HIS 383: Selected Asian Studies Topics: Silk Road Warriors, Monks and Merchants
Fall 2019, MW 2-3:15, DHC 210
Professor Jonathan Skaff
Personal website: http://webspace.ship.edu/jkskaf/
E-mail: jkskaf@ship.edu Office Telephones: 477-1907 (MOW 246) or 477-1255 (DHC 215)
Office Hours in MOW 246: MW 3:30-4:30, TTh 1-3:15 (4th Tues. of month 1-1:50), and by appointment
I. Course Description
This course provides a sophisticated introduction to the history of the Silk Roads from the first millennium BCE to late medieval times (ca. 1300). The class will take a broad definition of the “Silk Roads” to include the travel routes through the steppe and desert oasis zones of Central Eurasia. The main objectives of the class will be to explore the history of this vast geographical region, including the agricultural peoples of various oasis states and pastoral nomads of the steppe region. The main goal of the course will be to evaluate the contributions of the oasis dwellers and steppe nomads to exchanges of culture, religion, and technologies across Eurasia.The only prerequisite is HIS 105: Historical Foundation of Global Cultures. Junior class standing is recommended.
The class also will concentrate on developing writing, public speaking, and critical thinking skills that are transferrable to professional careers. Each class will include discussion, so it is imperative that students do assigned reading when scheduled. All writing assignments are expected to be well argued and written. Writing mechanics, such as grammar and spelling, will be 20% of the grade on each paper.
II. Requirements
1. Complete assigned readings, attend class, and participate in class discussion (see Policy 1 below, 15%).
2. Write 3 papers (45%).
3. Midterm exam (20%)
4. Cumulative final exam (20%).
III. Policies
1. The class participation grade will be based on attendance and contribution to discussions. You will receive a grade for each class session. Grades will be awarded according to the following standards:
90-100: Student demonstrates mastery of readings by making thoughtful and insightful comments.
80-89: Student shows that he/she has completed reading assignments.
70-79: Student participates in discussion without giving evidence of having completed the reading.
60-69: Student attends class without speaking.
0: Student has an unexcused absence, sleeps in class, or uses unauthorized electronic device.
2. Absences will be excused if you can document a serious illness, family emergency, varsity athletic event, military duty or religious observance. Only students with documented excuses can make up exams and discussant assignments. Students who were sick must submit a doctor’s note. For a family emergency, I require a phone call from a parent or guardian, or a death notice. Athletes should provide a memo from the head coach with the team schedule. If you have military duty, inform your dean’s office. They will send notification to all of your professors. The university’s policy on religious observances is the following: “At the beginning of each academic session (fall, spring, summer), the student will be required (in writing) to provide his/her faculty with the dates of scheduled religious observances.”
3. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. I encourage you to study together with other students, but all exams and papers must be completed without the assistance of others. To prevent cheating during tests, no cell phones, electronic devices, notes, papers, books or other objects may be handled or looked at. Cases of academic dishonesty will be dealt with according to the policies described in the 2017-2019 Undergraduate Catalog (catalog.ship.edu). Students who violate university policies on academic dishonesty may receive a penalty of a grade of “F” for the course.
4. “Smartphones make you dumb in class.” All electronic devices are banned in class, except for those used to take notes or view course readings. Educational research has shown that electronic communications, including text messaging, create distractions that interfere with learning. Violations of this policy will result in a participation grade of zero for that day’s class session.
5. I assign letter grades used in the Shippensburg University grading system to the following numerical scores:
A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 70-76
D 60-69
F Below 60
IV. Readings
A. Books:
Foltz, Richard C. Religions of the Silk Road: Premodern Patterns of Globalization. 2nd ed. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.
Golden, Peter B. Central Asia in World History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. (https://ares.ship.edu/ares/)
Hansen, Valerie. The Silk Road: A New History with Documents. New York: Oxford University Press, 2017. (https://ares.ship.edu/ares/)
B. Electronic Reserves Readings (https://ares.ship.edu/ares/)
Christian, David. "Silk Roads or Steppe Roads? The Silk Roads in World History." Journal of World History 11 (2000): 1-26.
Skaff, Jonathan. "The Medieval Practice of Eurasian Diplomacy and Its Codification in Tang China (618-907)." Paper presented at the Legal Pluralism in Asia and Global Histories of International Law(s) Conference, Harvard University 2019.
Stark, Sören. "Nomads and Networks: Elites and Their Connections to the Outside World." In Nomads and Networks: The Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan, edited by S. Stark, et al., 107-38. Princeton: Institute for the Study of the Ancient World; Princeton University Press, 2012.
