Examination Booklet December 2023
Examination Booklet December 2023
Table of Contents
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SEM V Examination Dates
Tentative
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Course Syllabi
Popular Culture
Course Content:
Defining Popular Culture: Popular Culture as Folk Culture, Mass Culture, as the
‘other’ of High Culture, People’s Culture, etc.
Popular Culture and History: The Historian and the Archives
Popular Culture in Early Modern Europe or the City of Mumbai
(Students should choose any three from the four rubrics [a] – [d] mentioned below)
Festivals and Rituals: Case studies of Navaratri in Madras / Urs in Ajmer / Kumbh
Mela
Everyday healing and petitioning the divine: Case studies of Jinns in Delhi / Popular
Hinduism / Tantric practices
Sacred Geographies, Sacred Spaces: Pilgrimage and pilgrim practices
Orality, Memory and the Popular: Case studies of women’s Ramayanas in the oral
tradition Andhra/ Rajasthan
Theatre and Dance
Music: Popular music and Technology; Case studies of Devotional music / the Ghazal
and the Cassette
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Issues in Twentieth Century World History
Course Content:
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History of India c.1200-1700
Course Outline:
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Religion and Society
Course Outline:
1. Understanding Religion
2. Religion in India
2.1. Hinduism
2.2. Islam
2.3. Christianity
2.4. Sikhism
2.5. Buddhism
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Question Bank
1. Discuss Alauddin Khalji’s market control policy. / Examine the aims, extent and
impact of Allaudin Khalji's market regulations.
2. Evaluate the response of the Delhi Sultanate to the Mongol challenge.
3. Discuss the significance of the Iqta System in the political and economic history of
the Delhi Sultanate / Examine the working of the Iqta system in the 13th and 14th
centuries. How did it lead to political and economic decentralisation?
4. Examine the contribution of Iltutmish and Balban to the growth of centralised state
structure in mediaeval India./ What steps did Balban take to consolidate Delhi
Sultanate? Describe it with special reference to the theory of Kingship. / Discuss
Balban’s theory of Kingship. How did it help in centralising the political authority of
the Sultan
5. Examine the various projects of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq / Describe the experiments
of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq. What were its impacts? / The economic and
administrative reforms of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq were an attempt to streamline a
rapidly growing Sultanate. Discuss.
6. Discuss the character and composition of the Sultanate ruling class during the
thirteenth century. / Critically examine the role of the nobility during the 13th and
14th centuries / Describe the relations between the Sultans and the nobility in the
Delhi Sultanate.
Unit 2 - Vijayanagar
1. To what extent was the Nayankara system central to the administration of the
Vijayanagara Empire?
2. The city of Hampi was a reflection of imperial power. Discuss.
3. Describe the social and economic changes under the Vijayanagara Empire / Describe
the society and economy of the Vijayanagara empire with reference to the changing
economic base.
4. Discuss the Vijayanagar-Bahmani conflict. To what extent did it impact the political
fortunes of the Deccan?
5. “The organisation of Vijaynagar State was dominated by its military needs.”
Elucidate.
1. Discuss the evolution of the mansabdari system from Akbar to Aurangzeb / Discuss
the main features of the Mansabdari system.
2. Describe the approach of historians to the study of the Mughal Empire
3. Critically analyse the various stages in evolution of Mughal relations with the
Rajputs. / Analyze Mughal-Rajput relations under Akbar. / What were the main tenets
of the Mughal Policy towards Rajputs in the 16th century. / Mughal Rajput relations
played an important role in shaping the Mughal Empire. Discuss.
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4. Describe the evolution of Akbar's religious ideas / Evaluate the evolution of Akbar’s
religious ideas. To what extent did it influence the consolidation of Imperial
authority?
5. Trace the emergence and the growth of the Jagirdari system under the Mughals. / The
Jagirdari system played an important role in systematising revenue collection in the
Mughal Empire. Discuss.
6. The ability of the Mughal emperors to forge formidable alliances was central to their
success. Discuss with reference to Akbar and the establishment of the Mughal Empire
ot Aurangzebs and the War of Succession.
7. Explain the main stages in the Mughal-Maratha conflict.
8. The creation of a composite nobility was central to Akbar’s success in establishing the
Mughal Empire. Discuss.
9. Do you think Sheh Shah was an innovator in the field of administration? Discuss.
1. Trace the different stages of the development of the Qutb complex during the
Sultanate./ Examine the evolution of Sultanate architecture in the Qutb complex.
2. Describe various architectural trends from Akbar to Shahjahan / Describe the
evolution of the Mughal painting from Akbar to Shah Jahan.
3. Explain the architectural development of Fatehpur Sikri under Akbar
4. Trace the contribution of Mughal rulers in origin and development of painting.
5. How do Mughal court paintings of Jahangir and ShahJahan’s period reflect the
imperial and cultural ideology of the Mughal Empire / To what extent do the Mughal
miniature paintings reflect contemporary society?
