POSTGRADUATE PROSPECTUS

SCHOOL OF ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIESPOSTGRADUATEPROSPECTUS2008 ENTRY

WelcomeSOAS is distinctive. A visit to ourcampus will tell you that immediately.You will be surrounded by studentsand scholars representing morethan 100 different nationalities,pursuing an understanding of theworld’s most topical regions, in acity that embodies the internationalnature of our society.In the heart of London, SOAS isrenowned as a global academicbase. Our research deepens andsharpens scholarly debates, shapesthe policies of governments andother institutions, and informs thegeneral public; each audiencevalues the specialist knowledgethat is the SOAS hallmark.We believe that our studentsare both the engineers and thebeneficiaries of this reputationand we look forward to welcomingnew scholars with enthusiasmand great expectation.Professor Paul WebleyDirector and Principal

CONTENTS2 LIFE AND STUDY AT SOAS4 About SOAS5 Location6 History7 Postgraduate study and researchat SOAS14 Other study opportunities16 Academic resources19 Faculty and departmental centres22 Regional centres26 Support services28 Living in London30 Accommodation34 International students38 ON-CAMPUS DEGREESby Department/Centre40 Africa42 Anthropology and Sociology54 Art and Archaeology59 China and Inner Asia63 Development Studies67 Economics74 Financial and Management Studies78 History83 International Studies and Diplomacy86 Japan and Korea90 Law102 Linguistics108 Media and Film Studies115 Music118 Near and Middle East123 Politics and International Studies129 South Asia132 South East Asia134 Study of Religions144 Interdisciplinary studies162 DISTANCE LEARNING DEGREES164 Centre for Financial andManagement Studies166 Centre for Development,Environment and Policy168 COMING TO SOAS170 How to apply173 School policies174 Fees and financial support182 Fee schedule185 Term dates and Open Days186 Useful contacts187 School address and principal officers188 Map of SOAS189 A–Z OF POSTGRADUATEDEGREES AND DIPLOMAS191 INDEXCONTENTS

2Your guide to London’s world-acclaimed centreof multi-cultural learning and academic excellenceLIFE ANDSTUDY AT SOAS4 ABOUT SOAS5 LOCATION6 HISTORY7 POSTGRADUATE STUDYAND RESEARCH AT SOAS14 OTHER STUDYOPPORTUNITIES16 ACADEMIC RESOURCES19 FACULTY AND DEPARTMENTALCENTRES22 REGIONAL CENTRES26 SUPPORT SERVICES28 LIVING IN LONDON30 ACCOMMODATION34 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTSLIFE AND STUDY AT SOASRight: City of Kings – Persia’sancient capital Persepolis, Iran

3LIFE AND STUDY AT SOAS

4ABOUT SOASThe School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)is unique. It offers an educational experiencethat combines language scholarship, disciplinaryexpertise and regional focus. Students are drawnto SOAS by its international reputation foracademic excellence as well as the opportunity tostudy in a vibrant and multicultural environmentwith others who are passionate about the studyof Africa, Asia and the Middle East. All have anintellectual interest in the international issuesSOAS can introduce them to and encouragethem to understand.Founded in 1916, SOAS is the only highereducation institution in the UK specialising inthe study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.The School is one of the leading institutions of itskind in the world today, offering more than 80postgraduate programmes (taught and distancelearning) in the social sciences, humanities andlanguages with a distinctive regional focus andglobal relevance, taught by world-renownedteachers in specialist faculties. The programmesprovide many options for you to choose whatsuits your interests.SOAS is part of the University of London, afederation of 16 separately incorporated selfgoverningColleges and Schools. All are researchbasedhigher education institutions committedto teaching of the highest quality.Despite its specialist status, SOAS is consistentlyranked among the top Higher Educationinstitutions in the UK. In 2006 SOAS joined thetop 20 European universities in the Times HigherEducation Supplement rankings, and in 2007 theGuardian listed it again among the top dozen UKuniversities, which include other University ofLondon colleges (UCL, LSE and King’s College)as well as Oxford and Cambridge.With more than 200 academics and 4,300 studentsrepresenting more than 100 nationalities, SOAS isboth intimate and multicultural. Our student-staffratio (11:1) remains one of the best in the UK.Many staff and students have travelled to or livedin the areas that SOAS covers in its teaching andresearch. The diverse community and the lively,cosmopolitan character of the School makestudent life a challenging, rewarding and excitingexperience. You can learn as much outside theclassroom as inside it.While numbers are growing and programmesexpanding, SOAS retains an open-mindedness,friendliness and warmth that has characterised theinstitution from its early days. It is a place wherethose who want to develop their understandingof the world, and put their preconceptions ofAfrica, Asia and the Middle East to the test,will feel at home.The School’s academic excellence has beenrecognised in research assessment exercises(RAEs) and league tables. The 2001 RAE placedSOAS among the top research universities in thecountry, with 11 of its 18 departments rated 5 or 5*.ABOUT SOASSOAS is intimate and multicultural,and a leading centre for the studyof Asia, Africa and the Middle East

LOCATION5SOAS is based in the heart of London, and thecapital’s rich cultural and social life is literallyon our doorstep. The School’s two campuses– Russell Square and Vernon Square – are just 20minutes’ walking distance from one another andvery well served by all forms of public transport.The nearest underground stations, Russell Squareand King’s Cross, offer a direct link to LondonHeathrow Airport and several of London’s mainrailway stations are within easy reach (see mapon page 188).The Russell Square campus is in historicBloomsbury, an area of leafy squares well-knownas a haven from the bustle of the city, and alsoas an intellectual centre. Other colleges of theUniversity of London, the British Museum andthe British Library are just a few minutes away.The Vernon Square campus – housed in anEnglish Heritage listed building – is close to thetransport links of King’s Cross as well as Islington’sboutiques and restaurants. Adjacent to the twoSOAS student residences (Dinwiddy House andPaul Robeson House), this campus offers stateof-the-artteaching and learning resources and aninternet café alongside spacious social amenities.Many of the social and sports activities offeredby the School are either on site or provided bythe University of London Union (ULU), twominutes from Russell Square. The West End’sshops, theatres and nightlife, and Oxford Streetand Covent Garden are all also within easywalking distance.SOAS viewed from London’s latest iconic landmark, theLondon Eye ferris wheel on the South Bank. SOAS is inthe shadow of the Senate House tower (framed in white)LOCATION

6HISTORY OF THE SCHOOLThe School was founded in 1916 as the School ofOriental Studies. It took its present title in 1938,by which time it had also established itself as acentre for African Studies.The Scarbrough Report of 1946 recommended thatthe whole field of Asian and African studies shouldbe developed in London in contrast to a restrictedrange of programmes in other universities, andthere was a considerable expansion of the School’sactivities. In addition, after the Hayter Reportof 1961, increased attention was given to thedevelopment of the social sciences.SOAS continues to maintain its position as themajor national centre for the study of programmesconcerned with Asia, Africa and the Middle East.New teaching posts have been established, studentnumbers have increased and the School’s status asa leading research institution has been enhanced.SOAS AT A GLANCE• SOAS has more than 4,300 students, 40%of whom are postgraduates, including thoseon research programmes• We welcome students from more than 100countries and roughly 45% of postgraduatesare from countries outside the UK/EU• With around 300 staff members, SOAS hasthe largest concentration of academicsconcerned with Asia, Africa and the MiddleEast of any university in the world• Small-group teaching remains an importantfeature of study at SOAS – our student-staffratio (11:1) is one of the best in the UK• SOAS has more than 80 postgraduateprogrammes (taught and distance learning)in the social sciences, humanities andlanguages with a distinctive regional focusand global relevance• The School offers an unparalleled range ofnon-European languages, all of which canbe studied without prior knowledge• The Library has more than 1.2 million itemsand extensive electronic resources and isthe national library for the study of Asia,Africa and the Middle East, attractingscholars from all over the world• In the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise11 of our 18 departments were awarded topratings of 5 or 5*HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL• Teaching Quality Audits at the School havebeen very positive, and all departmentsassessed in recent years have been awardedmaximum or near-maximum ratingsLeft: Tiruvalluvar, the Tamil author of the classicethical work Tirukkural – a treatise on virtue, wealthand love – fronts the Russell Square campus

POSTGRADUATE STUDY AT SOAS7EXCELLENCE IN POSTGRADUATETEACHING AND RESEARCHThe School’s mission is to be a leading centrefor the study of Asia, Africa and the MiddleEast. It sees its role as advancing the knowledgeand understanding of the cultures and societiesof Asia, Africa and the Middle East and of theSchool’s academic disciplines, through highqualityteaching and research. The School haswell-established research programmes andpostgraduate taught programmes in the socialsciences and humanities, including law, politicalstudies, economics, history, anthropology andsociology, art and archaeology, media, music,religious studies, as well as in the languages andcultures of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.A particular feature of postgraduate teachingprogrammes at SOAS is the range ofinterdisciplinary MAs in regional studies forAsia, Africa and the Middle East. SOAS attractsvisiting researchers from all over the world. It hashad, and continues to have, remarkable successin attracting external funding for staff research,on occasions exceeding the achievements of themost celebrated of other universities in the UK.All this makes for a vibrant context for research,including many research seminars every day,and frequent conferences, workshops and guestlectures. For example, SOAS has been selectedto take the lead in the administration of a £20m,10-year research programme to study anddocument endangered languages worldwide,and to expand its own activities in this and alliedfields. This large grant was awarded by the LisbetRausing Charitable Fund in response to the threatof extinction facing more than half the world’s6,000 languages. SOAS is initiating an ‘in-house’teaching and research programme focusing onendangered languages, and takes responsibilityfor administering a range of grants to researchersthroughout the world.The 2001 Research Assessment Exerciserated SOAS one of the top UK universities.Departments whose research was rated inthe two top categories (5 and 5*) were Africa,Anthropology and Sociology, East Asia, History,Law, Music, Near and Middle East, South Asia,South East Asia, and Study of Religions. Historywas identified as a ‘leading’ 5* (or 6).FACULTIES AND DEPARTMENTSThe School has three faculties: Arts andHumanities, Languages and Cultures, andLaw and Social Sciences. Between them, theyinclude 18 departments and offer more than 80postgraduate programmes (taught and distancelearning) in the social sciences, humanitiesand languages.Below: Stopping for a friendly chat at the entrance tothe Vernon Square campusPOSTGRADUATE STUDY AT SOAS

8 FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIESThe degrees offered by the Faculty of Arts andHumanities are designed to provide students withthe knowledge they need to understand the natureof other societies and cultures, and to form ideasabout the past, present and future of the complexand multicultural world in which we live.Most departments obtained 5 or 5* rankings inrecent Research Assessment Exercises. This is justone indication of the international importance ofthe research activity carried out by our academicstaff, and staff research provides the basis ofteaching activity in the Faculty.The study of arts and humanities has been centralto SOAS activity since 1916. All Faculty staffare specialists in regions as well as disciplines,and all subjects taught can be combined withother disciplines across the School. The Faculty iscommitted to providing stimulating and accessibledegree programmes that enable students to studyparticular countries or regions in depth, and toexplore comparisons and contrasts across themajor areas of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIESWEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/faculties/artshumanitiesDEANProfessor Ian BrownASSOCIATE DEAN (LEARNING AND TEACHING)Dr Theodore ProferesASSOCIATE DEAN (RESEARCH)Dr Dolores P. Martinezand draw upon its internationally renownedexpertise in a range of languages and cultures.The Faculty departments submitted to theResearch Assessment Exercise in 2001 wereawarded top ratings of 5. While staff undertakea wide variety of research relating to Asia, Africaand the Middle East, their teaching is focusedaround three main areas: comparative andlanguage-specific textual and literary studies,language studies with linguistics at its core, andthe teaching of language competence acquisitionin a range of Asian, African and Middle Easternlanguages. Major research currently underway includes work on endangered languages,comparative literature and a range of othercultural and linguistic topics.The Faculty is home to the joint SOAS-UniversityCollege London Centre of Excellence in theTeaching and Learning of ‘Languages of the WiderWorld’, launched in 2005. It promotes and supportsexcellence in the teaching and learning of lesscommonly taught languages, particularly thoseof the Middle East, Africa, Asia and also Europe.These languages include many of growing civicand strategic importance, and it will significantlyenhance their national and international profile.All languages at SOAS are taught ab initio, andno prior knowledge is required.FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND CULTURESWEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/faculties/languagesculturesDEANProfessor Michael HuttPOSTGRADUATE STUDY AT SOASDEPARTMENTS• Anthropology and Sociology• Art and Archaeology• History• Music• Study of ReligionsCENTRE• Media and Film StudiesFACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND CULTURESAn interest in the peoples of Asia, Africa and theMiddle East is best grounded in an integratedunderstanding of languages and cultures. Teachingand research in the Faculty reflect this commitmentASSOCIATE DEAN (MASTERS)Professor Andrew GerstleASSOCIATE DEAN (RESEARCH)Term 1: Professor Andrew Gerstle;from January 2008: Professor Ulrich KratzDEPARTMENTS• Languages and Cultures of Africa• Languages and Cultures of China and Inner Asia• Languages and Cultures of Japan and Korea• Languages and Cultures of the Near andMiddle East• Languages and Cultures of South Asia• Languages and Cultures of South East Asia• Linguistics

FACULTY OF LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCESThe combined result of both staff interests andexperience, and the student search for knowledgeconstitutes a world view of global diversity that isunmatched in any other British university.As the largest faculty at SOAS, Law and SocialScience is especially proud of its dynamicexpansion and achievements. All departmentswere ranked 4 or 5 in the latest ResearchAssessment Exercise, and have achievedconsistently high teaching scores.Our academic staff are internally renowned foradvising governments and policy-makers acrossthe globe. They have also taught at universitiesaround the world and have direct experienceof the different values and aspirations studentsbring to SOAS.FACULTY OF LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCESWEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/faculties/lawsocialsciencesDEANProfessor Matthew CravenASSOCIATE DEAN (LEARNING AND TEACHING)Ms Sonja RuehlASSOCIATE DEAN (RESEARCH)Dr Costas LapavitsasDEPARTMENTS• Development Studies• Economics• Financial and Management Studies• Law• Politics and International StudiesTAUGHT MASTERS PROGRAMMESThe School offers more than 80 on-site taughtMasters degrees and several diplomas in languagesand cultures, arts and humanities and socialsciences. In addition, there is a thriving programmeof distance education, which offers a variety ofMasters and postgraduate diplomas in economics,financial management and public policy.A Masters degree can offer a range of benefits.For example, there is the opportunity for pursuingin greater depth a subject you have alreadystudied. Alternatively you may need to acquireskills and knowledge in a new subject. If youare planning to go on to a research degree, aMasters will be necessary to prepare you formore advanced work.The degrees of the University for which graduatestudents may register at the School are as follows:• Master of Arts (MA)• Master of Music (MMus)• Master of Science (MSc)• Master of Laws (LLM)(see page 189 for an A–Z list of whichprogrammes should be available in 2008)TEACHING AND LEARNINGMost Masters degrees involve coursework andthe writing of a dissertation. Taught Mastersprogrammes last for 12 months of full-time study,but are also usually available in part-time as wellas full-time mode.Most consist of four elements: three taughtcourses assessed by coursework and writtenexamination papers, and a dissertation ofapproximately 10,000 words.The teaching element of the programme is usuallythrough lectures and seminars, for which candidatesare required to present substantial papers.Examinations take place in May or June,and most programmes include an element ofassessed coursework. Dissertations are submittedin September.The Masters programmes are very intensive anddemand a high level of commitment. At SOASwe believe that students benefit most from takingresponsibility for ensuring that they meet therequirements of the programme. You will belargely responsible for planning and organisingyour workload. You should be prepared to spenda considerable amount of time working on yourown, reading and preparing for seminars.CHOOSING YOUR COURSESA range of factors such as career or professionaldevelopment may determine your choice ofprogramme. However, once you have decided onthe programme you still have some choice in thecourses you study. All programmes will normallystipulate at least one, and in some cases9POSTGRADUATE STUDY AT SOAS

