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Courses

Courses

The Centre offers several courses under its MPhil/PhD programmes of study. MPhil students are required to take six courses over two semesters, and these courses are specified by the programme of study that students join. The Centre for South Asian Studies at present offers the following Courses:

 

M.A Programme:

IS456 N: India’s Foreign Policy (By Prof. Sanjay K. Bhardwaj)

 

IS506 N: Political Economy of South Asia (By Prof. Amita Batra)

 

IS520 N: Government and Politics in South Asia (By Prof. Sanjay K. Bhardwaj)

 

IS562 N: India, Pakistan and Great Power

 

IS501 N: NATION AND STATE BUILDING IN SOUTH ASIA (by Prof. Sanjay K. Bhardwaj, Dr. Rajesh S. Kharat, Dr. Saurabh)

 

M. Phil Programme:

SA 602: Government & Politics in South Asia (By Prof. Sanjay K Bhardwaj)

 

SA 604: South Asia in International Politics (By Prof. P. Sahadevan)

 

SA 605: Political Development of Nepal (By Prof. Rajesh S. Kharat)

 

SA 616: Political Development & Foreign Policy of Bangladesh (By Prof. Sanjay K Bhardwaj)

 

SA 626: Political Development & Foreign Policy of Sri Lanka (By Prof. P. Sahadevan)

 

SA 644: Regional Cooperation in South Asia (By Prof. Mahendra P. Lama)

 

SA 647: India’s Foreign Economic Policy (By Prof. Amita Batra)

 

SA656: Regional Economic Integration Processes in South & Southeast (By Prof. Amita Batra)

 

SA 665: Research Methodology (By Dr. Saurabh)

 

 

M Phil Course

Course Number: SA 616

Course Title:  Bangladesh: Political Development and Foreign Policy

Teacher:  Prof. Sanjay K. Bhardwaj

Credit Allowed:  One Semester

Instructions: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

Evaluation Method:  Sessional Work and Semester Exam

Course duration:  One Semester (winter)

Contact Hours: 3 per week

 

Battle

Course Contents

The course aims at highlighting the major features of the Political systems in Bangladesh in a comparative and modern political institutional framework. Besides delineating structural-functional attributes, it covers within its purview an analysis of the nature and tenor of the crisis of integration and legitimacy confronting the political system of Bangladesh since its independence. The course will emphasise on the various strategies (domestic and external) adopted by the leadership for crisis management. On the part of external linkages, the course will focus on Bangladesh’s foreign policy objectives, determinants, initiatives and approaches for bilateral and multilateral relations with special reference to India.

  1. The Heritage: Rise of Indo-Aryan and Terko-Islamic culture in Bengal;
  2. Colonial Bengal: Genesis of Bangladesh’s statehood;
  3. The Freedom struggle of Bangladesh and the role of external actors;
  4. The making of Bangladesh Constitution and the shaping Political profile;
  5. Government Structure, Authoritative Functions and Crisis of legitimacy
  6. Political Parties and Pressure groups, Election commission and Civil Societal institutions;
  7. Nation Building and Demands of Diversity: Politics of Identity with special reference to the religious-secular interface and the role of ‘Bengali Samaj’
  8. Foreign Policy Formulation process: Objectives, Principles and Determinants;
  9. The Geopolitical realities and External dependence;
  10. Bangladesh and its Neighbours: India, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal
  11. Indo-Bangladesh Relations: Issues, Components and Constrains;
  12. Bilateral relations with other world specially with the USA, China, Pakistan, and Muslim countries;
  13. Bangladesh and Multilateral Institutions: SAARC, IOC, UN, BIMSTEC etc.

 

 

Course Title: Political Development and Foreign Policy of Sri Lanka (SA626)

Course Teacher: Prof P. Sahadevan

Credits Allotted: 3 (Three)

Evaluation Method: Sessional Work and Mid and End Semester Examination

Course Duration: One Semester (Winter: July-December)

 

Course Contents:

The course focuses on political dynamics and foreign policy orientations of Sri Lanka. Following an overview of the ancient history and socioeconomic and cultural contours of people, it highlights the Sri Lankan Society and polity under the colonial rule. The post-colonial government structure and political processes in the island state are analysed. Subsequently, the causes of the simultaneous and cumulative crises of political order confronting the leadership of Sri Lanka are examined.

