This course will survey the philosophical and cultural foundations of Gandhi’s work and political action.  It will salute Gandhi in the explosive context of the national upheaval and social unrest that characterized the middle years of the twentieth century in India.  Students will then look at the way Hindu philosophy and religion have treated conflict and the possibility of peaceful political action in the course of three millennia.  The class will read some of the sacred texts that influenced the thought of Gandhi and explore Hindu ethics in some detail.  Through texts, films, lectures, and discussion, students will develop an appreciation for Gandhi’s unique intellectual synthesis and creativity, and will learn to look at contemporary South Asian issues through the lens of Gandhian ethics.