Much more than the economic exploitation of the colonized, the colonization process hovers around destroying their cultural fabric. This necessarily involves the production of literature on the colonized and the creation of institutions through which the understanding of the colonized within and without their culture is significantly altered. There have been influential writers during the colonial period who understood the impulse of power and domination behind the production of literature on the colonized “other,” and there have been others who have analyzed the psychological and sociological effects of colonization. Through the literature of writers such as Aime Cessaire, Albert Memmi, Franz Fannon, Edward Said, Ashish Nandy, and S. Balagangadhara, this course will give the students the theoretical tools to understand the impact of colonialism on the psyche and culture of the Hindu people.
Area of Study: Post-Colonial Hindu Studies
Program Description:
The Certificate program in Hindu Studies (C.P.H.S) prepares Students to engage with the world as a Hindu with confidence and clarity. Along the way, it also aims to develop in the student a lifelong love for service and contribution. At the end of the program, students will be informed, empowered, and inspired by the possibilities of living a deeply fulfilled life as a Hindu, and making a real difference in the world. As Students discover the range and depth of Hindu thought, its uniquely awesome cosmology, and clear up some of the misconceptions and erroneous narratives that they have inherited, they will find themselves being profoundly transformed, naturally creating new realms of self-expression, and new possibilities for who they can now be in the world.
Program Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this Certificate Program, Students will:
- Clarify the Hindu Paradigm, having acquired an overview of Hindu principles, practices, values, history, philosophy, society, culture, traditions, and civilization.
- Articulate the contemporary relevance of Hindu thought and contribute its value to the Hindu community as well as to humanity in general.
- Apply their learning to think from a Hindu context and develop strategies for the preservation and transmission of Hindu thought across the generations.
- Create new pathways for service, leadership, and global engagement from a Hindu context, and new realms of self-expression for themselves.
- Contribute with confidence and clarity, in unique and innovative ways towards fostering the culture and traditions of Hindu Dharma.
Program Context
Being successful in our professional lives, as a Doctor, Engineer, Business person, Entrepreneur, or a Lawyer and so on, equips us with a basic ability to compete effectively in the contemporary economy, to survive and succeed in the world. But it does not necessarily address a deeper dimension of human possibility i.e., the spiritual or the Adhyatmika realm. In each of us lies dormant a need and a desire for deeper engagement with the world, to contribute, to make a difference and be of service in a profound and meaningful way. In each of us lies as yet unfulfilled the potential for leadership and global impact, sometimes even as yet unimagined. In every one of us without exception there lies the possibility of going within, exploring the realms of deeper levels of consciousness, and transforming our connection and relationship with the cosmos itself, manifesting the perfection and possibilities that already lie within us. These are the realms of Dharma and Moksha, the unique dimensions of Hindu thought.
What is the purpose of our human existence? Does it have one? What does it mean to live a successful life? What is the source of deep fulfillment and contentment in our lives? What is Dharma? What is our Svadharma? How do we ensure that we fulfill the unique purpose and opportunity of our lives? How do we even discover it? Have we exhausted the possibilities of being alive already? How has Hindu Dharma addressed these questions?
In the Certificate Program in Hindu Studies, Students will engage with these questions in a deep and authentic way, as they prepare themselves for service, leadership, and contribution, and for making a deep and lasting impact in the communities in which they live, as well as the world in general. Whether you are interested in writing, speaking, and teaching, in counseling and healing, in social work, media or the performing arts, in education and curriculum development, in providing leadership in your communities, working with youth or in inter-faith domains, or simply engaging with schools and colleges, and the institutions of our contemporary world, or being of service in some other vital way, the Certificate Program in Hindu Studies, will empower and enable you in your life’s journey.
This program will take work, commitment, and the ability to sustain your interest through several quarters. But what you will accomplish at the end, who you will become in the process, and all the new aspirations and possibilities that you will create for yourself, that you didn’t even know that you had, will transform you in an amazing and inspiring way. You will go beyond your real or perceived limitations, capacity and capabilities, and may even sustain and nurture the continued relevance of Sanatana Dharma for posterity as its ambassador.
Structure of the Program:
The certificate program consists of a total of 24 credit hours of coursework. It can be completed at the earliest in 8 quarters, if the students can take 3 Credit hours per quarter, or more slowly over time, in any case, under five years. Students must take at least 15 Credit hours from the Core Courses in the Certificate program. They may complete the remaining 9 credit hours by taking any set of elective courses from the community education program.
Pre-requisites:
The students must have completed the Orientation to Hindu Studies course minimally and must demonstrate a deep interest in service, contribution and making an impact from within a Hindu context, in order to be admitted into the Certificate Program in Hindu Studies. Students who have not taken the Orientation to Hindu Studies course, may enroll into the Certificate Program in Hindu Studies, with the understanding that they will register into the course immediately.
Who will benefit?
