Briefly described in the Introduction, which you should all read), but please try and pick individuals who are very different (by sub-region, religion, etc.).

Assessing A Social History of the Deccan

Background
In A Social History of the Deccan, Richard Eaton aims to reconstruct the social history of
this lesser examined region of India through the lens of eight individuals, differentiated
by time, region, occupation, social status, religion, etc.

Objective
This assignment aims at reconstructing the culture of medieval/early modern Deccan by
comparing at least two of the individual-focused chapters (you may compare more if you
wish). You may consider how the following factors influenced the culture of the region:
geography, language, religion, social groups, relations with outsiders (both within and
outside India)
You may discover other influential factors on the culture of the region. Your objective
should be to develop a composite portrait of the culture of medieval/early modern
Deccan, based on your analysis and comparison of at least two of the individual-focused
chapters in the book. Your objective can be re-stated as follows: what culture defines the
Deccan during this time period? The choice of individuals you pick is up to you (they are
briefly described in the Introduction, which you should all read), but please try and pick
individuals who are very different (by sub-region, religion, etc.).
Consulting the text by Trautmann, other readings we will examine, and possible other
sources may be helpful in preparing this essay.
If you have other ideas on pursuing this assignment, please consult me before proceeding.
Alternative Assignment: you can research and write or present on a topic of your choice
in consultation with me. See the syllabus for more about requirements for an alternate
formal assignment.

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