Admission requirements
None.
Description
Central Asia is a vast region with a rich history in which a multitude of languages are spoken; the birthplace of great empires and the crossroads of many different cultures. Its fluid borders stretch into present-day Afghanistan, Russia, China, Mongolia, Iran and the Caucasus. The history of this region is closely intertwined with the so-called Silk Road, a pre-modern highway of global interaction. Today Central Asia is increasingly important as a focal point of the geopolitical interests and global ambitions of world powers such as for example China’s New Silk Road initiative. This course will focus on the background of Central Asia and Afghanistan today, starting with a multifaceted historical overview of the region – from the heartland of the Silk Road and its empires to a buffer zone for colonial powers, leading to the more recent history, when the term ‘Central Asia’ became more and more synonymous to the five ‘stans’ which came into existence during the first decennia of the former Soviet Union. How are the now independent republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan grappling with their Soviet heritage and the more distant past and how have these republics tried to shape a national identity by (re)inventing and creating a national history? How about developments in Afghanistan, with its ethnic make-up directly corresponding to the ‘nationalities’ of the Central Asian Republics? What is the role of Islam and other religions in Afghanistan and in present day Central Asian society? How does this relate to what is today understood as the Middle East? Key issues in this course will be empire building, cultural space, identity formation, nationalism, state ideologies, geopolitics and heritage.
Course objectives
This course aims to provide a background into the history, culture and current issues of a region that has often been thought of as a periphery, caught between the great powers of Asia and the Middle East.
Timetable
Visit MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
- Lecture
Attendance is not obligatory for lectures. The conveners do not need to be informed in case of missed classes. Information and knowledge provided in the lectures greatly contribute to the subsequent courses of the programme. In order to pass the course, students are strongly advised to attend all sessions.
Course Load
| 5 EC x 28 hrs = | 140 hrs |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 26 |
| Literature study / exam preparation | 110 |
| Exams | 4 |
Assessment method
| Partial Assessment | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Mid-term examination: written examination with short open questions and essay questions on lectures and readings | 40% |
| End-term examination: written examination with short open questions and essay questions on lectures and readings | 60% |
Resit
Written examination with a combination of short open questions, multiple choice and essay questions (100%).
Exam review
If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will be organized.
Reading list
Readings will be made available during the course via Brightspace.
Registration
General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch
Contact
Remarks
Students with disabilities
The university is committed to supporting and accommodating students with disabilities as stated in the university protocol (especially pages 3-5). Students should contact [Fenestra Disability Centre] at least four weeks before the start of their courses to ensure that all necessary academic accommodations can be made in time conform the abovementioned protocol.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to be familiar with Leiden University policies on plagiarism and academic integrity. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you submit any work with your name affixed to it, it is assumed to be your own work with all sources used properly indicated and documented in the text (with quotations and/or citations).