10 two core or compulsory courses; the choice ofthe remaining one or two courses from thoseapproved for the programme will be up to you(in consultation with your tutor).POSTGRADUATE STUDY AT SOASFor instance, students on the MA SocialAnthropology programme who have little orno previous knowledge of the discipline willbe required to take the course ‘TheoreticalApproaches to Social Anthropology.’ In addition,the course ‘Comparative Studies of Societyand Culture’ is strongly recommended forthose wishing to gain a broad knowledge of thediscipline, and is usually compulsory for thosetaking the degree as a conversion course.LANGUAGE STUDYStudents on most Masters programmes are ableto take one language course if required. TheSchool currently offers more than 50 languages,all taught from beginners level, including Arabic,Amharic, Bengali, Chinese, Hausa, Hebrew, Hindi,Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Swahili, Thai, Tibetan,Urdu, Vietnamese and Zulu. Alternatively, ifyou are not able to devote a part of your degreeto language study, you could take advantageof the range of non-degree language classestaught by the School’s Language Centre whichinclude evening classes and intensive vacationcourses (additional fees payable). For furtherinformation email languages@soas.ac.uk, or visitwww.soas.ac.uk/languagecentreMA DEGREES IN REGIONAL STUDIESThe School offers several interdisciplinaryMAs in Regional Studies – African, Chinese,Japanese, Korean, Near and Middle Eastern,Pacific Asian, South Asian and South East Asian– which provide an opportunity for those whowish to develop or deepen their knowledge of aparticular region.As the emphasis is on an interdisciplinaryapproach to any region, students are required toselect their three taught courses from more thanone subject or discipline as a minor. For instance,the MA Chinese Studies offers a choice of morethan 25 courses from across 13 subject areas suchas anthropology, art, economics, history, language,music and politics.One of the courses chosen is designated as themajor, and the dissertation is written in thissubject area. Many students choose to takeadvantage of the flexibility offered to adopt abroad approach to a region, selecting coursesfrom several disciplines, including language study.There are, however, some restrictions on choice.For example, you will usually not be able to takean economics course as your major if you havenot previously studied the subject.PART-TIME STUDYThe School welcomes applications from eligiblestudents who wish to study part time. Mostprogrammes can be taken over two or threeyears although applicants should note thatmost of the teaching takes place during theday (with some notable exceptions such as MAInternational Studies and Diplomacy whichoffers evening teaching).If you choose to study over two years, twoelements must be taken in the first year and twoin the second; over three years, one taught coursemust be taken in each year and the dissertationcompleted in an appropriate year, as decided bythe programme convenor.We recommend that part-time students havebetween two-and-a-half and three days a weekfree to pursue their course of study.International students should ensure that theyare in possession of a valid and appropriate studyvisa, permitting them entry into the UK. If youhave restrictions on your right of stay in the UK,you may have difficulty entering or remaining inthe UK to study on a part-time basis.Anyone interested in part-time study shouldcontact the relevant Faculty Office (see page186) for details of timetabling, or visitwww.soas.ac.uk/timetableENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTSIf your mother tongue is not English, you mustprovide evidence of your English Language abilitybefore admission to the School. A number ofEnglish Language tests are acceptable to SOAS– see page 35 for more information includingdetails of English language programmes atthe School.MINIMUM ENTRY REQUIREMENTSEntry requirements for Masters programmes area first or upper second class honours bachelors

degree from a UK university, or equivalent, in asubject appropriate to that of the programme tobe followed. As an approximate comparison, anequivalent BA from a good US university wouldhave a Grade Point Average of above 3.3.If an applicant does not have a Bachelors degreein an appropriate field s/he may be requiredto complete a qualifying year or a one-yeardiploma or certificate before entering the Mastersprogramme. Relevant work experience may alsobe taken into consideration.For details on the application process please seepage 170.RESEARCHPostgraduate research forms a major part of theSchool’s academic life. Approximately 100 newresearch students are admitted each year, and theyare central to its thriving research culture.Studying for a research degree, which can be takenin any of the SOAS departments, gives studentsthe opportunity to develop an in-depth knowledgeof a discipline, region and thematic subject, and tobecome familiar with current research techniquesand methodologies.The supervision of research work for higherdegrees and comparable programmes is carriedout on a departmental basis. SOAS providesadditional support for research through itsRegional Centres (see page 22), many of whichhold special seminars and workshops of particularvalue to postgraduate students.There are also several transregional programmes– Comparative Literature, Music and DancePerformance, International Relations, GenderStudies and Media Studies – with importantresearch agendas. New centres or programmes ingender and religion, and refugee and migrationstudies have recently been established to combineSOAS’s unique regional and subject expertise.RESEARCH DEGREES: MPHIL AND PHDThe University of London Doctor of Philosophy(PhD) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil)degrees are awarded on the basis of researchand the completion of a thesis. Examinationis by assessment of the thesis and includes anoral examination concerning the thesis and theresearch on which it is based.The MPhil and PhD are different degrees.A thesis for an MPhil degree must either bebased on original work or provide an orderedand critical exposition of existing knowledgein the field. At least in modified form, it mustbe suitable for publication as a book or as alearned article.In common with other British universitiesSOAS does not normally offer candidatesregistration for a PhD at the outset. Studentsare initially registered for an MPhil and, usuallyby the end of June in the first full-time year, aretransferred to PhD registration if their progressis satisfactory. PhD registration will be effectiveretrospectively, from the date on which thestudent first registered for their MPhil.Applications must be made through theAdmissions Office, but applicants are encouragedto identify and contact potential supervisorsfor advice before (and after) submitting anapplication. For information on the expertiseand research interest of SOAS staff, please visitwww.soas.ac.uk/registerofexpertise and see thedepartmental pages in the On-Campus Degreessection of this prospectus.LENGTH OF STUDYSOAS offers a structured programme ofsupervision for research degrees. For a fulltimestudent it is designed to ensure that thePhD degree is completed between three and amaximum of four years, including submission ofthe thesis and oral examination. You are registeredwith the School for at least three years of full-timestudy. The time taken to complete any researchdegree depends on your progress and individualneeds, and you must remain registered until yourthesis has been submitted.For a full-time MPhil student, the minimumperiod of registration is two years and the timenecessary for completion of the degree (includingthesis submission and examination) is designedto be three years.The above time limits are important. Anotherwise-qualified student who is not readyto embark on a research programme, and whoneeds a period of preparatory study otherthan that provided by a Masters programme isrecommended to register initially as a VisitingResearch Student (see page 13), or as a Diplomaor Occasional student (see page 15).11POSTGRADUATE STUDY AT SOAS

12 PART-TIME STUDYIt is possible to complete a research degree asa part-time student, in which case the periodof study is doubled (six years instead of three).Research Students may enrol on a part-time basisif the relevant academic department is preparedto accept them on this basis, and the studentprovides a signed undertaking that they do notintend to study on a full time basis.Students from other countries who have restrictionson their right to stay in the UK should note thatthey may have difficulty entering or remainingin Britain as part-time students. You shouldensure that you are in possession of a valid andappropriate study visa, permitting you entryinto the UK.Year 4Any work done at this stage would normallyinvolve only redrafting chapters. The examinationmust normally be completed in this year. Theprogramme of work is carried out under thedirection of your named supervisor. In thedepartment the supervisor is assisted by asupervisory committee whose other membersalso have responsibility for your progress.EXAMINATIONThe examination (or ‘viva voce’) is normallyconducted by two examiners, at least oneof whom is from a university outside theUniversity of London. Your supervisor is notone of the examiners.POSTGRADUATE STUDY AT SOASSTRUCTURE OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAMMEA full-time student registering for an MPhil withthe intention of completing a PhD would followa programme with the general structure outlinedbelow. Students also attend the weekly regional ordepartmental (disciplinary) research seminars inall years, whenever based in London; and duringthe third year present at least one research paperto that seminar or an equivalent.Year 1Undertake a programme of seminars and coursesdesigned to provide research training. Thesecan include courses on research methodologies,statistical methods, using and creating databases,utilising the Web, and others of relevance to thestudent’s research area; develop a detailed researchproposal; undertake the first stages of research,write initial drafts of some parts and outlinethe main arguments of the thesis; prepare forconsideration for transfer to PhD.Year 2Conduct research; in many cases this will involvea period of fieldwork abroad (up to three terms);write draft chapters of the thesis.Year 3Complete research and write complete draft ofthesis. Most departments organise seminars inwhich students returning from fieldwork areexpected to present the results of their workin progress and receive feedback from bothacademics and research fellows.REGULATIONSThis description of the Research Degreeprogrammes is based on the existing regulations.The full details of the conditions applyingto these degrees can be obtained from theAcademic Registrar at SOAS (see page 186).The School’s policies on the conduct andsupervision of research degrees are set out infull in the Postgraduate Research Handbookwhich every research student receives at thetime of registration.MINIMUM ENTRY REQUIREMENTSAn offer of a place to study at the School willdepend upon an assessment of the applicant’sacademic qualifications and background, thenature of the research proposal and the levelof English language competence as indicatedin the application.A UK Masters degree or equivalent recognisedby the School is the normal minimum entryrequirement. The Masters degree should normallybe in the same discipline as the proposed researchand should have been completed with a highgrade. The School will also consider whetherit has the relevant expertise to supervise theproposed research.It is necessary to possess a high standard ofEnglish. The School has designated minimumEnglish-language requirements for entry topostgraduate study that applicants whose mothertongue is not English will need to satisfy to ensurethat they can benefit fully from their research atthe School – see page 35 for details.

Applications will also be judged on the basis of ashort proposal outlining the intended research,references from academics, and often, for studentsalready in Britain, an interview. For details on theapplication process please see page 170.RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPSEach year the School is able to offer a limitednumber of postgraduate research fellowships– see pages 174–181 for further information orcontact the Registry.VISITING RESEARCH STUDENTSThe Visiting Research Students (VRS) scheme isideally designed for students already embarked ondoctoral research with their home university, butwho are planning to conduct research in Londonor who wish to take advantage of the uniqueresources SOAS and London have to offer.It is also available to students proposing toembark on a research degree, who need a periodof preparatory study other than that provided bya Masters programme. Those persons wishing toundertake supervised research without registeringfor a degree are also eligible.VRS benefit from most of the privileges enjoyedby the School’s research degree students. Theyare allocated a research supervisor, are attachedto the academic department of the supervisor,are full members of the SOAS library, mayuse the School’s student computing facilities,may attend School and departmental researchseminars, may be granted membership of therelevant School Regional Centre and can enjoythe social benefits of being students of the School.VRS may, by arrangement with the teachersconcerned, audit (attend but not be registeredfor or examined in) classes in areas relevant totheir research.PERIOD OF STUDY AND SUPERVISIONVRS can expect up to approximately five hoursof supervision per term. They normally enrolfull-time for a maximum of one year (usuallybeginning in September/October). The minimumenrolment period is one term.Students whose enrolment period includesthe summer term have the added benefit ofcontinuing enrolment through to the beginningof the next academic year with no additionalcharge, although there may be only limitedaccess to their supervisor during the summervacation period.TUITION FEESThese are set to reflect the period of studyundertaken. The annual rate of tuition fees forVRS in 2007/08 is £3,900 (UK/EU students) and£7,650 (non-EU students). Students enrollingfor one term pay only one-third of the fee whilestudents enrolling for a two-term period paytwo-thirds of it.Tuition fees are payable in full at enrolment(instalment arrangements are not permitted)unless the VRS can provide evidence of feessponsorship acceptable to the Academic Registrar,in which case the student’s sponsor will beinvoiced either before or just after enrolment.CERTIFICATIONVRS are not normally registered for a degreeprogramme, are not formally assessed on theirwork and cannot be awarded a qualification ofthe School or University of London. A certificateof attendance describing the status and activityundertaken by the VRS can be provided onrequest at the end of the enrolment period.ENTRY QUALIFICATIONSThere are no specific VRS qualifications tofulfil but the School will wish to be satisfied thatapplicants have the background and experiencenecessary to undertake research work, and alsosufficient command of the English language. Inthese respects, considerations applying to VRSapplications are the same as research studentapplications in general. For details on theapplication process please see page 171.HOW TO APPLYApplicants must complete and submit aPostgraduate application form (enclosed in thisprospectus, or available from the AdmissionsOffice and on www.soas.ac.uk) on which theywill need to demonstrate that the research tobe undertaken is practicable and that they areacademically competent to undertake it. Thecompleted form should be submitted to theAdmissions Office.13POSTGRADUATE STUDY AT SOAS

14OTHER STUDY OPPORTUNITIESOTHER STUDY OPPORTUNITIESDIPLOMAS AND CERTIFICATESThe School offers one Postgraduate Diplomawhich closely follows the Masters pattern but doesnot require a dissertation to be written:• Postgraduate Diploma in International Studiesand Diplomacy – see page 84Students can moreover take a number ofCertificates and Diplomas. These can providepreparation for a Masters programme, e.g.• Graduate Diploma in Economics – see page 67• Certificate in Political Studies – see page 124• Foundation Diploma for Postgraduate Studies– see below and www.soas.ac.uk/ifcelsA new Diploma will also be available in theDepartment of Art and Archaeology (subject toapproval):• Diploma in Asian Art – see page 58FOUNDATION DIPLOMA FOR POSTGRADUATESTUDIES (FDPS)The FDPS combines academic study withEnglish and study skills tuition, and is designedfor students who are interested in studying fora postgraduate degree in the humanities, socialsciences or business-related studies at SOAS oranother British university. It is aimed particularlyat students who come from education systems thatdiffer in approaches to learning and teaching fromthe UK. The FDPS is also suitable for studentswho wish to study a different subject from thatof their first degree and for those who want totake a stand-alone one-year programme ofintensive language, research skills and subjectspecifictraining in order to improve their careerprospects without going on to a Masters degree.The programme is recognised throughout Britishhigher education as providing the necessaryfoundation for study on postgraduate programmes,and students go on to study for degrees atinstitutions all over the United Kingdom. Studentswho have the appropriate academic qualificationsare guaranteed an interview for a place at SOAS.Students who progress to postgraduate degreesat SOAS after the FDPS course will receive a 5%discount on their tuition fees.The period of study is one calendar year (fulltime),and intake is in September only. The entryrequirements are normally a Bachelor’s degreeand an IELTS score of 5.5 overall (with 5.5 forWriting) or an equivalent score in TOEFL. Inexceptional cases, applicants with an AssociateDegree may be considered if they have substantialrelevant work experience.Students take four units: Intensive English forAcademic Study, an Independent Study Project(supported by weekly Research Methods classes,a programme of individual English tuition andacademic supervision) and two of the optionalsubject units depending on their academicbackground, interests and intended field ofpostgraduate study. The optional subjectsinclude: Comparative Studies in Cultures,International Business Studies, InternationalLaw, Introduction to International Relations,Issues in International Development Studies,Studies in European Society, and Studies inMedia and Communication.There are “mock” (practice) examinations at theend of the Spring Term, and final examinationstake place in June. Students are furthermoreassessed on their performance in classes and inassignments throughout the academic year, andthey receive individual feedback on their progressat the beginning of the Spring and SummerTerms in addition to regular consultations withmembers of staff.Teaching consists of lectures, small-groupseminars and supporting English language classes.In addition, students receive regular one-to-onelanguage tuition focusing on individual languageand study skills needs. Students have between16 and 18 hours tuition each week. As on apostgraduate programme, they are expected tospend a minimum of 20 hours of their own timeoutside class preparing topics for discussion,completing assignments and doing independentresearch and further reading.The Independent Study Project is in the formof an 8,000-word extended essay and iscompulsory. Students choose a topic related totheir proposed field of postgraduate study andreceive supervision from academics who areexperts in that field.

DISTANCE LEARNINGSOAS runs an extremely successful distancelearning programme under the aegis ofthe University of London’s external degreeprogramme. The School’s degrees and diplomasby distance learning include a wide range ofprogrammes offered by the Centre for Financialand Management Studies and the Centre forDevelopment, Environment and Policy.See pages 162 and 172 for programme details andapplication procedures.OCCASIONAL STUDENT PROGRAMMEIf you are interested in taking one or two coursesbut have no wish to work towards obtaininga degree, you can register for the OccasionalStudent Programme. You can take a maximumof four course units in any one year. The choiceis up to you, although if the topics you areinterested in are new to you, you may be advisedto start with undergraduate level courses.You do not get any tutorial help or a qualificationat the end, and the courses you take will not counttowards a degree should you decide later to takeup a degree course. However, your work maybe considered in support of an application foradmission at any level.See page 172 for information on how to apply forthis programme.LANGUAGE CENTREThe SOAS Language Centre offers a range of day,evening and weekend courses in more than 50African, Asian and Middle Eastern languagesat beginners, intermediate and advanced level.It has a teaching staff of more than 100 highlytrained native speakers. It also offers three fulltimecertificates and diplomas.LANGUAGE CENTRE DIPLOMAS /CERTIFICATES• Modern Chinese• Modern Japanese• Modern Standard ArabicThese diplomas and certificate courses aredesigned to prepare students, including thosewith no previous knowledge of these languages,to work and live in Arab, Chinese or Japanesespeakingenvironments. For details and anapplication form, please visit www.soas.ac.uk/languagecentre or email languages@soas.ac.ukWell-equipped language lab facilities are available to aidstudy of the widest range of foreign tongues15OTHER STUDY OPPORTUNITIES

16ACADEMIC RESOURCESACADEMIC RESOURCESTHE SOAS LIBRARYThe SOAS Library is one of the finest in theworld for the study of Africa, Asia and theMiddle East. It is the central research facility ofthe School comprising of more than 1.2 millionitems together with significant archival holdings,special collections and a growing network ofelectronic resources. It is used extensively bystaff and students and attracts scholars fromacross the world.The Library is continually acquiring importantcontributions to Asian, African and Middle Easternscholarship in the humanities and social sciencescurrently published anywhere in the world.The design of the Library, and the way in whichthe collections are arranged within it, reflectsa strong commitment to the integration ofresources with the work of the School. A keyfeature is the arranging of the relevant collectionsaround specialist reference facilities devoted toregions of Asia, Africa and the Middle East, andto particular disciplines such as Law or Art &Archaeology. Collections of bibliographical guidesand other reference works can be found near eachof the regional and disciplinary collections, andlibrarians with a knowledge of the collectionsare usually located close to each reference areato provide assistance.All material acquired since 1989, all currentperiodicals and a large proportion of oldermaterial is accessible via the computerisedcatalogue on http://lib.soas.ac.uk. The bulk ofthe collection is available on open access but rarebooks, manuscripts, archives, microfiches andslides are made available only on request. Otherprinted material not held in the Library can beobtained for students on inter-library loan.A recent extension offers modern well-equippedreader space with flexible access to wired andwireless networks.A Teaching Collection of heavily used materialfrom reading lists is housed near the main issuedesk, and access is restricted to SOAS studentsand staff. The Library also provides multiplecopies of material from reading lists for use bySOAS students and staff.• The Library contains in excess of 1.2 millionitems in more than 400 languages• It subscribes to some 4,500 periodicals(printed and electronic)• It houses a sound collection of more than4,000 items of music, poetry and plays• Its collection of photographs and slidesnumbers close to 50,000• It offers 900+ seats for readersFor further information about the Library visitwww.soas.ac.uk/libraryLIBRARIES NEAR SOASSOAS students are also fortunate in having theBritish Library and a wide range of other librariesand archives on their doorstep. The School hasspecial access agreements with many librariesof the University of London, for example, theUniversity College London (UCL) Library,the London School of Economics and PoliticalScience (LSE) Library and the University ofLondon Library, and SOAS research studentsmay borrow books from most of them. Majormuseums such as the nearby British Museumand the Victoria and Albert Museum haveimportant study collections and relevant libraryresources for researchers. SOAS Library staff canadvise on access to other libraries in London.THE SOAS RESEARCH CENTREHRH The Princess Royal, Chancellor of theUniversity of London, opened the new ResearchCentre in the Russell Square campus in 2004. Thepurpose of the building is to create more spacefor research activities. Two floors are available foruse by research students and are equipped withcomputer terminals. The building also housesmajor research initiatives, including the HansRausing Endangered Languages Project (HRELP),the Centre for Asian and African Literaturessponsored by the Arts and Humanities ResearchCouncil, and the research programme on Law,Human Rights and Peace in the Middle East.

