“History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon” (Napoleon Bonaparte). This seminar will challenge this impression by looking at history as an interdisciplinary study of the people who lived through it. The goal of this course is in its title: Inhibiting Other Lives. The primary emphasis is on South Asia as a region, which includes the modern states of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The course will introduce students to the history and culture of the region with a special focus on the sub-continent (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh). Students will explore the region within the context of culture, religion, political influence and the arts. Subaltern theory will be the framework for this investigation, which suggests that ‘norms’ are instituted by those in power and levied on the “Other.” This is an important analytical framework that challenges the western (Eurocentric) narrative on colonialism and post-colonial memory.

This is a critical time to reevaluate our engagement with South Asia in terms of international politics and cultural exchanges. Apart from exploring South Asia and its many nation-states, the South Asian diaspora within the United States has a significant presence.

This year, students in this section will participate in an experiment in which they collaborate as the architects of their own learning experience. Professors Alendy, Liguori and Rahman will guide you through course material and content along with facilitate your collaborative and creative work as you take part in online projects and explorations to strengthen your understanding of class lectures, readings, and discussions.

We will explore South Florida’s South Asian diasporic communities through an innovative approach called City as Text. The methodology is based on the concept of active and experiential learning. Students will use primary research, firsthand observation, and community-based arts/religious practices to investigate and create projects about specific aspects of the South Asian diaspora in South Florida. Students will also organize a food festival (Mela) as part of the final project. This festival will highlight how South Asians have adapted the traditions of their homelands through food.

“Reacting” is an exciting new approach to education that gives the student the agency to change historical narratives through dialogue and role-playing. In this class, you will learn to construct arguments from historical texts and then support your positions through reason and sometimes-impassioned writing and speeches. As you take control of an unfolding historical drama and struggle for your characters to prevail, you will become deeply engaged, both intellectually and emotionally, with the subject matter. Professors Liguori and Rahman will act as the game-masters, determining your roles, preparing you to play, grading your work, and occasionally prodding the game as it develops.

The title of the game is “Defining a Nation: India on the Eve of Independence, 1945.” It is set near the end of World War II on the foothills of the Himalayan mountain range. In 1945, the British Empire controlled India and was trying to devise an exit strategy. They called a meeting in the resort town of Simla (Himachal Pradesh, India) that was attended by top Indian political leaders to map out the future of the subcontinent. Despite the congregation of the top political brass of India, the result was inconclusive. Two years later India was separated into two countries; a tragic unfolding that still reverberates with strong sentiments on all sides. Your job, as a group, is to see if you can improve on what actually happened in history. As individuals you must adhere to the values and obligations of your role as the game requires.

Learning goal: 

Students will investigate, understand, and engage critically and creatively with ideas, history, and ontology of human experiences (in this class, birth, body modification, media consumption and performance) in complex, nuanced ways.

Learning objectives:

• Students will learn and effectively implement complex research strategies using online and print media.
• Students will pose open-ended questions and define their own learning goals relevant to course material. They will be able to formulate and execute plans for realizing these goals individually and in collaboration with other students.
• Students will learn to use writing, reading, movement, group discussion, and project-based techniques to gain mastery of course material.
• Students will develop and sustain an ongoing writing, research and creative practice to gain fluency and engage in problem solving around course-related subject matter defined by themselves or others.
• Students will understand human cultural phenomena from a variety of disciplines and perspectives.
• Students will use writing, research and analysis to understand and articulate their personal experiences in a broader historical and cultural context.
• Students will gain appreciation of the breadth of the performing / visual arts as cultural mediums (including the limitations) for accessing target populations.

Please review the FIU's Policies webpage. The policies webpage contains essential information regarding guidelines relevant to all courses at FIU, as well as additional information about acceptable netiquette for online courses. For additional information, please visit FIU's Policy and Procedure Library.

As a member of the FIU community you are expected to be knowledgeable about the behavioral expectations set forth in the FIU Student Conduct and Honor Code.

Honors Citizenship Requirements

Beginning in Fall 2014, Honors College students are required to accumulate at least 20 citizenship points each academic year (Fall and Spring) by attending Honors College activities. Students attending only one semester (Fall or Spring) are required to accumulate 10 citizenship points. See http://honors.fiu.edu/academics/policies/citizenship/.

Student Portfolios

The Honors College will be using a portfolio method to assess students’ learning outcomes. The portfolio allows for maximum flexibility in gauging student learning. Students decide (with instructor consultation) what “artifacts” or assignments to include for consideration in their portfolios to demonstrate successful achievement of each of five key student-learning outcomes over the 4-year Honors experience. See www.honors.fiu.edu/portfolios. 

