Short Stories International: Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Perspectives, Part 1

In this course, we explore the short-story traditions of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Their works dynamically reflect a wide cross section of highly diverse and highly divided South Asian societies; their many voices resonating through urban and rural landscapes, private and public passion, and dramatic political events. Authors include renowned writers Salman Rushdie, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Booker Prize winners Aravind Adiga and Shehan Karunatilaka. Their themes--sometimes lyrical, often dark, sometimes comic, often heart-breaking, sometimes staid, often iconoclastic—address loss, alienation, feminism, family dysfunction, betrayal, exile, sexual awakening, and others.