Mortara Center for International Studies

The Mortara Center for International Studies launched the South Asia Forum during the 2008-09 academic year. The Forum is created to bring together scholars and students from all disciplines to discuss issues related to South Asia. The Khayaal Book Club was born out of this initiative.  Khayaal was a projected started last year by the South Asia Forum and the South Asian Society at Georgetown. Khayaal is also sponsored by the International Certificate for Development and the Asian Studies Certificate Program. Every month a book of relevance to South Asia is examined in a discussion led by a Georgetown student. The aim of this book club is to raise an interest in South Asian authors and books written about the region, as well as to give students and members of the community a place to discuss various issues pertinent to South Asia.

This month we are reading

Khaled Hosseini's
A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS

Wednesday, 23rd September ‘09
6:00 pm
Mortara Center
(corner of 36th and N Streets)
*Refreshments will be served

The discussion will be led by Aparna Ramesh, (SFS ’11)

About the Book: A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to the post-Taliban rebuilding—that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. Propelled by the same storytelling instinct that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love—a stunning accomplishment

Georgetown offers a number of classes that focus on South Asia including:

ANTH-490 Religion and Globalization in South Asia
ECON-355 Economics of South Asia
GOVT-232 Dept Sem: Asian Security from the Bottom Up
HIST-128 South Asia I
HIST-129 South Asia II
HIST-420 Kipling's India: The making of a colonial society
HIST-422 Indian Ocean in Age of Empire
INAF-106 Beginning Hindhi
INAF-207 Beginning Hindi Language and Culture I
INAF-208 Hindi II
INAF-222 South Asia: Past, Present and Future
INAF-244 Gender and Poverty in South Asia
INAF-252 Introduction to Economic and Political Development
INAF-324 Fiction of Foreign Policy: Asia
INAF-340 South Asia: Threats/Opportunities
INAF-345 Marriage, Family Structure and Economic Development
INAF-354 The U.S., India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan
INAF-390 Development and Politics in India and Pakistan
INAF-398 The United States and the Major Powers in Asia
INAF-403 Economic Policy Making in India and South Asia
INAF-410 China and India as Emerging Global Technological Powers
INAF-413 China, India, Southeast Asia: New Dynamics
INAF-486 Technology, Globalization and Growth
INAF-502 Outsourcing, Offshoring & Services in Global Economy
INAF-668 Theory and Policy in Asia
LING-441 Comparative Indo-European Linguistics
SEST-573 Security Problems in South Asia
THEO-050 Islamic Religious Thought and Practice
THEO-051 Hinduism Today
THEO-057 The Hindu Religious Tradition
THEO-059 The Philosophies of India
THEO-167 Introduction to Buddhism
THEO-195 Asian Liberation Theology
THEO-246 Modern Hinduism
THEO-725 Hindu Dharma
PPOL-832 South Asian Development Policy

Georgetown also has a South Asian Society.  "The South Asian Society is one of Georgetown’s most active organizations on campus. Seeking to raise awareness and understanding of South Asia, SAS hosts a variety of social, cultural, academic, artistic, and charitable events throughout the year.  Some of our annual events include Fall Dinner, a semi-formal social gathering, Rangila, the fastest selling cultural benefit show on campus, raising over $10,000 for charity each year, and Spring Mela, a festival celebrating South Asia’s regional diversity-- artistic, linguistic, religious, culinary, and more.  In addition, we are always open to ideas and suggestions, and coordinate new events, programs, and co-sponsorships every year."

In addition, Georgetown has connections to South Asia through our Center for Intercultural Education and Development.  "The Near East and South Asia Undergraduate (NESA UGRAD) Program is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State, and is administered by Georgetown University's Center for Intercultural Education and Development (CIED). The program provides full scholarships for outstanding students from the Near East* and South Asia** for one academic year of non-degree undergraduate study in the United States at accredited two- and four-year institutions."