Faculty
Introduction
Area Certificate in Central Eurasian Studies
Course Descriptions
Faculty
Chairperson
Professor Elliot Sperling
Hungarian Chair
Professor Ignác Romsics
Ottoman and Modern Turkish Studies Professor
Associate Professor Kemal Silay
Professors
Christopher Beckwith, Jamsheed Choksy, Gyula Décsy, Henry Glassie (Folklore and Ethnomusicology), György Kara, M. Nazif Shahrani, Mihály Szegedy-Maszák, Toivo Raun
Associate Professors
Devin DeWeese, William Fierman, Paul Losensky, Kemal Silay, Elliot Sperling
Assistant Professors
Christopher Atwood
Academic Advising
Goodbody Hall 157, (812) 855-2233
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Introduction
The focus of the Department of Central Eurasian Studies (CEUS) is the world cultural area known as Central Eurasia, a vast region that extends from Central Europe to the Pacific Ocean and from the Arctic to the Indian subcontinent. The primary fields of study covered in the department are the languages, history, religions, and other aspects of the cultures of Central Eurasia, particularly of the Estonian, Finnish, Hungarian, Mongolian, Persian, Tibetan, Turkish, and Uzbek peoples.
Students may count most of the department's courses toward such specific requirements of the B.A. degree as distribution in arts and humanities or social and historical studies, culture studies, and foreign language.
Three-year sequences are offered in the following languages: Estonian, Finnish, Hungarian, Mongolian, Persian, Tibetan, Turkish, and Uzbek.
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Area Certificate in Central Eurasian Studies
To receive the certificate, undergraduates must complete 15 credit hours of history, civilization, or other culture courses in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies, of which a minimum of 6 credit hours must be at the 400 level, and two semesters of course work in one of the languages offered in the department (6-8 cr.). A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required in all courses taken for the certificate.
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Course Descriptions
Central Eurasian
Estonian
Finnish
Hungarian
Mongolian
Tibetan
Turkish
Uzbek
Related History Department Courses
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Central Eurasian
U320 Topics in Central Eurasian Studies (3-4 cr.) Topic varies each semester. Some examples are "Buddhism in Central Asia," "Social Problems in Central Asia," "Everyday Life in Central Asia," and "Peoples and Cultures of Central Asia." See the Schedule of Classes for current topics. May be repeated twice for credit.
U333 Finland in the Twentieth Century (3 cr.) S & H Evolution of twentieth-century Finland, including Russification and revolution, establishment of independence and civil war, interwar domestic politics and international relations, World War II and Finno-Soviet relations, economic development and rise of the welfare state, transformation of society and the changing role of women, and cultural history (literature, art, music).
U345 Finno-Ugric and Siberian Mythology and Religion (3 cr.) A & H The mythology and folk religion of Finno-Ugric, Samoyed, Paleosiberian, and Tungus peoples, comprising their cosmology, worship of major and minor deities, beliefs connected with life and death, and shamanism.
U370 Uralic Peoples (3 cr.) S & H Uralic peoples in central, northern, and eastern Europe and Siberia. Their history, social organization, traditional economy, literature, folklore, and sociolinguistic patterns.
U374 The Ecology of Central and Northern Asia (3 cr.) Survey of the ecology of the area including Siberia, the Far East, the former Soviet Central Asian republics, Mongolia, and Northern China, examining the socio-economic influences on the environment and the reasons for and consequences of catastrophic ecological situations in these regions.
U385 Buddhism in Inner Asia (3 cr.) A & H Explores some of the historical and doctrinal developments in Buddhism between the borderlands of India and China. Understanding the dynamics of the encounter of Buddhism and other religions in the area is emphasized.
U388 Chinese Inner Asia to 1949 (3 cr.) S & H, CSA History of Chinese Inner Asia from the rise of the Qing dynasty to the Chinese Communist victory in 1949-1951. Focus includes Qing systems of indirect rule, colonization, the New Policies, religion and modernity, indigenous nationalist movements and their interaction with both outside powers, and the Soviet and Chinese Communist movements.
U390 Shamanism in Inner Asia (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Examines the native traditions of the Truck, Mongolian, and Tungusic peoples, frequently referred to as "shamanism"; views the religious life of these peoples holistically, analyzing what the shaman does in the context of these peoples' complete religious traditions. Attention is also paid to interrelationships among these traditions and possible external influences.
U394 Islam in the Soviet Union and Successor States (3 cr.) A & H, CSA The course will examine the historical background and contemporary status of Islam and the nationalities of Islamic heritage in Russia and the newly independent republics of the former USSR. The focus will be on understanding the distinctive pressures experienced and exerted by Islam, as a religion and as a social system, in the Soviet and post-Soviet context.
