The University of Burdwan Syllabus for B.A. General (1+1+1 Pattern) in History with effect from 2015-2016

The University of Burdwan
Syllabus for B.A. General (1+1+1 Pattern) in History with effect from 2015-2016
History (General) Paper I History of India (Prehistoric Times to 1206) Full Marks: 100
1. Sources of Early and Early Medieval India: Literary and archaeological. (3 lectures)
2. Prehistoric India: Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Chalcolithic ages; the Harappan civilization—origins, town planning, trade and craft, religion, decline, legacy of Harappa. (5 lectures)
3. The Vedic Civilization: debate on original homeland; Rig-Vedic and Later-Vedic periods—society, economy, culture, polity; transition from pastoral to agricultural society. (5 lectures)
4. Transition from Chiefdom to Kingdom: Sixteen Mahajanapadas—monarchical and non-monarchical polity; emergence of Magadha as an imperial power; Second Urbanization. (5 lectures)
5. Religious Protest Movement: Buddhism, Jainism, Ajivikas and others—their historical background; Buddha—his principles; social base and nature of Buddhism; comparison with Jainism. (4 lectures)
6. The Mauryas: from Chandragupta to Asoka—a political overview with special emphasis on Maurya administration; Asoka’s Dhamma; decline of the Mauryan empire. (6 lectures)
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7. Post-Maurya Phase: the Satavahanas; foreign intervention in north Indian politics—Greeks, Sakas, Pallavas. The Kushanas—polity, religion, culture, and economy. Indo-Roman trade. (6 lectures)
8. The Guptas: expansionist policy; administration, economy, society, religion, and culture; downfall of the Gupta empire. (6 lectures)
9. Bengal under the Palas and the Senas: the Palas—rise, relation with the Rashtrakutas and the Pratiharas; rise and fall of the Senas; an overview of other local rulers—Harshavardhana, Sasanka; political development in South India with special reference to the Cholas, Pallavas, and the Chalukyas. (8 lectures)
10. Arab Conquest of Sind: Ghaznavid and Ghurid invasions. (2 lectures)
Suggested Reading:
1. Allchin, Bridget and Raymond, The Rise of Civilization in India and Pakistan.
2. Basham, A.L., The Wonder that was India.
3. Bhattacharjee, Sukumari, Women and Society in Ancient India.
4. Chakrabarty, Ranabir, Exploring Early India upto A.D. 1300.
5. Chakrabarty, Ranabir, Trade in Early India.
6. Chandra, S, History of Medieval India.
7. Habib, Irfan (General Editor), A Peoples.
(a) Vol. I – Pre History.
(b) Vol. II – The Indus Civilization.
(c) Vol. III -- The Vedic Age.
(d) Vol. IV – The Mauryas.
8. Jha, D.N., Ancient India in Historical Outline.
9. Jha, D.N., Ancient India: An Introduction.
10. Kochar,R., The Vedic People.
11. Kosambi, D.D., An Introduction to the Study of Indian History.
12. Kulke, H., The State in India (1000-1700).
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13. Lahiri, Naianjyot, The Decline and Fall of the Indus Civilization.
