This list contains courses explicitly on a South Asian topic and courses with an international or relevant thematic focus taught by South Asia Center affiliated faculty. Always double-check the UW Time Schedule for the most current course information.
South Asia Area Studies Courses
ART H 414/ 514 Topics In South Asian Art
Instructor: Akshaya Tankha
T | 1:30 PM – 4:20 PM
5 credits (A&H, SSc) | 10536, 10545
Course Description
Explores topics on the art and visual culture of South Asia with a particular focus on India.
ASIAN 585 Seminar in Buddhism
Instructor: Joseph Marino
TTh | 2:30 – 4:20 PM
5 credits | 10562
Course Description
Systems and history of Buddhist thought. Original and secondary sources are used. Combines the methods of specialists in south, central, and east Asian Buddhism with those of historians of religion and philosophy.
CHID 329/ JSIS B 329/LABOR 329 Introduction To Capitalism
Instructor: Sunila S. Kale
MW | 4:00 – 5:50 PM
5 credits (SSc) | 16202
Course Description
Defines and differentiates between capital and capitalism. Examines the evolution of the global capitalist system and the framework shaping our world today. Analyzes historical and contemporary links between capitalism’s development and social and political processes. Covers events from the late nineteenth century to the present, emphasizing perspectives from history, economics, sociology, anthropology, and literature.
GWSS 100 Dangerous Ideas: Social Transformation In Context
Instructor: Chandan C. Reddy
MW | 1:30 – 3:20 PM
5 credits (DIV, SSc) | 15215
Course Description
Addresses why ideas considered dangerous in one era are socially acceptable in another. Explores what historical and ongoing debates about controversial words and topics can tell us about the politics of ideas and the possibilities of social transformation. Focuses on debates in popular culture, the law, medicine, politics, sports, and more.
G H 593 Rethinking Global Health
Instructor: Deepa Rao
M | 2:30 – 3:20 PM
1 credit | 15011
Course Description
Focuses on building a global health Master of Public Health cohort with a sense of camaraderie, confidence, and communication skills to participate effectively in future work in global health. Topics covered include social injustice, inequity, and a deep examination of our roles as public health professionals within the field of global health. Uses an open forum for exchange of viewpoints. Students are considered co-developers of the course.
HINDI 423 Survey of Modern Hindi Literature: Novel
Instructor: Jennifer Dubrow
MW | 2:30 – 4:20 PM
5 credits (A&H) | 15377
Course Description
Survey of Hindi literature from the late nineteenth century to the present. Includes readings from representative novels, situated in their socio-historical context, and related to popular perception, a. o. Bollywood films.
HSTAS 402 History of Medieval and Mughal India
Instructor: Purnima Dhavan
MW | 10:30 – 12:20 PM
5 credits (SSc) | 15503
Course Description
Medieval India; emphasis on forms of political organizations and economic life, social organizations, and cultural developments.
HSTAS 404/ JSIS A 409 History of Twentieth-Century India
Instructor: Anand A Yang
TTh | 1:30 – 3:20 PM
5 credits (SSc, W) | 15504, 16051
Course Description
Analysis of the problems in the fields of social life, international and domestic politics, education, economics, and other areas that confront India today.
JSIS B 330 International Political Economy
Instructor: Debamanyu Das
MW | 2:30 – 4:20 PM
5 credits (SSc) | 16089
Course Description
Explores how political systems shape trade, finance, and development, and how economic trends affect global politics. Studies globalization, debt crises, international trade and finance, trade wars, and how politics and economics connect globally. Dives into how global economic decisions are made and their impact on countries in both the Global North and South.
JSIS B 458 Energy and International Security
Instructor: Debamanyu Das
MW | 10:30 – 12:20 PM
5 credits (SSc, W) | 16115
Course Description
Explores the future of energy and its impact on global power. Dives into the world of critical minerals, clean tech, and the countries racing to control them. From energy inequality to the fate of oil states, students analyze real cases from the Global South and North and learn how innovation, finance, and policy shape a rapidly changing energy landscape.