6. Write a short essay on Mughal architecture with special reference to Shah Jahan.
1. Discuss the development of musical traditions in the Mughal court in the second half
of the 17th century.
2. What was the contribution of women Bhaktas towards transforming socio-religious
life? Discuss it with reference to Mira Bai / Evaulate Mira Bai’s contributions to the
socio-religious life of the contemporary period / Evaluate Meera Bai’s contribution to
contemporary social reform, was she a conformist or rebel?
3. Evaluate the importance of the Chisti silsila in the mediaeval period
4. Discuss the contribution of Kabir and Nanak to the Bhakti movement / Explain the
social and ideological bases of the teachings of Kabir.
5. Briefly describe the emergence of the Bhakti movement in the mediaeval period.
6. Discuss Sufis as a source of authority and evaluate the significance of Nizamuddin
Auliya on the Chishti Silsila.
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Unit 7 - Economy and patterns of exchange
1. Discuss the impact of European Maritime trade on South Asia between the 15th and
the 17th centuries
2. Discuss the growing importance of trade during the 16th and 17th centuries / Discuss
the impact of European companies on trade in the 17th century.
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Issues in Twentieth Century World History
1. Critically analyse the factors responsible for the First World War.
2. What do you know about the League of Nations? Critically analyse its achievements
and failures / Was the League of Nations a success or failure? Discuss.
3. To what extent the division of Europe into opposite groups was responsible for the
outbreak of the First World War?
4. What were the immediate consequences of World War I? / What were the
consequences of World War I on Europe?
5. What were the causes of the First World War? How did it influence international
politics?
6. Was the peace settlement signed in Versailles an imposed treaty? Justify your answer.
7. Imperialist rivalries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries led to the first world war.
Do you agree?
1. What was the impact of the Bolshevik Revolution on Russia and the world?
2. What led to the outbreak of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917?
3. What were the causes of the success of the Bolsheviks in October 1917 in Russia?
4. Discuss the causes and process of the Russian revolution of October, 1917.
1. Do you agree with the view that the policy of appeasement led to the Second World
War?
2. How far was Hitler responsible for the rise of Nazism in Germany? / Discuss the
causes for the rise of Nazism in Germany.
3. To what extent were the aggressive policies of fascist countries responsible for the
second world war?
4. How did the Second World War impact the twentieth century?
5. Analyse the rise and consolidation of Nazi power in Germany.
1. Analyse the impact of the Global Depression of 1929 on the industrialised world /
How did the economic depression of the industrial world affect the underdeveloped
world? / Discuss the reasons for the Great Depression of 1929.
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2. Define modernity. How is it to related to capitalist industrialisation
3. How did the Suffragette movement in England contribute to women’s rights?
4. Discuss the emergence of anti-colonial struggles after World Wars.
5. Explain the major trajectory of Japan’s emergence into a military fascist state.
6. Had the liberal experiment failed in Japan and led the country to a military fascist
state? Discuss.
Short Notes
a. Contemporary Era
b. Treaty of Versailles
c. Liberalism and Communism
d. League of Nations
e. Mandate Era
f. Second World War
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Religion and Society
1. Examine popular Hinduism in the context of Indian society / Write an essay on popular
hinduism
2. How has Islam contributed to the composite culture in India? / Discuss composite culture as a
result of Indo-Islamic tradition
Short Notes
a. Five components of Hinduism
b. Communalism
c. Sikhism
d. Ritual Idiom of Coorgs
e. Sociological Approach to religion
f. Sacred and Profane
g. Rites of Passages
h. Social Context of Christianity in India
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Popular Culture
1. In what ways have popular festivals changed over time. Discuss with reference to any
one case study.
2. Discuss the social significance of Pilgrimage. Do you agree that they embody sacred
spaces? / The tradition of pilgrimage in India is deeply rooted in our culture and history.
Explain the statement with the help of two case studies.
3. Festivals are symbols of our cultural syncretism. Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.
4. Describe your visit to an exhibition or cultural event.
5. Festivals are symbols of our cultural syncretism. Do you agree? Give reasons for your
answer.
6. What role do fairs play in the social, economic, cultural and religious life of the
common man?
1. What role has technology played in popularising Indian Music? Explain with
Examples.
2. How are Performing art traditions helpful in contextualising regional cultural
patterns? Explain with examples.
3. Folk Songs and dances have a deep relationship with social experiences of the common
people. Observe the statement on the basis of any two states of India.
4. What are the different kinds of oral traditions prevalent in India? Examine the main
characteristics of any two of them.
1. Discuss the evolution of Food practices in India. How has globalisation impacted
Indian food habits?
2. What are the important aspects that determine the nature of regional cuisine in our country ?
3. Folk theatre is a key to understanding the culture of a region. Discuss with reference
to any two examples.
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Contemporary India: women and empowerment
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