Advanced Urdu · Middle Eastern, South Asian, And African Studies
An in-depth overview of the Urdu language and literature, since the inception of dastangoi to contemporary humor.
I learned a higher register of Urdu primarily associated with classical and academic pieces through a selection of thought-provoking pieces across history showing the intellectual and entertainment richness of the language.
improved Urdu, vocabulary, understanding of key literary movements and figures
Urdu literary traditions dating back to the dastaan all the way to modern writers of the twentieth century. We also learned how to read and write in Hindi
i'm not sure how possible it is to do this, but this course might work better if it were a little more individually tailored -- there were students in the class whose level of Urdu was far above others', and the pace of the course was unfortunately often dictated by these students. 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Fall 2021 Course: MDESGU4640_001_2021_3-AdvancedUrdu : MDESGU4640_001_2021_3 - Advanced Urdu Instructor: Aftab Ahmad
In this course, I improved my reading, writing, and speaking skills in Urdu. I dramatically expanded my vocabulary, and I now understand words that relate to the culture, politics, and history of India and Pakistan. I also learned about various literary and political movements in South Asia, including the Aligarh movement, the progressive writers movement, the independence movement, and more.
Aftab is an incredible instructor. He is kind and patient, and he makes sure to meet you where you are at in your speaking and reading abilities in order to help you improve. He also tailored readings in the course to my interests in Indian and Pakistani politics, history, and culture. I feel so much more confident in my ability to speak, write, and read Urdu after learning from him.
Learned about different relevant topics in indian/pakistani history such as partition and different movements started. Read about them in urdu.
I learned more advanced urdu and more about Pakistani and Indian writers and poets. Broader perspective of urdu literature and so much respect for it!
The course deepened my knowledge about various genres, classical and contemporary writers, and the historical context in which Urdu literature has evolved. From a linguistic perspective, I honed my Urdu language skills, expanding my vocabulary and improving my proficiency in reading and interpreting complex texts. This has not only enhanced my ability to engage with Urdu literature but also strengthened my overall language comprehension and expression.