Academics

This course leads students to survey the languages and societies of the diverse peoples who have inhabited the "Silk Road" region-an area of Eurasia spanning the Pacific to the Middle East-focusing on cultural exchange and transformation in the region between the 2nd and 14th centuries as understood from different perspectives within those societies.  Rather than view cultures of this region as peripheral or the Silk Road as a mere transit corridor between empires, the goal of the course is to enable students to understand the region as a cultural, economic, and scientific center in its own right whose linguistic and artistic diversity has had an enduring impact in world history and on current events. 

The course will provide breadth and depth of understanding for these societies by incorporating a series of case studies.  We will introduce students to various types of analysis of original sources, including paleographic analysis of writing systems, linguistic analysis of authentic texts in various languages, and close readings of texts supported by English translations.  Approaches to the study of linguistic dispersion and exchange will be investigated through analysis of the languages of this region.  By interacting with texts and building analytical skills in these areas, students will be able to appreciate and explore the interconnectivity of this region throughout history.