17SOAS’s well-stocked library shelves attractscholars from all over the worldACADEMIC RESOURCES

18 HANS RAUSING ENDANGERED LANGUAGESPROJECT (HRELP)There are about 6,500 languages spoken onEarth today; however at least half of them arethreatened with extinction in this century. Infact, 96% of the world’s population speaks just4% of the 6,500 languages, which means that only4% of the world’s population maintains 96% ofits linguistic diversity. There are thus a few verywidely spoken languages with millions of speakers(like English, Chinese, Spanish or Hindi-Urdu),and a large number of very rare languages witha few thousand, or a few hundred speakers. (Forindigenous languages in Australia and North andSouth America dozens of languages are spokenby just a handful of people each, or in someinstances, by just one person). The geographicaldistribution of languages is also quite uneven,with the richest diversity in Africa, South andSouth-East Asia, and Latin America.The audience for the project’s work is the generalpublic, as well as those who contribute to theformation and implementation of policy, whereverthey may be based. In particular, its work placesemphasis on the function of human rights andhumanitarian law in this relationship, and aimsto evaluate proposals for the peace processwith a specific focus on their legal content. Theprogramme is also concerned with issues such asthe equitable allocation of water resources, thequestion of Palestinian refugees, the potential roleof the European Union in the peace process, andquestions of transitional justice. The broad goal isto generate policy-oriented scholarship that willsupport the development of practical strategiesfor a just and lasting peace in the region.The research programme is sponsored bySir Joseph Hotung and administered by SOAS.See www.soas.ac.uk/lawpeacemideast forfurther information.ACADEMIC RESOURCESHRELP was established in 2002 with acommitment of £20 million from the LisbetRausing Charitable Fund to help documentas many endangered languages as possible, toencourage the development of relevant skills,and to support communities wishing to maintaintheir languages. It consists of the EndangeredLanguages Documentation Programme, whichoffers grants for research on threatened languages,and the Endangered Languages AcademicProgramme. This programme aims to train thenext generation of language documenters throughpostgraduate courses, workshops, seminars andpublications, and the Endangered LanguagesArchive. This is a major new digital data bankof endangered languages audio, video and textmaterials available to researchers, communitiesand the general public via the web.See www.hrelp.org for further information.LAW, HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE BUILDINGIN THE MIDDLE EASTThis research programme is an initiative undertakenby the School. It is based in the Department ofLaw and works in close cooperation with theCentre for Islamic and Middle Eastern Law, andthe Centre for Law and Conflict. The aim of theprogramme is to promote a greater understandingof the legal dimensions of the relationshipbetween Palestine and Israel, including the roleand responsibilities of third parties, throughindependent and scholarly research.THE SOAS CENTRESSOAS Faculties and Departments have a range ofaffiliated research centres, and the School also hasa number of regional centres which co-ordinateteaching and research on an interdisciplinarybasis (see panel on opposite page and page 22).These centres also host regular events includingworkshops, seminars, lectures and conferences.IT FACILITIESThe School currently has approximately 220computers (Macs and PCs) available for studentuse, providing internet access and email facilities,and an additional 40 computers reserved forpostgraduate research students. A room withmultimedia computers is open to studentssubmitting work using non-traditional media,and a range of television and radio programmesis available from around the world in a varietyof languages.Every student is given an email account afterenrolment. Designated connection points arelocated throughout the School, where studentsmay connect their own laptops to the SOASnetwork and internet. In addition, both SOASstudent residences are online, allowing studentswith computers to access the internet and emailfrom their study-bedrooms. The School has awireless network covering all communal areasincluding the library, and students can connecttheir laptops to this to access the internet.

FACULTY AND DEPARTMENTAL CENTRES19FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES• AHRC Research Centre forCross-Cultural Music and DancePerformancewww.soas.ac.uk/musicanddance• Centre of Buddhist Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/buddhiststudies• Centre for Eastern and OrthodoxChristianity• Centre for Food Studies• Centre for Gender and ReligiousResearchwww.soas.ac.uk/grr• Centre for Jaina Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/jainastudies• Centre for Media and Film Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/mediaandfilm• Centre for Migration and DiasporaStudies• Centre for the Study of JapaneseReligionswww.soas.ac.uk/csjr• Sainsbury Institute for the Study ofJapanese Arts and Cultureswww.sainsbury-institute.orgFACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND CULTURES• Centre for Gender Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/genderstudies• Centre of Islamic Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/cis• Centre for Jewish Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/jewishstudies• Hans Rausing EndangeredLanguages Projectwww.hrelp.org• Languages of the Wider WorldCETLwww.lww-cetl.ac.uk• London Confucius Institutewww.londonconfuciusinstitute.org.ukFACULTY OF LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCES• Centre for Development Policyand Researchwww.soas.ac.uk/cdpr• Centre of East Asian Lawwww.soas.ac.uk/ceal• Centre for Ethnic Minority Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/cems• Centre of International Law andColonialismwww.soas.ac.uk/cilc• Centre for International Studiesand Diplomacywww.cisd.soas.ac.uk• Centre of Islamic and MiddleEastern Lawwww.soas.ac.uk/cimel• Centre for Law and Conflictwww.soas.ac.uk/lawandconflict• Centre of Taiwan Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/taiwanstudiesFor further information on these centres, please refer to the appropriate departmental section in the prospectus andvisit the respective websiteREGIONAL CENTRES• Centre of African Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/cas• Centre of Chinese Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/ccs• Centre of Contemporary CentralAsia and the Caucasuswww.soas.ac.uk/cccac• Centre of Korean Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/cks• Centre of South Asian Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/csas• Centre of South East Asian Studieswww.soas.ac.uk/cseas• Japan Research Centrewww.soas.ac.uk/jrcFor further information on these centres, please refer to page 22 or visit the respective website• London Middle East Institutewww.lmei.soas.ac.ukACADEMIC RESOURCES

20 Our computers are equipped with MicrosoftOffice, offering the standard range of applicationssuch as word-processing, spreadsheet, databaseand graphics, while some machines also providenon-Roman print facilities. New students areoffered training in the basic suite of applicationssuch as word-processing, spreadsheets anddatabases, as well as internet applications.The School has various forms of special assistancetechnology for use by disabled students orstudents with a specific learning difficulty (forexample, dyslexia). These include some specialistsoftware (Inspiration for mind-mapping andvisual planning and TextHelp! to help with proofreading and correction) and various workstationswhich have additional facilities such as wheelchairaccess, ergonomically designed seats, etc. Furtherinformation on the dedicated technology isavailable from the Student Disability Advisor(see page 186 for contact details).VIRTUAL LEARNING @ SOASSOAS is committed to the delivery of a highqualitylearning experience using a combinationof traditional methods and more innovativeteaching approaches. E-learning is used in anincreasing number of departments across theSchool, and there is an active commitment toencourage its development. A large number ofcourses are supported by online study facilitieswhich provide access to electronic library resources,lecture materials, and video and audio content.The School has been developing the use of theBLE (Bloomsbury Learning Environment)as a means of supporting both students andstaff in their learning and teaching. Using theThe Brunei Gallery at SOAS is an ideal melting pot ofcreativity and peopleACADEMIC RESOURCES

Blackboard platform, the BLE provides easyaccess to electronic versions of course materialsincluding reading lists, course outlines, lecturenotes, essential readings, and listening exercisesfor language students. There is also an onlinediscussion forum enabling students andlecturers to exchange ideas and continue in-classdiscussion, and many other tools. The BLE isaccessible from any computer with a networkconnection anywhere in the world, 24 hours aday, 365 days a year.The SOAS Learning and Teaching Unit (LTU) isleading a pioneering consortium of Bloomsburycolleges to collaborate further on the developmentof e-learning, and future developments willinclude the use of Wikis, Blogs and Podcastingto support learning and teaching at SOAS.LANGUAGE LABSDedicated language laboratories and two openaccess language resource rooms are availableto language students, and a recording studioprovides facilities for the production of audioand video tapes. Students and staff also haveaccess to satellite television offering about 30channels and the School has direct lines to theoverseas service of the BBC.GALLERIES AND MUSEUMSThe Brunei Gallery at SOAS, built in 1995 witha generous benefaction from HM The Sultan ofBrunei Darussalam, includes a gallery dedicatedto showing work from and relating to Africa,Asia and the Near and Middle East. It operatesas both a student resource and a public attraction,holding regular exhibitions that reflect the broadacademic interests of art and archaeologicalteaching at SOAS.The Percival David Foundation of Chinese Artwas founded in 1950 when Sir Percival David,Bt, presented to the University of London hisincomparable collection of Chinese ceramics,numbering approximately 1,700 pieces, andhis library of books dealing with Chinese artand culture. SOAS has managed this hugelyrich and unique resource, which students canaccess. The Foundation regularly holds lectures,exhibitions and other events relating to EastAsian art and archaeology.There are many other galleries and museumsnearby, including the British Museum.FORTHCOMING EXHIBITIONS AT THEBRUNEI GALLERY2007• From Soho Road to The Punjab: Documentingthe Contribution of Bhangra and its CulturalRelevance in Britain today• Exposed and Hungry: Life in Eastern CongoUNHCR and WFP presentation of an exhibitionof photographs by Susan Schulman• Objects of Instruction: Treasures of SOASLaunch exhibition of the permanent collectionof SOAS art and artefacts and the Foyle SpecialCollections Gallery• Picturing China 1870–1950: Photographs inBritish CollectionsBy 2006 large numbers of Britons are living andworking in China, and this exhibition will explorethe world of their Treaty Port predecessors.• Ethiopian Airlines in Perspective: Past Presentand Future2008• Secrets of the RiverExhibition by the Brunei Museum of artefactsfrom the Sungai Lima Mains archaeological site,dating from the 10th–13th Centuries A.D.• The Illustrated Book in China: Historical andContemporary Practice• Cairo 1975Photographic exhibition of old Cairo between theOctober War and Camp David• Retracing Henrich BarthBased on Barth’s ‘Travels and Discoveries in NorthAfrica and Central Africa in the Years 1849–1855’• Our Positive BodiesLife-size body map self portraits painted by HIVpositivewomen in Thailand, India, and Kenya• Images of Asian DancersBy British photographers 1960–PresentFor further information, please visitwww.soas.ac.uk/gallery21ACADEMIC RESOURCES

22REGIONAL CENTRESREGIONAL CENTRESThere are eight regional centres which co-ordinateteaching and research on an interdisciplinary basis:• Centre of African Studies• Centre of Chinese Studies• Centre of Contemporary Central Asia andthe Caucasus• Centre of Korean Studies• Centre of South Asian Studies• Centre of South East Asian Studies• Japan Research Centre• London Middle East InstituteCENTRE OF AFRICAN STUDIESSince its establishment in 1965, the Centre ofAfrican Studies has evolved a structure that aimsto meet the changing needs of researchers onAfrica. In recognition of an increasingly intercollegialmembership, the Centre took on the roleof helping to coordinate interdisciplinary researchand study on Africa at the University of Londonas a whole from 1991.Half of the 100+ members of the Centre areemployed to undertake research and teachingat SOAS, but activities also aim to serve andbenefit from the affiliation of colleagues withcomplementary areas of expertise at the othercolleges of the University of London: UniversityCollege London, the London School of Economicsand Political Science, the London School of Hygieneand Tropical Medicine, Goldsmith’s College, King’sCollege, Birkbeck College, Royal Holloway College,Queen Mary College, Imperial College of Scienceand Technology, the Institute of CommonwealthStudies and the Institute of Education.The Centre also seeks actively to promoterelations between Africanists, and institutionsand individual scholars in Africa, and in Europeanand American centres of African studies. Ithas run programmes of visiting scholarshipsfor academics from Nigeria, East Africa andthe Horn of Africa. To facilitate and promoteinterdisciplinary research and teaching on Africafor its members, students and research associates,the Centre has run workshops, seminars,conferences and occasional lectures for morethan 40 years. These have included: ‘Visual Artsin Post-Apartheid South Africa’, ‘The UN System-Wide Special Initiative on Africa’, ‘Rwanda andBurundi’, ‘Land Reform in Zimbabwe’ and, in thesummer of 2005, the first conference of ‘AEGIS’(the Africa-Europe Group for InterdisciplinaryStudies). Forthcoming events are publicisedin African News produced by the Centre threetimes a year.Further information can be found atwww.soas.ac.uk/casCENTRE OF CHINESE STUDIESThe Centre of Chinese Studies was establishedin 1992 to facilitate and develop in the UnitedKingdom and Europe interdisciplinary research,teaching and other activities relating to China.The Centre works closely with The ChinaQuarterly, the Percival David Foundation, theEarly China Seminar, the Contemporary ChinaInstitute, and the China Postgraduate Network.In addition, the Centre maintains close linkswith the Foreign and Commonwealth Office(FCO), the British Council, the Department forInternational Development and other governmentdepartments, the European Commission,Chatham House (Royal Institute of InternationalAffairs), the Great Britain-China Centre, theBritish Association of Chinese Studies (BACS),the International Centre for Chinese Heritageand Archaeology (UCL), the British Library, theBritish Museum, other colleges and educationinstitutions in the UK, Europe and China(including Hong Kong), and the media.Membership of the interdisciplinary Centreincludes some 42 members of staff whoseinterests span both historical and contemporaryChinese studies. The Centre fosters postgraduateresearch on Chinese societies, and is responsiblefor the MA degree in Chinese Studies. Itorganises interdisciplinary research seminarsand, together with the FCO, provides an annualworkshop for the analysis of developments incontemporary China. The Centre’s Annual Lectureis given by distinguished invited speakers ofinternational standing, and recent presentationshave been made by Professors William Alford(Harvard), G. William Skinner (Stanford) andWilt Idema (Harvard).Further information can be found atwww.soas.ac.uk/ccs

CENTRE OF CONTEMPORARY CENTRALASIA AND THE CAUCASUSWith the emergence of the independent statesof Central Asia and the Caucasus, SOAS hasexpanded its teaching and research resources forthese important regions. SOAS currently hostsa multi-disciplinary team of scholars workingon Central Asia and the Caucasus, the largestgrouping in any single institution in the U.K.and Europe. Alongside those engaged in thestudy of contemporary problems of post-Soviettransition, there is a broader grouping of scholarsinvolved in the study of neighbouring areas(Iran and Afghanistan) and the archaeology,religion, linguistics, pre-history and history ofCentral Asia and the Caucasus, lending breadthand depth to the study of the region.The Centre was founded in 1921 in recognitionof the School’s long-standing interest in the regionand its potential as a UK centre of excellence.The principal role of the Centre is to promote,coordinate and disseminate information relatingto the academic study of Central Asia and theCaucasus across the disciplines and to act asa resource for academic, governmental, nongovernmentaland business constituencies withan interest in Central Asia and the Caucasus.It does so through the research and publicationsof its staff, new teaching programmes, anestablished seminar series and special events.Further information can be found atwww.soas.ac.uk/cccacJAPAN RESEARCH CENTREThe Japan Research Centre (JRC) developsand coordinates academic research and teaching,drawing upon the expertise of the Japan specialistswho are based in various departments throughoutthe School. The fields covered by academicmembers of staff include anthropology, art andarchaeology, drama, economics, economic history,geography, history, language and literature, law,music, linguistics, politics, religion and sociology.With the largest concentration of Japan specialistsoutside Japan, the JRC acts as a national andinternational centre for Japanese studies.The activities of the Centre include:• Organisation of weekly Centre seminars duringterm time;• An annual lecture, known as the KayakoTsuda Lecture from its sponsor, by a seniorinternational figure in Japanese Studies;• Publication of a bi-annual newsletter, JRC News,which lists past and forthcoming events in SOAS;• An up-to-date website of Japan-related activitiesin SOAS;• Offering the Tsuda bursary and Meiji Jingustudentships to PhD students;• Maintaining close links with Japanese scholars,Japanese universities and the Japanesecommunity in London. The Centre inviteseminent Japanese scholars to strengthen itsresearch and teaching capacities. It also receivesa number of Japanese scholars visiting Britain.Further information can be found atwww.soas.ac.uk/jrcCENTRE OF KOREAN STUDIESCreated in 1987 with the kind support of theKorea Research Foundation (subsequently theKorea Foundation), the Centre has been theleading academic centre of its kind in GreatBritain since its establishment. It coordinateswork done on Korea in various departmentsof the School, and offers expert knowledge andadvice on Korea to interested outside parties.The Centre oversees programmes at the BA,MA, and MPhil/PhD level in Korean Studies.With growing numbers of students and PhDcandidates in Korean studies and studies relatedto Korea (also outside SOAS in other collegesof the University of London), the Centre hasbecome a forum where research in progress canbe presented and discussed in front of an informedaudience. One of the main activities of the Centreis the ongoing Seminar Series. Speakers andscholars from around the world who are engagedin diverse fields of work related to Korea areinvited to speak at the seminars, which are heldregularly during the academic year.The Centre also acts as host to workshopsand conferences organised by Korean studiesassociations such as the British Association ofKorean Studies (BAKS) and the Association ofKorean Studies in Europe (AKSE).Further information can be found atwww.soas.ac.uk/cks23REGIONAL CENTRES

