South Asian Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)
Degree: Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor of Arts and Science
Program credit weight: 18
Program Description
The B.A.: Minor Concentration in South Asian Studies offers breadth and depth on the history, literature, languages, politics, religions, cultures, and societies of South Asia. The minor concentration is divided into two streams, "Culture and Civilization" and "Languages." An interdisciplinary curriculum is collaboratively offered by the Department of Anthropology, English, History and Classical Studies, Political Science, and Sociology, the Institute of Islamic Studies, and the School of Religious Studies, and is complemented by language instruction in Persian, Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Urdu-Hindi.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Complementary Courses (18 credits)
18 credits from one of the following streams:
Stream 1: Culture and Civilization
Note: As course content may change according to the offering unit's yearly curriculum, all classes listed must be approved in consultation with the South Asian Studies adviser as relevant to the Minor Concentration. Students should refer to the Course Catalogue to confirm any prerequisites for the following courses.
Introductory Curriculum
6 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 327 | Anthropology of South Asia. | 3 |
Anthropology of South Asia. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to anthropological research in India and greater South Asia. Topics include politics, caste, class, religion, gender and sexuality, development and globalization. | ||
| ANTH 361 | Archaeology of South Asia. | 3 |
Archaeology of South Asia. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course explores the archaeology of South Asia from prehistoric through early historic times focusing on the region covered by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. We will investigate the shifting materiality of social landscapes, political, ritual and ecological practices. The course interrogates a number of anthropological themes including human evolution, social organization, food production, craft production, trade and exchange, the transition(s) to urbanism, the development of socio-political inequalities and institutions, regional and supra-regional polities and religious traditions. We will address some of the historiographical and epistemological problems with using archaeological data to produce narratives of South Asia’s past. | ||
| ENGL 297 | Special Topics of Literary Study. | 3 |
Special Topics of Literary Study. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Special topics of literary study. Topic varies by year. | ||
| HIST 209 | Introduction to South Asian History. | 3 |
Introduction to South Asian History. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Charts the making of South Asian civilization, 2500 BCE- 1707 CE, through a selection of key themes and major trends. Focus on the transformation of local kinship ties into regional kingdoms and empires, the evolution of religion and the legacy of the expansion of Islam and consequent rise of Turkish, Afghan and Mughal empires in this area. | ||
| ISLA 330 | Islamic Mysticism: Sufism. | 3 |
Islamic Mysticism: Sufism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The varieties of "mystical" thought in Islam, primarily as seen in Sufism, its historical development and its place in Islamic culture. Analytical study of major authors, their writings and their central problems. | ||
| POLI 322 | Political Change in South Asia. | 3 |
Political Change in South Asia. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Political change in South Asia in late colonial and post-colonial periods. Issues covered include social and cultural history; colonial rule, nationalism and state formation; democratic and authoritarian tendencies; economic policies and consequences; challenges to patterns of dominance and national boundaries; prospects for democracy, prosperity and equality. | ||
| RELG 252 | Hinduism and Buddhism. | 3 |
Hinduism and Buddhism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The interaction of Hinduism and Buddhism in India with special reference to the law of Karma, caste, women, ritual, death, yoga, and liberation. Determination of interpretative principles for understanding the religious psychology of Hindus and Buddhists. | ||
| RELG 254 | Introduction to Yoga Traditions. | 3 |
Introduction to Yoga Traditions. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course is an historical and thematic investigation into yoga, including its classical formulations, esoteric practices, and contemporary developments and debates. It explores early yoga traditions as well as the development of modern yoga in India and “the West,” along with themes such as the body, asceticism, secularism, and cultural exchange. | ||
Intermediate and Advanced Curriculum
12 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 308 | Political Anthropology 01. | 3 |
