China and India: Comparisons and Connections

A three-week institute for thirty school teachers comparing historical and cultural developments in China and India.This NEH summer institute for teachers will explore the long histories, rich cultures, and contemporary societies of China and India, with a focus on comparisons, contrasts, and interactions that raise issues of great significance for understanding in the humanities and offer useful strategies for participant learning and classroom teaching. Professors of History Roger Des Forges of the University at Buffalo and Ramya Sreenivasan of the University of Pennsylvania will codirect the Institute in Buffalo, July 1-19, 2013. Content will correspond to the National Council for Social Studies standards and facilitate learning in line with Common Core Standards. Significant attention will be given to the careful reading and analysis of first-hand accounts, sacred texts, fiction, news reports, etc. Institute participants will maintain a journal to reflect on the information and materials addressed and explain how they would use the content in their classes, and will prepare lesson plans.