24 CENTRE OF SOUTH ASIAN STUDIESREGIONAL CENTRESSince its inception in 1916, the School has beenan important international centre for the studyof South Asia. In 1966, the Centre of SouthAsian Studies was established to co-ordinatethe research of the South Asia specialists spreadwidely throughout SOAS. At present SOASemploys more than 30 full-time South Asianspecialists on the teaching staff. In addition toa department of South Asian Languages andCultures, SOAS has South Asia specialists inthe departments of Anthropology, Art andArchaeology, Development Studies, Economics,History, Law, Music, Religions and Politics.One floor of the SOAS Library is dedicated to theSouth Asia collection and overseen by the SouthAsia librarian and two assistants. More than 100courses on South Asia are taught at SOAS, andmany others contain a significant South Asiacomponent. The Centre hosts academic seminars,discussions on current events, and screeningsof feature and documentary films that feed intograduate research on South Asia (India, Pakistan,Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka).Members of the Centre contribute to the MASouth Asian Area Studies programme as wellas to other teaching in their disciplines.The Centre is primarily responsible for recordingand publicising academic activities on SouthAsia, and for organising seminars, workshopsand conferences. It is a central point of contactbetween SOAS and the wider London communityon issues connected with South Asia. Its newsletter,published three times a year, lists meetings tobe held on South Asian topics in London andelsewhere. There is an annual lecture, and severaloccasional lectures are arranged to providea forum for scholars visiting SOAS from allover the world.Further information can be found atwww.soas.ac.uk/csasCENTRE OF SOUTH EAST ASIANSTUDIESSouth East Asian Studies is one of the five mainregional postgraduate programmes in the School.Some 25 members of staff, from all the disciplinesrepresented at the School, are engaged in teachingregional courses in a wide range of postgraduateprogrammes, and supervising doctoral students’research degree projects.The Centre of South East Asian Studiesencourages and supports research by both staffand students. It promotes joint, interdisciplinaryand longer-term research, to which work forpostgraduate degrees is often linked. The Centreexists to stimulate a lively research cultureconcerned with South East Asian issues. Itsseminars and programme of events promoteinterdisciplinary study, research and discussion,and disseminate a wider awareness of the region.The Centre acts as a forum for the University ofLondon as a whole, and more generally for SouthEast Asianists in the universities of southernBritain, especially through its email network.It works closely with the Association for SouthEast Asian Studies in the UK (ASEASUK), andwith the European Association of South EastAsian Studies (EUROSEAS), as well as havingspecial relations with a number of universities inSouth East Asia. More broadly, the Centre seeks tolink higher education, government and business,in part through the SOAS Briefing Office.Further information can be found atwww.soas.ac.uk/cseasLONDON MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTEThe London Middle East Institute (LMEI) isa charitable, tax-exempt organisation whosepurpose is to promote knowledge of all aspectsof the Middle East, both among the generalpublic and with those who have special interestsin the region. It sponsors conferences, seminarsand exhibitions; conducts training programmes;maintains a website (www.lmei.soas.ac.uk);issues a range of publications; and undertakesconsultancies for public and private sectorclients. These activities are guided by a Boardof Trustees with the assistance of an AdvisoryCouncil composed of distinguished individualsknowledgeable about the Middle East.The LMEI has had a particularly productive year.Its Tuesday Evening Series on the ContemporaryMiddle East attracted a total audience in excessof 1,200. It produces a monthly magazine, TheMiddle East in London, and more recently, a newseries with Saqi books. It launched the secondvolume of ‘The Idea of Iran’ series entitled ‘TheAge of the Parthians’, and hosted the fourthsymposium in the series, again in conjunctionwith the British Museum and with the generoussupport of the Soudavar Memorial Foundation.It continued with the fourth in a series of

conferences on the GCC States, convened byDr Alanoud Alsharekh, an alumna of SOAS.Other conferences during the year dealt withBritish-Egyptian relations 50 years after theSuez conflict (with the support of the British-Egyptian Society), British and German academicperspectives on the Middle East (organised jointlywith the German Embassy in London) and aconference examining whether or not there wasa gap between the Pan-Arab and Western media.25The LMEI has continued to develop its consultancyand briefing programmes, providing trainingseminars for journalists in both Saudi Arabia andthe Occupied Territories and devising tailoredbriefing programmes for private and public-sectorbodies in the UK.Further information can be found atwww.lmei.soas.ac.ukSOAS hosts regular seminars and conferences by itsown scholars and interest groups and by visitingspeakers from organisations around the worldREGIONAL CENTRES

26SUPPORT SERVICESHEALTH AND WELFAREComing to university for the first time can bechallenging as well as exciting. SOAS recognisesthis and provides many sources of supportand advice on matters ranging from financeto exam worries.workshops, one-to-one tutorials and resourceson relevant topics, including core chapter writing,thesis writing and editing, and questionnaire andinterview preparation. Moreover, regular researchtraining seminars are organised at a departmentaland/or a faculty level.SUPPORT SERVICESThe Student Welfare Advice Service at VernonSquare provides impartial and confidential adviceon non-academic issues such as finance, visas andimmigration, accommodation, childcare, welfarebenefits, special needs and personal issues. Fordetails visit www.soas.ac.uk/welfareProfessionally trained counsellors located at theStudent Services Department at Vernon Squareand at the Gower Street Practice help studentsfacing problems of a personal or emotional nature(for details see www.soas.ac.uk/counselling). Healthprovision is available at the Gower Street Practice,located close to the School on Gower Street(for details see www.gowerstreetpractice.org.uk).A team of chaplains offers many services tostudents including opportunities for prayer andworship. The School has three, single-sex prayerrooms available for private use.STUDY SUPPORTAll postgraduate and research students can benefitfrom a variety of services and facilities at SOAS.The faculty offices have student support teams tohelp students access information and contacts.Additionally, each student is assigned a personaland/or academic tutor who can offer advice onacademic issues and help with problems that maybe affecting a student’s study.The Learning and Teaching Unit (LTU) providessupport to all students through the provision ofacademic development workshops, one-to-onetutorials and help-yourself resources, whichcover topics such as essay writing, presentationskills and exam strategies. Sessions are held everyweek and some as part of courses. For moreinformation, please visit www.soas.ac.uk/ltuThe LTU also has a dedicated Research StudentAdvisor for MPhil and PhD students (Dr DesmondThomas – dthomas@soas.ac.uk) and offersDISABLED STUDENTSThe School welcomes students with disabilities.We will do everything we can to ensure that youhave an excellent experience at SOAS. Disabledstudents including those with a chronic medicalcondition or specific learning difficulty (forexample, dyslexia, dyspraxia) can be providedwith additional support according to their needs.Applications from disabled students are consideredusing the standard academic criteria regardlessof any disability, and any related information thatis supplied is treated as confidential. The SOASStudent Disability Advisor can deal with anyspecific enquiries or can put you in touch with therelevant staff or external organisation. Academicswork with the Student Disability Advisor to ensurethe needs of disabled students are fully knownand understood. The LTU also offers individualsupport to those with a specific learning difficulty,including dyslexia, while studying for their degrees(see www.soas.ac.uk/ltu for details).The Examinations Section of the Registry aims tomeet individual student needs, in accordance withthe examination regulations for any particularprogramme. This may involve, for example,providing extra time for reading in examinations,amanuensis support and papers in Braille.School buildings are generally inclusive forwheelchair users, with accessible toilet facilities,lifts and Braille and tactile signage. The SOASresidences, Dinwiddy House and Paul RobesonHouse, both have special purpose bedroomsand parking bays for use by disabled residents.Both are adjacent to the Vernon Square campus.For further information contact Zoë Davis,Student Disability Advisor.tel: +44 (0)20 7074 5018;email: zd@soas.ac.ukor visit www.soas.ac.uk/disabilities

STUDENTS’ UNIONAll SOAS students are members of the Students’Union (SU), an integral part of the School’svibrant student community. The SU representsSOAS students’ interests, supports them in theirstudies, promotes their general welfare, andorganises social events.It has common rooms on both SOAS campuses,but its office is based at Russell Square where it alsoruns a discount stationery shop and a snack barselling fair trade goods. Downstairs is the SOASBar, a common meeting place for students betweenlectures and also home to many regular events.The SU runs one of the most comprehensivestudent representation systems in UK universities.Student reps – ordinary students elected by theirclassmates – get to attend departmental meetingsand School committees, and raise any problemsconcerning the teaching of the courses. The SOASStudents’ Union is one of the most actively politicalin the UK and has the largest proportional turnoutin SU elections in the country. It also arrangestalks on social and political issues, with speakersfrom around the world.SOAS students can also enjoy a wide range of socialevents and activities organised by the SU. For moreinformation see page 28 and visit www.soasunion.orgCAREERS SERVICEA wide range of career options is open to SOASgraduates. Alumni can be found working in keysectors around the world, including the media,diplomacy, international banking and finance,translation and interpreting, museums andgalleries, development, NGOs, government,the legal professions, research and teaching.Whatever your goal, the Careers team can help youto prepare for it. Information, services and employerevents are tailored to the interests and skills ofSOAS students. Annual careers events include twoGraduate Jobs Fairs, an NGO Volunteering Fair,a Human Rights Forum, a Languages Forum, anAfrica Forum and a World Music Conference,plus employer presentations and skills workshops.The team also runs a vacancy service (includingpart-time and internship) and a volunteering unit.You can research occupations, postgraduate studyand opportunities overseas in the Careers library,and access one-to-one careers guidance fromprofessionally qualified advisers all year round.They also give feedback on applications andinterview technique.SOAS Careers Service is part of The CareersGroup, University of London, the largest universitycareers service in the country. SOAS studentstherefore also benefit from additional activities,such as the London Graduate Recruitment Fairand the Getting into International Development,Starting Your Own Business and City courses.SOAS Careers Service facilities are free of chargeto current students and available to alumni at alow cost for two years after graduation. For detailsvisit www.soas.ac.uk/careersALUMNIWhen you graduate from SOAS, you become analumnus or alumna of the School. Membership tothe Alumni Association is free and automatic, andentitles you to a range of benefits, for example:• Discounts on a variety of SOAS servicesincluding SOAS Language Centre courses andSOAS Library memberships;• Invitations to lectures, events, and exhibitions atSOAS, as well as regional events around the world;• Copies of the SOAS Alumni Magazine and amonthly E-Newsletter, SOAS E-Lumni;• Access to a network of associations and alumnicontacts worldwide;• An opportunity to participate in AlumniDevelopment activities such as the AnnualFund and Scholarships Fund;• Access to the SOAS NetCommunity, whichoffers an alumni directory, career networkingopportunities, event registration, an emailservice, job lines, professional discussion groupforums and news about SOAS.For further information about the SOAS AlumniAssociation please visit www.soas.ac.uk/alumniORIENTATION PROGRAMMESOAS also runs an Orientation Programme tohelp you settle in when you arrive at the Schoolin September. It includes special events andworkshops for all new postgraduate and researchstudents. For details see page 36 and seewww.soas.ac.uk/newstudents27SUPPORT SERVICES

28LIVING IN LONDONLIVING IN LONDONLondon is one of the world’s great capitalsand, wherever you come from, spending a fewyears in the metropolis will be one of the mostexciting experiences of your life. The city attractsmillions of visitors each year, drawn to its wealthof galleries, theatres and museums, palaces,parks and squares, restaurants and shops, notto mention famous and familiar landmarks likeBig Ben, the red bus, the black cab, the redphone booth and the Tower of London. It offersstudents an unparalleled environment in whichto live and study, being a centre for governmentand law, Europe’s leading financial market, astyle-setting centre of multi-cultural life andintellectual hub.SOAS is in the centre of London, in a peacefularea known as Bloomsbury, which houses manyUniversity of London colleges and facilities.The West End and the City of London are withina two-mile radius. You can walk to the BritishMuseum, the British Library, the National Gallery,Trafalgar Square, and Buckingham Palace, takingin a coffee in Soho and a bit of shopping in CoventGarden or Oxford Street. Further afield youwill find the museums of South Kensington orthe galleries and theatres of the South bank andLondon’s famous new landmark, the London Eye.‘Cosmopolitan’ does not do justice to the varietyof cuisine available, and the range of theatres(West End and fringe), cinema, music, clubs,pubs and academic and cultural events on offeris probably without equal anywhere in the world.COST OF LIVINGThe benefits of living and studying in London areobvious but what about the cost? That dependson what sort of lifestyle you want. London can beexpensive but there are cafés where you can eat forunder £5, most museums and galleries are free,and many places offer discounts for students.Our very general estimate of living costs in London(based on University of London estimates) is £1,000per month. This excludes tuition fees. It is possibleto live on less but what is recommended ensuresa reasonable standard of living. When you arriveat the School you will receive information fromthe Students’ Union (SU) about places to visit andwhat special offers and discounts are available.SOCIAL LIFEThere is a wealth of social facilities in and aroundLondon. In addition, the SOAS Students’ Union(SU) and the University of London Union (ULU)organise events and activities throughout the year.The SU at Russell Square runs a very popularbar with regular evening events – including livebands, discos and cultural evenings. The commonroom at Vernon Square hosts regular screeningsof films from around the world. Regular eventsalso include performances by SOAS musicstudents, and debates and talks on nationaland international politics.The SU facilitates more than 30 different studentsocieties and sports teams (see panel opposite),and it is easy for students to set up new ones.The SU also organises trips to other parts of theUK. The SU handbook, which contains detailsof the Fresher’s orientation programme, is sent toall new students in August. For more informationsee www.soasunion.orgSOAS students are also served by the facilitiesof the University of London Union (ULU),located around the corner from the RussellSquare campus on Malet Street. SOAS studentsare automatically members of ULU, which housesa range of services including bars and cafés, alive music venue, comprehensive multi-gym,and an international size swimming pool. Shopsinclude a student travel agency, stationery store,photocopying facilities, an optician, and sportswear. The Union provides a central meeting placefor all students in London. A weekly book fair isorganised every Friday where second-hand booksand remainders are sold at discount prices.There are more than 100 societies and sportsclubs catering for every conceivable interest, andinformation about these is published in LondonStudent, the union’s own newspaper which ispublished at regular intervals.For more information email: general@ulu.ucl.ac.ukor visit the website at www.ulu.co.ukRight: SOAS offers a friendly, multicultural andstimulating environment right in the buzzing heartof London

SOAS STUDENT SOCIETIES29• ABACUS• Action for NorthernUganda• Africa Society• African & CaribbeanSociety• Airenjuku Dojo• Ale Appreciation• Amnesty International• Anime Society• Arabic Society• Art Society• ASEANs in SOAS• Assyria Society• Bangladesh Society• Bhakti Yoga• Campaign For HumanRights in the Philippines• Capoeira Society• Catholic Society• Chinese Cultural Society• Choy Li Fut• Christian Union• Climbing &Mountaineering Club• Cricket Society• Dance Society• Debating Society• Drama Society• Falun Dafa• Film Society• Friends of Africa• Giant BLT• Green Group• Hong Kong Film• Investment BankingSociety• Israel Society• Japan Society• Japanese SankyokuSociety• Jewish Society• Jiu Jitsu• Korean Society• Latin America Society• Law Society• Liberal DemocratSociety• Meditation and Music• Men’s Basketball• Men’s Football• Mixed Martial ArtsSociety• Mongolian Society• Myanmar/BurmaSociety• Natural RemediesSociety• Open Mind Society• Pakistan Society• Palestine Society• Peaceful Aloud• Pencak Silat• Polish Society• Politics• Port & Stilton• Pro-Evolution Society• Radio Society• Respect• Rinse Out ClubbingSociety• Rock Society• Salam Society• Sanatan Society(Hindu Society)• Shorinji Kempo• Ski and Snowboarding• Socialist Worker StudentSociety (SWSS)• SOAS Detainee SupportGroup• SOAS Kali Society• SOAS Ladies TouchRugby• SOAS LanguageExchange• SOAS Medsin• SOAS Model UnitedNations• SOAS Runners Club• SOAS SIS• SOAS Snooker & Pool• SOAS Taiwanese Society• SOAS Tennis• SOAS Warriors RFC• Soo Bahk Do• South Asia Society• STAR• Taikwando• Thai Boxing• Thai Society• Turkish Society• Urdu Society• War On Want• Women’s Society• Women’s Basketball• Women’s Football• Yoga at SOASLIVING IN LONDON

30ACCOMMODATIONACCOMMODATIONMoving to a major city like London can be bothexciting and daunting, especially if this is yourfirst time away from home. The School doesits best to guide you through the process andto help you find the right place to stay. All newgraduates are advised to apply for a place in astudent residence, at least for the first year, as thishelps you settle in more quickly and gives youa secure base. With more than 750 bed spacesavailable each year we try to offer universityaccommodation to every student new to theSchool, although campus accommodation isnot guaranteed.SOAS STUDENT RESIDENCESSOAS students have exclusive access to tworesidences located on Pentonville Road, adjacentto Vernon Square and a 20-minute walkfrom the Russell Square campus. ShaftesburyStudent Housing owns Dinwiddy House,which accommodates 510 undergraduate andpostgraduate students, and Paul Robeson House,which accommodates 252 postgraduate studentsin single rooms and both undergraduates andpostgraduates in the seven double roomsavailable to couples.Each building offers purpose-built, self-cateringaccommodation featuring individual studybedroomswith en-suite facilities, telephone andinternet cabling. Six or seven rooms are clusteredaround a shared kitchen/diner. Where possible,students will be offered a choice of single or mixedsex clusters. The halls will both be non-smokingfrom 1st July 2007. The residences have been builtto accommodate wheelchair access and five ofthe study bedrooms have been equipped for useby students with disabilities. You should discussany specific needs you may have with the SOASStudent Disability Officer before applying.A launderette and common room with TV andvending facilities are located on-site and eachresidence has covered bicycle storage facilities(but no provisions for parking cars). The kitchensare cleaned once a week but students are expectedto maintain their own rooms. Students shouldbring their own crockery, cutlery, cookingequipment, bed linen (including blankets andpillows) and towels (although you can buy thebed linen from the residence if necessary).Accommodation in the residences is offered forthe full 38-week session (this covers the academicyear including Christmas and Easter vacations)and a 51-week period (this includes the summervacation). Rent for the 2007–8 session is £115.08per week for a single en-suite and £136.57 perweek for a double room, payable termly inadvance. These fees are subject to change.They cover rent and services as well as a basicinternet connection, but not telephone. Youwill also need to allow money each week forfood and living expenses.For further information see www.sshl.org.ukSOAS RESIDENCESFEE PER WEEK FOR 2007–2008For the 2008–2009 fees and further information,please visit www.sshl.org.uk or emailstudent@shaftesburyhousing.org.ukMIXED RESIDENCES, SELF-CATERINGDINWIDDY HOUSEPentonville Road, N1510 residents (510 single en-suite rooms withtelephone and Internet points)Shared kitchen/dining area, TV/DVD room, pooltable, vending machines, laundry, secure bike shed,wheelchair accessBed linen not providedFee: £115.08PAUL ROBESON HOUSEPenton Rise, WC1266 residents (252 single en-suite rooms forpostgraduates only, 7 double en-suite rooms forundergraduates and postgraduates – all withtelephone and Internet points)Shared kitchen/dining area, TV/video room,vending machines, laundry, secure bike shed,wheelchair accessBed linen not providedFee: single £115.08; double £136.57Contracts for both residences are available for 38weeks (includes Christmas and Easter vacations)and 51 weeks (also includes Summer vacation)

