Readings

Required Texts

Barfield, Thomas. The Perilous Frontier. Blackwell Publishers, 1992.

Bonavia, Judy. The Silk Road. Odyssey Publications Limited, 1992.

Brower, Daniel R., and Edward Lazzerini, Editors. Russia’s Orient: Imperial Borderlands and Peoples, 1700-1917. Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1997.

Foltz, Richard. Religions of the Silk Road. Palmgrave Macmillan Publishers, 2000.

Hopkirk, Peter. The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991.

Kipling, Rudyard. Kim. ([Download from Project Gutenberg](http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/BIBREC/BR2226.HTM      
))

Xinru, Liu and Hsin-Ju Liu. The Silk Road: Overland Trade and Cultural Interaction. American Historial Association, 1998.

Polo, Marco and Rustichiello of Pisa. The Book of Marco Polo. ([Download Volume 1 from Project Gutenberg](http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/BIBREC/BR10636.HTM      
))

Rossabi, Morris. Khubilai Khan: His Life and Times. University of California Press, 1990.

Rudelson, Justin. Oasis Identities. New York: Columbia University Press, 1998.

Whitfield, Susan. Life along the Silk Road. University of California Press, 2001.

Daily Reading Assignments

LEC # TOPICS READINGS
1

Big Questions: World Systems and Civilizations

The Pivotal Role of Central Eurasia

Study Maps in Reader.
2 Corpses and Chariots: Mummies, Horses and the Rise of Nomadism

Mair, Anthony, et. al. Articles #2, 3, 4, 5 in Reader. 

Barfield. P. 1-31.

3

The Rise of the Silk Route Trade

Han, Xiongnu, and Roman Empires

Liu Xinruxt.

Creel and Perdue. Articles #6, 7 in Reader.

Barfield. Pp. 33-80.

4 Religions along the Silk Routes: Islam, Christianity, Manicheanism, Judaism, Buddhism Foltz. Pp. 37-144 in Reader.
5 Cave Paintings and Sculpture: Dunhuang and Others

Whitfield.

Mair. Article #8 in Reader.

Barfield. Pp. 131-163.

6 Caravans and Conquest: Marco Polo, Rabban Sauma, and Kublai Khan

Fletcher. Article #9 in Reader.

Marco Polo.

Rossabi.

7 Ming China and the Rise of Muscovy

Barfield. Pp. 229-65.

Rossabi. Article #10 in Reader.

Khodarkovsky. “Ignoble Savages.” Edited by Brower, and Lazzerini. Pp. 9-26 [In Reader].

8 Manchu conquest of Central Asia, Russian and Mongolian Negotiations

Perdue. “Three Qing Emperors and the Northwest.”

Barfield. Pp. 266-303.

Slezkine. “Naturalists vs. Nations.” Edited by Brower, and Lazzerini. Pp. 27-57.

9 There will be a film shown in the first session of this week, during class time. It is NOT optional. You will have to write a 1-2 page commentary on it  
10 Tibet and Xinjiang’s Role in Central Asian Politics Bonavia. The Silk Road.
11 Nineteenth Century Great Game: Britain, Russia, and China

Hopkirk. Pp. 57-68, 77-108, 165-87, 295-338, 430-64 and 502-24.

Brower. “Islam and Ethnicity.” Edited by Brower, and Lazzerini. Pp. 115-137.

Kipling. Kim.

12 Twentieth Century Explorers and Looters: Aurel Stein, et. al Bonavia. The Silk Road. Pp. 94-112, 150-8, 226-41, 248-54, 284-89, 300-05 and 313.
13 Soviet Rule in Central Asia: From Revolution to Environmental Catastrophe

Olivier Roy. The New Central Asia. Vol. 2. [In Reader]

Mcneill on the Aral Sea. Vol. 2. [In Reader]

14 Post-Soviet Developments in Central Asia and Xinjiang

Rudelson. Oasis Identities.

Gladney. Muslim Chinese. Vol. 2. [In Reader]

Becquelin. Vol. 2. [In Reader]

15

Intercultural Contacts from Amsterdam to Japan: Yo-yo Ma and the Silk Road Project

The Dalai Lama in the Modern World

Richard Feynman “goes” to Tuva

Levin. The Hundred Thousand Fools of God. Vol. 2. [In Reader]

Schell. Virtual Tibet. Vol. 2. [In Reader]

Goodman. Vol. 2. [In Reader]

Crombe. Vol. 2. [In Reader]

Course Info

Departments
As Taught In
Fall 2003