U395 Central Asian Politics and Society (3 cr.) S & H, CSA An introduction to the politics and society of Soviet and post-Soviet Central Asia. Examines the methods and effects of Communist party rule in the region and the emergence of new independent states.
U397 (ANTH E397) Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East (3 cr.) S & H, CSA General anthropological introduction to social institutions and cultural forms of the Arab countries of North Africa and the Near East, Israel, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan. Topics: ecology, development of Islam and Muslim empires, traditional adaptive strategies, consequences of colonialism, independence and rise of nation-states, impact of modernization, changing conceptions of kinship, ethnicity, gender. Credit given for only one of CEUS U397 or ANTH E397.
U398 (ANTH E398) Peoples and Cultures of Central Asia (3 cr.) S & H, CSA General anthropological introduction to societies and cultures of contemporary Muslim successor states of former Soviet Central Asia, Western China (Xinjiang), and Iran and Afghanistan. Topics: ecology, ethnohistory, traditional subsistence strategies, family, kinship, gender, sociopolitical organization, impact of colonial rule of tsarist and Soviet Russia and China, development of modern nation-states in Iran and Afghanistan, dynamics of current conflicts and future prospects. Credit given for only one of CEUS U398 or ANTH E398.
U493 Central Asia in the Sixteenth-Nineteenth Centuries (3 cr.) S & H Development of political and social patterns in Central Asia up to Russian conquest. Topics include the role of nomads and their integration into sedentary culture, emergence of ethnicity, interrelations of diverse ethnic groups, and cultural and political decline of Central Asia since the sixteenth century.
U494 Central Asia under Russian Rule (3 cr.) S & H Survey of political and social history of Russian domination of Central Asia from mid-nineteenth century to present. Special attention given to motives for and methods of Russian expansion, to formation of modern nations in Soviet Central Asia, and to the impact of that region on the Soviet Union.
U496 Ethnic History of Central Asia (3 cr.) S & H A survey of the gradual formation of major ethnic groups that inhabit Central Asia at present, with a description of their traditional culture.
U497 Inner Asian Peoples and Nationality Policy in the People's Republic of China (3 cr.) S & H, CSA P: Junior or senior standing or consent of instructor. Introduction to the major Inner Asian peoples in the modern People's Republic of China, identifying them by language and location and briefly sketching their modern histories. Students will also be introduced to the policies and ideas by which they have been governed during the last several decades.
U498 Studies in Inner Asian Religious Traditions (3 cr.) Selected topics dealing with the impact of religious categories (the sacred, holy men and saints, sacred literature, religious institutions, etc.) on the structure and development of Inner Asian societies. Application of methodology of comparative religion and the history of religion to the Inner Asian context.
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Estonian
U111-U112 Introductory Estonian I-II (4-4 cr.)
U211-U212 Intermediate Estonian I-II (3-3 cr.)
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Finnish
U121-U122 Introductory Finnish I-II (4-4 cr.)
U221-U222 Intermediate Finnish I-II (3-3 cr.)
U430 Finnic Folklore (3 cr.)
U436 Finnish Civilization to 1800 (3 cr.) S & H Knowledge of Finnish not required. Historic background of Finnish civilization. Social conditions, religious architecture, and folklore in the Middle Ages. Social and economic development with political background in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries. Literature and scholarly research.
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Hungarian
U131-U132 Introductory Hungarian I-II (4-4 cr.)
U231-U232 Intermediate Hungarian I-II (3-3 cr.)
U423 Hungary between 1890 and 1945 (3 cr.) S & H, CSA The rise of Hungarian capitalism at the turn of the century; transformation of Hungarian society: industrialization, education, national and social conflicts; ethnic minorities; impact of WWI; dissolution of Habsburg Empire: 1918-19 revolution; interwar period; WWII.
U424 Hungarian Literature from Its Beginnings to 1900 (3 cr.) A & H The shift from oral to written literature; conflict between Latin Middle Ages and the cult of the vernacular during the Reformation: Enlightenment, Romanticism, and Realism examined in relation to other literatures of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; interrelationship of urbanization and literary modernity at turn of the century.
U426 Modern Hungarian Literature (3 cr.) A & H Socioeconomic modernization and literary modernity at the turn of the century; Hungary's influence on the culture of the Habsburg monarchy; naturalism, symbolism, art nouveau, expressionism; the influence of Marx and Freud; urbanization and populism; socialist realism and its opposition in the postwar years.
