and Kochanek "Challenge of Federalism" pp.172-181
M 11/23 States, Regionalism, and Federalism
The Case of Punjab (continued)
Reading:
- Hardgrave and Kochanek "Challenge of Federalism" pp.172-181
W 11/25 No Class: Thanksgiving Break
M 11/30 Student Presentations
Better Know an Indian State findings
W 12/2
Epilogue: Identity Politics and Indian nationalism
Reading:
- Guha 2007 “Why India Survives”
Suggested Reading
- Varshney 1993 "Contested Meaning: India's National Identity, Hindu
Nationalism, and the Politics of Anxiety"
M 12/7
FINAL EXAM: Same Room – 2:00 to 4:30pm
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