This program can benefit everyone who is interested in living a life of service and contribution, who wishes to engage with the communities in their lives in a meaningful way, in a Hindu context. It applies to all those who wish to reconnect deeply with their own Hindu cultural roots, develop a deeper understanding of their own unique place in the world. For Non-Hindus who have developed some level of curiosity and interest in the Hindu world, this program will deepen their engagement with that world, and open up entirely new possibilities for contribution and service.
List of courses
The list of Courses available for Students as part of the Certificate Program in Hindu Studies is listed below. Each course is designated as a Core course or an Elective course. These courses may be taken in any sequence, as long as the student first completes the Orientation to Hindu Studies course, at the very beginning of the program.
Introduction to the Vedic Ritual
HSF1401 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) Ritual is the laboratory where the mind is purified, settled, and prepared for higher ... Read More
An Immersive exploration of the iconic “Autobiography of a Yogi”
YOG2100 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) Of all the books that spread Hindu dharma beyond India, none has had as ... Read More
Upanishadic Dialogues – I: The Chandogya Upanishad
HSF3001 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) This course will explore the metaphysics of Hindu Philosophy through a detailed analysis of ... Read More
Living our Svadharma in a contemporary world
HSF1101 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) A practical guide to - living our svadharma. Living in the contemporary world is ... Read More
Introduction to Hindu Philosophy: ‘Shad Darshanas’
HSF2001 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) This course will introduce the student to the six traditional perspectives of Hindu Philosophy, ... Read More
The Renaissance of Sanatana Dharma In the Light of Sri Aurobindo – Part 1
HSF3101 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) More than any one single figure, Sri Aurobindo prophesied that the renaissance of Sanatana Dharma ... Read More
Sankhya Darshana through the Sankhya Karika – Part I
HSF3201 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) This Course is the first of a two-part course series presenting an in-depth exploration ... Read More
Ramayana for Excellence in Management and Leadership
HSF3301 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) This course aims to introduce Srimad Ramayana as an important literature in teaching and ... Read More
Hindu Contributions to the world in the realm of matter
HSF1202 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) This course explores the contributions of the Hindus to the world in the realm ... Read More
Bhagavad-Gita for the Beginner -Gnana
HSF1302 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) Bhagavad-Gita for the Beginner - Gnana is the second part of a three-part sequence ... Read More
The Renaissance of Sanatana Dharma In the Light of Sri Aurobindo – Part 2
HSF3102 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) More than any one single figure, Sri Aurobindo prophesied that the renaissance of Sanatana ... Read More
Sankhya Darshana through the Sankhya Karika – Part 2
HSF3202 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) This Course is the Second of a two-part course series presenting an in-depth exploration ... Read More
The Three Vedantic Perspectives on the Bhagavad Gita
TAT4002 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) Hindu Thought provides for the simultaneous co-existence of varied perspectives on the nature of ... Read More
Certificate Program in Hindu Studies
The Certificate program in Hindu Studies (C.P.H.S) prepares Students to engage with the world as a Hindu with confidence and ... Read More
Sri Ramcharitmanas: Continuity in Change
TAT1201 - This course explores the Ramcharitmanas, an epic poem composed in the sixteenth century in Ayodhya, North India, some ... Read More
Dhyaanam – Meditation and the Meditator
HSF2101 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) Living in the contemporary world includes navigating conflicts at the level of family, work, ... Read More
Bhagavad-Gita for the beginner – YOGA
HSF1303 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) “Bhagavad-Gita for the beginner - YOGA” is the last part of a three-part sequence of ... Read More
The Renaissance of Sanatana Dharma In the Light of Sri Aurobindo – Part 3
HSF3103 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) More than any one single figure, Sri Aurobindo prophesied that the renaissance of Sanatana ... Read More
Dakṣiṇāmūrtistōtram by Ādi Śaṅkara
TAT3001 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) This course will unfold the Dakṣiṇāmūrtistōtram systematically verse by verse, drawing upon where necessary ... Read More
Sustainability is Sanatana Dharma
CPS2003 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) This course explores how the modern quest for sustainability relates to the eternal search ... Read More
Exploring Hinduism -Geography and History
HSF1001 - (C.P.H.S – Core Course) “Exploring Hinduism – Geography and History”, is the first course in the series titled "Exploring ... Read More
Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram
TAT1301 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) This course on Vishnu Sahasranama stotra, will prepare students to chant the slokas with ... Read More
Understanding Hinduphobia
HSF2201 - (C.P.H.S – Core Course) This course serves as a starting point for those who are interested in learning ... Read More
The Yoga of Global Transformation
This course explores how humanity can meet the ever-pressing challenge of global sustainability, that we all confront collectively. It explores ... Read More
Antaranga Yoga
YOG3100 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) Antaranga yoga course is designed to use the itihasa-purana Mahabharata as a mirror to ... Read More
Exploring Hinduism for Teens and Parents
HSF1001 - (C.P.H.S – Core Course) “Exploring Hinduism – The Overview”, is the first course in the series titled "Exploring Hinduism" ... Read More
