The Making of Modern South Asia
MIT OpenCourseWare offers this survey of Indian civilization from roughly 2500 BC to the present day. The course traces major political events alongside economic, social, ecological, and cultural developments, covering the Indus Valley civilization, Mughal rule, British colonialism, independence, and the partition of India and Pakistan. Materials include a full syllabus, primary and secondary readings, lecture notes, and assignments drawn from MIT's actual course. Class discussion sections address major thematic debates among historians, such as how to interpret colonial-era records or weigh competing accounts of economic change. The course is designed to build skills in analyzing and interpreting historical data as well as content knowledge. As with other MIT OCW offerings, all materials are free to access, with no certificate offered. No prior background in South Asian history is assumed.