S ASIA 498 A / GLITS 313 B / ENGL 343 B: Nature and Nation: Romantic Poetry In India
Instructor: Sravanthi Kollu
MW | 1:30 – 3:20 PM
5 credits (A&H) | 19967
Course Description
Explores the global history of Romanticism through poetry, literary essays, and political tracts, placing canonical global Romantic figures alongside Indian Romantic poets, including 20th-century Indian poets writing during anti-colonial struggles. Readings are in English or English translation.
S ASIA 585 Radical Fictions: Literary Modernisms in South Asia
Instructor: Jennifer Dubrow
TTh | 2:30 – 4:20 PM
5 credits | 19970
Course Description
Surveys the development of literary modernism in South Asia. Introduces major thinkers, writers, and centers for literary modernism in colonial and postcolonial South Asia.
Language Courses
HINDI 102 Elementary Hindi
Instructor: Amruta M Chandekar
MTWThF | 9:30 – 10:20 AM
5 credits | 15374
Course Description
Modern literary Hindi. Reading, writing, and conversation. Introduction to Devanagari script. Second in a sequence of three.
HINDI 202 Intermediate Hindi
Instructor: Amruta M Chandekar
MTWThF | 10:30 – 11:20 AM
5 credits (A&H) | 15375
Course Description
Systematic expansion of vocabulary and grammar. Intermediate-level prose and poetry readings. Oral drills. Second in a sequence of three.
HINDI 323 Advanced Hindi Third Year: The Novel
Instructor: Jennifer Dubrow
MW | 2:30 – 4:20 PM
5 credits (A&H) | 15376
Course Description
Surveys the development of the novel in Hindi, with readings of representative texts and discussion of their historical and cultural contexts.
HINDI 431 Advanced Conversational Hindi
Instructor: Amruta M Chandekar
TTh | 11:30 – 12:50 PM
3 credits (A&H) | 15378
Course Description
Conversational practice in contemporary Hindi.
PRSAN 102/512 Elementary Persian
Instructor: Elham Monfaredi
TTh | 11:30 – 1:20 PM
5 credits | 19498, 19502
Course Description
Conversation, pronunciation, and graded reading. Persian alphabet and basic sentence constructions. Offers rudimentary conversational and reading ability with a vocabulary of about two thousand words. Second in a sequence of three.
PRSAN 202/522 Intermediate Persian
Instructor: Elham Monfaredi
TTh | 9:30 – 11:20 AM
5 credits (A&H) | 19499, 19503
Course Description
Reading of simple texts with emphasis on reading and writing, conversation skills, grammar, and syntax. Builds a vocabulary of standard Persian in preparation for advanced reading and comprehension of literary texts. Second in a sequence of three.
SNKRT 102/512 Elementary Sanskrit
Instructor: David Fowler
MTWThF | 9:30 – 10:20 AM
5 credits (A&H) | 20049, 20053
Course Description
Basic grammar and vocabulary of the classical language. Reading of elementary texts from the epic or Puranic literature. Second in a sequence of three.
SNKRT 202/522 Intermediate Sanskrit
Instructor: Not listed in MyPlan for Winter 2027
MWF | 11:30 – 12:50 PM
5 credits (A&H) | 20050, 20054
Course Description
Further study of classical grammar; introduction to classical literature and Vedic language and texts. Second in a sequence of three.
SNKRT 312/532 Advanced Sanskrit
Instructor: Joseph Marino
MW | 1:30 – 3:20 PM
5 credits (A&H) | 20051, 20055
Course Description
Reading and analysis of classical texts, chosen according to students’ interests. Second in a sequence of three.
SNKRT 581 Readings In Buddhist Texts
Instructor: Joseph Marino
MW | 1:30 – 3:20 PM
5 credits | 20056
Course Description
Interpretation of original sources. Texts vary from year to year.
Urdu 102 Elementary Urdu
Instructor: Mahnoor Lali
MTWThF | 9:30 – 10:20 AM
5 credits | 21706
Course Description
Modern literary Urdu. Reading, writing, conversation, and listening comprehension. Introduction to Perso-Arabic script. Second in a sequence of three.
Urdu 323/423 Advanced Urdu Third Year / Fourth Year: The Novel
Instructor: Jennifer Dubrow
MW | 2:30 – 4:20 PM
5 credits (A&H) | 21707, 21708
Course Description
Surveys the development of the novel in Urdu, with readings of representative texts and discussion of their historical and cultural contexts.