Political Anthropology 01. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The study of political systems and political processes. Conflict and its resolution. The emphasis of the course will be on local-level politics and non-industrial societies. | ||
| ANTH 510 | Advanced Problems in Anthropology of Religion. | 3 |
Advanced Problems in Anthropology of Religion. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This research seminar helps students to develop indepth knowledge in contemporary problems in the anthropology of religion. Topics may include secularism; religious freedom; gender, sexuality and religion; politics of religious law. | ||
| ENGL 336 | The 20th Century Novel 2. | 3 |
The 20th Century Novel 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of 20th century novels. | ||
| ENGL 404 | Studies in 19th Century Literature 1. | 3 |
Studies in 19th Century Literature 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of 19th century works. | ||
| ENGL 408 | The 20th Century. | 3 |
The 20th Century. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of 20th century works. | ||
| HIST 341 | Themes in South Asian History. | 3 |
Themes in South Asian History. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Exploration of a theme in the history of South Asia. | ||
| HIST 435 | Topics in South Asian History. | 3 |
Topics in South Asian History. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. In-depth discussion and research on a topic in the history of South Asia. | ||
| HIST 481 | History of Bangladesh and Pakistan. | 3 |
History of Bangladesh and Pakistan. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Examines social and political histories of Pakistan and Bangladesh from 1947 to present with attention to the roles of Islam, ethnicity and nationalism. | ||
| ISLA 305 | Topics in Islamic History. | 3 |
Topics in Islamic History. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Subject matter will vary year to year, according to the instructor. Topic will be made available in Minerva. | ||
| ISLA 420 | Indo-Islamic Civilization: Medieval. | 3 |
Indo-Islamic Civilization: Medieval. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The rise of Islam in South Asia in the 8th Century and its subsequent expansion; evolution of Indo-Islamic civilization and its apogee during Mughal rule up to 1707. Themes include state and religion; ruling institutions; political theory, Sufism and the process of conversion, as well as the formation of a composite culture. | ||
| ISLA 421 | Islamic Culture - Indian Subcontinent. | 3 |
Islamic Culture - Indian Subcontinent. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Survey of Islamic culture (faith systems, literature, music, art) on the Indian subcontinent from the early modern period to the present, with a focus on conflict and relations between Muslims and non-Muslims, and between majority and minority Muslim groups. | ||
| ISLA 489 | Special Topics 6. | 3 |
Special Topics 6. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Selected topics in Islamic and Middle East studies. Subject matter will vary year to year, according to the instructor. Topic will be made available in Minerva. | ||
| ISLA 555 | Urdu Poetry. | 3 |
Urdu Poetry. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Interpretation of Urdu poetry for students with intermediate to advanced-level knowledge of Urdu-Hindi language. Includes advanced grammar topics, cultural and historical background, and interpretation and analysis. | ||
| ISLA 581 | Special Topics 1. | 3 |
Special Topics 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Selected topics in Islamic studies. | ||
| POLI 423 | Politics of Ethno-Nationalism. | 3 |
Politics of Ethno-Nationalism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Theories of ethno-nationalism examined in light of experience in Asia, Middle East and Africa. Topics include formation and mobilization of national, ethnic and religious identities in colonial and post-colonial societies; impact of ethno-nationalism on pluralism, democracy, class and gender relations; means to preserve tolerance in multicultural societies. | ||
| POLI 435 | Identity and Inequality. | 3 |
Identity and Inequality. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Inequality is often particularly durable between groups whose boundaries are based on assumed ancestry - e.g., the major ethnic categories in former European settler colonies, castes in South Asia. This course explores ongoing changes in the relationship between identity and social, economic and political inequality in some of these contexts. | ||
| RELG 288 | Introduction to Sikhism. | 3 |
Introduction to Sikhism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to the historical and religious contexts relevant to understanding Sikh religious traditions, including its principal doctrines, practices and institutions and its evolution from its origins in South Asia to the present, with particular attention to Sikh-Canadian transnational connections. | ||
| RELG 344 | Mahayana Buddhism. | 3 |
Mahayana Buddhism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Investigation of Mahayana schools of thought based on reading of key sutras and commentarial literature. | ||