14 Ratnagar, Shireen, The End of the Great Harappan Tradition.
15 Raychaudhuri,H.C., Political History of Ancient India.
16. Sastri, K.A., A History of South India from Pre-historic Times to the fall of Vijaynagar,
17. Sharma, R.S., India’s Ancient Past.
18. Sharma, R.S., Advent of the Aryans.
19. Singh, Upinder, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India.
20. Thapar, Romila, From Lineage to State.
21. Thapar, Romila, Early India: From the Origins to A.D. 1300.
22. Thapar, Romila, The Mauryas Revisited.
23. Romila, Thapar, Asoka and the Decline of the Mauryas.
24. Trautman, T.R. (ed.), The Aryan Debate.
History (General) Paper II History of India (1206—1757) Full Marks: 100
1. Sources of Medieval Indian History: different sources; historians and histories. (3 lectures)
2. Political History of the Delhi Sultanate: establishment, growth and consolidation of the Sultanate; nature of the state; the Mongols; nobility and the Ulema; Afghan despotism—the Sayyids, Lodis, and the Surs. (6 lectures)
3. Society and Economy: rural and urban society; land revenue system; Iqta system; non-agrarian economy, urbanization; market regulations and trade. (5 lectures)
4. Regional Political Formations: Bengal under the Ilyas Shahis and the Hussain Shahis; Vijaynagar and Bahamani kingdoms. (5 lectures)
5. Religion and Culture: Sufism and Bhakti movement; literature, art and architecture. (4 lectures)
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6. Foundation and Expansion of the Mughal Empire: struggle for empire in North India; Babur’s invasion; Mughal-Afghan conflict; expansion of the empire from Akbar to Aurangzeb. (6 lectures)
7. Consolidation of the Empire: Akbar’s imperialist agenda—administration, Mansabdari system, Zabt system; Religion and state—Akbar to Aurangzeb; evolution of the nobility under the Mughals. (6 lectures)
8. Mughal Economy, Society and Culture: rural society and agrarian relations; crafts and industries; monetary system; inland and oceanic trade; literature; technology; architecture and painting. (5 lectures)
9. Disintegration of the Mughal Empire: problems of succession and court politics in the reign of Aurangzeb; popular revolts within the Mughal empire—the Jats, Satnamis, Afghans, and the Sikhs; crisis in the Jagirdari system; peasant uprising and agrarian crisis; debates and interpretations. (8 lectures)
10. Political Ascendency of the English East India Company in India. (2 lectures)
Suggested Reading:
1. Ahmed, Bashir, Akbar, The Mughal Emperor.
2. Bandyopadhyay, Sekhar, From Plassey to Partition.
3. Chandra, S., History of Medieval India.
4. Habib, Irfan and Nizami, K.A., A Comprehensive History of India. vol. V.
5. Habib, Irfan, Medieval India: The Study of a Civilization.
6. Habib, Irfan, Economic History of Medieval India: A Survey.
7. Habib, Irfan, The Agrarian System of Mughal India.
8. Habibullah, A.B.M., The Foundation Of Muslim Rule in India.
9. Halim, Abdul, The Lodi Dynasty.
10. Hasan A. Mahdi, The Tughlaq Dynasty.
11. Hasan, S. Nurul, Thoughts on Agrarian Relations in Mughal India.
12. Jackson, Peter, The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History.
13. Kulke , H. (ed.), The State in India(1000-1700).
14. Kumar, Sunil, The Emergence of the Sultanate of Delhi.
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15. Marshal, P.J., East Indian Fortunes, The British in Bengal in 18th Century.
16. Majudar, R.C. (ed.), History and Culture of the Indian People.
17. Rizvi, S.A.A., A History of Sufism in India.
18. Raychaudhuri, T.K and Habib, I. (ed.), The Cambridge Economic History of India.
19. Stein, Burton, Vijayanagara.
20. Alam, Muzaffar and Subhramanyan, Sanjoy (eds.), The Mughal State.
21. Ali, M. Athar, Mughal India, Studies in Polity, Ideas, Society and Culture.
22. Ali,M. Athar, The Mughal Nobility under Aurangazeb.
23. Chandra, Satish, A History of Medieval India.
24. Richards, J.F., The Mughal Empire.
25. Tripathi, R.P., The Rise and fall of Mughal India.
26. Tripathi, R.P., Some Aspects of Muslim Administration.
History (General) Paper III History of Europe (1789—1945) Full marks: 100
1. The French Revolution: socio-economic and political background; role of the philosophers; progress of the Revolution; the Constituent Assembly; Girondins and Jacobins; the Reign of Terror. (5 lectures)
2. Napoleon Bonaparte: rise to power; internal reforms; Napoleon and Europe; Napoleon and Revolution; fall of Bonaparte. (5 lectures)
3. Political Developments in Europe between 1815 and 1848: the Vienna Congress; Concert of Europe; Metternich System; the Revolutions of 1830 and 1848. (5 lectures)
4. Europe between 1848 and 1871: the unification of Italy and Germany; Russian modernization –emancipation of serfs and liberal reforms; France under the Second Empire. (6 lectures)
5. Industrialization in Europe: difference in the process of industrialization between England and the Continent; rise of the working class; Socialist thought—Utopian and Marxist. (4 lectures)
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6. Europe between 1871and 1914: Bismarckian diplomacy; the new balance of power; the Eastern Question and the Balkan problem; Kaiser William II and the new course in the German foreign policy; Triple Alliance and Triple Entente. (5 lectures)
7. Europe between 1914 and 1919: origins of the First World War; role of different European powers; Peace Settlement of 1919; the League of Nations; Russian Revolution (1917). (6 lectures)
8. Europe in Inter-War Period: internal developments in Soviet Russia; French quest for security; rise of Fascism in Italy and Nazism in Germany; Spanish Civil War. (5 lectures)
9. Second World War: origins—failure of disarmament and the League of Nations; the policy of Appeasement and the Munich Pact; responsibility of Hitler. (6 lectures)
10. U.N.O.: background; formation; function. (3 lectures)
Suggested Reading:
