A Three - year B.A. (Honours) Course under 1+1+1 Regulations (2009) of University of Calcutta
CO1 Paper 1: Early Indian History (From the Beginning to 600 CE)
Students get acquainted with the early Indian History (From the Beginning to 600 CE) – Literary and Archaeological Sources of History; human evolution from Pre-historic hunter-gatherers to the Food-producers in the Neolithic and Chalcolithic phase; Pre-Harappan Cultures and First Urbanisation with the rise of Harappan civilisation; the Aryan Debate; the Archaeological Cultures beyond the Vedic milieu; transition from chiefdom to kingdom, Ganasangha tradition and the Sixteen Mahajanapadas leading to the rise of Magadha; the growth and decline of the Mauryan Empire with special reference to Ashoka's Dhamma; the rise of regional power centres like the Kushanas, the Satavahanas; the rise and decline of the Gupta Empire; concepts of Classical Age and Threshold times; Art, Architecture and Patronage in the Mauryan and post Mauryan period; social systems and religious beliefs and practices in the Vedic period; Understanding the features of Slavery and Untouchability and the rise of new religious philosophies-Buddhism, Jainism, Ajivikas and Carvakas; the Rising Importance of Brahmanical Religion; structure of the economy especially the Agrarian Economy with reference to land grants and non-agricultural production-crafts, guilds and currency patterns; the Second Urbanisation-Urban Development; development of Inland and Maritime Trading Networks and the role of merchants and the guild system; understanding Cultural Life-Languages and Scripts, System of Knowledge and Education, Science and Technology.
CO2 Paper 2: History of India from C 600 to C 1500
Interpreting the literary and archaeological sources of early medieval and the historiography and major debates of the early medieval period; political developments in Bengal, Western and Peninsular India-600 to 1200 C.E.; nature and impact of Arab, Ghaznavid and Ghorid invasions; land grants and tenure and agricultural technology; growth of urban centres and the expansion of crafts and guilds; growth of Indian and oceanic trade networks; concepts of Varna-jati and the growth of castes; gender relations with reference to the position of women and women saints; development of literature specially Bengali and Sanskrit and sculpture and temple and cave architecture; major religious sects-Buddhist, Vaishnavite, Shaivite and Bhakti; interpreting the literary sources and the historiography of the period 1200-1500; understanding the concepts of legitimacy, sovereignty and theories of Kingship, nature and composition of the ruling groups and their relation with the crown; religious political formations like Bengal, Vijayanagar and Bahamani kingdoms; evolution of the iqta and the Nayankara systems; the agrarian economy of the Delhi Sultanate-agricultural production/land tenure and revenue system, processes of urbanization, non-agricultural production, trade and currency; Understanding the economy of Peninsular India; evaluating rural society with special emphasis on slavery, peasant uprisings and militarization of peasant society of North and South India; cultural developments in the fields of literature, architecture, Science; major liberal religious movements- Sufism and Bhakti
CO3 Paper 3: Transformation of Europe (15th – 17th Centuries)
Interpreting the debate on transition from feudalism to capitalism: problems and theories; the understanding the Impact of the fall of Constantinople and the Development of National Monarchy; Renaissance: its social roots and the features of Renaissance humanism and rediscovery of classics with emphasis on the impact of Italian renaissance on art, culture, education and political thought all over Europe; interpreting the origins and nature of Reformation movements with special reference to Martin Luther & Lutheranism, John Calvin & Calvinism; the Radical reformation: Anabaptists and Huguenots; the English reformation and the role of the state and the Counter Reformation; exploration of the new world-the Portuguese and Spanish voyages; shift of economic balance from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. understanding major changes such as Commercial Revolution, Price Revolution, Agricultural Revolution and the Enclosure Movement; the Printing and military Revolution; the economic, social and political dimensions of the Crisis in Europe in the 17th century - Its economic, social and political; understanding the English Revolution and its major issues; emergence of scientific academies and Origins of Enlightenment; the Peace of Westphalia (1648) and the Emergence of modern European state system
CO4 Paper 4: History of India, C 1500-1750
Learning different historiographical approaches and sources of the Mughal Period and evidences of the rise, expansion and consolidation of the Mughal Empire, starting with Babur's invasion of India and its political and military significance; political ideology, inclusive political idea and state in Mughal India; evolution of administrative institutions such as the Mughal nobility, ruling groups like Mansabdars and Zamindars; system of agricultural production including agricultural technology and crop pattern, land rights and the Zabti system; identifying Sher Shah's administrative and military reforms; evaluating non-agricultural production in crafts, industries and organization and the currency system and market integration, inland and oceanic trade network, urban life including merchant communities, artisans and bankers; the disintegration of the Mughal Empire with special reference to Aurangzeb, the imperial elite, the Deccan wars, the Jagirdari Crisis and popular rebellions by the Jats, Satnamis , Afghans; the rise of the Marathas under Shivaji; the role of religion and culture in Mughal India with emphasis on Sufism and Bhakti movement; identifying the patterns of regional politics through case studies of Maharashtra and Bengal; the transition to colonialism.