The linkage between political change and foreign policy orientation of regimes is underlined in the course. While analysing the determinants of Sri Lanka’s foreign policy and the world view of the Sri Lankan ruling elite, the shifts in the objective priorities of the regimes in conducting foreign policy and relations are discussed. Finally, Sri Lanka’s relations with the global and regional powers especially India in the context of domestic and external compulsions are analysed.

  1. Socio-cultural Settings

            Geographical milieu

Historical antecedents

Nature and structure of the society

  1. Colonialism and National Movement

The advent of Portuguese rule; Dutch occupation; Establishment of British supremacy;

Colonial policies; constitutional development; Nationalist responses to the British rule; and legacies of colonialism.

  1. Post – Colonial Political Structure and Processes

Constitutional experiments in 1948, 1972 and 1978; political structure and Institutions under various constitutions

Party system

Elections and electoral behaviour

The origin and nature of the state

Role of religion in politics

Civil-military relations

Trends in politics

  1. Challenges to political Order

The JVP Insurrection and the State responses

Politics of ethnicity and peace: secessionist movement, internationalisation of the ethnic conflict; the peace processes; the impact of the conflict on the political system.

  1. Framework of Foreign policy

Making of foreign policy: Principal determinants, the role of political institutions and forces: Foreign policy apparatus

Goals and means of foreign policy

  1. Foreign Policy Orientation of Regimes

Foreign policy under the UNP government (1948-56, 1965-70, 1977-94)

Foreign policy under the SLEP government (1956-65, 1970-77, 1994- )

The national consensus in foreign policy

  1. Ethnic conflict and Foreign Policy

Foreign policy implications of the conflict: India and the ethnic conflict.

 

 

 

Course No.: SA602

Course Title:                          Government and Politics in South Asia (SA 602)

Course Teacher :                   Prof Sanjay K. Bhardwaj

Credits Allotted :                  3 (Three)

Evaluation Method :             Sessional Work and Mid and End Semester Examination

Course Duration :                 One Semester (Monsoon : July-December)

Contact Hours:                      3 per week

 

Course Contents:

Beginning with a critical appraisal of the various approaches to the study of political systems, the course aims at highlighting the major features of the South Asian Political systems in a comparative and modern political institutional framework. Besides delineating their structural-functional attributes, it covers within its purview an analysis of the nature and tenor of the crisis of integration and legitimacy confronting the political system of the subcontinent and the various strategies adopted by the leadership for crisis management.

 

  1. South Asia: Demographic Commposition
  2. South Asia as a Region: Comparative perspective
  3. British India: The Growth of Colonialism and Nationalism in South Asian States
  4. Modern Political Evoluation with special reference to studies on South Asia: Approaches and Issues.
  5. Democracy: South Asian Context
  6. Profile of South Asian Political Systems
  7. Political Infrasturcture: Parties, Presuure Groups and Civil Society
  8. Government Structure and Authoritative Functions
  9. Crisis of Legitimacy and Governance
  10. Nation Building and Demands of Diversity: Poltics of Ethnicity, Social Crisis; Religious and Sectarian Conflicts
  11. Political Economy of Development: Issues of Growth, Distribution, and Equality

 

 

Course Title & Number: Regional Cooperation in South Asia: Genesis, Potentials and Prospects (SA 645)

Course Teacher: Prof Mahendra P Lama

Credits Allotted :  3 (Three)

Instruction Method: Lectures, Seminar, Tutorials and Field Exposures

(If funds are available)

Evaluation Method: Sessional Work and Mid and End Semester

Examination

Course Duration: One Semester (Monsoon: July-December)

 

Presentations and Mode of Discussion by the students:

i) Every 4th lecture day will have the presentation and discussion by the students.

ii) Students will make separate presentations of 25 minute each from the given reading list and 15 minutes will be devoted to open discussion.

iii) The presentation will be both informative and analytical

iv) The Course is divided into five broad units.

 

Course Contents:

 

Unit I

1 The genesis of inter-dependence in the World Economy: Historical perspective of North-South and South-South Negotiations; Emergence of concept of Regional Cooperation – Experience of Regional Blocks EEC (1958), CACM (1958), LAFTA (1960), RCD (1964), ASEAN (1967) and others.

