HS2O16: 'The brightest jewel in the British crown': The Making of Modern South Asia, 1757-1947

Module code: HS2O16

Module provider: History; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Rohan Deb Roy, email: r.debroy@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module introduces students to the history of modern South Asia. Students learn how British colonial rule and anti-colonial Indian nationalism shaped modern South Asia.  

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Appraise critically the primary sources and historiographical interpretations of the subject
2. Think comparatively about aspects of British and South Asian history over a substantial period
3. Assess the nature of social, economic, political and cultural change and the particular methodologies associated with tracing it
4. Organise material and articulate arguments effectively in different kinds of written exercises and orally

Module content

Today, South Asia plays a significant role in international politics and globalisation. Marked by tremendous ethnic, ecological and linguistic diversity, South Asia is home to the world’s largest constitutional democracy, as well as the world’s second largest population. This module explores key themes in the making of modern South Asia during the period of British colonial rule over the Indian subcontinent. This period witnessed the establishment of the British Raj, the enactment of social reforms, commercialisation of agriculture, the Mutiny of 1857, the emergence of anti-imperial nationalism, Gandhian politics, the establishment of a constitutional democracy in India, the partition of the subcontinent, and the end of British rule. This module trains students to connect events in South Asia with developments in Britain and the wider imperial world.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching and learning will be by a variety of methods, which may include:

• Lectures
• Seminars, which rely on structured group discussion and may also include seminar papers by students, discussion of evidence, team-based exercises, and debates
• Online exercises, including quizzes and worksheets
• Independent study

Study hours

At least 33 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Essay plan to be submitted halfway through the semester.

Reassessment

Additional costs