1. Fisher H.A.L., History of Europe.
2. Thomson David, Europe since Napoleon.
3. Lipson E., Europe in the 19th and 20th Centuries.
4. Hazen C D., Europe since 1815.
5. Ketelby, History of Modern Times.
6. Cipolla (ed.), Fontana Economic History of Europe.
7. Taylor A.J.P., Origins of the Second World War.
8. Taylor AJP, The struggle for Mastery in Europe.
9. Carr E.H., International Relations between the Two World Wars.
10. Hobsbawm E.J., Age of Revolution/ Age of Empire.
11. Roberts J.M., Europe 1880-1945.
12. Lefebvre G., Coming of the French Revolution.
13. Rude G., Revolutionary Europe.
14. Chakraborty Prafulla, Farasi Biplab.
15. Mallik Samar, Europer Biplab Kal/ Nabo rupe Europe.
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16. Chattopadhyay Mrinal Kanti, Europer Itihas.
17. Chakraborty Subash, Europer Itihas.
History (General) Paper IV History of India (1757—1964) Full Marks: 100
1. British Ascendency in Bengal: Siraj-ud-daula and the battle of Plassey; battle of Buxar; grant of Diwani; Dual system of government. (5 lectures)
2. Expansion of British Power: Subsidiary Alliance; Doctrine of Lapse; British relations with Mysore, the Marathas, and the Sikhs. (5 lectures)
3. Colonial Economy: land revenue settlements; Drain of Wealth; de-industrialization. (5 lectures)
4. Early Resistance to British Rule: Wahabi movement; Santhal rebellion; the Revolt of 1857. (4 lectures)
5. Social Reforms and National Consciousness: Western education; Raja Rammohan Roy; Vidyasagar; Prarthana Samaj; Arya Samaj; Aligarh movement; political associations; the birth of Indian National Congress. (6 lectures)
6. Pre-Gandhian Politics: Moderate Congress; Extremism; Swadeshi movement; revolutionary movement in Bengal and in Punjab; peasant and working class movements. (6 lectures)
7. Gandhian Movement: rise of Gandhi; Khilafat movement; Non-Cooperation; Civil Disobedience; Quit India movement; women in Gandhian movement. (6 lectures)
8. Second World War and Indian Politics: Cripps Mission; Cabinet Mission; S.C. Bose and INA; RIN; Mountbatten Plan; communal politics and Partition. (5 lectures)
9. Independent India: Indian Constitution; economic planning; development of parliamentary democracy; movement for social justice. (4 lectures)
10. Indian Foreign Policy: Non-alignment; Indo-China relation; Indo-Pak relation. (4 lectures)
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Suggested reading:
1. Bandyopadhyay Sekhar, From Plassey to Partition.
2. Sarkar Sumit, Modern India .
3. Chandra Bipan , India’s Struggle for Independence/ India after Independence.
4. Desai A.R., Social Background of Indian Nationalism.
5. Datta K.K., Social History of Modern India.
6. Mukherji H.N., India’s Struggle for Freedom.
7. Chatterji Jaya, Bengal Divided: Hindu Communalism and partition.
8. Tripathy Amalesh, Swadinata Sangrame Bharater Jatiyo Congress.
9. Wolpert Stanly, A new History of India.
10. Chattopadhyay Pranab Kumar, Adhunik Bharat.
11. Chattopadhyay Mrinal Kanti, Jyatiyotabadi Jinnah : Chintar Kromobibartan.
12. Mallik Samar, Adhunik Bharater Rupantar : Raj Theke Swaraj.
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