UNIVERSITY OF LONDONINTERCOLLEGIATE STUDENTRESIDENCESSOAS students are also entitled to apply for aplace in one of the seven intercollegiate residencesowned and maintained by the University ofLondon. This offers a valuable opportunity tomix with students from other colleges of theUniversity. All provide catering, offering breakfastand evening meals on weekdays and all mealsat weekends.Buildings tend to be older than those of theSOAS residences, therefore do not have moremodern conveniences such as en-suite facilities.However, some have been recently refurbishedand many rooms now offer personal telephonesand data points for internet connection. Smokingis not permitted anywhere on the premises.All halls listed are residences housing maleand female students. However, Nutford House,International House and the Garden Hallshave some rooms on single sex floors duringthe academic year; if you would like to beallocated to one of these rooms please informthe Hall directly.The costs vary and the contracts are for termtimeonly (normally including the Christmasand Easter vacations). Accommodation duringthe summer holidays is available in certainintercollegiate halls, for example, in ConnaughtHall and International Hall (please refer to therespective hall’s website on www.london.ac.uk/halls.html for details).The intercollegiate residences vary considerablyin age and style of building. If you have any specialneeds you are advised to discuss them with theindividual residence prior to application. Forfurther information see www.lon.ac.uk/accomPRIVATE ACCOMMODATIONIf you prefer to live in the private sector, theUniversity of London Housing Services offersguidance to new students. It maintains adatabase of private sector and University-ownedaccommodation including rooms in privatehomes, flat-shares, rooms with meals, flats andhouses for groups of two or more students andcouples, with or without families, whole blocksof self-catering flats for up to 136 students, listsof hotels, hostels and accommodation agencies.For details, contact the University of LondonHousing Services, University of LondonUnion, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY(+44 (0)20 7862 8880, email: housing@lon.ac.uk).The office is open to personal callers Monday–Friday, 9.30 am–5.30 pm, and on Saturdays inSeptember from 9.30 am–2 pm. Informationis also available on their website atwww.housing.london.ac.ukAPPLYING FOR ACCOMMODATIONFOR THE ACADEMIC YEARYou are strongly advised to arrange youraccommodation before arriving in the UK. Itcan be difficult to find a place to stay in London,especially in September, and places in studentresidences are limited.If you accept an offer of a place at SOAS,you will be sent an accommodation pack.The pack contains:• a booklet, ‘Finding Somewhere to Live inLondon’, prepared by the University of LondonAccommodation Office;• a leaflet detailing how to access the onlineapplication form for accommodation.If you are a new student and wish to apply fora place in Dinwiddy/Paul Robeson House youshould complete the online application formand submit it to Shaftesbury Student ServiceOffice as early as possible. If you are interestedin a place in one of the Intercollegiate Halls, youshould apply online by 30 June.To access the application area on the ShaftesburyHousing website www.sshl.org.uk you will needthe unique serial number, found on the frontof the Accommodation Leaflet. If you have notreceived the leaflet in time, please emailadmissions@soas.ac.uk for a serial number.The information pages on the website haveunrestricted access.Offers of accommodation for new studentsare made on three main dates throughout thesummer, starting in the first week of July. Youhave two weeks to decide if you wish to acceptthe accommodation offer and, if you do, youwill be asked to secure it with a deposit of£275 (includes a £25 booking fee). You will beexpected to pay for your accommodation termlyin advance.31ACCOMMODATION

32 Any queries about student residences should beaddressed to the Accommodation Services Offices,Shaftesbury Student Housing, Dinwiddy House,189–205 Pentonville Road, London N1 9NFtel: +44 (0)20 7841 0480,email: student@shaftesburyhousing.org.ukFOR SUMMER COURSESPlease note that if you are taking a pre-sessionalIFCELS course in English language and subjectstudy between July and September (see page 36)you can apply for a room at the SOAS Halls ofResidence. This accommodation is in single selfcateringrooms with en-suite toilet and shower.There are a limited number of rooms available inJuly, August and September and students will beallocated rooms according to the date of receiptof their application.For further information contact the IFCELSAccommodation and Welfare Adviserifcelsaccommodation@soas.ac.uk), who can adviseon all aspects of accommodation, welfare andstudent visas.Students allocated SOAS accommodation for theirpre-sessional courses MUST apply separately foraccommodation for the full academic year.Well-appointed accommodation is located just minutesaway from SOAS’s campusesACCOMMODATION

INTERCOLLEGIATE RESIDENCES FEE PER NIGHT FOR 2007–200833For the 2008–2009 fees and further information,please visit www.lon.ac.uk/accom or emailulao@accomm.lon.ac.ukMIXED RESIDENCES(CATERED; SESSIONAL CONTRACT*)CONNAUGHT HALLTavistock Square, WC1214 residents (204 single bedrooms, 5 shared rooms – allwith internet access, telephone and wash hand basins)TV rooms, table tennis room, bar, library, quiet garden,bike store, tea kitchens, laundryFees: Single £15.20 to £17.70; twin £15.20GARDEN HALLS(incorporating Hughes Parry Hall, Canterbury Halland Commonwealth Hall)Cartwright Gardens, WC1– CANTERBURY HALL229 residents (202 single study bedrooms withinternet access and telephones; the majority ofstudents share a bathroom with one other studentonly, and 27 rooms have an en-suite bathroom)TV rooms, music room, squash court, tennis court(Cartwright Gardens), tea kitchens, laundryFees: Single £17.70 to £21.50– COMMONWEALTH HALL431 residents (398 single study bedrooms, 11 largesingle study bedrooms, 11 double sets, i.e. twobedrooms sharing a common sitting-study room– all with internet access and telephones)TV rooms, common room, squash court, tenniscourt (Cartwright Gardens), music room, tabletennis room, tea kitchens, laundryFees: Single £17.70 to £21.50– HUGHES PARRY HALL300 residents (295 single study bedrooms, 5 sharedstudy bedrooms – all with internet access andtelephones)TV rooms, common rooms, squash courts, tenniscourt (Cartwright Gardens), games room, bar, teakitchens, laundryFees: Single £17.70 to £21.50INTERNATIONAL HALLLansdowne Terrace, WC1850 residents (414 single study bedrooms – all withinternet access, telephones and wash hand basins)Modern restaurant, café bar, bar with satellite TV,internet cafe, computer room, music rooms, squashcourt, recreation hall, TV/common rooms, two quietcourtyards, laundry, tea kitchensFees: Single £19.00; single studio £22.00;double studio £25.50NUTFORD HOUSEBrown Street, N1 (Marylebone)199 residents (159 single rooms, 21 shared rooms– all with internet access, telephones [provided by athird party] and wash hand basins)TV rooms, common room, games room, music room,study room, bar, bicycle shed, small private garden,laundry, tea kitchensFees: Single £16.00 to £18.00; twin £14.60SELF-CATERED FLATS AND MAISONETTESINTERNATIONAL HALLLansdowne Terrace, WC1(50-week contracts from September until the endof August)850 residents (235 studios and flats, of which 30 selfcateringsingle studies and 154 self-catering doublestudies, plus a range of one and two bedroom flats– all normally reserved for postgraduate students andwith internet access, telephones and wash hand basins)Modern restaurant, café bar, bar with satellite TV,internet cafe, computer room, music rooms, squashcourt, recreation hall, TV/common rooms, two quietcourtyards, laundry, tea kitchensBedding and linen not providedFees: flats/maisonettes £34.00 to £54.00* Contracts from the day before the first term to the dayafter the last termACCOMMODATION

34INTERNATIONAL STUDENTSINTERNATIONAL STUDENTSOver the years, many thousands of internationalstudents have chosen to study at SOAS. The Schoolorganises a Welcome and Orientation Programmeat the start of the academic year, designed to helpyou settle into your new surroundings.SOAS can also put you in touch with externalorganisations such as HOST (Hosting OverseasStudents), which organises free weekend visitsfor international students to British families intheir homes, and International Students House(ISH), which offers a range of social, sports, travel,welfare and accommodation services (includingday and overnight trips to places in the UK andEurope) for international students. For details seewww.hostuk.org and www.ish.org.ukLIVING EXPENSESLondon is a capital city and, as such, caters formany different budgets. You should ensure thatyou have sufficient funds to maintain yourselfand pay for your studies throughout your course.Our very general estimate of living costs inLondon (based on University of Londonestimates) is £1,000 per month. This estimateexcludes tuition fees. We also recommend thatoverseas students coming to the UK for the firsttime budget a further £1,000 to cover one-offcosts (for example, deposits, insurance, books,travel and warm clothing).Details are available in our welcome guide, whichwill be sent to you if you receive an offer fromSOAS; a PDF version is available at www.soas.ac.uk/srofiles/InternationalWelcomeHandbk.pdfWORKING IN THE UKThe UK government permits internationalstudents to work up to 20 hours per week interm time, and full-time in vacations. Thisgenerally applies only to students on courses ofsix months or more, although some students onshorter courses may be given permission to work.For details see www.ukcisa.org.uk or contactwelfare@soas.ac.ukHEALTH CAREInternational students who are studying on acourse of six months or more are eligible toreceive health care under the National HealthService (NHS) on the same basis as UK students.Overseas students from non-EEA countrieswho attend SOAS for less than six months shouldtake out a hospital medical insurance to coverhospital expenses. However, they are eligiblefor the University Health Service and, at thediscretion of an NHS doctor may be givengeneral practice treatment.Nationals from any EEA countries and thosefrom countries that have reciprocal healthagreements are exempt from all payments otherthan prescriptions, optical and dental treatments.All intending students should consult their ownhealth authorities about possible reciprocalagreements before coming to the UK.For details contact the Student Welfare Advisorstel: +44 (0)20 7074 5015email: welfare@soas.ac.ukDISABLED STUDENTSDisabled international students have the right tohave reasonable adjustments made so that they areable to access their courses. The term ‘disability’has a very broad definition including:• Mobility impairment (for example, limitedstanding/walking ability or using a wheelchair);• Dexterity impairment (limited use of hands orpoor control of muscles for movements);• Visual or hearing impairment;• Medical condition (for example, asthma,diabetes, epilepsy, depression, anxiety, panicattacks, chronic pain or chronic fatigue);• Specific learning difficulty (for example,dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit disorder);• Autism Spectrum Disorders (for example,Asperger’s Syndrome);• Assistance may also be available for those withtemporary conditions resulting from an injuryor surgery.If a student has any one (or more) of theseconditions the student can be provided with

additional support, according to their needs;please contact the Student Disability Advisor,Zoë Davis, for further details:tel: +44 (0)20 7074 5018email: zd@soas.ac.ukENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTSIf your mother tongue is not English, you mustprovide evidence of your English language abilitybefore admission to the School. Other evidencemay be acceptable, including in some instancesuniversity education in fully English medium; forfurther information candidates should contactadmissions tutors and officers. But otherwiselanguage competence is generally demonstratedby success in IELTS or TOEFL tests. Any test scoreprovided must relate to a test taken no more thanone year prior to the start of the relevant academicyear. If applicants wish to submit other EnglishLanguage qualifications, these will be assessed ona case-by-case basis.Students with the test scores as specified belowin the panel, qualify for an unconditional offer tostudy at SOAS. Those with scores lower than thespecification, but who have scores of IELTS 6.0/6.5or TOEFL PBT 560 with TWE 4.0/CBT 220 withER 4/iBT 88 with 20 in writing are encouraged toapply but will normally be required to take a presessionalor in-sessional English course.Applicants whose scores fall below the abovementioned scores are recommended to contactInternational Foundation Courses and EnglishLanguage Studies (IFCELS) at ifcels@soas.ac.ukto discuss the possibility of taking a longerperiod of preparatory English language studies.Applicants should also contact IFCELS with anyqueries about English language entry-levels forSOAS (see page 36 for contact details).ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTSSOAS accepts a range of internationalqualifications. If you hold a qualification that isnot recognised by the School you will be requiredto supplement your studies with a foundationdiploma (Pre-Masters course) before admissionto a postgraduate degree (see below).PRE-MASTERS AND ENGLISHLANGUAGE PROGRAMMESInternational Foundation Courses and EnglishLanguage Studies (IFCELS) is a specialistdepartment of SOAS, which provides a rangeof programmes for international students.IFCELS students are full members of the Schooland enjoy the same access to libraries, sports/social facilities and accommodation as SOASundergraduates. They also benefit from thesupport services provided by IFCELS such astwo full-time academic counsellors to adviseon university applications and the department’sown accommodation and welfare advisor.PRE-MASTERS PROGRAMMEThe Foundation Diploma for PostgraduateStudies (FDPS) is a ten-month, full-time pre-Masters course providing academic and Englishlanguage preparation for international studentswho want to enter Masters degrees (taught andresearched) at SOAS and other British universitiesin social science, business and managementrelatedstudies, arts and humanities. It is aimedparticularly at students who come from educationsystems that differ in approaches to learning andteaching from the UK.The programme is recognised throughoutBritish higher education as providing thenecessary foundation for study on postgraduate35PUBLIC EXAMINATIONSInternational English Language Testing Service(IELTS), organised through the British Councilwww.ielts.orgTest of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)Institution Code 0107www.ets.org/toeflSCORE FOR UNCONDITIONAL ENTRYOverall 7+ with at least 7 in all sub scoresPBT 600+ with 5.0+ Test of Written English (TWE)CBT 250+ with 5.0+ Essay Rating (ER)iBT100+ with 25+ writing subscoreINTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

36 programmes, and students who have theappropriate academic qualifications areguaranteed an interview for a place at SOAS.For further details, including structure, entryrequirements and application procedure, pleasesee page 14.ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSESThe English Language and Academic Studies(ELAS) course is a flexible, modular programmethat allows students to focus on Academic Englishtaught at five different levels (10 hours per week)combined with academic subject study in SocialSciences, Humanities, International BusinessStudies and Contemporary International Issues(six hours per week) together with a range ofminor units (four hours per week) includingIELTS Examination Preparation. For studentswith lower English language levels an intensiveEnglish language unit is also provided (20 hoursper week).A flexible structure offers courses of 10, 20 or 30weeks, with registration possible at three timesin the year (September, January and April). Thecourse provides 20 hours of tuition per week.Students need the equivalent of IELTS 4.5/TOEFLCBT 150 to enter the programme.• International Business with supporting English(3 weeks)• Introduction to Media Studies with supportingEnglish (3 weeks)• International Relations with supporting English(3 weeks)Minimum entry level intermediate (IELTS 5or equivalent)IN-SESSIONAL SUPPORTIFCELS also provides in-sessional classes instudy skills and academic English designedto support you while you are following yourdegree programme. This includes both groupand individual tuition combined to ensure thatyou can take the best advantage of your studies.The work corresponds to the kind of activitiesyou will be involved in as part of your studies(understanding essay questions, organisingyour writing, etc.). It is designed to fit in withyour subject timetable and you will be advisedduring registration if you are required to jointhis programme.For further details please contact:email: ifcels@soas.ac.uktel: +44 (0)20 7898 4800fax: +44 (0)20 7898 4803www.soas.ac.uk/ifcelsINTERNATIONAL STUDENTSStudents completing at least two terms onthe programme may be awarded a Diploma/Certificate in Academic English with academicsubject study. Transcripts are provided forstudents taking this programme as a periodof study abroad from their home country.SUMMER COURSESIFCELS also offers the following summer courses(July to September) which focus on Englishlanguage and subject study:• English language (3, 6 or 9 weeks)• IELTS preparation (3, 6 or 9 weeks)Minimum entry level pre-intermediate (IELTS 4.5or equivalent)• Academic Reading and Writing (6 weeks)• Advanced Academic Reading and Writing(3 weeks)• Art History with supporting English (3 weeks)• Environment and Development withsupporting English (3 weeks)WELCOME AND ORIENTATIONPROGRAMMEAs hundreds of students arrive at SOASin September, we organise a Welcome andOrientation Programme for all new students(both UK and international) to help you settlein. The programme is free and takes place duringOrientation and Enrolment Week before classesstart. Although optional, we do recommendthat you take advantage of the opportunity asit provides a valuable introduction to academicand social life in London.The sessions are designed to give you an overviewof what the School expects from you and whatyou can expect from the School, as well as helpingyou find your bearings in this new environment.A team of student ambassadors will be on handto offer advice and guidance.The programme includes:• Academic Life sessions (workloads, assessments,marking schemes, study support etc.)

37• Welfare sessions (student support services,health facilities, finances and banking)• Personal Safety in London• Making the most of London• Shopping tours, campus tours, facilities tours• Departmental welcome meetings• Students’ Union social activities• A reception party for international students• Introductory sessions for specific groups ofstudents, such as research and mature studentsMore information about the Welcome andOrientation Programme will be posted onwww.soas.ac.uk/newstudents and is available inour Orientation Handbook, which will be sent toyou closer to the time.USEFUL WEBSITESwww.britishcouncil.orgwww.educationuk.orgwww.ukcisa.org.ukAbove: Every year SOAS is a magnet for hundreds ofstudents from around the worldINTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

38SOAS offers more than 80 postgraduate programmesin the humanities, languages and social sciencesON-CAMPUSDEGREESBY DEPARTMENT/ CENTRE40 AFRICA42 ANTHROPOLOGY ANDSOCIOLOGY54 ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY59 CHINA AND INNER ASIA63 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES67 ECONOMICS74 FINANCIAL ANDMANAGEMENT STUDIES78 HISTORY83 INTERNATIONAL STUDIESAND DIPLOMACY86 JAPAN AND KOREA90 LAW102 LINGUISTICS108 MEDIA AND FILM STUDIES115 MUSIC118 NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST123 POLITICS ANDINTERNATIONAL STUDIES129 SOUTH ASIA132 SOUTH EAST ASIA134 STUDY OF RELIGIONS144 INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIESON-CAMPUS DEGREESPlease note: The following pages contain lists of courses in thevarious postgraduate programmes offered by SOAS. However,not all of these courses are available every single year. For up-todatelists of courses offered in 2008/09, please visit the relevantdepartmental pages on the School’s website (www.soas.ac.uk)or contact the Faculty or Centre office. Please note that somecourses may be taught in other departments of the School.Right: China – the home of the umbrella