Indian and Western Music Traditions – A Comparative Study
TAT3103 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) This course is the first of a three-part course sequence in the Hindu Musical Traditions ... Read More
Hindu Musical Traditions – A Historical Perspective
TAT3102 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) This Course is the second in the 2-Course Sequence in the Hindu Musical Traditions ... Read More
Hindu Musical Traditions – A Cultural Immersion
TAT3101 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) This course is the first in a 2-Course sequence in the Hindu Musical Traditions – ... Read More
How Hindu Dharma Transformed America
HAM2100 - (C.P.H.S – Core Course) This course explores the history and impact of Vedic Wisdom on America’s Spiritual Landscape ... Read More
Reconstructing Hindu History – The Commissions
HAM4201 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) This course is the first of a two-quarter course sequence that examines the scientific ... Read More
Reconstructing Hindu History – The Omissions
HAM4202 - (C.P.H.S – Core Course) This course is the second of a two-quarter course sequence that examines the scientific evidence ... Read More
Hindu Contributions to the world in the realm of matter
HSF1002 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) This course explores the contributions of the Hindus to the world in the realm of ... Read More
The Dharma Of Global Sustainability
CPS2001 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) This course explores the impact of ancient Vedic Wisdom on the modern questions of ... Read More
Bhagavad-Gita for Teens and Parents
HSF1300 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) “Bhagavad-Gita for Teens and Parents” course presents the principles of sound body, sound mind and ... Read More
Orientation to Hindu Studies
HSF5000 - (C.P.H.S - REQUIRED Course) The word ‘Orientation’ in this course title carries two meanings. The first and obvious meaning ... Read More
Hindu Contributions to the World in the Realm of Mind – Towards Sciences and Arts
HSF1203 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) This course belongs to the set of the courses which explore the contributions of ... Read More
Lessons from Valmiki Ramayana For Teens & Parents
HSF 1006 - This course will help the participants get a well-versed understanding of the story, lessons, and teachings of ... Read More
Ayurveda – The Wisdom of Wellbeing
TAT1101 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) This foundational course is designed to make the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda accessible to ... Read More
The Yoga of Bhagavad Gita
YOG2001 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) This Course takes the Students into a Journey of Exploration of Yoga as enunciated ... Read More
Advaita, Viśiśtādvaita and Dvaita – The three flavors of Vēdānta śāstra
TAT4001 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) Hindu Thought provides for the simultaneous co-existence of varied perspectives on the nature of ... Read More
The Yoga of the Yoga Sutras
YOG2002 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) This course takes the students into a journey of exploration of yoga as enunciated ... Read More
Discover the contemporary Relevance of Hindu Dharma
HSF1007 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) This course, targets an age group of 18-35 and will explore the question – ... Read More
Bhagavad-Gita for the Beginner – DEHA
HSF1004 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) Bhagavad-Gita for the Beginner – DEHA is the first part of a three-part sequence ... Read More
Lessons from Valmiki Ramayana
HSF 1005 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) This course will help the participants get a well-versed understanding of the story, ... Read More
Hindu Temples and Traditions
TAT 3104 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) Temples occupy an important place in the Hindu mind, both in India and ... Read More
We usually associate colonialism with political domination and economic exploitation. Colonialism, however, has involved representation, study, classification, and ordering of the colonized through “intellectual” works encompassing translations, commentaries, travelogues, surveys, etc. which were disseminated through the establishment of academic institutions. This intervention systematically destroyed the native worldview of the native ways of positioning and locating themselves in the world.
In short, colonialism has involved the conquest of culture through what is now being recognized in academia as “epistemic violence.” India, Hindus, and Hinduism were the victims of the epistemic violence, where reams were written to disconnect them from their epistemological and cosmological underpinnings. The effects have been twofold: 1) In current mainstream academia, the same distorted and demonized discourse continues in politically correct ways. 2) Postcolonial India has not systematically analyzed the sinister and distorted discourse, which was unleashed on its culture and traditions in general, and Hinduism in particular. The Certificate program in “Postcolonial Hindu Studies” will systematically explore colonialism as a discourse, i.e. the literary, representational, and ideological component of its political and material dominance. It will carefully examine how Hindus reading colonial texts assimilated and internalized westerns theories and hypotheses about themselves and took on western ways of looking at themselves as the “truth” about their own culture and civilization. It will seek to penetrate the mystical amnesia of colonial aftermath and understand the ways in which the living Hindu culture and civilization have been denounced and marginalized as a consequence of colonial rule in contemporary discourse. It will explore ways of decolonization, i.e. the process of calling into question European categories and epistemologies and seeking freedom from colonial forms of knowledge and thinking. Finally, it will examine and facilitate modes of retrieval, recovery, and rejuvenation of the precolonial Hindu culture and knowledge.