 

Unit II

2 Terms of Trade, G-77, Pearson Commission Report, New International Economic Order, Brandt Commission Report

 

Unit III

3 Concepts and Theories of Regionalism

 

4 Political Economy of Regionalism: regional and global contexts; Emergence of New Regionalism

 

Unit IV

5 South Asian search for collective self-reliance – Economic compulsions, political imperatives, geographical contiguity, geostrategic factors, socio-cultural commonalities, patterns and complimentarily in development and relation with extra-regional development partners.

 

6 The genesis of SAARC: Historical Evolution, bilateral cooperation, payment arrangements, Zia-ur-Rehman Proposal of 1980, Colombo Meeting 1981 and the First SAARC Summit, Dacca 1985; Rationale, Principles and Objectives

 

7 Institutional Framework: SAARC Secretariat; Technical Committees Standing Committees, Committee of Ministers and Summit Meetings; Regional Centres, National and Regional Focal Points and creations of other implementing institutions.

 

8 Areas of Cooperation:

  • Integrated Programme of Action and Cooperation in other economic and finance areas – industry, trade, investment, joint ventures, plan modeling techniques and clearing arrangements (Asia Clearing Union, 1974).
  • Socio-cultural Areas – Poverty Alleviation, Education, Health, Environment, SAVE, Documentation Centre, Academic Exchange, Tourism, Basic Needs Perspective, Human Resource Development, Food Security, Terrorism, Drugs and People to People contact and others.
  • Infrastructure Areas – Agriculture Information Centre, Meteorological Research Centre, Rural Technology, Data Bank and Regional Software Centre.
  • Natural Resources and Environment – Development and harnessing of natural resources: forest, water, nuclear energy, coal, crude oil, natural gas, solar and wind power; Disaster control and management.
  • Science and Technology – Technology, research and development; scientific temper and transfer of technology.

 

Unit V

9 Constraints: historical mindsets, significance of borders and border interactions, bilateral issues, political dynamics, geostrategic conflicts, Indo-centric perceptions, political systems and policy regimes, domestic compulsions and exogenous factors.

 

10 Potentials Substantive Economic Areas: trade, industry, finance and investment

  • External Economic Management – Debt, balance of payment, foreign aid, foreign direct investment and technology transfer.
  • Macro-Economic Plan and Policy Coordination: illiteracy, poverty and unemployment
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Political Stability – An approach to amicable resolutions of impending bilateral issues, promotion of peace and regional stability.
  • Interregional Cooperation – ASEAN, EEC, NAFTA and other blocks

 

 

Course No.: SA656

Course Title: Regional Economic Integration Processes in South and Southeast Asia

Course Teacher: Prof Amita Batra

Credits Allotted:   3 (Three)

Evaluation Method: Sessional Work and Mid and End Semester Examination

Course Duration:  One Semester (Monsoon: July-December)

Contact Hours:  3 per week

 

Course Outline:

  1. Regional Economic Integration: Institutions

Regional economic integration, regionalism and the WTO (GATT Article XXIV), stages of regional economic integration, institutional forms of preferential trading arrangements (PTAs), regionalism and regionalization, issues of design and choice of partner, shallow and deep integration, trends and pattern of FTAs.

  1. Theories of Regional Economic Integration

Economic costs and benefits of economic integration/ regionalism, trade creation, trade deflection, and trade diversion, rules of origin, non-economic benefits of regionalism, concept of new regionalism, theories and debates on a) reasons for regional economic integration, multilateral determinants of regionalism, and b) PTAs - stepping stone vs. stumbling bloc for multilateralism, theories of FTA-WTO relationship.

  1. Regional Economic Integration in South Asia 

A. Trends in intra-regional trade and FDI, potential for a South Asian Free Trade Area, past initiatives for regional economic integration, SAPTA and the SAFTA Agreement, relationship between trade and conflict, role and significance of trade facilitation in South Asia, scope for regional supply chains.

B. Economic asymmetry and the centrality of India, India’s economic dynamism in the global and regional context, geographic and historical engagement in bilateral, sub-regional and regional trade/ economic arrangements/agreements in the region.