39ON-CAMPUS DEGREES

40DEPARTMENT OFAFRICAAll academic staff are engaged in their own researchand publish extensively. Current research areas includeAfrican language dictionaries and reference grammar;orality and broadcast cultures in Africa; Africanlanguage metrics and traditional poetry; contemporaryAfrican and Caribbean writing in English; and religion,education and the media in Africa.NUMBER OF STAFF 13RAE 5DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/africaFACULTY Languages and CulturesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMA AFRICAN LITERATUREINTERDISCIPLINARYMA AFRICAN STUDIES– SEE PAGE 144MA COMPARATIVE LITERATURE(AFRICA/ASIA) – SEE PAGE 146AFRICATeaching and research go hand-in-hand in theDepartment, and with around 40% of our studentsregistered for postgraduate degrees we encourageclose links between staff and student researchwhich is breaking new ground. Supervised workreflects staff interests and expertise, ranging fromlinguistic description to sociolinguistic issuesin today’s Africa; from traditional literature inAfrican languages to contemporary Africanwriting in English; from text-based studies oftraditional philosophy and religion to Africanaspects of worldwide religions.What makes the Department unique in the UKis the close interaction between African languagestudy and work on African cultural studies,reflecting the general orientation of SOAS. Anumber of African languages are regularly taughtin the Department: Amharic, Hausa, KiSwahili,Somali, Yoruba and Zulu for instance, but instaff and student research a much wider rangeof languages is covered. This breadth of languageexpertise is especially focused around the Hornof Africa, Kenya/Tanzania, and Nigeria.Across the Department there is prominent interestin African literature in all its manifestations,whether oral or written, whether in Africanlanguages or metropolitan languages such asEnglish and French. Poetry, song, dance, drama,and instrumental accompaniment are pivotal andfrequently interlinked forms of cultural expressionin Africa, and the dynamic relevance of someor all of these is evident in contemporary artforms such as film and in the media, which alsoconstitute an important part of the Department’sresearch and teaching expertise. Artistic forms inAfrica are often also imbued with political and/orreligious significance.RESEARCH DEGREESSupervision is provided for research leading toMPhil and PhD degrees within the broad generalarea of African studies. Research topics suchas the study of a language (from a descriptive,comparative, philological or textual point of view),or of literature (whether author-based, thematicor comparative), or of any of the performing arts,which falls within our own core expertise, aresupervised entirely in the Department. However,there is great potential for extending the rangeof topics by means of joint supervision withcolleagues from other departments and centres.SOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESJoseph Auta Kyari – Agreement and ConcordPhenomena in Gyong (Kagoma) (Benue-Congo)Carolyn Hart – Cross-cultural Innovations in Africanand African Diasporic Literatures: Creation, Productionand Reception of Trangressive TextsACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASMr William Burgess BA(LONDON)Lector in HausaDr Lucy Durán BMUS MMUS(LONDON) PHDMusic of the Mande cultural area; popular music inWest and Central Africa; music of the Latin CaribbeanDr Lindiwe Dovey PHD(CANTAB)African cinema in relation to exiles; belief/knowledgedialectics; opera; structure of film distribution andexhibition; contemporary film theory, music/soundand dance

Dr Tanya Kai Easton BA(GETTYSBURG) MA PHD(LONDON)Colonial and postcolonial studies, esp. South AfricanLiterature (the Cape, Wicomb, Coetzee); gender and theculture of travel; Indian Ocean diasporas; theories offiction and historyProfessor Graham Furniss BA PHD(LONDON)Postgraduate TutorAfrican language literature; comparative Africanliterature; Hausa language, linguistics and literatureDr Chege Githiora BA(MEXICO) PHD(MICHIGAN)Swahili language, literature and linguistics; lexicography;Kikuyu language and literatureProfessor Philip J Jaggar BA MPHIL(LONDON)MA PHD(UCLA)Hausa language and linguistics; comparative ChadicMs Margaret Kumbuka BA(DAR ES SALAAM)Lector in SwahiliDr Lutz Marten MA PHD(LONDON)Bantu languages and linguistics, Herero, Swahili, syntax,semantics, pragmaticsDr Martin Orwin BA PHD(LONDON)Somali and Amharic language and literature; metrics;phonologyDr Kwadwo Osei-Nyame BA(GHANA) DPHIL(OXON)Post-colonial writing with special reference toanglophone and francophone African Americanwriting; comparative national literaturesDr Akin Oyètádé BA(IFE) DIPLING PHD(LONDON)Head of DepartmentYoruba language and literature; Yoruba culture andlinguistics with special reference to phonology; Yorubain the diasporaDr Alena Rettová PHD(CHARLES UNIVERSITY, PRAGUE)Swahili literature; African philosophical discourses;literatures in African languages41MA AFRICAN LITERATUREDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Graham FurnissSEE ALSO:MA African Studies,MA Comparative Literature (Africa/Asia)This programme enables students to engagecritically with varied aspects of oral and writtenliteratures in Africa.The course on Theories and Techniques ofComparative Literature provides theoretical andmethodological skills while other sections focuson specific areas such as literatures in Africanlanguages and contemporary African literature inEnglish. The programme is unique in the way itencourages exploration of relationships betweenindigenous African aesthetics and contemporaryliterary theories.All students are required to write a 10,000-worddissertation in the field of their major course,which allows them to carry out a substantial pieceof independent academic work on a selected topic.Students are required to take the core coursetogether with two other courses from either ListA or List B, one of which will be designated as amajor course. The dissertation is taken in eitherthe core course or in the course ‘Selected Topics’.List B courses assume a linguistic competence inthe chosen language equivalent to that acquiredin a first degree.MA AFRICAN LITERATURENot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSE- Literatures in African languagesChoose two courses from either list A or list BbelowLIST A- Selected Topics in African Literature- Theory and Techniques of Comparative LiteratureLIST B- The Novel in Swahili- Dimensions of Swahili PoetryAFRICA

42 DEPARTMENT OFANTHROPOLOGY ANDSOCIOLOGYNUMBER OF STAFF 19RAE 5ESRC RECOGNITIONDEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/anthropologyFACULTY Arts and HumanitiesThe Department of Anthropology and Sociology isamong the largest and most respected departmentsof social anthropology in the UK, and it has morestudents enrolled for Masters degrees than any otherdepartment in the country.All academic staff engage in research and maintaina high level of publication. Approximately 50%of our students are registered for postgraduatedegrees, offering a lively and supportive atmosphere.Anthropology and sociology are combined inour title to emphasise the range of our concerns,from remoter communities to more recent urbanand global developments, avoiding any arbitrarydistinction that may be implied by one termor the other.The Department cultivates several specialiststrengths that distinguish it from other anthropologydepartments in the United Kingdom. The mostobvious of these is that all our staff are specialistson Africa and Asia (other areas of the worldwill fall within the School’s brief only insofaras peoples of African or Asian origin are foundthere). All staff are simultaneously attachedas anthropologists to this Department and asregional specialists to their appropriate RegionalCentre within the School.TAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMA ANTHROPOLOGICALRESEARCH METHODSMA ANTHROPOLOGY OF FOODMA ANTHROPOLOGY OF MEDIAMA MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGYMA MIGRATION AND DIASPORASTUDIESMA SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGYMA SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY OFDEVELOPMENTapproach anthropology. SOAS is, together withmany other things, a language-teaching institute,and the Department is particularly known for itslanguage-related work in such fields as culturalstudies, semiotics, semantics, media studies, andinterpretive and poststructuralist anthropology.The application of these perspectives has takenaccount of such varied subjects as gender, food,development, consumption, films, photographsand tourism.The Department is recognised as an outlet forresearch students by the British Economic andSocial Research Council (ESRC).NB: Students wishing to apply for ESRCfunding to undertake a subsequent researchdegree must take the MA AnthropologicalResearch Methods.ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGYThere are several advantages to this; but, mostnotably, individual researchers find themselvesclosely engaged in work with other regionalspecialists who are likely not to be anthropologists.As a result, disciplinary boundaries (with languagedepartments, and others like Development, History,Economics, Politics, Religion, etc) tend to beextremely porous at SOAS. A narrow disciplinaryviewpoint is not encouraged in staff or students; weare of necessity open to what we can learn from oneanother. The range of seminars at SOAS, sponsoredby different departments and regional centres, is alsoindicative of the integrated approach to regionalstudies that is enabled in such an environment.As a Department, we also find that the generalorientation of the School affects the way weRESEARCH DEGREESTraining and supervision are provided forstudents registered for postgraduate researchdegrees (MPhil and PhD). Teaching is organisedso as to focus on the regions selected by students,and also, in cooperation with staff and studentsspecialising in other areas, to consider generalproblems of theory and method in a comparativeapproach to the study of contemporary culturesand societies. In addition to supervision throughtutorials, students receive training in researchmethods, fieldwork techniques and, wherenecessary, in the language relevant to their areaof research. There are opportunities to attendselected courses in the taught Masters degreeprogrammes and to attend seminars.

SOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESNigel Eltringham – Discourses and Genocide: TheContest of ‘Reality’ in Post Genocide RwandaKai Kresse – Approaching Philosophical Discourse ina Swahili ContextFrancis Lim – Imagining the Good Life in the Himalaya:A Study of the Langtang Valley, NepalAtreyee Sen – Women and Communal Violence inIndia: A CountervictimologyACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASDr John R Campbell BSC(OREGON) MA(NEW YORK)DPHIL(SUSSEX)Asylum seekers and law; East Africa: developmentprojects, urbanisation, civil society, ethnicity andnationalismDr Yuet (Adam) Chau BA (WILLIAMS COLLEGE)PHD (STANFORD)China, popular religion, politics, hosting and eventproductions, public writing, performance, theIndonesian Chinese diasporaDr Christopher Davis BA(SARAH LAWRENCE)MA PHD(CHICAGO)Central Africa: medical anthropology, interpretiveanthropology, ethnographic writing, philosophicalanthropologyProfessor Richard Fardon BSC(ECON) PHD(LONDON) FBAHead of DepartmentNigeria and Cameroon: politics and religion inhistorical perspective, theory in anthropologyDr Stephen P Hughes BA(BATES COLL., LEWISTON)MA PHD(CHICAGO)India, especially the Tamil-speaking south, and SriLanka: popular cinema, media theory, historicalanthropology and visual anthropologyDr Jakob Klein BA(LUND) MA(STOCKHOLM)MA PHD(LONDON)China (South), anthropology of food and eating, urbansocial relationsDr Kevin Latham BA(OXON) PGDIP(ZHANGSHAN)MA PHD(LONDON)Hong Kong and Guangdong Province (PRC):Journalism, television and media, telecommunications,Internet, Chinese theatre, popular culture, consumptionDr Trevor H J Marchand BSC(ARCH) BARCH(MCGILL)PHD(LONDON)West Africa, Near and Middle East, especially Yemen:spatial cognition, apprenticeship, architecture andanthropologyDr Magnus Marsden BA PHD (CANTAB)South and Central AsiaDr Dolores P Martinez AB (CHICAGO) DIPSOCANTHDPHIL(OXON)Postgraduate Research TutorJapan: popular culture and the media; anthropologyof tourism, ritual, gender relationsProfessor David Mosse MA DPHIL(OXON)MA TutorIndia, especially Tamil Nadu: caste, religion, ritual,vernacular Christianity, environmental history, commonproperty resources, indigenous irrigation, participatoryrural development, aid agencies, anthropology ofdevelopmentDr Caroline Osella BA PHD(LONDON)Kerala, South Asia, South Asian diaspora:ethnophysiology, concepts of person, gender, ethnicity,psychology and anthropology, medical anthropologyProfessor John D Y Peel MA(OXON) PHD DLIT(LONDON) FBAWest Africa: social theory, history and anthropology,religious conversion and cultural changeProfessor Johan P J Pottier BA PHD(SUSSEX)Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia:rural development, food security, ethnic conflict, postconflictrehabilitationDr Parvathi Raman BA PHD(LONDON)South Africa, India and UK: Indian and South Africanidentity; African and Asian communities in LondonDr Kostas Retsikas BA(ATHENS) MA (KENT)PHD (EDINBURGH)South East Asian Anthropology, notably Indonesia, Java,migration, ethnicity and the bodyDr Edward Simpson BSOC.SCI (MANCHESTER)PHD (LONDON)Islam in South Asia; Indian Ocean; Gujarat;anthropology of natural disasters, including politicaleconomy, memorials, memory and nostalgiaDr Gabriele Vom Bruck MSC PHD (LONDON)Middle East with emphasis on the Arabian Peninsular(especially Yemen): elites, memory, gender, religionand politicsDr Harry West BA(VIRGINIA) MA PHD(WISCONSIN-MADISON)Southern Africa, especially Mozambique: politicalanthropology; violence and the state; revolutionarysocialism and post-socialist societies; traditionalauthority; sorcery; healing. Anthropology of Food:agriculture, food, and state policy; food safety andregulation; food and international trade; food andcultural heritage43ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY

44ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGYMA ANTHROPOLOGICALRESEARCH METHODSDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent) in Social AnthropologyPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Dolores MartinezSEE ALSO:MA Social Anthropology of Development,MA Social Anthropology,MA Anthropology of Media,MA in the Anthropology of Food,MSc Development Studies,MA Migration and Diaspora StudiesThe MA in Anthropological Research Methodsmay be taken either as a free standing MA oras the first part of a PhD. In both instances, thestudent must complete a programme of researchtraining and submit a dissertation on an approvedtopic. Candidates must also submit a numberof research related assignments which, takentogether with the dissertation, are equivalentto approximately 30,000 words. For studentsprogressing on to a PhD, the MA dissertation willnormally take the form of a research proposal.AIMS AND OUTCOMESThe MA is designed to train students in researchskills to the level prescribed by the ESRC’sresearch training guidelines. It is intendedfor students with a good first degree in socialanthropology or with a taught MA degree inanthropology. Most students would be expectedto progress to PhD registration at the end of thedegree, but it is also possible to take it as a standaloneprogramme.By the end of the programme students will:• Have practical competence in a range ofqualitative and quantitative research methodsand tools;• Have the ability to understand key issuesof method and theory, and to understandthe epistemological issues involved in usingdifferent methods.Students will also learn about a range of specificresearch methods and tools including:• Interviewing, collection and analysis of oralsources, analysis and use of documents,participatory research methods/focus groups,issues of triangulation, writing and analysingfield notes, research validity and reliability;• Social statistics (including chi-square tests, theT-test, F test and the rank correlation test) andapplications for fieldwork and ethnographicdata analysis;• Introduction to basic statistical packages(for example, SPSS).Discipline specific training includes ethnographicmethods and participant observation; ethicaland legal issues in anthropological research; thelogistics of long-term fieldwork; familiarisationwith appropriate regional and theoreticalliteratures; writing-up (in the field and producingethnography) and communicating research resultsand language training and preparation.THE TRAINING PROGRAMMEIn addition to optional courses that may betaken by a Research Student (such as languagesor a regional ethnography), the MA is awardedfollowing the successful completion of thefollowing courses: Qualitative Methods inAnthropological Research; Numerical Techniquesand Statistics in Social Anthropology; ResearchStudents Seminar.MA and first-year MPhil/PhD students arerequired to attend the Research Seminar whichprovides further training in use of the internet,research utilising bibliographic/ online resources,ethical and legal issues, communication andteam-working skills, career development, etc.The seminar focus is on the development of thethesis topic and leads to the presentation of theMA thesis/PhD research proposal as appropriate.In addition, students will meet regularlythroughout the year with their supervisor toproduce a systematic review of the secondary/regional literature that will contribute directlyto their dissertation/research proposal.

The dissertation (approximately 10,000 words)will take the form of an extended researchproposal that includes the following:• A review of the relevant theoretical andethnographic literature;• An outline of the specific questions to beaddressed, methods to be employed, andthe expected contribution of the study toanthropology;• A discussion of the practical, political andethical issues likely to affect the research; and• A presentation of the schedule for the proposedresearch together with an estimated budget.COURSES AND SEMINARSMA ANTHROPOLOGICAL RESEARCH METHODSA typical programme of study would be as follows(the asterisk * indicates a required component of thedegree): three full units (including the two half unitson research methods) plus a dissertation.TERM ONEGeneric TrainingLanguage Training ++OR Special Course OptionAnthropological Training* Qualitative Methods* Research Seminar* Work with SupervisorTERM TWOGeneric TrainingLanguage Training ++OR Special Course OptionAnthropological Training* Numerical Techniques & Statistics inSocial Anthropology* Research Seminar* Work with SupervisorSUMMER TERMAnthropological Training* Research Seminar: presentations to subject group* Work with Supervisor* Submission of dissertation/research proposal++ Student who go on to the PhD programme andneed to learn a language are expected to study anAfrican, Asian or Middle Eastern language that isnormally available to students taking one of thetaught Masters programmes.The Ethnography and Qualitative Methodscourse introduces research students to keydisciplinary research methods involved in writingethnography, including participant observation,interviewing, use of documentary sources,research on oral sources, participatory methods,triangulation, taking and analysing field notes,writing up fieldwork, and issues of researchvalidity and credibility. The issues are exploredthrough lectures and seminar discussions and,in part, through student assessment that involvesundertaking a small ethnographic study.The course Numerical Techniques and Statisticsin Social Anthropology is run as a workshopwith the aim of balancing formal instructionwith discussion of problems of data collection,and practical handling of quantitative field data.The course works through standard procedures,treating them as models available for analysisin the process of research and considering thenature of the assumptions that have to be madein applying them. Students are not required tomemorise statistical formulae or perform feats ofarithmetic, but are expected to become familiarwith the logic of the procedures to interpretproblems and arrive at solutions.The Research Seminar brings together studentsundertaking the MA in Anthropological ResearchMethods and first year MPhil/PhD students.Convened by the Departmental Research Tutor, itspends the first term addressing general researchissues confronting students. This includesdeveloping and using bibliographic and internetresources, ethical and legal issues of fieldwork,exploitation of research and intellectual propertyrights and research management issues and alsolooking at specialist training needs (for example,in visual anthropology). In term 2, studentsfocuses on the preparation and presentationof their research dissertation/proposal to theseminar; a process that runs in parallel withthe meetings and discussions they have withtheir supervisors.Optional courses may include MA-levelcourses such as regional ethnography courses,Anthropology of Development, CulturalUnderstandings of Health, Comparative MediaStudies, any of the regional ethnography courses,and of course language training. The specificoption will be appropriate to the intended areaof the student’s research.45ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY

46 EXEMPTION FROM TRAININGOnly those students who can demonstratethe satisfactory completion of a comparableprogramme of study in qualitative andquantitative methods at Masters level from arecognised university will be exempted fromthis element of formal training. All students arerequired to participate in the Research Seminar.MA ANTHROPOLOGY OF FOODDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class BA degree (orequivalent) in the humanities or social or naturalsciences, or significant experience in a relevantfood- and/or agriculture-related careerPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Harry WestSEE ALSO:MA Anthropological Research Methods,MA Social Anthropology of Development,MA Social Anthropology,MA Migration and Diaspora Studies,MA Medical Anthropology,MSc Development Studies,MA Anthropology of Mediaknowledge systems, as well as on the naturalenvironment, are assessed. Movements towardorganic agriculture, fair trade, and slow food arealso analysed in the programme.An anthropological approach to the study offood draws upon and challenges the perspectivesof other disciplines, whether agronomy ornutritional science, economics or law, history orliterature. Dependent upon individual interestsand experiences, graduates of the programme maypursue research degrees in any number of academicdisciplines, or find employment in food-relatedgovernment ministries, international organisations,development agencies, or non-governmentalassociations, as well as in the fields of public health,education, and media, or in the catering industry.Students are required to write a 10,000-worddissertation on an approved topic.MA ANTHROPOLOGY OF FOODNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES- Issues in the Anthropology of Food C- Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology** compulsory only for students without a previous[anthropology] degree; students exempted fromTheoretical Approaches to Social Anthropologytake two units of optional coursesANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGYThe MA in the Anthropology of Food offersstudents the opportunity to explore historicallyand culturally variable foodways, from foragingto industrial agriculture, from Europe and NorthAmerica to Africa, Asia and South America. Theprogramme asks students to trace the passage offood from plant to palate, and to examine whobenefits, and who suffers, from contemporarymodes of food production, exchange, preparation,and consumption.Students in the programme examine food policyat national and international levels, as well as therole played in its formation by the food industry.Focus is given to the study of famine and thecontroversial role of food aid in securing foodsupplies. Debates over the impact of agriculturalbiotechnology on agrarian livelihoods andSTUDENTS SELECT FROM THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS TOMEET THE THIRD TAUGHT UNIT REQUIREMENT- A regional ethnography (China, Japan, South Asia,South East Asia, Near and Middle East, SouthernAfrica, West Africa, East Africa)- An Asian or African language (list available fromthe Faculty of Languages and Cultures)- Perspectives on Development (half unit)- Therapy and Culture (half unit)- African and Asian Diasporas in the ModernWorld (half unit)- Critical Approaches to Neoliberalism (half unit)- Political Economy of Development*- Globalisation And Development * (half unit)- Civil Society, Social Movements And TheDevelopment Process * (half unit)- Jainism: History, Doctrines and theContemporary World- Jain Scripture and Community