In order to complete the Certificate Program in Postcolonial Hindu Studies, six courses comprising of 18 credit hours will have to be completed. Students will have to first complete the Orientation to Hindu Studies course (1 Credit Hour) and then the following 6 courses:
Critical Issues in Hindu Studies
HSF6001 - This course outlines the critical issues involved in the European understanding of Hindus and India, developed within the ... Read More
Anticolonialism and Postcolonialism
PHS6301 - This course introduces the theories of various anticolonial and postcolonial writers in order to create a framework for ... Read More
Orientalism and Hinduism
PHS7301 - In postcolonial scholarship, Edward Said’s work Orientalism can be considered a landmark text. This course helps students understand ... Read More
Philosophical Foundations of Orientalism
Orientalism employs a technique termed “deconstruction.” In order to effectively and critically examine a colonial and postcolonial discourse, it is ... Read More
Philosophy of Science and Hinduism
PHS8302 - In the colonial and postcolonial contexts, there have been many attempts both by Indians and western people to ... Read More
Contesting Neo-Hinduism
PHS7302 - The current mainstream narrative in western academia is that there are two kinds of Hinduism: traditional and neo ... Read More
Race & Modern Hinduism
This course traces the construction of “race” in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Europe, beginning with the theological, political, and scientific source ... Read More
Decolonizing the Hindu Condition
PHS6302 - This course will analyze in detail the psychological and sociological consequences of the British colonial narratives on Hindus, ... Read More
James Mill and the Rise of Liberal-Left in Britain
PHS6303 - This course shows that the noxious discourse on Hindus and Hinduism which emerged through the writings of James ... Read More
Postcolonial Theory
PHS6300 - This course provides a full spectrum on thinkers, writers, and theorists who have commented on the colonial occupation ... Read More
As part of Hindu University of America’s commitment to ongoing community education, most courses available at the university including Graduate Division courses are open for registration from members of the community as continuing education students. Anyone including already employed professionals and prospective degree students may apply to any single course as a special student if they can demonstrate that they have the prerequisite preparation. They may discuss their preparedness to take any course with the course faculty or instructor.
- The continuing education stream of courses is targeted towards people who wish to learn ongoingly, without pursuing a specific degree or certificate.
- There are no prerequisites enforced, other than those required by the faculty, and anyone may register. We invite prospective students to try out a course or two and come back for more
- Courses taken as part of community education can be bundled together to earn certificates at a later stage.
Story Writing Intensive
HSF1501 - This course is about writing to enjoy, writing to entertain, and writing with an aim to be published. Teen
Sri Ramcharitmanas: Continuity in Change
TAT1201 - This course explores the Ramcharitmanas, an epic poem composed in the sixteenth century in Ayodhya, North India, some
The Renaissance of Sanatana Dharma In the Light of Sri Aurobindo – Part 1
HSF3101 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) More than any one single figure, Sri Aurobindo prophesied that the renaissance of Sanatana Dharma
Living our Svadharma in a contemporary world
HSF1101 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) A practical guide to - living our svadharma. Living in the contemporary world is
Holiday Season Gift Course
This Holiday Season, light a lamp of knowledge by gifting a HUA course(s) to your family and friends. Your Gift
Teaching Yoga for Children
YOG3004 - This course enables students to integrate yoga in their teaching career, for guiding children, and for developing spiritual
Lessons from Valmiki Ramayana
HSF 1005 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) This course will help the participants get a well-versed understanding of the story,
Bhagavad-Gita for the Beginner – DEHA
HSF1004 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) Bhagavad-Gita for the Beginner – DEHA is the first part of a three-part sequence
Discover the contemporary Relevance of Hindu Dharma
HSF1007 - (C.P.H.S - Elective Course) This course, targets an age group of 18-35 and will explore the question –
Race and Hindu Reform
HAM6405 - This course is the second part of a two-part course sequence that begins with HAM6403-Race and Modern Hinduism.
Hinduism and Conflict Resolution
CPS5502 - The course explores Hindu ideas and their relevance for conflict resolution. Click here to check if you are
Mahābhārata VI: Methods and Scholarship
TAT7206 - This course is the sixth of a 6-part Course Sequence that explores the great epic of India, The
Youth Yoga Teacher Training
YOG3005 - This course enables teen students to integrate yoga to manage their stress and to teach the community under
Teaching Yoga for Children
YOG3004 - This course enables students to integrate yoga in their teaching career, for guiding children, and for developing spiritual
The Bhagavadgītā and the West
HAM6404 - This course traces the history of the Western reception of the Bhagavadgītā, a central text of classical Hinduism.
