Indiana University: Department of Central Eurasian Studies

U320/U520: Travelers & Explorers in Central Asia (3 CR)
Spring 2003, MW 4:00-5:15, WY 111
Instructor: Ron Sela   (email: rsela@indiana.edu) 

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Syllabus
WEEK 1 (Jan. 13, 15) Introduction: Course organization, Central Asian Geography.
Required Readings: Christian: 4-20, or Hambly: 1-18, or CHEIA: 19-40. [to be distributed] Also, acquaint yourselves with Central Asia through the web (for example, http://www.umich.edu/~iinet/cmenas/outreach/calinks.html).

WEEK 2 (Jan. 20, 22) Introduction: Historical Overview & Evaluation of Travel Writing.
Req. Readings: Yuri Bregel, “The Role of Central Asia in the History of the Muslim East,” Asia Society Occasional Papers (Afghanistan Council, 1980). [to be distributed]
For Wed.:
Read Laurence Sterne's A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy http://www.uoregon.edu/~rbear/sterne.html - read just the part entitled “Preface--In the Desobligeant,” starting at “This brings me to my point...” );  and,  The Little Prince: the Planet of the Geographer http://pujon.kimc.net/sumgim/vianco/little/15.html

* Jan 20: No Class [Martin Luther King's Day] *

WEEK 3 (Jan. 27, 29) Central Asia on the Eve of the Arab conquest and the Spread of Islam.
Req. Readings: Christian: 304-314 and CHEIA: 343-347, or Soucek: 46-69.
Source Readings: Hsuan Tsang, in Buddhist Records of the Western World
* Text can also be found on the web (read from Book One: Account of the 34 countries, to the part about Bamian (inc.): http://www.iras.ucalgary.ca/~volk/sylvia/Hsien-Tsang.htm
Additional Web sites:
- About Hsuan Tsang: http://www.silk-road.com/artl/hsuantsang.shtml
- About Buddhist Central Asia: http://mlucom6.urz.uni-halle.de/orientarch/ca/bud/bud.htm
- Map of Muslim expansion until A.D. 661: http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~rs143/map1.jpg

WEEK 4 (Feb. 3, 5) Pre-Mongol Central Asia: Turks, Muslims, and Arab Geographers
Hist. Background: Christian: 314-323, 353-356, 369-379, or CHEIA: 348-370, or Soucek: 69-76, 83-101.
Sources for Wed. (Feb. 5): Reader, Week 4:
Tamim ibn Bahr; al-Muqaddasi; Ibn Fadlan; Marvazi; Gardizi; Benjamin of Tudela.


Map of the Muslim world c. A.D. 1000: http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~rs143/map4.jpg

WEEK 5 (Feb. 10, 12) Pre-Mongol Central Asia: the Western Steppes
Hist. Background: Christian: 282-298, or CHEIA: 235-242, 263-270.
Sources for Wed.: Reader Week 5:
Ibn Fadlan; al-Masudi; al-Istakhri; the Cuzari


Additional web sites: - About the Khazars - http://www.khazaria.com

WEEK 6 (Feb. 17, 19) The Mongol World Empire in the 13th Century
Hist. Background: Soucek: 103-116, 117-122, or Hambly: 86-113, or Christian: 385-426.
Sources for Wed.: Reader, Week 6:
Chang Chun; Carpini; William of Rubruck; Marco Polo
Web:
- Map of the Muslim East (1st half of the 13th century): http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~rs143/meast.jpg
- European envoys to the Mongols: http://www.silk-road.com/artl/carrub.shtml
- Pax Mongolica: http://www.silk-road.com/artl/paxmongolica.shtml

WEEK 7 (Feb. 24, 26) The Mongol World Empire in the 14th Century: Reality and Fiction.
Hist. Background: Soucek: 117-122, or Hambly: 114-139.
Sources for Wed.: Reader, Week 7:
Ibn Batutta; John Mandeville; Odoric of Pordenone.
Web:

Ibn Battuta: http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/Ibn_Battuta/Ibn_Battuta_Rihla.html

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1354-ibnbattuta.html
Mandeville's (Old English) text on the web: http://www.iras.ucalgary.ca/~volk/sylvia/Mandeville.htm

WEEK 8 (Mar. 3, 5) Timur & the Timurids:
Hist. Background: Soucek: 123-143
Sources for Wed.: Reader, Week 8
Schiltberger; Clavijo; Ch'en Ch'eng.
Web: http://www.silk-road.com/artl/timur.shtml

http://sangha.net/messengers/Tamerlan.htm

WEEK 9 (Mar. 10, 12) Review and Mid-term Exam

***WEEK 10: Spring Break***

WEEK 11 (Mar. 24, 26)  Central Asia in the 16th c.: the Uzbek Conquest
Hist. Background: Hambly: 140-149, 163-174, or Soucek: 144-161.
Sources for Wed.: Reader, Week 11
Sidi Ali Reis; Anthony Jenkinson; Benedict Goes

Web:
Sidi Ali Reis [from "Our Experience In Bakhtar-Zemin (Kabulistan)" (about half way down the web site), to "Our Fate In Khorassan," (inc.)] http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/16CSidi1.html
Jenkinson: http://students.washington.edu/ljenott/jenkinson/bukhara.html
Goes: http://faculty.washington.edu/dwaugh/CA/texts/goes.html

WEEK 12 (Mar. 31, Apr. 2) The middle Uzbek period: Persian Conquest and Political Transition
Hist. Background: Soucek: 177-193, or Hambly: 175-186Sources for Wed.: Reader, Week 12

Abd al-Karim Kashmiri; Thomson & Hogg; Michailow

WEEK 13 (Apr. 7, 9) The Central Asian Khanates: Bukhara & the Steppes
Hist. Background: Enc. Iranica
Sources for Wed.: Reader, Week 13

Burnes; Conolly; Eversmann; Khanykov; Vambery; Wolff


WEEK 14 (Apr. 14, 16) The Central Asian Khanates: Khiva and the Turkmens
Hist. Background: Enc. Iranica

Sources for Wed.: Reader, Week 14

Abbott; Muraviev; Ignatiev; Fraser; O’Donovan

WEEK 15 (Apr. 21, 23) The Russian Conquest of Central Asia
Hist. Background: Soucek: 195-208
Sources for Wed.:
MacGahan; Schuyler; Lansdell

WEEK 16 (Apr. 28, 30) Central Asia: The Russian Conquest & beyond
Hist. Background: Allworth: 151-171.
Sources for Wed.: Reader, Week 16

Curzon; Pahlen; Olufsen

* Take-Home Final Exam (expected in Googbody Hall 157 by 2 p.m., Tuesday, May 6) *