CO5 Paper 5: History of East Asia from 1839 to 1950
Learning outcomes can be identified in terms of comprehension of the Late Imperial and Traditional China, the structure of the traditional Chinese society‐ the peasantry and the gentry class, Government bureaucracy and central control; evaluating China's pre‐modern economy and Confucian Ideology, colonial penetration in China and transformation of China into an informal colony with reference to the tribute system, the Canton system and their collapse, the Opium wars and treaties with imperialist powers; identifying western economic interests, the rise of comprador bourgeoisie and the development of Finance Imperialism; understanding Popular Movements such as the Taiping Revolt and other rebellions such as Nien, Muslim rebellions (18551874) and the Miao insurrection (1850‐1872); the Tungchi Restoration, the Self-strengthening Movement and the Reform Movement of 1898; the Boxer Rebellion; the Late Ching Reforms (1901‐08); the Republican Revolution of 1911 with emphasis on the role of various social classes and the role of Yan Shi K; evaluating the contribution of Sun Yat Sen on the basis of his principles and politics; features of Warlordism (1916‐192; origin, nature and significance of the New Intellectual ideas and May Fourth; evaluating the problem of early industrialization; analysing the political crisis in the 1920's with reference to, the first United Front, the Kuomintang leading to Communist Conflict and Ten years of Nanking Government; understanding the rise of the Communist Party under Mao Tse Tung and the Red Army; creation of the Second United Front followed by the Long March and the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937); the ideology, causes and significance of the Chinese Revolution (1949) and the establishment of the Peoples' Republic of China.
Assessing the Tokugawa Shogunate and the feudal society and government in pre-modern Japan; crisis and fall of Shogunate; evaluating the Meiji Restoration (1867‐68) and rise, nature and character of modern Japan; understanding the processes of social, military, political and educational modernization of Japan; the contrasting response of China and Japan to the impact of the West; evaluating popular and democratic movements such as the Satsuma rebellion, popular rights movement and movements leading to the Meiji constitution; assessing the rise of political parties, economic modernisation with the abolition of feudalism, new land settlement pattern and the role of state and private entrepreneurs in industrialisation and Zaibatsu; contextualising the emergence of Japan as an Imperial Power with reference to the Sino-Japanese War, the Anglo‐Japanese alliance and the Russo‐ Japanese War; Evaluating the role of Japan in the First World War especially in the Pacific and the Washington Conference; understanding the Manchurian Crisis, the failure of the democratic system and the rise of militarism in the1930's and 1940's; evaluating the role of Japan in World War II; Post War Japan under General MacArthur.
CO6 Paper 6: History of India from C.1750 to 1964
Understanding and situating Modern India and
explaining its Concepts, terminologies and
approaches; decline of Mughal empire and
consolidation of British rule; rise of regional
dynasties in different parts of India in the
eighteenth century like Bengal - from Plassey to
Buxar and the grant of Diwani; the rise of the
Marathas; the emergence of East India Company as a
super- ordinate power and the framework of Company's
control (the Regulating Act, Pitt's India Act,
Charter Acts); emphasizing on the utilitarian
principles of Lord Cornwallis and Lord Bentinck;
evaluating classical political thought in relation
to India like theory of rent, laisser faire, and
colonial paternalism; Interpreting the agrarian
changes brought about by the East India Company -
the Land revenue settlements – the terms of
Permanent, Ryotwari, and Mahalwari Settlement and
interpreting the rural agrarian social structure set
up; evaluating commercialisation of agriculture;
rural credit and indebtedness, landlessness, process
of de-industrialisation; changing rural landscape
and environment: the issues concerning ‘forestry';
modern and indigenous banking systems; examining the
emergence of modern industries – railway, jute,
cotton and steel; analysing the tribal dimension in
revolts in the context of the changing economy and
society of the tribal world and comprehending the
early Peasant's resistance to Colonial; analysing
and interpreting the Revolt of 1857: causes,
interpretations and consequences; Indian response to
cultural changes brought about by colonialism; socio
–religious movements; the rise of Modern Education;
the growth of a new intelligentsia and the press;
the role of Rammohan, Vidyasagar and the Young
Bengal Movement in Bengal – similar socio –
religious revivals/reform movements in other parts
of India; the changing position of women and
attitudes; the formation of early Political
Associations leading to the rise of Indian National
Congress (1885); evaluating the History of Indian
Nationalism up to 1919 and thereafter to the rise of
extremism leading to the partition of Bengal and the
Swadeshi and Boycott Movements; identifying the
trends of revolutionary nationalism in India and
abroad.
