ARCHIVE: Complete Syllabus … and Syllabus Outline, for NYUAD course Fall 2020. and Individual Fall 2020 syllabus weeks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
David Ludden. del5@nyu.edu
This course explores the histories of Old World regions all across Afro-Eurasia from ancient to early modern times through studies of spatial mobility and territorial powers that shape cultural environments, material conditions, economic development, and social power relations, from Europe to China, all around the Silk Road and Indian Ocean.
The course therefore explores globalization as a very long-term process of expanding human mobility, communication, connectivity, exchange, and spatial transformation, focusing on a vast, unbounded, ancient, and influential space of globalization spanning regions around the Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and Western Pacific, which we can call Afro-Eurasia.
This exploration emerged from efforts to expand Asian Studies beyond constraints imposed by modern empires and nations, which have locked Asia inside bounded regions (North, South, Southeast, East and Central Asia) cut off from Europe, Middle East, Africa, and America, thus permanently fracturing and isolating Asia, to support implicitly an archaic idea that European expansion launched modern global transformations.
We expand the scope of Asian Studies by revealing Asia’s unbounded spatially mobile connectivity, continuous dynamic territorial innovation, and endlessly influential long-distance interactions, travels, migrations, and cultural mingling, which have propelled globalization from ancient times and routinely reshaped societies, cultures, and economies all around Afro-Eurasia.
We begin by concentrating our attention on the role of spatial mobility in the transformation of human environments. Mobility provides force for the spatial transformation of the physical world and also of knowledge production. In the nineteenth century, industrial technology increased the force of spatial mobility along with its scale, speed, and volume, beyond all previous limits, launching the modern age of empires and nations, as well as of pandemics and climate change.
This course concerns the two previous millennia of spatial transformation that produced conditions of possibility for the creation of the modern world. Over the semester, we will see how Asia’s long dynamic history generated energies that propelled and sustained modern globalization by engaging investors in spatial connectivity and territorial power all around Afro-Eurasia.
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to
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- describe orally and in writing how mobility has shaped social worlds in Asia;
- effectively use concepts and methodologies for the study of globalization;
- critically interpret maps and other visual representations of historical information;
- think critically about all kinds of boundaries;
- and, above all, understand globalization in Asian perspectives.
TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODOLOGIES
This course adopts a seminar format. Each class will begin with a contextualization and summary of the reading – to clarify how each reading due for that meeting fits into the overall design of the course – and will end with a brief indication of how to focus reading of material for the next meeting. Significant class time will be spent in conversation developing a shared understanding of the reading, and in class presentations, based on student response papers.
We spend substantial time interpreting maps and using other visual representations of historical information, including videos. We visit local sites, when appropriate.
Writing assignments enable students to develop their understanding of the reading and class material. Oral presentations enable students to formulate ideas for group discussion and to seek assistance from classmates in resolving challenges they face in their own research and writing.
STUDENT ASSESSMENTS
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- Three five-page papers, each 20% of the final grade, for a total of 60%.
- Five one-page response papers, each is worth 5% of the final grade, for a total of 25%
- Class participation is worth 15% of the final grade. Including 5% for class presentations.
ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES
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- All papers are double spaced, 12-point font, with one inch margins, with student name and assignment number in chronological order, as listed in the syllabus, in the header.
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- 3 five-page papers: due at the end of the second class in weeks 6, 10, and 14. Paper topics are indicated on the syllabus. Papers will be judged on all aspects of quality: organized prose in a coherent sequence of paragraphs should focus clearly on the assignment and display a strong understanding of ideas and information from relevant course material.
- Students have the option of submitting a draft of their last 5-page paper for instructor feedback and revision.
- 5 one-page papers: due at the start of the first class in weeks 2, 3, 4, 5, and 9, based on weekly readings for class discussion and student presentations. They can be revised and handed in to the instructor, in hard copy, at the end of the second class, for grading. They should present an understanding of the reading. Asking questions and indicating doubts or confusion are appropriate in these response papers: they generate questions for discussion in class.
- 3 five-page papers: due at the end of the second class in weeks 6, 10, and 14. Paper topics are indicated on the syllabus. Papers will be judged on all aspects of quality: organized prose in a coherent sequence of paragraphs should focus clearly on the assignment and display a strong understanding of ideas and information from relevant course material.
