Term Paper proposals
(10%) Due: Thursday
4-6 pps. double-spaced, with bibliography
Please come to class on time and submit your papers at the start of class; late
papers will be deducted 1/3 grade per day.
Should include:
1.Topic
2. Justification
3. Preliminary Plan
4. Preliminary sources
On outside sources and plagiarism
Please use caution when you consult outside
sources. When you read something, make
sure you understand it and are not just
repeating something without knowledge.
Paste and cut plagiarism:
Original: In short, the dispute over the Sikh's turban can be seen as a symbolic
displacement of economic, political, and cultural issues, rooted in two hundred
years of tangled relationships between Indians and their British conquerors.
Plagiarism : Thus, the fight over Sikhs’ turbans could be considered a kind of
displacement of economic, political, and cultural issues, which came out of two
hundred years of complex relationships between the Indians and British.
Instead, work with integrity: quote it, or mull over the idea. Look away from the
text, and then write it in your own words. To be safe, you should STILL source it.
This is an idea you’ve picked up from another author – be fair.
As Bernard Cohn comments, disputes over Sikhs’ use of their turban represents
about 200 years of struggle over economic, political, and social issues with the
British.5
Do you have to quote or footnote? If so, where?
1.The Sikh religion is syncretic one: it combined both Hindu and Islamic practices.
2.In 1699, one of the important leaders of Sikhism, Gorbind Singh said followers
should agree to have their heads cut off, as an act of loyalty. He appeared at a
festival brandishing a sword and took five volunteers into his tent. Outside, people
hear a loud “thwack” and saw the results of a bloody sword. In the end, Gorbind
Singh opened the tent to reveal five dead goats. This story is often cited as an
indication of the militancy of the Sikh faith even early on.
3. The substantial nature of authority in the Indic world is crucial for any
understanding of the widespread significance of cloth and clothes, as they are the
medium through which substances can be transferred.
4.For Indians, the turban was as important, if not more important than a crown.
If you find something you like, work it in smoothly, so it complements your text. Try
to develop a “conversation” with the quoted material.
Not like this:
Akbar enjoyed new patterns and cloth designs. For example: “Akbar, the Mughal emperor, delighted in
innovative patterns or designs of clothes and created a new vocabulary for talking about them.”2
Not like this:
Akbar was sort of a fashion plate dandy. Quote:
Like all rulers of the period, he had special warehouses and treasuries for the maintenance
and storage of clothes, arms, and jewels. He also decreed changes in the basic design of
some articles of clothes. According to Abu'l Fazl, the author of the Ain-i Akbari, a general
description of Mughal rule during the period of Akbar, the emperor took an inordinate
interest in every aspect of the production of cloth. There were imperial workshops in
major cities of the empire which could "turn out many master pieces of workmanship: and
the figures and patterns, knots and variety of fashion which now prevail astonish
experienced travelers.” Akbar collected cloth from other Asian countries and Europe, as
well as India.2
More like this:
The Mughal emperor Akbar was particularly fascinated by rich materials, jewelry, and the creation of
new materials for his empire. According to Bernard Cohen, he actively oversaw the production of
textiles, “decreed changes in the basic design” of certain clothes, and even collected material from other
countries.2 Akbar’s involvement suggests that during this period in Asia, clothing was not
just a matter of fashion, but also an indication of power, wealth, and status. Closing sentence: analysis!
Speaking of writing….the Midterm
Section I: TERMs – or “mini-essays” For each i.d., you should write a focused, response (2-3 sentences) 1)
that identifies the place, person, or concept; 2) provides specific indication of locale and date; and 3)
highlights the term’s significance, as it relates to the issues of this course.
The Silk Route was a trading route that stretched from China through India and
into Rome from the 1st century BCE to the mid 2nd century CE. It moved goods,
religions, ideals (political/social) and people from one country to another. The
influences the silk route brought to and from India go against the claim that India
was unchanged and oblivious to the comings and going of cultures. One example
would be the spread of Buddhism from India to China.
Yazathingyan is the chief minister in SWAQ and is an example of the corrupt court.
He manipulates behind the scenes to ensure his power, position, and wealth after
Usan dies. He is the main instigator behind putting Kwechi Min on the throne, but
his actions also lead to his own humiliation (drunken mistakes) and the eventual
downfall of 9th century Pagan at the hands of a mentally unstable king. Last
sentence to wrap it up?
ESSAYS:
-- Argument
-- Structure and organization
-- Analysis
-- Detail/support
Don’t ignore an obvious, important, or glaring issue:
e.g. Sita and the fire. If you can’t make it work for you, admit
the exception. (Though there’s usually a “but” in there).
Essay #1 asked about the differing status of South Asian and
Southeast Asian women – some of you overlooked this part of
the question.
You can find the exam grade on the back page of the blue book,
as well as your current standing in the course. Check laulima
for all the grades recorded.
Cloth, Clothes, and Colonialism
1687 scene with Dutch representative and
members of the Mughal court
1600 England’s Elizabeth I
17th
c., India’s Jahangir
When is cloth not “just” cloth?
Bali’s geringsing cloth
from Tenganan village
The importance of
understanding
cultural traditions
1970s: Politics of Hair
Afros
and
Cornrows
Questions of Dress:
shoes and shirts
Questions of Dress: hats
Child Beauty Pageants
Questions of Dress:
the burka
April 2011: France begins enforcing the ban against wearing covering that hides the face.
Exceptions:
Motor-cycle helmets;
Face-masks used for health purposes;
Face-masks, protective gear for sports
Sunglasses, hats, scarves etc., that don’t obscure the face;
Decorative masks used incarnivals or religious processions
Questions of Dress: Hijab
2005 APEC meeting, S. Korea
APEC 2006, Vietnam
APEC 2007, Sydney
APEC
Hawaii?
APEC
Hawaii?
President Obama
Prez. Hu Jintao, China
Prez.,
Medvedev, Russia Yudho
yono, Indonesia
PM Gillard, Australia
PM Lee, Singapore
Prez. Calderón, Mexico,
Prez. Piñera, Chile
Tsang of Hong Kong,
Prez. Aquino, Philippines
Prez. Truong, Vietnam
Thurs:
1) Paper proposal
2)Thai and Burmese readings