C. India’s economic linkages with Southeast Asia, India-Singapore CECA, India – ASEAN FTA, comparative analysis of India-ASEAN and China-ASEAN FTA

  1. Regional Economic Integration in Southeast Asia

A. Motivation for regional economic integration in Southeast Asia, intra-regional trade and FDI shares, evolution of cross-border production networks, evaluation of the role and progress of ASEAN and instruments of economic integration i.e. the AFTA (ATIGA), AFAS and AIA in economic integration of Southeast Asia.

B. PTAs of Southeast Asian economies: Bilaterals and the noodle bowl effect, ASEAN-China FTA and its domino effects in the region.

  1. Financial Integration in the Region

Rationale and preconditions for financial integration in the region, the catalytic role of the 1997-98 financial crisis, creation of a regional financial architecture, initiatives for financial cooperation, changes in the regional financial architecture post the 2008-09 global financial crisis

  1. Proposed Routes for Economic Integration of South Asia and Southeast Asia

Examine Asia wide FTA and the proposed vehicles/paths to achieve this, such as the RCEP, India-ASEAN FTA, APTA, BIMSTEC and the role of East Asia Summit.

 

 

 

Course No.: SA647

Course Title:                           India’s Foreign Economic Policy

Course Teacher:                      Prof Amita Batra

Credits Allotted:                     3 (Three)

Evaluation Method:                Sessional Work and Mid and End Semester Examination

Course Duration:                    One Semester (Winter: January-June)

Contact Hours:                        3 per week

Course Content:

  1. Basic Determinants and Objectives of India’s Foreign Economic Policy
    1. Economic reforms and liberalization in India
    2. Determinants of Foreign Economic Policy
  2. India’s Foreign Trade and Trade Policy
    1. India’s global trade integration
      1. Trends and Patterns of Trade
      2. India’s Trade policy
      3. India and the WTO
    2. India and regional trade arrangements
  3. Financial Flows-India as Recipient / Supplier
    1. Trends and Patterns of Capital/ Financial Flows
    2. India’s Policy Toward Foreign Direct Investment
    3. India and the IFIs: IMF, G20, Regional Development Banks
    4. India’s Foreign Aid Policy  
  4. India and South Asian Economic Cooperation
    1. India’s Economic Relations with South Asian Countries
    2. India and SAARC; India and SAFTA
    3. India’s FTA with Sri Lanka
  5. India’s ‘Look East’ Policy/ Act East Policy
    1. India and ASEAN
    2. India and China
    3. India and comprehensive economic partnership/ cooperation agreements with Japan and Korea
    4. India and the East Asia Summit
    5. India and RCEP
  6. India and the Indo-Pacific
  7. India and US
  8. India and EU
  9. India and BRICS
  10. India and South-South Cooperation

 

 

M A Course

 

 Number IS 456 N

Course Title:  Indian Foreign Policy

Teacher: Sanjay K. Bhardwaj

Credit Allotted:   4 (Four)

Instructions:  Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

Evaluation Method: Sessional Work and Semester Examination

Course Duration: One Semester

Contact Hours: 3 per Week

 

Contents: India's foreign policy has evolved since its independence by taking a judicious advantage of the opportunity and by facing various challenges. For the past seven decades, the Indian foreign policy establishments have been handling critical issues and security challenges emanating from the ravaging Cold War and Post-Cold War Politics. Thus, this course is about the Internal and External determinants of Indian foreign policy and its evolution. In the post-cold war era, new pressures brought about by economic globalisation and how India has sought to respond to them by involving itself and interrogating various regional and global groupings. The new challenges are also fast emerging in the region with the relative rise of Chinese power and United States' pivotal Asia strategy. The South Asian states are rapidly reaching out to other countries for developmental and defence needs. All these are happening at a time when the foreign policy of India is assuming a new dimension in the wake of assertive federalism.

