PPR349:Politics and Ethics in Indian Philosophy

Tutor: Brian Black
Term: Michaelmas

Course Description

This course will look at Indian source texts on politics and ethics. In particular, we will be looking at sources that explore the concept of dharma, a term that incorporates issues of justice, religion, ethics, duty, and law. We will examine the sources of dharma both in their own historical and cultural contexts, as well as in the context of contemporary debates in political theory and ethics. The texts we will examine will include: the inscriptions of Ashoka, the Buddhist Nikayas, the Arthashastra, the Law Codes of Manu,the Mahabharata, andthe Kamasutra. We will examine these sources in connection with modern political figures, such as Gandhi and Sarvarkar, as well as in connection with recent debates in India about secularism, democracy and pluralism.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the texts and contexts covered in the course
• Demonstrate an understanding of the key political and ethical theories covered in the course
• Be able to review and assess the major texts/thinkers under review demonstrated through verbal and written assessment
• Articulate their own position in relation to the thinkers/themes of the course.

Assessment

40% coursework and 60% exam.
Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours.

Teaching Method

Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly.

Introductory Reading

W Doniger & S Kakar (tr) Kamasutra: A New Translation

A. Hiltebeitel Dharma: Its Early History in Law, Religion, and Narrative

P Olivelle (tr) The Law Codes of Manu

J Smith (tr) The Mahabharata

M Walshe (tr) The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Digha Nikaya

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