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- CEUS-R 191 Introduction to Central Eurasia
- Christopher I. Beckwith
This course carries COLL S & H distribution credit
This course introduces the history of the traditional Central Eurasian (‘Inner Asian’) peoples through lectures and films. Topics include: the Central Eurasian Culture Complex and the Proto-Indo-Europeans; the nomads and the Silk Road; the Indo-European Chariot warriors; the Scythians and Hsiung-nu; the Proto-Mongolic peoples, the Goths, and Attila the Hun; The Turkic and Tibetan Empires; Chinggis (‘Genghis’) Khan and the Mongol Empire; Tamerlane; Babur and the Mughal Empire; the Manchu Empire and the Dalai Lama; Manchu-Chinese and Russian partition of Central Eurasia and closing of the Silk Road; reemergence of Central Eurasia in the late 20th century; and others. The course includes extensive use of films, including Attila, The Conqueror, Lost Horizon, Kundun, Seven Years in Tibet, Dzhamilya (Jamila), and Urga.
Required Textbook: C.I. Beckwith, Empires of the Silk Road (available via Oncourse), xxvii + 472 pp.
Required Films: Attila, The Conqueror, Kundun or Seven Years in Tibet, Dzhamilya (Jamila) or Urga, and Lost Horizon (all available in the Kent Cooper Room in the Wells Library).
Supplementary Readings: To be available online or at the Wells Library.
Grading:
Midterm exam (50%)
Final exam (50%)
Attendance (+)