Explaining the trends in Muslim Politics – Aligarh
Movement, the Muslim League, etc.
Summarising the Gandhian Era and the beginning of
the Satyagraha Movement including the Khilafat and
Non-Co-operation, Civil Disobedience and Quit India
Movement; the rise of the Leftists and the
Communists; the role of various social groups and
classes with special emphasis on Ambedkar.
Identifying the Kishan-Sabha agitation; Trade Union
Movements and such others
Explaining the role of Subhas Chandra Bose and the
INA in the freedom movement. Naval Mutiny, Tebhaga
and Telengana movements.
Analysing the Morley-Minto, Montague Chelmsford
Reforms; the Simon Commission, Nehru Report and
Round Table Conference, Govt. of India Act, 1935,
working of the provincial Ministries and the Cripps
Mission, Wavell Plan and Cabinet Mission; Partition
and Independence – national and regional responses
to the demand – British policies.
Evaluating post-independent India 1947 -1964 -
Integration of Princely States, Migration and
Rehabilitation.
Interpreting the framing of the Constitution,
establishment and development of Parliamentary
Democracy in the Nehruvian years, Economic Planning
: First three five year plans, Situating India in
the Global context – Making of Indian Foreign Policy
and Non-Alignment .
CO7 Paper 7: History of Europe from 1789 to 1919
Evaluating the crisis and problems of the ancient regime and interpreting the intellectual currents; examining the socio-economic and political background of and trends in the French Revolution analysing the role of women in French Revolution; formation of the Constituent Assembly
Understanding the rise of the radical groups - Girondins and Jacobins, Reign of Terror leading the rise and fall of the Jacobin Republic; examining the Thermedorian reaction and the Directory.
Explaining the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte: the
legacy of the revolution, the debates of Napoleon's
character and achievements and the reorganization of
France and Europe during and after the fall of
Bonaparte; explaining the Vienna Congress,
Metternich and the Conservative order and Eastern
European revolutions
Analysing liberalism and democracy in Britain and
unification of Italy and Germany and the role of
Cavour and Bismarck; modernization of Russia and the
rise of France under the Second Empire;
Industrialisation in Europe – comparing France,
German and Russian industrialization.
Evaluating the rise of the working class
movements and the Socialist thought -Utopian
Socialism, Marxism; understanding art and culture,
literature and science of the 19th century Europe;
the rise of The Third Republic in France, the Paris
Commune and the new German Reich; political
condition of Europe in 1871; assessing the rise of
Kaiser William II and the new course in the German
foreign policy; the Crimean War and the Balkan
Nationalism; explaining the Age of imperialism
(1871-1914) in Europe -the impetus behind colonial
expansion, scramble for colonies and understanding
the theories of imperialism; the causes behind the
origin of the First World War and its impact on the
dynastic empires in Europe; the Russian (October)
Revolution and the success of the Bolsheviks; end of
the First World War and the Fourteen Points of
President Woodrow Wilson.
CO8-World Politics in the 20th Century from 1919
to C2000
Analysing the Versailles Settlement of 1919 and
its ramifications, the League of Nations and causes
of its failure, the Locarno treaty and the Kellogg
Briand Pact, the German reparation issue and its
impact on international relations.
Understanding the Great Depression and its
international historical repercussions, the rise of
European Dictatorships and causes behind the origin
of Fascism in Italy and Nazism in Germany along with
their Impact on world politics; the responsibility
of Hitler for the outbreak of Second World War;
interpreting the diplomatic background of the Second
World War and the Policy of Appeasement with special
emphasis on the Munich Pact and the Nazi-Soviet Non
Aggression Pact.; comprehending the Spanish Civil
War.
Analysing the background of the foundation of UNO and the debate on the origins and nature of the Cold War and determining the responsibility for the Cold War, the emergence of Soviet and American economic and military alliances with special emphasis on the NATO, WTO, IMF, World Bank, Warsaw, COMECON; analysing USSR's relation with the East European countries (1945-64) and the formation of the Soviet Bloc and subsequent destalinization; the US foreign policy in the Post war period-Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan; Bi-polarism and regional conflicts In Asia, Europe and Africa-: War in Korea - Crisis in Cuba - Conflict in the Middle East (Arab - Israel wars of 1948-49, 1967, 1973 - Activities of P.L.O- Intifadah - Gulf War of 1990-91); decolonisation i.e. disintegration of European Empires; explaining the emergence of the Third World and the Non-Aligned Movement; analysing the Politics of Detente.