- Intellectual Property Rights and Development- Directed Practical Study in the Anthropology ofFood (half unit)- Issues in the anthropology of film (half unit)- Comparative media theory (half unit)* Students may take no more than one full unit ofcourses marked with an asterisk, which are taughtoutside of the Department of AnthropologyMA ANTHROPOLOGY OF MEDIADURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSThe minimum is an upper second-class BA degree(or equivalent) or significant experience in arelevant media related careerPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Stephen HughesSEE ALSO:MA Social Anthropology of Development,MA Social Anthropology,MA Medical Anthropology,MA in the Anthropology of Food,MA Critical Media and Cultural StudiesMA Global Media and Postnational CommunicationMSc Development Studies,MA Migration and Diaspora StudiesOur world is inescapably and continuouslytransformed through a proliferation of media.The MA in Anthropology of Media takes up thechallenge of understanding how and why mediamatter. The programme combines anthropology,media and cultural studies with specific regionalexpertise in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.It provides students with critical skills, researchmethods, a wide-ranging understanding of mediaand a unique possibility to pursue research interests.This MA is the first and still the only programmein Europe that specialises in bringing togethercontemporary anthropological concerns withmedia and cultural studies. Anthropology ofMedia is a rapidly growing field that challengesthe well-established anthropological concernswith visual culture and ethnographic film througha more extensive examination of contemporarymedia practices.This programme is designed to provide adetailed introduction to the study of media inAsia, Africa, the Middle East and their diasporas.It stresses ethnographic approaches to media ascultural practices in social and political contextswhere people inhabit, create and engage withmedia worlds.Students come to this programme to explore whymedia matter. It is particularly suitable for people:• with a degree in media or cultural studies;• with a degree in the social sciences orhumanities wishing to acquire a broadunderstanding of media and cultural studieswith special reference to Asia or Africa;• with professional experience in film, television,journalism, advertising or public relations;• with a degree in social anthropology wishingto pursue more specialist media-related topicspossible with regional or language-based study;• wishing to take the degree as a conversioncourse before proceeding to a research degreein anthropology of media.The MA programme consists of three units oftaught coursework and a dissertation of 10,000words or multimedia presentation on an approvedtopic of their choice and under the supervision of amember of the SOAS Department of Anthropology.MA ANTHROPOLOGY OF MEDIANot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.COMPULSORY COURSES- Comparative Media Studies- Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology(unless students have previous anthropologicaltraining)OPTIONAL COURSESStudents make up the rest of their required courseunits from a range of options, which may includeregional ethnography, language, development,diaspora, film and media.47ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY

48ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGYStudents take two from the following halfunit courses:- Issues in the Anthropology and Film- Therapy and Culture- Ethnographic Research Methods- African and Asian Cultures in Britain- Statistics in Anthropology- African and Asian Diasporas in the ModernWorld- Iranian Cinema- Genders and Sexualities in South East Asian Film- Post Crisis Thai Cinema (1997–2007)- Post (Colonialism) and Otherness in South Asiaon Screen- Indian Cinema: its history and social context- Indian Cinema: key issues- Japanese Cinema: A Historical Overview- Japanese Post-War Film Genres and theAvante Garde- New Media and Society- Issues in the Anthropology of Food- Aspects of African Film and Video- Media and Performance for ParticipatoryDevelopment in Africa- Modern Chinese Film and Theatre- Modern Film from Taiwan and the ChineseDiaspora- Approaches to the Other in Science Fiction andHorror Films- Mediated Culture in the Middle East: Politics andCommunication- International Political Communication- Rethinking Audiences- Transnational New Environment: issues inproduction, representation and use- Transnational Communities and Diasporic Media:Networking, connectivity, identity- Diaspora Contexts and Visual Culture- EITHER Issues in the Anthropology of Gender- OR Gender and Development- EITHER East African Culture and Society- OR East African Culture and SocietyStudents may choose one from the followingfull unit courses:- Chinese Culture and Society- Japanese Culture and Society- Near and Middle Eastern Culture and Society- South East Asian Culture and Society- South Asian Culture and Society- West African Culture and Society- Film and Society of the Middle East- Ethnomusicology in Practice- Music of Selected Regions of Africa: Contextsand Structures- Music of the Middle East and North Africa- Photography and the Image in Africa; and otherregional perspectives- Research Methods and Report Writing- An Asian or African language (list available fromthe Faculty of Languages and Cultures)MA MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGYDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Christopher DavisSEE ALSO:MA Anthropological Research Methods,MA Social Anthropology of Development,MA Social Anthropology,MA Anthropology of Media,MA in the Anthropology of Food,MSc Development Studies,MA Migration and Diaspora StudiesThe MA Medical Anthropology comprises twopathways catering for candidates with or withoutanthropological training. Students come tothe course from all over the world, followingundergraduate study, work, and travel experiencein other fields. This combination of diverseexperience and skills makes for an intellectuallyexciting atmosphere for both teachers and students.The course is distinctive in its focus on medicaland health issues relating to Africa, Asia, andLatin America, and covers anthropologicaltheory, cultural understandings of health, andvarious options. These include combinations ofanthropology and development, food, gender,psychoanalysis, religion and healing in SouthAsia, China and in Africa, and study of thelanguage and ethnography of a particular region.The programme consists of four elements, threeexamined courses and a dissertation of 10,000words on an approved topic.

The degree is suitable for students with anintellectual interest in anthropological approachesto the study of health as well as for those whowork in health care in Africa and Asia. The aimof the degree is to provide: a phenomenologicalunderstanding of the body, which also impliessubjective attitudes to notions of health, sickness,disease, recovery, and personal vulnerability; andan understanding of these experiences withinregional, political, economic and cultural contexts.MA MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGYNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSE- Cultural Understanding of HealthSTUDENTS MUST CHOOSE TWO OF THE FOLLOWING HALFUNIT COURSES, WITH AT LEAST ONE FROM GROUP AGroup A- Issues in Psychoanalysis and Anthropology- Perspectives on Development- Shamanism and HealingGroup B- EITHER Issues in the Anthropology of Food A- OR Issues in the Anthropology of Food B- EITHER Issues in the Anthropology of Gender- OR Gender and Development- Ethnographic Research Methods- African and Asian Cultures in Britain- Statistics in Anthropology- African and Asian Diasporas in the Modern WorldOPTIONAL COURSES (UP TO ONE FULL COURSE OR TWOHALF COURSES FROM THE LIST BELOW)- Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology*- Chinese Culture and Society- Japanese Culture and Society- South Asian Culture and Society- South East Asian Culture and Society- Near and Middle Eastern Culture and Society- Societies and Cultures of Southern Africa(half unit)- West African Culture and Society- EITHER Culture and Society of Eastern Africa(half unit)- OR East African Culture and Society- Society, Culture and Drugs in China, 1700–1990- Mystical Traditions- Critical approaches to Neoliberalism- Buddhism: Theravadin Traditions (half unit)- Buddhist Arts in Context (half unit)- Christianity and Social Change in Sub SaharanAfrica- Comparing Christianities- East Asian Buddhist Thought (half unit)- Religious Practice in Japan: Texts, Ritualsand Believers- Eastern and Orthodox Christianity- Features of Buddhist Monasticism (half unit)- Historical Developments of Indian Buddhism(half unit)- Buddhism in Tibet (half unit)- History and Doctrines of Indian Buddhism- Esoteric Buddhism in India and Tibet (half unit)- Buddhist Rituals (half unit)- Jainism: History, Doctrines and theContemporary World- Japanese Modernity- Text and context in classical Hinduism- Modern Trends in Islam- Death and Religion- Research Methods and Report Writing(compulsory for all students in Term 1; audit only)- An Asian or African language (list available fromthe Faculty of Languages and Cultures)* Mandatory for students without adequatetraining in anthropologyMA MIGRATION ANDDIASPORA STUDIESDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Parvathi RamanSEE ALSO:MA Anthropological Research Methods,MA Social Anthropology of Development,MA Social Anthropology,MA in the Anthropology of Food,MA Medical Anthropology,MSc Development Studies,MA Anthropology of Media49ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY

50 The MA in Migration and Diaspora Studiesis a broad-based degree for students with afoundation in the subject who want to receivespecialised research training in Migration andDiaspora Studies, including a relevant language,which will prepare them to proceed to advancedpostgraduate research in Migration and DiasporaStudies at SOAS or elsewhere.This MA is designed to appeal to students froma variety of backgrounds who:• Wish to know more of the transnational natureof the modern world;• Wish to continue their anthropological studyat a postgraduate level and engage in criticalcontemporary theory;• Wish to understand cultural transformationfrom a global perspective;• Come from other disciplines, such as Lawor Politics, and now wish to incorporatean anthropological perspective on issues ofmigration and diaspora.The degree offers students a chance to pursuespecialist interests by a considered selection ofcourses to suit their individual needs. It provides:1. A broad-based MA for students with somebackground in issues of migration and diasporawho wish to enhance their knowledge in lightof continuing contemporary research;2. A special interest MA, enabling students tostudy diaspora and migration issues in depthin relation to a particular discipline or region.Prospective students will be encouraged tocontact the Programme Convenor (see thedepartmental web pages for details) at an earlystage of their application to seek advice onthe most appropriate options for study. Theprogramme consists of four elements, threeexamined courses and a 10,000-word dissertationon an approved topic.MA MIGRATION AND DIASPORA STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSE- African and Asian Diasporas in theContemporary WorldMelissa HowellMA Migration andDiaspora StudiesANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGYI did my undergraduate studies at Florida A& M University (FAMU) – a historical landmarkfounded by descendants of African slaves – andworked and travelled across the globe. But I hadyet to feel a cultural experience quite like SOAS.Here, I have been inspired by honest, intellectualdiscussion with other students on subjectsranging from theories on institutionalisedpower dynamics and children’s rights in Brazilto the projected political impact of Ghana’s50th year of Independence on the world. Thereare so many cultures and ethnicities at SOAS,it’s hard to imagine another university witha truer understanding of and openness todiversity of thought.

Students must take the equivalent of two full coursesfrom lists 2 and 3. At least one full or half unit mustbe chosen from List 2.OPTIONAL COURSES – LIST 1- Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology*- Chinese Culture and Society- Japanese Culture and Society- South Asian Culture and Society- South East Asian Culture and Society- EITHER Issues in the Anthropology of Food A(half unit)- OR Issues in the Anthropology of Food B(half unit)- Issues in the Anthropology of Food C- Near and Middle Eastern Culture and Society- West African Culture and Society- East African Culture and Society- Societies and Culture of Southern Africa(half unit)- Literatures of the Asian and African Diasporas:Case Studies from Britain (half unit)- Literatures of the Asian and African Diasporas:Key Issues and Theories (half unit)- Issues in the Anthropology of Music and Culture(half unit)- African and Asian Cultures in Britain (half unit)- Neo-liberalism and the State: Society, Politics,Culture (half unit)- Critical approaches to Neoliberalism (half unit)- New Media and Society* Mandatory for students without adequate trainingin anthropologyIf fewer than two courses are chosen from List 2above, students must take not more than one coursefrom the following list.OPTIONAL COURSES – LIST 2- The Arts of the African Diaspora- Modern Trends in Islam- The Jews in Asia and Africa- Ethnic Minorities and the Legal System- Developing World 2: Law and Governance- Globalisation and Development (half unit)- Civil Society, Social Movements and theDevelopment Process (half unit)- Transnational Communities and Diasporic Media:Networking, Connectivity, Identity (half unit)- Modern Film from Taiwan and the ChineseDiaspora (half unit)- Music of the Middle East and North Africa- An Asian or African language (list available fromthe Faculty of Languages and Cultures)- Issues in Forced Migration (half unit)- Modern Bengal: the evolution of Bengali cultureand society from 1690 to the present day- Research Methods and Report Writing(compulsory for all students in Term 1; audit only)MA SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGYDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Kevin LathamSEE ALSO:MA Social Anthropology of Development,MA Medical Anthropology,MA Anthropology of Media,MA in the Anthropology of Food,MA Migration and Diaspora Studies,MSc Development StudiesStudents come to the course from all over the world,following undergraduate study, travel or workexperience in other fields. Many of our studentshave not previously trained as anthropologists,and the combination of diverse experienceand skills makes for an intellectually excitingatmosphere for both teachers and students.The programme is designed on a modular basisoffering different pathways to suit, broadly, threecategories of students:• Students with a degree in social anthropologywishing to pursue more specialist topics and/ormore regional and language-based study;• Students with little or no previous knowledge ofsocial anthropology wishing to acquire a broadknowledge of the discipline;• Students with little or no previous knowledge ofsocial anthropology wishing to take the degreeas a conversion course before proceeding to aresearch degree in anthropology.51ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY

52 Students take three taught courses and completea 10,000-word dissertation.ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGYMA SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGYNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSE- Comparative Studies of Society and CultureOPTIONAL COURSES- Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology*STUDENTS MAY CHOOSE UP TO TWO OF THEFOLLOWING HALF UNIT COURSES- Issues in the Anthropology of Film- EITHER Issues in the Anthropology of Food A- OR Issues in the Anthropology of Food B- Issues in the Anthropology of Education- Therapy and Culture- Comparative Media Theory- Issues in the Anthropology of Gender- Ethnographic Research Methods- African and Asian Cultures in Britain- Statistics in Anthropology- African and Asian Diasporas in the Modern World- Anthropology of Urban Space, Place andArchitecture- Iranian Cinema- New Media and Society- Anthropology and linguistics (Masters)- Buddhism in Tibet- Selected Texts from Mahayana Sutra Literature- Indian Mahayana Buddhism- Historical Developments of Indian Buddhism- Features of Buddhist Monasticism- Esoteric Buddhism in India and Tibet- Central Concepts and Tenets of Indian Buddhism- Buddhist Scriptures: Mahayana & Vajrayana- Tibetan Buddhist Texts from Central Asia- Buddhist Rituals- The Buddhist Conquest of Central Asia- Topical Lectures and Seminars in Buddhist Studies- Cinema in South East Asia- South East Asia on Screen- EITHER Perspectives on Development- OR Anthropology of Development- Anthropological Approaches to Disability- Theory and method in the Study of Religion- Chinese Culture and Society- Japanese Culture and Society- South Asian Culture and Society- South East Asian Culture and Society- Near and Middle Eastern Culture and Society- West African Culture and Society- East African Culture and Society- Societies and Culture of Southern Africa- Society, Culture and Drugs in China, 1700–1990- Research Methods and Report Writing (Term 1 only;to be audited by all Anthropology MA students)- History and Doctrines of Indian Buddhism- Approaches to the Other in Science Fiction andHorror Films- Critical approaches to Neoliberalism- Music of the Middle East and North Africa(full unit)- Gender and Christianity- Death and Religion (full unit)- An Asian or African language (list available fromthe Faculty of Languages and Cultures)* Mandatory for students without adequate trainingin anthropologyMA SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGYOF DEVELOPMENTDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor David MosseSEE ALSO:MA Social Anthropology,MA Medical Anthropology,MA Anthropology of Media,MA in the Anthropology of Food,MSc Development Studies,MA Migration and Diaspora StudiesThis MA provides an understanding of the waysin which anthropological approaches and debatesinform the study of meanings and concepts indevelopment, its priorities, policies and practice.It attracts students with diverse backgrounds andstudy/work experiences which makes for a livelyand challenging atmosphere.