U427 Hungary from 1945 to Present (3 cr.) S & H, CSA Introduction of one-party system in 1945; political oppression; socialization of agriculture; revolution of October 1956; economic reforms in 1968; decline of "reform" Marxism; widening gap between establishment and population; political apathy; economic crisis in 1980s; elections of 1985; reintroduction of market economy; rebirth of multiparty system in 1988.
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Mongolian
U141-U142 Introductory Mongolian I-II (4-4 cr.)
U241-U242 Intermediate Mongolian I-II (3-3 cr.)
U368 The Mongol Conquest (3 cr.) S & H, CSA Impact of the Mongol conquest on the European, Islamic, Hindu, and Confucian worlds. Rise of the house of Chinggis Khan to the fall of the last directly related Khanates, the Golden Horde, under the double onslaught of Tamerlane and Muscovy.
U369 Inner Asia after the Mongol Conquest (3 cr.) S & H Inner Asian world during the era of Western expansion. Traces the parallel histories of eastern and western Inner Asia under the impact of Manchu and European expansion. Emphasis on Inner Asian development, rather than external influences.
U469 The Mongols of the Twentieth Century (3 cr.) P: U190 or consent of instructor. Political history of the Mongols in the twentieth century, with special emphasis on the revolutionary struggles of the period after 1911 and the eventual destruction of the Buddhist institutions of Mongolia.
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Tibetan
U151-U152 Introductory Tibetan I-II (4-4 cr.)
U251-U252 Intermediate Tibetan I-II (3-3 cr.)
U284 The Civilization of Tibet (3 cr.) S & H, CSA Introduction to the diverse aspects of Tibetan civilization. Making extensive use of slides and other audiovisual materials, the course covers such topics as Tibet's literature, art, religion, society, history, and language. Strongly recommended for undergraduates intending to take higher-level courses in the Tibetan studies program.
U481 Survey of Tibetan Literature in Translation (3 cr.) A & H Introduction to different styles of Tibetan literature in translation: preclassical; classical (including historiography, canonical scriptures translated from Indian languages and Chinese, and Tibetan religious literature); Bonpo literature; and folk literature (epics, poetry, and drama).
U483 Introduction to the History of Tibet (3 cr.) S & H, CSA A survey of Tibetan history from the earliest times to the present, including the Tibetan empire of the seventh-ninth centuries, the impact of Buddhism on Tibetan political and social structure, aspects of Tibet's relations with neighboring peoples, the development of the Dalai Lama's government, and the current circumstances of the Tibetan people.
U484 The Religions of Tibet (3 cr.) A & H A survey of the whole of Tibetan religions, Buddhist as well as pre-Buddhist. Will be of utmost importance for every student of Tibetan since the whole of Tibetan life is pervaded by religion. Accompanied by slides.
U488 Readings in Modern Tibetan Texts (3 cr.) Primarily designed as an intermediate course in literary Tibetan, filling the gap between introductory Tibetan and readings in Buddhist religious texts or advanced readings. The choice of texts will largely depend on the interests of the students.
U489 Tibet and the West (3 cr.) S & H, CSA Cultural interdependence of the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist world and the West from c. 1500 B.C. to A.D. 1000.
U490 Sino-Tibetan Relations (3 cr.) S & H, CSA Historical, cultural, social, and political relations between China and Tibet from prehistoric times to the present, indicating the major changes affecting both the political boundaries and the legal position of Tibet in relation to China.
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Turkish
U161-U162 Introductory Turkish I-II (4-4 cr.)
U261-U262 Intermediate Turkish I-II (3-3 cr.)
U253 Modern Turkey: Development and Culture (3 cr.) S & H, CSA Modern Turkey; its place among the Muslim nations in the Middle East; the development of democratic institutions, political parties, industrialization; social change since 1920.
U450 Turkish Oral Literature (3 cr.) A & H P: Consent of instructor. Folklore studies and the rise of nationalism, folk narratives in Turkey and among Turkic peoples, folk theatre in Asia Minor; rituals in Turkey and in the neighboring countries (Iran, Balkan countries, Middle East); riddles and proverbs, folk poetry, folk songs, and folk dances in Turkey.
U459 Seminar in Turkish Studies (3 cr.) A topical seminar dealing with a variety of social issues in Turkey. Special emphasis is given to educational and political issues. May be repeated twice for credit.
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Uzbek
U171-U172 Introductory Uzbek I-II (4-4 cr.)
U271-U272 Intermediate Uzbek I-II (3-3 cr.)
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Related History Department Courses
C393 Ottoman History (3 cr.) S & H, CSA
D321 Hungarian History and Civilization to 1711 (3 cr.) S & H, CSA
D322 Hungarian History and Civilization, 1711-1918 (3 cr.) S & H, CSA
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