Examining the impact of the emergence of Communist China on world politics and examining Sino-Soviet relations and the conflicts; comprehending the rapprochement in Sino-U.S. relations.
Explaining Indo-Pakistan relations and the role
of India in the liberation war of Bangladesh; the
liberation struggle of Vietnam (1945-54 and
1954-1975); the origin and activities of ASEAN and
SAARC; the reunification of Germany; end of
socialism and disintegration of USSR; the end of the
Cold War; the onset of Globalisation and its impact
on world politics; explaining American unipolarism
and its significance for international politics.
General Course-
PO1- Critical Evaluation:
Honours in History is aimed at a holistic
approach towards the human past as well as exploring
new ideas and thoughts which have lead to the
formation of the world as we know it today.
PO2-Coping-SkillDevelopment:
Applying the knowledge of understanding the
complex relationship shared by human beings since
the dawn of civilization ,it is expected that the
present generation can survive the turmoil that
clash of culturesand technological progress is
generating daily.
PO3-Academic sophistication and Heritage
Awareness:
Interpretation of textsand cultural artefacts as
well as oral narratives with a view to conversions
into easily understandable papers and presentations,
engaging in debates to establish the validity of
their ideas in a lucid manner through clear and
precise language is sought to be inculcated in our
students. Since graduating with History Honours can
open up several avenues, academic or administrative
career path being the most commonly traversed, it is
hoped that our students can be proud of the five
thousand year old Indian culture and at the same
time appreciate its myriad local, ethnical,
religious variations. Preservation of sub
continental values without being prejudicial,
awareness of pluralities resulting from gender,
class and environmental differences and avoidance of
attempts to homogenize or hegemonize will be the
challenges that our students will face and it is the
objective of our illustrious institution to equip
them for those challenges.
PO4 – The Longue Duree of History:
As the Annales school would say History is a study
of long term structures and draw conclusions from
trends and patterns. When Edmund Burke said "Those
who don't know history are destined to repeat it",
he didn't mean that historical events or fallouts of
the same will be replicated. But an understanding of
historical patterns might prevent a tragedy, as for
example, the Holocaust. It is not the prerogative of
a historian - as a student, teacher or administrator
- to surmise or predict or attempt social
engineering but the knowledge of history can give an
insight, a clarity of thought and action, which will
benefit both the society and the individual.
Students of History are encouraged to make local
level micro studies but at the same time concentrate
on the big picture. Globalization is not solely the
product of modern technology; it is the result of
our anthropocentric approach which started when
civilization dawned.
PSO1: Getting a glimpse of the Wonder that was India-From PrehistoricIndian subcontinent to the Proto historic Indus civilization, from Aryans to the rise of Mahajanapadas down to the emergence of great empires of the Mauryas and Guptas.
PSO2: The introduction of Early Medieval India as a new historical category. A deeper understanding of socio- economic processes at work in shaping histories.
PSO3: The arrival of Islam as a political power- The resultant changes in the lived experience of the common man is studied separately from the process of state formation which came with the establishment of the Mughal Empire which in turn gave way to British colonialism.
PSO4: Contextualising British Colonialism-This area of the syllabus has particular emphasis on the period of decline of indigenous Indian economical & social mores leading to a permanent predominance of Colonial though not Western culture.
PSO5: Understanding the transformation of India-India was not modernized in the same way as industrialized Europe. The proto Nation underwent the birth pangs without reaping the benefits and the resultant national movement for freedom leading to the birth of“New India“ posed several problematics that challenge us to this day.
PSO6: Understanding the trajectory of East Asian History (1839-1950) - China and Japan as case studies.
PSO7: Studying the political and socio-economic transformation of Europe from the 15th to the 17thcenturies-Renaissance,Reformation,Geographicaldiscoveries,momentous developments that changed the world forever.
PSO8 : Contextualising World Politics in the 20th
century (1919-2000)- The rise of dictatorships, the
Second World War, rise of the Communist ideology and
the subsequent Bi-polar world leading to Cold War
and eventual decline of the Communist the world with
the parallel rise of the Third World.
PSO1: Analysis and chronological narrative of
ancient and medieval Indian History up to 1556.
PSO2: The trajectory of Mughal India leading to the
coming of British rule and its impact on India up to
1947.
PSO3: Understanding the major events in modern
European History from 1789 to 1939
PSO4: Contextualising India in the world scenario;
development of India as a newly independent nation,
and her role in the post –Second World War world.