Introduction to the daśaśāntimantras
TAT1001 - This course provides an immersive introduction to the Mantra and Chanting traditions of Sanatana Dharma. It focuses on
Decolonizing the Hindu Condition
PHS6302 - This course will analyze in detail the psychological and sociological consequences of the British colonial narratives on Hindus,
Race & Modern Hinduism
This course traces the construction of “race” in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Europe, beginning with the theological, political, and scientific source
Holistic Yoga – 2: Deepen Your Yoga Practice
YOG2000 - This course provides in-depth experience of holistic yoga, that integrates asana, pranayama, and meditation techniques for a sustained
Managing Diabetes through Holistic Yoga
This course provides online classroom training under the guidance of senior yoga therapists so that students can learn to practice
Reconstructing Hindu History – The Commissions
HAM4201 - (C.P.H.S - Core Course) This course is the first of a two-quarter course sequence that examines the scientific
Managing Back Pain through Holistic Yoga
YOG1006 - This course provides online classroom training under the guidance of senior yoga therapists so that students can learn
Hindu Musical Traditions – A Cultural Immersion
TAT3101 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) This course is the first in a 2-Course sequence in the Hindu Musical Traditions –
Indian and Western Music Traditions – A Comparative Study
TAT3103 - (C.P.H.S – Elective Course) This course is the first of a three-part course sequence in the Hindu Musical Traditions
Exploring Hinduism for Teens and Parents
HSF1001 - (C.P.H.S – Core Course) “Exploring Hinduism – The Overview”, is the first course in the series titled "Exploring Hinduism"
Antaranga Mandapam
YOG3101 - How is this Coronavirus pandemic going to end? Will we return to our 'old selves' and our 'familiar
Holistic Yoga -Philosophy and Practice
YOG1000 - This course provides an introduction to holistic yoga, that integrates yoga philosophy from classical scriptural texts and sustained
Advaita Vedanta: A Method
HSF6004 - This course will explore and demonstrate the use of the methods (prakriyas) used in the Upanisads to unfold
Comparative Religion: Death and Meaning
HSF6003 - The central problem of human life is twofold: morality and mortality. Given the certainty of death, is there
History of Dharmaśāstras II
HSF6006 - This is the second course in a two-part survey course that provides an overview of dharma literature from
History of Dharmaśāstras I
HSF5006 - This two-part survey course provides an overview of dharma literature from ancient and medieval texts of the Hindu
Philosophy of Sri Aurobindo
An exploration of Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy and select writings with a focus on the intersection of spirituality and practicality towards
The Mahābhārata II: Dicing and Exile
TAT7202 - This course is the second of a 6-part Course Sequence that explores the great epic of India, The
Human Rights: A Hindu Perspective
CPS6506 - To demonstrate how human rights concept and policy could be found in Hindu philosophy, and also how such
Discover Life by Exploring India
HSF5001 - A unique study abroad course that offers an authentic, transformative and enriching experience. This course is aimed at
Philosophy of Nonviolence
An examination of the concept of nonviolence, its evolution and practice in various cultures and traditions.
The Humanities and the University – II
Inspired by neo-humanism, the research university was to facilitate self-cultivation, aesthetic appreciation (especially through knowledge of classical antiquity), and a
International Politics: A Hindu Perspective
CPS6507 - To explore methods to bridge the chasm between the practice of international politics and universal moral principles.
Contesting Neo-Hinduism
PHS7302 - The current mainstream narrative in western academia is that there are two kinds of Hinduism: traditional and neo
Philosophy of Science and Hinduism
PHS8302 - In the colonial and postcolonial contexts, there have been many attempts both by Indians and western people to
Philosophical Foundations of Orientalism
Orientalism employs a technique termed “deconstruction.” In order to effectively and critically examine a colonial and postcolonial discourse, it is
Orientalism and Hinduism
PHS7301 - In postcolonial scholarship, Edward Said’s work Orientalism can be considered a landmark text. This course helps students understand
Arthaśāstra
CPS 5505 - To examine the core ideas such as state, war, and peace in the ancient text Arthashastra, a
Śhānti Parva
CPS5504 - To elaborate ideas of good governance and duties of a ruler towards his subjects and Dharma as enshrined
The Vision of the Bhagavad-Gītā
HSF5002 - Distilled from the Upaniṣad, the Śrīmad Bhagavad-Gītā is a fundamental text of Hindu Dharma which has given rise
Anticolonialism and Postcolonialism
PHS6301 - This course introduces the theories of various anticolonial and postcolonial writers in order to create a framework for
The Foundation of Vedānta
HSF5004 - Vedānta also known as the Upaniṣad, found at the end of all four Vedas, reveal the goal and
An Overview of the Veda
HSF5003 - The Vedas are the oldest body of sacred knowledge known to man. A bird’s eye view of the
Vālmīki’s Rāmāyaṇa
TAT7203 - Vālmīki’s Rāmāyaṇa is a classic story of human self-development focused on the relationship between the macrocosm (the kingdom)
The Mahābhārata I: From Beginning to End
TAT7201 - This course is the first of a 6-part Course Sequence that explores the great epic of India, The
Contesting Neo-Hinduism
The course, in the beginning, introduces writings of the western authors who claim that there is something called “neo-Hinduism,” which is significantly and characteristically different from “traditional Hinduism.” Once those claims are situated, the evidence of those claims will be critically examined and will lead naturally to insight into the agendas, motivations, and general ignorance of these writers who are behind the creation of the “neo-Hinduism” theory. The course will then veer into showing how contemporary Hinduism transcends the binary divide of traditional and neo, and that even when it has innovated and answered the contingencies of the colonial context, it has always maintained its continuity with the past and that it has not compromised with its core cosmology.
