This course is an introduction to the politics, society and governments in the South Asian region. South Asia is a term used to represent the southern region of the Asian continent, comprising of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The population of South Asia is about 1.891 billion or about one fourth of the world's population, making it both the most populous and the most densely populated geographical region in the world. This course will provide an overview of the political and administrative systems in the above countries and explore the influence of various social and cultural factors in the political and policy process.

The course will also provide students an understanding of the historical events shaping the development of political institutions in the region, and how these have influenced the relations between the South Asian nations. We will discuss the current political trends in these nations, and related issues such as nationalism, religion, gender, class, ethnicity, urbanization, social media and globalization. The course will explore the above topics through an international and comparative perspective, and also examine the relations between United States and the South Asian nations.