V. Schedule
M 8/26: Introductions
1. Definitions: Silk Road, Steppe Road, Central Asia, Inner Asia, Central Eurasia
W 8/28: Geography: The Steppe Zone and Its People
Reading: Golden 1-20, Whitfield 1-8
M 9/2: No Class: Labor Day
W 9/4: Geography: The Oasis Zone and its People
Reading: Hansen 1-13, 25-29 (docs. 1-2)
M 9/9: The Silk Road or Steppe Roads as Avenues of Cultural Exchanges
Electronic Reserves: Christian, “Silk Roads or Steppe Roads?”
2. Birth of the Silk Road
W 9/11: Early Pastoral Nomads: Scythian Expansion East, (1st Millennium BCE)
Reading: Golden 21-26; Foltz 23-36
Electronic Reserves: Stark, Sören. “Nomads and Networks”
M 9/16: Early Pastoral Nomads: Xiongnu Empire (209 BCE-155 CE)
Reading: Golden 26-31; Whitfield 9-33
W 9/18: War and Diplomacy: Xiongnu-Han Dynasty China (202 BCE-220 CE)
Reading: Hansen 13-24, 30-34 (docs. 3-5)
M 9/23: Kushan Empire (50-260 CE)
Reading: Golden 31-34; Whitfield 57-80
3. Early Silk Road Buddhism, War, Commerce and Society
W 9/25: Buddhism in India and Beyond
Reading: Foltz 37-56; Whitfield 81-110
M 9/30: Society and Buddhism at Niya
Reading: Hansen 38-76, 86-93 (docs. 11c-11h)
W 10/2: Society and Buddhism at Kucha
Reading: Hansen 94-124, 129-35 (docs. 14-15)
M 10/7: Class cancelled due to university closure
W 10/9: War, Buddhism, and Diplomacy on the Silk Roads: Tabghach and Turks
Reading: Golden 35-49; Whitfield 111-136 (optional)
Electronic Reserves: Skaff, “The Medieval Practice of Eurasian Diplomacy”
Paper 1 Due
M 10/14: No Class: Fall Break
4. The Medieval Height of Silk Road Exchanges
M 10/21: Society and Buddhism at Khotan
Reading: Hansen 336-363; Whitfield 137-163
W 10/23: Commerce and Society at Turfan
Reading: Hansen 141-180 (docs. 18-19)
M 10/28: Commerce and Society in Sogdiana and Beyond
Reading: Hansen 192-231 (docs. 23a-c)
W 10/30: Tang Cosmopolitan Culture: Impact of Silk Roads or Steppe Roads?
Reading: Hansen 238-272 (docs. 28a-c)
M 11/4: Religions of Sogdiana and the Arab Conquests
Reading: Golden 50-62; Foltz 56-84
W 11/6: Silk as Commodity and Technology
Reading: Whitfield 190-218
M 11/11: No Class: Skaff Attending Conference in Beijing
5. Late Medieval Decline of Silk Road Exchanges?
W 11/13: Dunhuang and Its Library Cave
Reading: Hansen 285-324, 333-335 (docs. 32, 37a-b)
Paper 2 Due
M 11/18: Silk Road or Paper Road? and Presentation on South Caucasus by John Maietta
Reading: Whitfield 219-249
W 11/20: Slaves and the Slave Trade on the Silk Roads
Reading: Golden 63-69; Whitfield 250-272; Hansen 181-182 (doc. 20a)
M 11/25: Turkicization and Islamization of the Silk Road
Reading: Golden 69-75; Foltz 85-104; Hansen 363-372
W 11/27: No Class: Thanksgiving Break
6. The Rise of the Mongol Empire and a New Peak of Silk Road Travel
M 12/2: The Rise of Mongol Empire
Reading: Golden 76-90; Foltz 105-126
Paper 3 Due
W 12/4: Travel, Trade, and Diplomacy in the Mongol Empire
Reading: Hansen 390-417, 418-421, 428-434 (docs. 45-46, 50-52)
Take-home Final Exam Assigned
Th 12/5: Extra Credit: Beth Mader, "One Peace Corps Volunteer's Story from Lesotho," 3:30, CUB Orndorff Theater
Write 1-page review of the talk
W 12/11: Take-home Final Exam (and Extra Credit Paper) due by 1:30 pm
Hard copy with grading sheet attached at DHC 215
Electronic copy dubmitted to D2L Dropbox