Honors Education in the ARTS (HEARTS)

The HEARTS program is designed to give Honors College students opportunities to “explore and appreciate different artistic and cultural traditions and modes of artistic expression. HEARTS will also serve as a clearinghouse (and curatorial framework) for our students to experience the arts on campus and in the community by providing them with information about cultural activities and access to performances with free or discounted tickets. See http://honors.fiu.edu/hearts/.

Religious Observances

Every effort will be made, where feasible and practical, to accommodate students whose religious practices coincide with class requirements or scheduling. Please make sure to notify your instructor at the beginning of the semester of which dates you will be absent or any anticipated problems with completing course work.

Physical, Mental and Sensory Challenges

Every effort will be made, where feasible and practical, to accommodate students who are so challenged. Should you require accommodations, contact the Disability Resource Center, if you have not done so already.

Global Awareness:  Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the interrelatedness of local, global, international, and intercultural issues, trends, and systems.

• Course Learning Outcome:  Students will demonstrate knowledge of the interrelated dynamics (social-cultural, political, economic, etc.) that shape the actions of multiple figures in diverse cultural contexts.

Global Perspectives:  Students will be able to develop a multi-perspective analysis of local, global, international, and intercultural problems.

• Course Learning Outcome:  Students will be able to analyze the multiple causal forces that shape the perspectives of historical individuals/persons — economic, political, sociological, technological, cultural, etc.

Global Engagement:  Students will be able to demonstrate a willingness to engage in local, global, international, and intercultural problem solving.

• Course Learning Outcome:  Students will demonstrate a willingness to engage in negotiation regarding actions of global import within the context of the class simulation.

One of the greatest barriers to taking a course with online content is a lack of basic computer literacy. By computer literacy, we mean being able to manage and organize computer files efficiently and learning to use your computer's operating system and software quickly and easily. Keep in mind that this is not a computer literacy course, but students enrolled in courses with significant online resources are expected to have moderate proficiency using a computer. Please go to the What's Required webpage to find out more information on this subject.

Privacy Policy Statements for Partners and Vendors

• Canvas
• Microsoft
• Adobe
• Google
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• Turnitin
• OpenStax
• Zoom

Please visit our Technical Requirements webpage for additional information.

The Disability Resource Center collaborates with students, faculty, staff, and community members to create diverse learning environments that are usable, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable. The DRC provides FIU students with disabilities the necessary support to successfully complete their education and participate in activities available to all students. If you have a diagnosed disability and plan to utilize academic accommodations, please contact the Center at 305-348-3532 or visit them at the Graham Center GC 190.

For additional assistance please contact FIU's Disability Resource Center.

Web Accessibility Statements for Partners and Vendors 

• Canvas
• Microsoft
• Adobe
• Google
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• OpenStax
• Zoom

Please visit our ADA Compliance webpage for additional information about accessibility involving the tools used in this course.

Florida International University is a community dedicated to generating and imparting knowledge through excellent teaching and research, the rigorous and respectful exchange of ideas, and community service. All students should respect the right of others to have an equitable opportunity to learn and honestly demonstrate the quality of their learning. Therefore, all students are expected to adhere to a standard of academic conduct, which demonstrates respect for themselves, their fellow students, and the educational mission of the University. All students are deemed by the University to understand that if they are found responsible for academic misconduct, they will be subject to the Academic Misconduct procedures and sanctions, as outlined in the Student Conduct and Honor Code. Academic Misconduct includes:

 Cheating

• The unauthorized use of any materials, information, study aids or assistance from another person on any academic assignment or exercise, unless explicitly authorized by the course Instructor; 
• Assisting another student in the unauthorized use of any materials, information, study aids, unless explicitly authorized by the Instructor; and 
• Having a substitute complete any academic assignment or completing an academic assignment for someone else, either paid or unpaid; and

Plagiarism

• The deliberate use and appropriation of another are work without any indication of the source and the representation of such work as the Student's own.
• Assisting another student in the deliberate use and appropriation of another’s work without any indication of the source and the representation of such work as the student’s own. 

Learn more about the academic integrity policies and procedures as well as student resources that can help you prepare for a successful semester.

If you are looking for help for yourself or a fellow classmate, Panthers Care encourages you to express any concerns you may come across as it relates to any personal behavior concerns or worries you have, for the classmate’s well-being or yours; you are encouraged to share your concerns with FIU’s Panthers Care website.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers free and confidential help for anxiety, depression, stress, and other concerns that life brings. Professional counselors are available for same-day appointments. Don’t wait to call (305) 348-2277 to set up a time to talk or visit the online self-help portal.

