South Asia is a huge region, with nearly 2 billion people, lots of history, tons of diversity, and beautiful landscapes. These documentaries will help you explore case studies in more detail.
As always, make sure to apply three concepts from the textbook to the issues presented in the film. Detailed directions found .
is a look at ancient civilizations in Pakistan with visits to important sites, contemporary cities, and providing great historical context of the region
looks at some of the civilizations in India and their art and architecture.
looks into some early Hindu sites.
is an exploration of India’s megacity of Kolkata (Calcutta).
follows one of the most important rivers in the world and explores the myriad challenges facing its future.
takes us on the famous pilgrimage to the Ganges river that millions of people in India make. Also an look at Hinduism and religion in India.
World is a deep examination of the life of Siddhartha Guatama (the Buddha) and the tenets of Buddhism.
Exploring Sikh Dharam follows an interfaith group of travelers around the world, this time examining the holy sites of the Sikhs.
From Netflix: India’s Frontier Railways: this is a 3-part show about some of India’s famous railways. Choose one!
Himalayan Megaquake takes us inside the earthquake in April of Nepal in 2015. Amazing footage and interviews with people affected by the earthquake as well as experts on earthquakes. Really nice views of Nepal, too.
Documentary film analysis
Documentary films are an excellent resource for learning about the world. Each week, there are a number of films for you to explore, from social issues to contemporary debates, from historical curiosities to natural wonders. You pick the film you want to watch, and then follow this outline for your film analysis.
Your analysis should be 5 paragraphs long. You will NOT be writing a summary of the film, but instead a reflection and analysis. The first paragraph should be a general reflection on what you thought of the film, followed by an analysis of key terms in the book that relate to the film. Here is what is expected in each paragraph of your original posting:
Paragraph 1: General thoughts on the film. In this paragraph, state what film you watched and why. What did you like about the film, what did you not like about the film?
Paragraph 2: Key term 1 from the reading that applies to the film. Look over the chapter in the textbook that corresponds with the film’s regional focus (Latin America, Russian Domain, Oceania, etc) and find 3 terms or themes that relate to the issues presented in the film. How do you see this key term reflected in the film? How does the film relate to the term as presented in the book? For example, in South Asia you may watch a film about the garment industry in Bangladesh and relate the film to discussions in the book on gender, poverty, and population growth. In this paragraph, you will choose one of these terms and explain its relevance to the film. Make sure to use bold text to indicate the key term or theme being discussed.
Paragraph 3: Key term 2 from the reading that applies to the film. In this paragraph, you will choose a 2nd term from your list of terms that relate to the film to examine. State which key term you are discussing in this paragraph, make sure to use bold text, and explain how the term relates to the film.
Paragraph 4: Key term 4 from the reading that applies to the film. In this paragraph, you will choose a 3rd and final term from your list of terms that relate to the film to examine. State which key term you are discussing in this paragraph, make sure to use bold text, and explain how the term relates to the film.
Paragraph 5: connections, new ideas, globalization, and big take aways. In this paragraph, you will discuss the major lessons you learned from the film, how ideas in the film are connected to your own life and/or experiences, or how this film helped you understand the topic in new ways.