| RELG 348 | Classical Hinduism. | 3 |
Classical Hinduism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Surveys classical Hinduism through Sanskrit learning traditions. Topics include: Vedic literature, fables, ethics, statecraft, erotics, liberation, and epic literature. | ||
| RELG 350 | Bhakti Hinduism. | 3 |
Bhakti Hinduism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Foundation of theism in the Upanisads, Epics, Gita and puranas; image worship and temple religion in the Agamas; Vaisnavism, Saivism, Saktism, and competition with Buddhism and Jainism; the relation of Bhakti and Tantra; interaction of Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism. | ||
| RELG 353 | Gandhi: His Life and Thought. | 3 |
Gandhi: His Life and Thought. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the life and thought of Gandhi. | ||
| RELG 366 | Rivers, Religion, and Environment in South Asia. | 3 |
Rivers, Religion, and Environment in South Asia. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This class explores the significance of major South Asian river systems, including Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, and Yamuna, in classical and contemporary terms. In Hindu scriptures, rivers may be incarnate, emplaced goddesses; in contemporary South Asia, rivers are central to Hindu pilgrimage while facing environmental pressures from pollution, overuse, flooding, and drought. Finally, rivers of the Indian subcontinent cross and delineate international boundaries, creating friction between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. As key lifelines shared in multi-religious South Asia, are rivers vulnerable wards of the state—or valuable ‘citizens’ who must be recruited to do their part? | ||
| RELG 369 | Tibetan Buddhism. | 3 |
Tibetan Buddhism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Buddhism has been central to Tibetan culture and identity since the 7th century CE. This course introduces key aspects of the history and practices of Tibetan Buddhism, including: early history, political and sectarian developments, the spread of Tibetan Buddhism outside of Tibet, and the myth of "Shangri-La". | ||
| RELG 372 | Hindu Goddesses. | 3 |
Hindu Goddesses. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The mythology, theology, soteriology, history, ritual, and texts of the goddess-centred (Sakta) branches of Hinduism. | ||
| RELG 378 | Pilgrimage, Heritage, and Tourism. | 3 |
Pilgrimage, Heritage, and Tourism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Explores the history of pilgrimage and emergence of religious tourism in global contexts. Introduces the religious heritage of Montreal and its history as a Roman Catholic pilgrimage centre (St. Joseph’s Oratory) and adopts thematic approaches to pilgrimage and tourism in interreligious perspectives (Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish). | ||
| RELG 444 | Indian Ocean Religious Networks. | 3 |
Indian Ocean Religious Networks. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This seminar class explores cultural exchanges among maritime networks of Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims in South Asia and Southeast Asia, in classical, pre-modern, and contemporary terms. Key themes to be considered include: sovereignty, society, and religion, within the context of historically evolving cultural relations around the Bay of Bengal. Taking an inter-religious approach to understanding maritime cultural interactions, class readings and discussion include: foundational theories of “Indianization,” reflection on “localization,” the “Sanskrit cosmpolis,” and emerging theoretical contributions based on current archaeological, epigraphic, and art historical discoveries in India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Deptl. approval: Nov.17, 2015. | ||
| RELG 453 | Vajrayana Buddhism. | 3 |
Vajrayana Buddhism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of Vajrayana (Tantric) Buddhism, approached predominantly through the genre of life writing/sacred biography. | ||
| RELG 454 | Modern Hindu Thought. | 3 |
Modern Hindu Thought. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the developments in religious thought with special reference to such thinkers as Ram Mohan Roy, Dayananda Saraswati, Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Gandhi, Tilak, Aurobindo, and Radhakrishnan. | ||
| RELG 544 | Ethnography as Method in Religious Studies. | 3 |
Ethnography as Method in Religious Studies. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Ethnography as method informs disciplines from Area Studies and anthropology to linguistics and religious studies. Students will acquire a critical perspective on emic/etic subjectivity in Religious Studies, and a framework to apply ethnography in their research. Coursework covers classic ethnographies, new interventions, and ethnographies of particular relevance for religious traditions in a given year. | ||
| RELG 545 | Ramayana: Multiple Lives. | 3 |