In this course, the student will
- be able to learn about the coordinates on which the divide between traditional and neo-Hinduism has been created;
- be able to critically examine the evidence on which the divide has been created;
- be able to learn that binaries like traditional and neo do not apply to Hinduism, for Hinduism transcends and exceeds the traditional and contemporary divide.
Area of Study: Postcolonial Hindu Studies.
Required/Elective: Elective
Prerequisites: Admission into a Program of Study
Instructor: Dr. Kundan Singh
Critical Issues in Hindu Studies
The European colonization of India was justified by the construction of a particular narrative, beginning in the nineteenth century centered on the “White Man’s Burden” of civilizing India and the Hindus. “Scholars” hired by the East India Company and European missionaries, sometimes in tandem and at others in isolation, created a certain narrative on the Hindus and India in order to justify their colonial rule and missionary activities respectively. With the growing influence of the Europeans over Indians, the narrative became a massive industry with more and more scholars joining the force adding more nuance and sophistication to the discourse. This narrative has acquired a life of its own and today can be considered as the “received knowledge” on India and Hindus. Whether this narrative squares with the self-understanding of pre-colonial Hindus is a matter which we will examine in subsequent courses; however in the current one, we will first educate ourselves with the various descriptors that the Europeans used to define the Hindus, critically examining the various agendas–which the fathers of the narrative were quite explicit about behind such scholarship. The aforementioned scholarship in many different ways informs the self-understanding of educated Hindus today, and if the current Hindus want to connect with the worldview of their ancestors as they move forward in time, it is important for them to become familiar with this European narrative and also with the motivations that shaped the discourse, to begin with. This discourse is a distortion and in order to correct it, it is important to become familiar with its nuances.
In this course, the student will
- study in detail the writings of some of the early European Indologists like James Mill and Abbe Dubois in order to understand their characterization of Hinduism and Hindus as oppressive and hierarchical;
- understand the explicit motivations due to which such characterizations were made;
- be able to see clearly that such characterizations have become “received knowledge” on Hinduism and Hindus, which gets replicated and reproduced in mainstream academia from grade school to graduate studies whereas the motivations for creating such a construct have been made invisible;
- be able to see the basis of Academic Hinduphobia that exists in the mainstream today;
- gradually begin developing the skills required to effectively counter the distorted narrative in academia and media.
Area of Study: Hindu Studies Foundations/Postcolonial Hindu Studies
Required/ Elective: Required
Prerequisites: Admission into a Program of Study/ Must have completed Orientation to Hindu Studies or Concurrently enrolled in OTHS.
Instructor: Dr. Kundan Singh
Start Date: April 11, 2020
End Date: June 19, 2020
Day: Every Saturday
Time: 2:00 PM — 5:00 PM EST.
Quarter: Spring 2020
Decolonizing the Hindu Condition
Course Content:
Narratives influence the perception of reality and truth. A distorted narrative or a false narrative produces a distorted perception of reality or truth or “false consciousness.” One of the chief aims of the Postcolonial Hindu Studies concentration is to explore thoroughly how the British studies on India during the colonial era generated a false narrative which distorts the manner in which the Hindu reality is described in the texts of the Hindus. This false narrative, however, has had and continues to have cultural, social, and psychological consequences. Whereas the course Anticolonialism and Postcolonialism gives a theoretical framework to understand the psychological and sociological consequences of colonization and examines these issues from a universal perspective, this course gets into specifics regarding Hinduism and India. This course has a reciprocal relationship with the course Anticolonialism and Postcolonialism and each course dialectically enhances the understanding of the other. It is not necessary to take one before the other, and both may be taken in either sequence.
Course Learning Objectives:
In this course students will be able to
- learn about the consequences of colonization on Hindu psyche and being
- explore how language, self-image, culture, and politics of the Hindus have been impacted by colonization
- examine the myths and generalizations about the Hindus crafted and perpetuated during the colonial rule that continue to persist in the current day mainstream discourse
- investigate how Hindus themselves perpetuate colonial myths today, without critically examining them or investigating their veracity.
