South Asia, an area approximately covering the countries of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal, is home to nearly a fifth of the world's population. This course is an introduction to the rich social science literature on government and politics in the region. The central questions we will address are: Why has India been relatively stable and democratic since independence while governments in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka have struggled to maintain political stability or democracy though they have similar historical legacies? What domestic and international factors lie behind the recent emergence of sectarian terrorist violence in Pakistan? How has India sustained high growth rates in the midst of a global recession? Has the growth of India's outsourcing industry negatively affected employment in the U.S.? Why have democracy and economic growth in India failed to diminish income inequality? Will Nepal's unique revolutionary transition to democracy create a more egalitarian society?

South Asia, an area approximately covering the countries of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Bangladesh, and Nepal, is home to nearly a fifth of the world's population. This course is an introduction to the rich social science literature on government and politics in the region. The central questions we will address are: Why has India been relatively stable and democratic while governments in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Bangladesh, and Nepal have struggled to maintain political stability and democracy though they have similar colonial legacies? What are the implications of India and Pakistan being nuclear powers for regional and international security? Why has democracy and the recent spurt in economic growth in India failed to diminish income inequality?