DWA 219 Democracy and Development in South Asia
South Asia is a region with a rich political history, offering recent examples of independence movements, secular democracies, absolute monarchies, and military dictatorships. Bound by the Himalayas to the north and the Indian Ocean to the south, the region comprises eight developing and emerging nations – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Each of these eight countries has a unique political trajectory that continues to be deeply informed by the political reality of its neighbors. This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the comparative politics of the region, with a focus on four key characteristics: the colonial legacy in shaping South Asian political institutions, the intraregional relationships including those that have escalated to violent conflict and war, the political economy of development, micropolitical processes that shape democratic outcomes and the future of democracy in the region.
Credits
This is a standard 4.0 course in which students expect 12 hours per week of work