Class Structure
There will be a minimum of 3 contact hours with the faculty every week. The class is structured in a way that promotes discussion, dialogue, and debate based on the study of and reflection on study materials each week. The content discussed in each class and the discussions that follow will continue for about 180 minutes. The Faculty will distribute a detailed syllabus and give a bird’s eye view of the course at its very beginning.
Required/Elective: Elective
Prerequisites: Admission into a Program of Study
Faculty/Instructor: Dr. Kundan Singh
Quarter Offered: Spring 2021
Day: Saturday
Time: 02:00 pm EST – 05:00 pm EST
Start Date: April 10, 2021
End Date: June 19, 2021
Fellowships in Advanced Studies are available to scholars who already possess a Ph.D., in any field, but wish to pursue post-doctoral research in the field of Hindu Studies. Students admitted into the advanced studies program, can expand their research interests, explore many of the available Doctoral level seminars and courses, and augment their knowledge. Most advanced studies fellows are expected to apply with a proposal for writing a book or thesis on a subject that they have already been researching or have an interest in.
We will be soon announcing the programs.
James Mill and the Rise of Liberal-Left in Britain
Course Content:
This course shows that the noxious discourse on Hindus and Hinduism which emerged through the writings of James Mill in the History of British India has a reciprocal and contextual dependence on the rise of liberal and left values in Britain, which also were inspired by his domestic and political writings.
Course Description:
The writings of James Mill not only disfigured the narrative on India and Hinduism but also influenced the transformation of the British culture, predominantly through the parliamentary reforms of 1832. The rise of the liberal values and culture in Britain occurred in the backdrop of the narrative that painted Hinduism and Hindus as hierarchical and oppressive. The desire for and imagination of liberal and democratic England, which began to become a reality with the advent of the 1832 parliamentary reforms, and the painting of Hindus as hierarchical and oppressive occurred in tandem and are interconnected. Though I reserve the exploration of the transformation of the Indian condition as hierarchical and oppressive post the emergence of James Mill’s History of British India in future courses, the current one will explore the aforementioned interconnection and reciprocal dependence in significant detail by examining the original writings of James Mill on India and for Britain.
In this course, the student will
- Learn about the political writings of James Mill, produced immediately after the publication of his History of British India in 1817.
- Explore the reciprocal dependence between his political writings for Britain and his narrative on India and Hinduism.
- Learn that Mill’s narrative on Hindus and Hinduism is deeply colored by his British social and religious experiences.
- Learn how the ideas of James Mill travelled through John Stuart Mill to Karl Marx.
Class Structure
There will be a minimum of 3 contact hours with the faculty every week. The class is structured in a way that promotes discussion, dialogue, and debate based on the study of and reflection on study materials each week. The content discussed in each class and the discussions that follow will continue for about 180 minutes.
Required/Elective: Elective
Prerequisites: Admission into a Program of Study
Faculty/Instructor: Dr. Kundan Singh
Quarter Offered: Fall 2021
Day: Saturday
Time: 02:00 pm EST – 05:00 pm EST
Start Date: October 9, 2021
End Date: December 18, 2021
Orientalism and Hinduism
This course covers in nuanced detail what Edward Said means by “Orientalism”–what its characteristics and descriptors are. Said holds that “Orient” or the “East” did not exist out there that was objectively captured by the Europeans; rather it was created and constructed through the handiwork of writings generated by colonialists and missionaries, and by “scholars” hired by them. This construction, with its coordinates in power and domination, has had lasting sociological, political, psychological, and economic consequences, both for people with European ancestry and for people with non-European ancestry. Said’s “Orientalism” is thus an important tool to analyze first the imagination of India and Hindu society in European consciousness, and then the efforts that were undertaken by the British colonial power to translate the imagination into concrete sociological reality through what Gramsci calls as civil society (schools, colleges, and universities) and political society (the bureaucracy and the police). To put it succinctly, this course will revolve around critically understanding Said’s theory of Orientalism and how the European imagination of India and Hinduism significantly altered their discourse and consequently their understanding in the colonial and postcolonial contexts.
In this course, the student will
- gain a complete understanding of what Edward Said meant by the term “Orientalism”;
- be able to see for himself or herself the evidence for “Orientalism” in the colonial context of India;
- be able to appreciate how the Orientalist discourse is still alive in representations of India and Hinduism even today.
Area of Study: Postcolonial Hindu Studies
Required/Elective: Required
Prerequisites: Admission into a Program of Study
Instructor: Dr. Kundan Singh
Philosophical Foundations of Orientalism
For an analysis to be sound, poignant, and pointed, it is important to understand the philosophical base and container within which the analysis is conducted. One of the techniques that postcolonial discourse uses is deconstruction. Deconstruction essentially means examining the sociological-political-historical-economic contexts within which a given reality or “truth” comes into existence, which over a period of time become eternal, timeless, and context-independent. Though there are many philosophers who have used the technique of deconstruction for various enunciations, this course will introduce the philosophical underpinnings of deconstruction through the writings of Nietzsche and Foucault. There has been a decisive impact of Foucault on Said’s Orientalism and Foucault was widely influenced by Nietzsche. This philosophical container will give a wide base to students to deconstruct the European writings on India and Hinduism.
