History 239WH - Topics in Asian History: 'Water and Historical Settlements in India'

The objective of the course is to familiarize students with the complex intertwining of political, religious, social and ecological factors that framed the evolution of historic regions in South Asia. By exploring the cultural landscape of Ellora-Khuldabad-Daulatabad in Maharashtra, India, they will be exposed to diverse methodological approaches such as Historical Anthropology, Comparative Religion and Human Geography, and will be encouraged to raise questions regarding the inter- disciplinary perspective through which such sites may be approached. The course will explore the interplay between historic practice and contemporary development paradigms, raising questions about current water scarcity that could impact many similar sites.