Ramayana: Multiple Lives. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Focus on the Rama story in South Asia. Exploration of the multiple versions of the narrative from classical Sanskrit textual versions, to rural vernacular retellings, to contemporary TV versions, and examination of the various religious, social, cultural and political significations of the narrative in these contexts. | ||
| RELG 546 | Indian Philosophy. | 3 |
Indian Philosophy. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to the orthodox systems of Hindu Philosophy leading up to Vedanta i.e., Nyaya, Vaisesika, Sankhya, Yoga and Mimamsa, which will include discussion of such topics as: grounds for belief and disbelief in God, the nature of revelation, means of knowledge, etc. | ||
| RELG 547 | Special Topics in Hinduism. | 3 |
Special Topics in Hinduism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A research-oriented seminar dealing with topics in Hindu studies. | ||
| RELG 548 | Indian Buddhist Philosophy. | 3 |
Indian Buddhist Philosophy. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The rise of buddhist schools of philosophy, especially the Theravada and Sauntrantika, as an attempt to systematize the canonical teachings and defend Buddhism against its critics. | ||
| RELG 551 | Special Topics in Buddhism. | 3 |
Special Topics in Buddhism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A research-oriented seminar dealing with topics in Buddhist studies. | ||
| RELG 552 | Advaita Vedanta. | 3 |
Advaita Vedanta. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The relation of Nyaya-Vaisesika and Mimamsa to Kevaladvaita with concentration on Sankara's Brahmasutrabhasya, Pada 1 and 2. | ||
| RELG 556 | Issues in Buddhist Studies. | 3 |
Issues in Buddhist Studies. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A graduate seminar taught by the Numata Visiting Professor on critical issues in contemporary Buddhist Studies. Emphasis will be placed on the intensive application of different methods - philological, philosophical or social scientific - to some area of modern Buddhist research. | ||
| RELG 558 | Indian Tantric Traditions. | 3 |
Indian Tantric Traditions. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of esoteric Tantric culture (philosophy, ritual, pilgrimage, art, and iconography) with focus on either Hindu or Buddhist Tantric traditions. | ||
| RELG 559 | Caste and Dalits: Historical and Political Perspectives. | 3 |
Caste and Dalits: Historical and Political Perspectives. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This seminar addresses religion, caste, and the Dalit community (formerly known as "untouchables" in India through a range of historical and ritual contexts. Topics include representation in the Hindu textual tradition, colonialism, conversion, caste-based violence, caste and nationalism, non-Brahmin political assertion, and the contemporary reservation system. | ||
| RELG 560 | Buddhist Poetry. | 3 |
Buddhist Poetry. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Since the time of Buddha, poetry has been used by Buddhist to express devotion, to compose philosophical treatises, and to communicate insight into the experience of awakening. The seminar's content will vary, treating the history, poetics, esthetics, roles and genres of Buddhist poetry in India, Tibet, China and Japan. | ||
| SOCI 370 | Sociology: Gender and Development. | 3 |
Sociology: Gender and Development. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Exploration of the main development theories and discussion of how gender is placed within them, analysis of the practical application of development projects and discussion of how they affect gender dynamics, and examination of power relations between development agencies and developing countries. Examples from Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America are used. | ||
| SOCI 550 | Developing Societies. | 3 |
Developing Societies. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Comparison of alternative explanations of underdevelopment: the impact of social stratification, relations of domination and subordination between countries, state interference with the market. Alternative strategies of change: revolution, structural adjustment, community development and cooperatives. Students will write and present a research paper, and participate extensively in class discussion. | ||
Additions may be made during a particular calendar year depending on the central focus of the courses, subject to adviser approval.
Maximum of 6 relevant transfer credits may be accepted from approved exchange programs subject to adviser and University approval.
Students may apply up to 6 credits in South Asian language study, with approval from the adviser.
Stream 2: Language
Either 18 credits in one of the following languages: Persian, Sanskrit, Tibetan, or Urdu-Hindi, from the courses listed below.
Or 18 credits of combined language study from courses listed below, consisting of 6 credits of one of Persian, Sanskrit, Tibetan, or Urdu-Hindi and 12 credits of another South Asian language from the courses listed below.
Note: Students should refer to the Course Catalogue to confirm any prerequisites for the following courses.
