India's Culture Wars

Political battles over the soul of modern India are fought, in part, through the imagination. This course explores India's vibrant modern traditions to understand changing visions of the world's largest democracy. Film, writing, and new media reveal a space where right-wing Hindu activism meets global neoliberal norms, where "new women" and "angry young men" critique longstanding social roles and gender inequalities, and where the Indian government defines its economic and political aspirations in a changing world. This course brings scholarly research to bear upon real-world debates found in heritage management, institution-building, and cultural policy. It explores the role of India’s diaspora in shaping new visions of India. Through analytical and creative approaches, students build their abilities to engage with India in self-reflexive, nuanced and multimedia forms.