This course will serve to embrace the diversity and inclusivity found within Florida International University. We appreciate and respect diversity, equality, equity, cooperativeness, community, and sustainability within our online courses. We are committed to the ongoing education of our students and their participation within the course regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, geographical location, religion, and disability. We strive in encouraging collaboration by preparing our students to value the differences in others. At the core of our intentions is the encouragement of acceptance and appreciation of differences within our student population and community.

Registration in this course implies an acceptance of and compliance with the Honors College policies for students and the FIU Code of Academic Integrity.

Communication in this course will take place via the Canvas Inbox. Check out the Canvas Conversations Tutorial or Canvas Guide to learn how to communicate with your instructor and peers using Announcements, Discussions, and the Inbox. We will respond to all correspondences within 72 hours.

Class attendance is an important component of your grade. You will be allowed one unexcused absence or one unexcused instance of tardiness, no questions asked, with no-penalty. 

Note well: this is one absence OR one lateness, not one of each (the logical OR function, not the logical AND function). Any additional absence will incur a 12-point penalty per occurrence. Additional lateness occurrences are penalized as follows; 0-5 minutes = no penalty, 5-20 minutes = 6 points, >20 minutes = 12 points. If you notify your professor BEFORE class, these penalties may be excused for emergency situations at the discretion of the professor. If you do not notify the professor before class, there is no possibility of waiving the penalty. Since professors will only consider waving the penalty for extreme emergencies, we suggest that you save your one excused absence until the end of the semester. 

Although the one unexcused absence will not affect your class participation grade, there will be no make-ups for missed quizzes. You have to be in class or you will receive a zero for the quiz. 

Be diligent about checking email. We assume students are aware of all announcements, assignments, and course changes communicated through email.

The use of laptops, cellular phones, smart watches or any other device for voice or text communication is prohibited for the duration of the class. UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, YOU MUST TURN OFF AND PUT AWAY ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.

Write like it matters because it does. All written work must consistently adhere to the Chicago Manual of Style and correctly cite all sources. Do not plagiarize. Do not copy and paste text from the internet, change a word here and there, and think no one will notice. CITE YOUR SOURCES. This will help you: 

Purdue Owl: Avoiding Plagiarism: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/02/

Revise and proofread all written work before submitting. Read it aloud to a friend. Read it aloud to yourself. Read it out loud in the mirror. I mean really do it, don’t just mentally do it. You will be amazed at how helpful this is. Students who need extra help with their writing will be instructed to use the university’s free tutoring services and may receive extra credit for doing so. They can access these services through the On-Campus Learning Center at PC 247 and the Online Learning Center at w3.fiu.edu. All students must adhere to the Academic Integrity Policy of The Honors College and Florida International University.

The Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) is another excellent resource: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/01/

In order to mitigate any issues with your computer and online assessments, it is very important that you take the "Practice Quiz" from each computer you will be using to take your graded quizzes and exams. It is your responsibility to make sure your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements.

All assessments will auto-submit when (1) the timer runs out OR (2) the closing date/time is reached, whichever happens first. For example, if a quiz has a closing time of 5:00 pm but the student begins the exam at 4:55 pm, the student will only have 5 minutes to complete the quiz.

• List all assessments (i.e. graded or practice)
• Provide the dates and times when assessments will become available (i.e. From Monday 10:00 am – Tuesday 11:59 pm)
• Provide assessment duration (i.e. 30 minutes, 1 hour)
• Provide details for results
• When will students be able to see the results (i.e. Immediately after exam, after the availability period has ended, or not at all)
• What will they be able to see the results (i.e. Total score only, all of the questions and answers, etc.)
• The expected turn-around time for feedback or grade.\

Assessments in this course are not compatible with mobile devices and should not be taken through a mobile phone or a tablet. If you need further assistance please contact FIU Canvas Help Team.

Zoom is a video conference tool that you can use to interact with your professor and fellow students by sharing screens, chatting, broadcasting live video/audio, and taking part in other interactive online activities. We will be utilizing this tool to conduct class lectures, officer hours, and presentations.

Zoom Meetings will be held on the following dates/time:

• Tuesdays from 12:30pm - 1:45pm
• Thursdays from 12:30pm - 1:45pm

Zoom meetings can be accessed via the Zoom link in the course navigation menu. Once you click on the Zoom link, it will route you to join the meeting for the respective class session. You will also be able to view upcoming meetings, previous meetings that you have already joined, and meeting recordings. Before joining an actual class session:

• Reference the Zoom Student Tutorials to learn about the tool, how to access your meeting room, and share your screen.
• Access the Zoom Test Meeting Room to test out the software before joining an actual session.

If you encounter any technical difficulties, please contact the FIU Canvas Help Team. Please ensure you contact support immediately upon the issue occurring.