Persian
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISLA 241D1 | Introductory Persian. | 3 |
Introductory Persian. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to the Persian language, beginning with pronouncing, reading and writing the Persian script, and moving to vocabulary and grammatical structures needed to communicate in simple dialogues, read simple texts, and write simple paragraphs. | ||
| ISLA 241D2 | Introductory Persian. | 3 |
Introductory Persian. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See ISLA 241D1 for course description. | ||
| ISLA 342D1 | Lower Intermediate Persian. | 3 |
Lower Intermediate Persian. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Speech, comprehension, and reading and writing of more complex grammatical structures, embedded within a variety of short authentic Persian texts. | ||
| ISLA 342D2 | Lower Intermediate Persian. | 3 |
Lower Intermediate Persian. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See ISLA 342D1 for course description. | ||
| ISLA 443D1 | Upper Intermediate Persian. | 3 |
Upper Intermediate Persian. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to authentic texts about Persian culture, history, geography, politics, arts, and other topics relevant to Iran, as well as canonical poems of various modern and classical poets, and selected Persian proverbs and their meanings and connotations. | ||
| ISLA 443D2 | Upper Intermediate Persian. | 3 |
Upper Intermediate Persian. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See ISLA 443D1 for course description. | ||
| ISLA 545 | Advanced Persian 1. | 3 |
Advanced Persian 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced level of Persian language study. | ||
| ISLA 546 | Advanced Persian 2. | 3 |
Advanced Persian 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced level of Persian language study. | ||
Sanskrit
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| RELG 257D1 | Introductory Sanskrit. | 3 |
Introductory Sanskrit. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. To develop basic language and reading skills. | ||
| RELG 257D2 | Introductory Sanskrit. | 3 |
Introductory Sanskrit. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See RELG 257D1 for course description. | ||
| RELG 357D1 | Sanskrit 2. | 3 |
Sanskrit 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced grammar and vocabulary with readings in epic and similar texts. | ||
| RELG 357D2 | Sanskrit 2. | 3 |
Sanskrit 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See RELG 357D1 for course description. | ||
| RELG 457D1 | Advanced Sanskrit. | 3 |
Advanced Sanskrit. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Critical reading of selected Sanskrit texts. | ||
| RELG 457D2 | Advanced Sanskrit. | 3 |
Advanced Sanskrit. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See RELG 457D1 for course description. | ||
Tibetan
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| RELG 264 | Introductory Tibetan 1. | 3 |
Introductory Tibetan 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to the language of Classical Tibetan, specifically Tibetan script and basic grammar. | ||
| RELG 265 | Introductory Tibetan 2. | 3 |
Introductory Tibetan 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A continuation of the introduction to the language of Classical Tibetan, specifically Tibetan script and basic grammar. | ||
| RELG 364 | Intermediate Tibetan 1. | 3 |
Intermediate Tibetan 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced Tibetan grammar, and translation of selected Tibetan texts. | ||
| RELG 365 | Intermediate Tibetan 2. | 3 |
Intermediate Tibetan 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Continuation of advanced Tibetan grammar and translation of selected Tibetan texts. | ||
| RELG 464 | Advanced Tibetan 1. | 3 |
Advanced Tibetan 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Translation of specially selected Tibetan texts. | ||
| RELG 465 | Advanced Tibetan 2. | 3 |
Advanced Tibetan 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Continuation of translation of specially selected Tibetan texts. | ||
Urdu-Hindi
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISLA 251D1 | Introductory Urdu-Hindi. | 3 |
Introductory Urdu-Hindi. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to Urdu-Hindi language including pronunciation and reading and writing of either Urduor Hindi script, speaking and comprehension of basic sentences, commands, statements in the present tense. | ||
| ISLA 251D2 | Introductory Urdu-Hindi. | 3 |
Introductory Urdu-Hindi. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See ISLA 251D1 for course description. | ||
| ISLA 352D1 | Intermediate Urdu-Hindi. | 3 |
Intermediate Urdu-Hindi. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Speech, comprehension, and reading and writing of more complex grammatical structures, including the subjunctive, future, and past tenses. | ||
| ISLA 352D2 | Intermediate Urdu-Hindi. | 3 |
Intermediate Urdu-Hindi. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See ISLA 352D1 for course description. | ||
| ISLA 553 | Advanced Urdu-Hindi 1. | 3 |
Advanced Urdu-Hindi 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Builds upon Intermediate Urdu-Hindi to introduce students to advanced grammatical constructions through reading of longer texts in the Urdu or Hindi script, conversation, and video/audio cultural materials. | ||
| ISLA 554 | Advanced Urdu-Hindi 2. | 3 |
Advanced Urdu-Hindi 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced study of grammatical constructions through reading long texts in the Urdu or Hindi script, conversation, and video/audio cultural materials. | ||
Additions may be made during a particular calendar year depending on the central focus of the courses, subject to adviser approval.
Maximum of 6 relevant transfer credits may be accepted from approved exchange programs subject to adviser and University approval.