In this course, the student will
- learn what the technical term widely used in academia today, deconstruction, actually means;
- appreciate the philosophical and historical underpinnings of deconstruction;
- be able to apply the technique of deconstruction in critically examining the colonial and orientalist writings on India and Hinduism.
Area of Study: Post Colonial Hindu Studies, History and Method
Required/Elective: Elective
Prerequisites: Admission into a Program of Study
Instructor: Dr. Kundan Singh
Philosophy of Science and Hinduism
Science is a human activity, which has a certain philosophy behind it. In order to gain an in-depth understanding of science, one needs to know at least the enunciation of some important philosophers of science like Francis Bacon, Karl Popper, Thomas Kuhn, Paul Feyerabend, and Imre Lakatos. In the backdrop of this understanding, this course will discuss if Hinduism and Yoga are science or they far exceed the construction of science as currently understood by philosophers and layman alike.
In this course, the student will
- understand science, not from a commonsensical or ideational standpoint, but from a philosophical and practical viewpoint–the way science has been understood and practiced in the western world;
- develop the capacity to discuss in a nuanced way whether Hinduism and Yoga qualify as science as currently understood and practiced within the western world;
- develop an understanding of the “science” of Hinduism and Yoga from their own philosophical and cosmological standpoints and not from the perspective of western philosophy of science.
Area of Study: Postcolonial Hindu Studies
Required/Elective: Elective
Prerequisites: Admission into a Program of Study
Instructor: Dr. Kundan Singh
Postcolonial Theory
Course Content:
This course provides a full spectrum on thinkers, writers, and theorists who have commented on the colonial occupation of non-European nations and its aftermath. It places the evolution of postcolonial theory in a historical context and gives the learner the tools to apply it in evaluating the postcolonial Hindu condition. Simultaneously, it also unfolds the limitations of postcolonial theory in fully addressing the postcolonial Hindu condition, identifying the need for Hindus to have their own postcolonial theories.
Course Description:
Though a large part of the world today exists independent of the direct political domination of the European imperial nations, it still suffers from the consequences. The civilizational, sociological, and psychological consequences of colonization are numerous, and they do not go away just because the political dominance or domination has ended. These consequences must be studied deeply if a civilization, like the one of Hindus, must advance without carrying the baggage or shadows of the colonial past. Colonial intervention creates a civilizational and cultural trauma, which the erstwhile colonized and their progenies try to forget or shove under the carpet. The trauma, however, is like a festering wound which must be tended to and healed, which can only happen if it is examined comprehensively and treated. Given that the European colonization was a world-wide phenomenon, thinkers from around the world have studied its consequences. Their insights or theories are extremely helpful in analyzing the current postcolonial Hindu condition, which will be in the future extremely beneficial in connecting the Hindu civilization and society to its yogic paradigm.
This course provides an overview of anticolonial and postcolonial theorists from around the world, which sets the stage for studying some of them in a greater detail in subsequent courses, like Anticolonialism and Postcolonialism and Orientalism. These courses, as outlined in the Postcolonial Hindu Studies concentration, further help in the analysis and discussion of the postcolonial Hindu condition, specifically addressed in courses like Decolonizing the Hindu Condition, Orientalism and Hinduism, and Critical Issues in Hindu Studies.
Note about the title photo: The title photo of the course description is from the back panel (called the “Altar of Kings”) of the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, which was built over the temple of the Aztecs and from the materials engendered from ruining it. The gold that you see on the panel was looted from the Aztecs, who were described to the hilt as savages by the Spanish conquistadors.
Course Learning Objectives:
In this course, the students will
- comprehensively learn about and explore the ideas and theories of the major figures who have shaped the postcolonial theory as we understand today.
- learn about and examine the postcolonial theory in historical and current perspectives.
- gain a comprehensive understanding on how to apply postcolonial theory to the Hindu context.
- critically examine postcolonial theory to understand where it falls short in addressing the postcolonial Hindu condition.
Class Structure
There will be a minimum of 3 contact hours with the faculty every week. The class is structured in a way that promotes discussion, dialogue, and debate based on the study of and reflection on study materials each week. The content discussed in each class and the discussions that follow will continue for about 180 minutes.
Required/Elective: Elective
Prerequisites: Admission into a Program of Study
Faculty/Instructor: Dr. Kundan Singh
Quarter Offered: Spring 2022
Day: Saturday
Time: 02:00 pm EST – 05:00 pm EST
Start Date: April 16, 2022
End Date: June 25, 2022