This course carries either CSA or Global Civilization and Culture credit as well as A&H credit. “Mandir and Masjid” is a great introduction to Indian film, and discussions the day after the screenings are always very lively. The course gives students a theoretical framework for understanding the ways religion plays out in both popular and less commercial films in the subcontinent.
Course Description:
Mandir (temple), masjid (mosque), and for that matter church make frequent appearances in South Asian cinema, sometimes for surprising reasons. In this course we will consider the meaning of religion in South Asia using film as our lens to explore what John Booth calls the "ambiguity of the sacred-secular distinction in Indian culture." We will begin by reading and discussing two chapters on how scholars "read" film, with a bit of practice in class before our first film screening. Each week we will watch and discuss, in detail, one film. Our broad topics include partition, gender, myth, fundamentalism, and the diaspora. We will come to know a range of views on religion and its role in the lives of South Asians through film produced in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and our reading of critical articles for each film. The films include mythologicals, social commentary, and Bollywood blockbusters, all of which have a great deal to tell us about religion in South Asia. No prerequisites, and prior knowledge of South Asia, while helpful, is not expected.
Course Work Requirements:
Each week students will submit a 1-2 page response to questions raised by that week's material. Grading will be based on these papers (30%), attendance and participation in classroom activities (30%), and two term papers (40%).
Our in-class discussions will centre around the readings, and questions posed on OnCourse will help guide students' thinking about each piece.
Grad students interested in the course should contact me individually to discuss arrangements for taking it under an appropriate course number.