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- Classroom participation. This grade is based on levels of personal participation in the course as a whole. Minimally, students should always show they are paying attention and never get distracted by computers, phones, doodling, daydreams, jinn, or chit chat. They should ask all questions in class, rather than privately. They should engage conversations. They should respond intelligently when the instructor asks, “What do you think about this?” Students will be also lead discussions of course material with short presentations. An evaluation of presentations counts for one-third of participation grade.
Concerns about class participation.
Students who are concerned for any reason about their ability to participate in the classroom discussion should contact the professor as early as possible to work out a solution.
NYU MOSES CENTER FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
New York University is committed to providing equal educational opportunity and participation for students with disabilities. CSD works with NYU students to determine appropriate and reasonable accommodations that support equal access to a world-class education. Confidentiality is of the utmost importance. Disability-related information is never disclosed without student permission. https://www.nyu.edu/students/communities-and-groups/students-with-disabilities.html. Contact: mosescsd@nyu.edu
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS
Students need to make sure they are familiar with the provisions and obligations of The University Calendar Policy on Religious Holidays, which states, in part: “Students who anticipate being absent because of any religious observance should, whenever possible, notify faculty in advance of such anticipated absence.”
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
NYU Abu Dhabi expects its students to adhere to the highest possible standards of scholarship and academic conduct. Students should be aware that engaging in behaviors that violate the standards of academic integrity will be subject to review and may face the imposition of penalties in accordance with the procedures set out in the NYUAD policy. Here is the link to the NYUAD policy statement.
Reading: All required reading is online and averages about 100 pages per week.
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- Listed page lengths are estimates for Online Research Encyclopedia of Asian History and some other online readings.
- Many online readings require access through NYUHome. Lists of Reference Readings will be expanded online and are designed to enable students to pursue research on each weekly topic.
Course Organization:
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- Each week consists of two class meetings.
- The first meeting is a lecture on the weekly theme to supplement course reading.
- The second meeting is for Q&A discussion and student presentations based on paper prompts.
- This course is part of a two-part Global Asia sequence. These two courses overlap chronologically, but their content is distinct. Each course can be taken separately.
- Each week consists of two class meetings.
AN EPIC TALE IN FIVE ACTS
Act I. circa 300BCE-600CE. Circuits of mobility emerge that would shape everyday life all around the Old World. An Asian Circulatory System begins to emerges in travels by land and sea. Landmarks: Alexandrias, Roman Asia Trade, Periplus, Anuradhapura, White Horse Temple, Champa.
Act II. 600s-900s. Militant empires connect circuits of mobility. Nomad horse warrior steppe migrations dismantle old empires in East, South, and West Asia, and set up new warrior regimes around the Silk Road, stimulating Abbasid-Tang trade expansion across the Indian Ocean. Landmarks: Battle of Talas, Belitung Shipwreck MAP VIDEO, Gok Turks, Tibetan Empire, Baghdad.
Act III. 900s-1200s. “Medieval Warm Period” economic development produces new routes of opportunity connecting the Indian Ocean and Central Asia through India. Trade and imperial power expanded in South India and Southeast Asia, increasing connectivity around the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea, East Africa, and Persian Gulf. Landmarks: Cholas, SriVijaya, Qingjing Mosque, Kilwa
Act IV. 1200s-1500s. Mongol conquest and related migratory militarism integrate and expand the Asian Circulatory System, extending around the Black Sea into Russia and Europe, laying mobile militant territorial frames for commercial expansion by land and sea, embracing Europe, stimulating European investments to control Eurasian trade by sea. Landmarks: Plague, Forbidden City, Mansa Musa, Shah Jalal, Malacca Sultanate, Delhi, Venice. Slavery.
Act V. 1500s-1800s. The largest-ever Asian empires generate massive wealth; their coastal regions sustain militant European trade extending around Atlantic and Pacific. A global economy of seaborne networks anchored in port-cities enrich Asian territories and European imperial powers that expands inland from coastal port cities. Landmarks: Taj Mahal, Cowrie Shells, Batavia, Manila Galleons, Textiles, Plassey, Opium.
