AH4259 Sensory Histories of South Asian Art

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Not automatically available to General Degree students

Planned timetable

TBC

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr B S Gulkis

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr Bronwen Gulkis

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module presents an overview of South Asian art through the lens of the body, senses, and emotions. Building upon recent scholarship on the development of the subjective self in the early modern period, we will examine depictions of place, gaze, or sensation, ask questions about the tactile and haptic qualities of images, and consider their relationship to concepts of the body and mind in South Asian thought and beyond. Examples will range from emblematic Indian sites like old Delhi or the Taj Mahal, to overlooked histories of objects like pen boxes, mirrors, or book covers. Challenging received ideas about the boundary between the intellect and the body, we will consider the ways in which media like cloth or gemstones could invoke a philosophical reaction as well as a physical one. Themes covered include gender and eroticism, mood, the gaze, and forms of embodied artistic knowledge. Students will also apply these approaches to the study of an object in local collections.

Assessment pattern

Coursework - 100%

Re-assessment

Coursework - 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1h lecture (x11 weeks), 2h seminar (x11 weeks), field trip

Scheduled learning hours

39

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

252

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Systematically analyse and interpret works of art, e.g. by describing forms, processes, tools, and materials with appropriate technical vocabulary introduced in lectures and readings
  • Relate works of art to their wider historical and cultural context with a special focus on multisensory interpretations, and understand the circumstances surrounding their creation and reception
  • Convey their ideas to others through clear written analysis, constructive group discussions, and presentations
  • Conduct independent research through the use of library resources, artworks, and other methods of art historical analysis