 

Section A

 I. Conceptual Background: Definition, Approaches, Objectives/Goals of Foreign Policy

2. Indian Foreign Policy: Determinants, Objectives and Goals

3. Systemic pressures in making of Foreign Policy: Domestic, Regional and International

4. The Sources of India's Foreign Policy: Ancient, Medieval and Anti-colonial Legacy

 

Section B

5. Foundation of India's Foreign Policy: Nehruvian order and Non-Alignment

6. Evolution of India's Foreign Policy: Ideational to Modified Structuralism

7. Realpolitik: Indira Doctrine, Peace and Friendship Treaty and Nuclear Test, Peace Accords and Regional Associations

 

Section C

8. Foreign Policy in the Post-Cold War Period: Coalition and Federal Imperatives.

9. India and South Asia

10. India and China

11. India and USA

12. India and West Asia

13. India-Russia and Connect Central Asia

14. India's Act East Policy

 

Section D

15. India and International Organisations: UN, SAARC, BIMSTEC, EU, BRICS, IBSA, SCO etc.

16. India and Multilateralism: Nuclear Policy, Terrorism. Energy and Climate Issues

17. India's Foreign Economic Policy: Globalization and Liberalization

 

M.A. (IRAS) Programme

Course Number: IS 501

Course Title: NATION AND STATE BUILDING IN SOUTH ASIA (Core)

Teacher: Prof. Sanjay K. Bhardwaj, Dr. Rajesh S. Kharat, Dr. Saurabh

Credit Allotted:  4 (Four)

Instructions:  Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

Evaluation Method:  Sessional Work and Semester Examination

Course Duration: One Semester

Contact Hours: 4 per Week

 

Course Description

Beginning with a critical appraisal of the various approaches to the study of Nation and State, the course aims at highlighting the process of the state and nation building in South Asia in a comparative framework. The course includes the major features of South Asia region where the traits of civilisation spread to sovereign entity will be understood in the context. It has further delineated the region's long going process of decolonisation to democratisation is independent nation states' existence. Besides outlining their structural-functional attributes, it covers within its purview an analysis of the nature and tenor of the crisis of integration and legitimacy. This will be deliberated in the context of confronting political system of the subcontinent and the various strategies adopted by the leadership for crisis management and nation-building. The course covers all the SAARC countries in the purview of this study.

 

Topics

1 Theoretical and conceptual aspect: Comparative process of state and nation building with special reference to studies on South Asia

2. History of nationalism and colonialism in British India: Sociological composition and social crisis in the context of ethno-religious and linguistic movements in the region

3. Formation of states in South Asia: Legacies of the Colonial State, Structure of Post-colonial State

4. Political Profile of South Asian States: Structure, Political Parties, Pressure Groups and Civil Society

5. Demands of diversity and Crisis of legitimacy: religion and politics, politics of ethnicity. sectarian conflicts and militancy

A warm welcome to the modified and updated website of the Centre for East Asian Studies. The East Asian region has been at the forefront of several path-breaking changes since 1970s beginning with the redefining the development architecture with its State-led development model besides emerging as a major region in the global politics and a key hub of the sophisticated technologies. The Centre is one of the thirteen Centres of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi that provides a holistic understanding of the region.

Initially, established as a Centre for Chinese and Japanese Studies, it subsequently grew to include Korean Studies as well. At present there are eight faculty members in the Centre. Several distinguished faculty who have now retired include the late Prof. Gargi Dutt, Prof. P.A.N. Murthy, Prof. G.P. Deshpande, Dr. Nranarayan Das, Prof. R.R. Krishnan and Prof. K.V. Kesavan. Besides, Dr. Madhu Bhalla served at the Centre in Chinese Studies Programme during 1994-2006. In addition, Ms. Kamlesh Jain and Dr. M. M. Kunju served the Centre as the Documentation Officers in Chinese and Japanese Studies respectively.

The academic curriculum covers both modern and contemporary facets of East Asia as each scholar specializes in an area of his/her interest in the region. The integrated course involves two semesters of classes at the M. Phil programme and a dissertation for the M. Phil and a thesis for Ph. D programme respectively. The central objective is to impart an interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of history, foreign policy, government and politics, society and culture and political economy of the respective areas. Students can explore new and emerging themes such as East Asian regionalism, the evolving East Asian Community, the rise of China, resurgence of Japan and the prospects for reunification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, the Centre lays great emphasis on the building of language skills. The background of scholars includes mostly from the social science disciplines; History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, International Relations and language.

Several students of the centre have been recipients of prestigious research fellowships awarded by Japan Foundation, Mombusho (Ministry of Education, Government of Japan), Saburo Okita Memorial Fellowship, Nippon Foundation, Korea Foundation, Nehru Memorial Fellowship, and Fellowship from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments. Besides, students from Japan receive fellowship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.