The degree is designed to acquaint students withanthropology, development issues, researchmethods and either an ethnographic region(and/or language) and/or thematic interest inhealth/gender/food/media. Advice will be givento match the choice of optional components tothe requirements, interests, and qualifications ofindividual students whose background may bein general social science, regional, language orother studies. While the focus of the degree is ondevelopment issues and practice, its disciplinaryorientation remains anthropological.Students explore the contribution of anthropologyto contemporary development debates, forexample, on poverty, scientific and ‘indigenous’knowledge, human rights, violence and complexemergencies, and the ‘market’ as a core metaphorof globalised development. Anthropologicalstudies provide the basis for understanding issuesof state and governance in development, as well asthe meaning of community development, popular‘participation’ and ‘empowerment’.We also look at technology and development,environmental policy and natural resourcesmanagement. The significance of local institutions,‘social capital’ and NGOs are examined. Throughoutthe programme, the role of, and opportunities for,anthropologists as professionals in developmentare discussed.The programme consists of four elements:three assessed course units and a dissertationof 10,000 words.The degree’s core course – ‘Anthropology ofDevelopment’ – provides an up-to-date andin-depth understanding of anthropologicalperspectives on policy and practice incontemporary international development, andgives a theoretical overview of the relationshipbetween development and anthropology. Thecourse examines the politics of aid, shiftingaid frameworks, and concrete interventionprogrammes, bridging the disparate worlds ofplanners and beneficiaries. This involves closereading of anthropological studies throwing lighton the nature of policy-making, bureaucracyand programmes in a variety of sectors – health,agriculture, water and others – and paying attentionto the specific cultural contexts of intervention.MA SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENTNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSE- Anthropology of DevelopmentOPTIONAL COURSES- Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology** Mandatory for students without adequate trainingin anthropologySTUDENTS MUST CHOOSE ANY TWO OF THE FOLLOWINGHALF UNIT COURSES- EITHER Issues in the Anthropology of Food A- OR Issues in the Anthropology of Food B- Therapy and Culture- Ethnographic Research Methods- Anthropology and Linguistics- African and Asian Cultures in Britain- NGOs, the Third Sector and Development:Policy and Practice- Gender and Development- Statistics in Anthropology- African and Asian Diasporas in the Modern World- Anthropology of Urban Space, Place andArchitecture- Development Practice- Children and Development- Cinema in South East Asia- South East Asia on Screen- Chinese Culture and Society- Japanese Culture and Society- South Asian Culture and Society- South East Asian Culture and Society- Near and Middle Eastern Culture and Society- West African Culture and Society- East African Culture and Society- Societies and Cultures of Southern Africa- Neoliberalism and the State: Society,Politics, Culture- Society, Culture and Drugs in China, 1700–1990- Media and Performance for ParticipatoryDevelopment in Africa- Media in Africa- Issues in Forced Migration- Critical approaches to Neoliberalism- An Asian or African language (list available fromthe Faculty of Languages and Cultures)- Research Methods and Report Writing(compulsory for all students in Term 1; audit only)- New Media and Society53ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY

54DEPARTMENT OFART ANDARCHAEOLOGYThe Department of Art and Archaeology is distinctivein its broad coverage of the arts and archaeology ofAsia and Africa of all periods.NUMBER OF STAFF 15RAE 3aDEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/artFACULTY Arts and HumanitiesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMA HISTORY OF ART AND/ORARCHAEOLOGYART AND ARCHAEOLOGYAt any given time there are around 80 postgraduatestudent members of the Department, equallydivided between the MA and MPhil/PhDprogrammes. Supervision for the MPhil andPhD degrees and taught programmes for theMA degrees are available with regard to the areaof interest and/or the discipline of art history orarchaeology. A student may first be recommendedto take the MA History of Art and/or Archaeology(see below) or the relevant MA Area Studiesmajoring in History of Art and/or Archaeology.Students without appropriate competence inthe language(s) relevant to their research willnormally be required to acquire this as a conditionof their registration. This can sometimes add ayear to their research programme, but is clearlynecessary in order to facilitate direct engagementwith the cultures or regions that provide thesubject matter for their research.RESEARCH DEGREESResearch topics can be considered under threeheadings: first, historical and contextual studiesof the traditions, forms and artists of the past;second, the study of contemporary and popularvisual arts; and third, the contribution of Asianand African art studies to the development of acomparative philosophy of art and archaeology.The opportunities for original and innovativeresearch are, thus, extremely wide-ranging. Thisis, moreover, an area in which cooperation withscholars in Asia and Africa is possible to mutualadvantage. All staff are simultaneously attached asart historians or archaeologists to this Departmentand as regional specialists to their appropriateRegional Centre within the School.Right: Divine demesne – fifth-century synagogue inCapernaum, IsraelSOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESIsabella Nardi – The Theory of Indian Painting:The Citrasutras, Their Uses and InterpretationsSandy Man-yee Ng – Lin Fengmian (1900–1991):Figure Painting and Hybrid Modernity in TwentiethcenturyChinese ArtAlfred Haft – Patterns of Correspondence Betweenthe Floating World and Classical Tradition: A Study ofthe Terms – Mitate, Yaatsushi and Furyu in the Contextof Ukiyo-ePeter Sharrock – The Buddhist pantheon of the Bàyonof Angkor: an historical and art historical reconstructionof the Bàyon temple and its religious and political rootsACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASProfessor Doris Behrens-Abouseif BA PHD(HAMBURG)HABIL(FREIBURG)Architecture of Cairo, the art and archaeology of Turkey,Iran and the Near EastDr Crispin Branfoot BA(MANCHESTER) MA PHD(LONDON)Research Admissions Tutor / Research TutorHindu, Buddhist and Jain Architecture, Sculptureand Painting; Pilgrimage and Sacred Geography,Archaeology and Material Religion; South IndiaDr John T Carpenter BA(NOTRE DAME) MA PHD(COLUMBIA)Pre-modern Japanese art and cultural history; EastAsian calligraphy; Buddhist sutra copying; Heian courtculture; classical literary themes in Japanese art; Ukiyo-eprints and paintingsDr Anna Contadini LAUREA(VENICE) PHD(LONDON)The art of the book binding, calligraphy, illumination,miniature painting; the manuscripts of the Qu’ran; thedecorative arts; the arts of Muslim Spain; the arts andarchitecture of the FatimidsDr Charles Gore MA PHD(LONDON)Visual culture of West Africa and the Caribbean

Dr Charlotte Horlyck BA MA PHD (LONDON)Art, archaeology of Korea; funerary customs;architecture spatiality in pre-modern Korea; theoriesin the study of visual and material cultureDr Geoffrey R D King DIP FINEART PGCE MPHILPHD(LONDON) FSAIslamic art and archaeology in Syria, Jordan, Egypt andSaudi Arabia, Yemen, UAE and Oman; late Antiquity,Umayyads, Abbasids, Ayyubids and MamluksDr Elizabeth H Moore BA(POMONA) PHD(LONDON)Head of DepartmentArt and archaeology of Cambodia, Burma (Myanmar)and Thailand; remote sensing to study settlement form,ancient water management, urban growth; religiousarchitecture and sculptureMr Lukas Nickel BA(BERLIN) MA(HEIDELBERG)Archaeology in China; early Buddhist art; traditionalarchitecture of China and JapanDr Stacey Pierson BA(LOYOLA) MA(LONDON)PGDIP(EALING) DPHIL(SUSSEX)History and production of Chinese ceramics; historyand theory of collecting; history of art historyDr Nicole Rousmaniere BA PHD(HARVARD)Japanese ceramics, archaeology, photographyProfessor Timon Screech MA(OXON) AM PHD(HARVARD)Postgraduate Admissions Tutor / Postgraduate TaughtCourses TutorHistory of Japanese art; Edo painting; contacts betweenJapan and Europe in the 18th century; history of sciencein Japan; the theory of art historyDr Wang Tao BA(YUNNAN) PHD(LONDON)Archaeology of Ancient China; palaeography; earlyChinese religion and languageDr Tania C Tribe MA(FED. UNIV. RIO) MD(USF. RIO)PHD(ESSEX)Painting in Africa and the Americas; theory of art withspecial reference to Northeastern AfricaDr Chia-Ling Yang BA (TAIWAN) MA (WISCONSIN-MADISON)PHD (LONDON)Chinese painting; 19th and 20th-century Chinese art,Shanghai School, early photography in China, artisticinteractions between China, Japan and the West(1840–1949)55ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY

56ART AND ARCHAEOLOGYMA HISTORY OF ART AND/ORARCHAEOLOGYDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Timon ScreechThe Department of Art and Archaeology providesa uniquely broad range of courses in the historyof art, architecture and material culture of Africaand Asia from their origins to modern times.For students new to the discipline, the MA offersthe necessary introduction to the material andtechniques in the study of Asian, African andNear and Middle East art and archaeology. Itcomprises four courses (three taught coursesplus a 10,000-word dissertation). For those whoalready have some background in this field, itprovides an opportunity to broaden or deepentheir knowledge at a higher level.MA HISTORY OF ART AND ARCHAEOLOGYNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School. Students maychoose courses from the following list:GENERAL- Approaches to Critical Interpretation andAesthetic Theories- Conflict and Repesentation (Term 2)- Directed Readings in History of Art and/orArchaeology- Photography and ImageAFRICA- The Arts of the African Diaspora (half unit, Term 1)- Art and Society in Africa- Painting and Architecture in the Christian North-Eastern Africa: 2nd–18th centuriesNEAR AND MIDDLE EAST- Archaeology of the Holy Qur’an (Term 2)- Early Islamic Devotional Arts (Term 1)- Art and Architecture of Egypt and Syria 13th to16th Centuries- Islam and the West: artistic and cultural contacts(half unit)- Art and Architecture of the Fatimids (half unit)EAST ASIA- Art and Archaeology of the Silk Road- Chinese Art History: Critical Writings- Ancient Chinese Civilisation- Korean Topics- Directed Readings in the History of East Asian Artand Archaeology (half unit)- Popular Practice in the Edo-period Arts (half unit)- Shogunal Iconography in the Edo Period(half unit)- Japanese Literature and Drama in Art (half unit)- Japanese Calligraphy: History and ReadingPractice (half unit)- Ceramics in Chinese Culture: 10th to 18th centuriesSOUTH AND SOUTH EAST ASIA- Indian Temple- South East Asian Art and ArchaeologyMINOR OPTIONS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTSAnthropology- Chinese Culture and Society- Japanese Culture and Society- Near and Middle Eastern Culture and Society- South Asian Culture and Society- South East Asian Culture and Society- West African Culture and SocietyHistory- Origins and Early Development of Islam in theMiddle East: Problems and Perspectives- Islam in South Asia- West African Coastal Societies and Cultures,1786–1930- History and Politics of Portuguese-speaking Africa- Power, Authority and Political Thought in Eastand Central Africa, 1850–2000Music- Indian Classical Music- Music in South Asian Culture- Music in Selected Regions of Africa: Contextsand Structures- Music of East Asia- Music of the Middle East and North Africa- Aspects of South East Asian MusicStudy of Religions- Christianity and Social Change in Sub-SaharanAfrica

- Historical and Contemporary perspectives ofHinduism- History of Religion in Imperial China- Buddhist Art in Context (half unit)- Buddhism in Tibet (half unit)- Central Concepts and Tenets of Indian Buddhism(half unit)- History and Doctrines of Indian Buddhism- Features of Buddhist Monasticism (half unit)- Selected Texts from Mahayana Sutra Literature(half unit)- Tibetan Buddhist texts from Central Asia(half unit)- Buddhist Rituals (half unit)- Topical Lectures and Seminars in Buddhist Studies(half unit)- Indian Mahayana Buddhism (half unit)- Historical Developments of Indian Buddhism(half unit)- East Asian Buddhist Thought (half unit)- Esoteric Buddhism in India and Tibet (half unit)- Women in Buddhism (half unit)- Buddhist Scriptures: Mahayana and Vajrayana(half unit)- The Buddhist Conquest of Central Asia (half unit)- Religious Practice in Japan: Texts, Ritualsand BelieversLanguages and Cultures of Africa- African languages: Amharic, Hausa, Somali,Swahili, Yoruba, ZuluLanguages and Cultures of East Asia- East Asian languages: Chinese, Japanese,Korean, TibetanLanguages and Cultures of the Near andMiddle East- Languages of the Near and Middle East:Arabic, Georgian, Hebrew, Persian, TurkishLanguages and Cultures of South Asia- Literatures of South Asia- Languages of South Asia: Bengali, Gujarati,Hindi, Nepali, Sanskrit, Sinhalese, Tamil, Urdu- Modern Bengal: the evolution of Bengali cultureand society from 1690 to the present dayLanguages and Cultures of South East Asia- Languages of South East Asia: Burmese,Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese57Angela ChiuMA History of Art and/orArchaeologyHaving worked for some years after finishinguniversity in the US, I wasn’t sure what going tograduate school in England would be like. ButSOAS exceeded all expectations.Art and Archaeology includes prominentestablished scholars as well as up-and-comingyounger ones; the department well deserves itsreputation for pioneering research. But there’scertainly no criticism of teaching by me. I wasvery impressed by my lecturers’ sincere interestin each student as an individual and theirenthusiasm to share insights into their researchand guide us in our own work. They created afriendly environment which encouraged lively,open exchange of ideas, intellectual creativityand risk-taking, and high standards.ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY

58ART AND ARCHAEOLOGYDIPLOMA IN ASIAN ART(SUBJECT TO APPROVAL)DURATIONOne year – full-time (PGDip),or three months (Certificate)START OF PROGRAMMEJanuary intake (PGDip), or modular (Certificate)ENTRY REQUIREMENTSNormally BA degree or equivalent. Otherqualifications (e.g., published work, relevantprofessional experience) may be acceptable.Non-standard applications are considered ontheir merits, and applicants may be asked tosubmit written work for appraisal and/or attendan interview. No knowledge of the arts of Asianecessary, but serious interest in the area desirable.This new programme offers a unique opportunityto study the arts of Asia. Within a sound academicframework it combines a concentrated survey ofAsian Art with object-based teaching. Lecturesare given by leading experts on China, Indiaand South East Asia, Japan and Korea and theIslamic world, and students are able to handlethe reserved collections and have direct access tomuseum curators of the Victoria and Albert andthe British Museum.The lecture programme is supported by fieldtrips to other museums, galleries and privatecollections. The diploma will train museumcurators or serious collectors. It will preparestudents for work in a variety of professions inthe art and the museum world and provides apathway to the Masters degree for those withno former background in the subject.Students can choose one or more in combinationof the four three-month modules on offer annually,which are listed below. Those who successfullycomplete a single module will be awarded acertificate. Students who successfully complete threemodules will be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma.The four courses offered are:• Arts of China: January – March 2008• Arts of Japan and Korea: April – July 2008• Arts of the Islamic world: April – July 2008• Arts of India: September – December 2008Further details from Dr Heather Elgood(asianart@soas.ac.uk)AIMS• To develop a sound visual method for analysingand documenting works of art;• To develop visual skills through the directexamination of objects;• To develop research skills using primary andsecondary sources;• To develop writing and communicationskills: to formulate and structure an academicviewpoint and to use visual analysis to supportand document this argument;• To develop in students an understanding ofcertain museum skills such as the cataloguingof objects; the selection of objects for anexhibition, and putting material objects intheir cultural context.STRUCTUREIssues and themes dealt with in weekly lecturesare developed further through frequent visits tomuseum collections, revision sessions and seminars.Lectures are given by museum curators, universitylecturers and international experts and are(generally from 10:00 to 15:30) on three and a halfdays a week. The weekly review sessions with coursetutors involve revision, slide tests and seminars.Students have regular access to the handling ofthe reserve collections at the British Museum,Victoria and Albert museum and guided visitsto other museums. Field trips and formal andinformal tutorials are also part of the programme.Heavenly tea time – detail from a Chinese porcelain vase

DEPARTMENT OFCHINA AND INNER ASIAThe Department covers, through teaching andresearch, the language-based study of the culturesof China and Inner Asia, with a focus on materialsin modern and classical Chinese and modern andclassical Tibetan.TAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESTeaching at the Masters level is aimed at providingstudents with a comprehensive preparation forfuture language-based research in any disciplineof Chinese Studies (through the MA Sinology), orwith a focused training in the language-based andtheory-based study of Chinese literature (throughthe MA Chinese Literature). The Department isalso home to the MA Chinese Studies, a crossdepartmentalprogramme offering students a widerange of courses in different disciplines related toChina, with no prior language knowledge, as wellas language training at any level. Staff contributeto the MA East Asian Literature, a languagebasedprogramme for students wishing to makea comparative study of the literature of China,Japan and Korea, requiring good knowledge ofat least one of the three languages concerned.RESEARCH DEGREESThe Department is able to supervise MPhil andPhD degrees by research and thesis in a widerange of cultural and linguistic subjects. Intendingresearch students should not feel constrainedto limit their choice of topics to those indicatedagainst the names of current staff members(postgraduate students have recently been workingon such diverse topics as colour symbolism inancient Chinese texts, Chinese cinema, andChinese Braille systems, and translation studies).If necessary, arrangements can be made for jointsupervision with teachers from other departmentsor institutions of SOAS or the University ofLondon. Research undertaken at MPhil andPhD level is based on literary, documentary,and archive materials in the languages ofthe area and/or on fieldwork conducted inthose languages.Our alumni are to be found in academic andgovernment posts, journalism and other media,NUMBER OF STAFF 13RAE 5museums, art galleries, aid agencies, libraries,charities, medicine, and large and small businessesof many kinds all over the world, and a largenumber of them work in the area or in the culturalfield of their studies.SOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESDEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/chinaandinnerasiaFACULTY Languages and CulturesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMA CHINESE LITERATUREMA EAST ASIAN LITERATUREMA SINOLOGYINTERDISCIPLINARYMA CHINESE STUDIES– SEE PAGE 145MA COMPARATIVE LITERATURE(AFRICA/ASIA) – SEE PAGE 146MA TAIWAN STUDIES– SEE PAGE 160Rossella Ferrari – Pop Goes the Avant-Garde: MengJinghui and Chinese Avant-Garde TheatreChristopher Rosenmeier – Shanghai Avant-Garde:The Fiction of Shi Zhecun, Mu Shiying, Xu Xu andWumingshiACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASDr Cosima Bruno BA(VENICE) PHD(LONDON)Contemporary Chinese literature; translation studiesDr Brandon Dotson BA(WESLEYAN) MPHIL DPHIL(OXON)Lector in Tibetan. Old Tibetan, Classical Tibetan,Modern Tibetan; history and historiography; EarlyTibetan social history; divine kingship; statecraftand lawDr Rossella Ferrari BA(VENICE) MA PHD(LONDON)Contemporary Chinese drama and film; theoryand practice of the avant-garde; transnationalChinese cultureDr Bernhard Fuehrer BA(NATIONAL TAIWAN) PHD(VIENNA)Classical Chinese philology, rhetoric, philosophy andliterature; the history of Sinology in Europe; receptionof the canon with specific reference to the AnalectsMs Wan Li Gao BA(JINGSHAN)Lector in Chinese. Modern Chinese language andlanguage pedagogy59CHINA AND INNER ASIA

60 Dr Margaret Hillenbrand MA(CANTAB) MSC(EDINBURGH)PHD(OXON)Modern Chinese literature and language; modernTaiwanese fiction and filmProfessor Michel Hockx DRS PHD(LEIDEN)Head of Department & Postgraduate TutorModern Chinese literature and language; Chinesewriters and writings from the late imperial andrepublican periods, with emphasis on modern poetryand on the sociology of modern Chinese literatureMs Suen Lik BA LLB(BEIJING) MA(HONG KONG)Admissions TutorModern Chinese language and language pedagogy;applied linguisticsDr Andrew H-B Lo MA PHD(PRINCETON)Chinese language (Cantonese and Mandarin);fiction and prose from the Ming-Qing periods;cultural activities of Ming and Qing scholars,especially gamesDr Olivia Milburn BA(OXON) PHD(LONDON)Lector in Classical Chinese. Ancient Chinese literatureand literary history; the development of historicalfiction in China; the history and culture of thekingdoms of Wu and Yue in antiquityDr Lianyi Song BA (BEIJING) MA(BANGOR) PHD(LONDON)Modern Chinese language and language pedagogyDr Tian Yuan Tan BA MA(NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OFSINGAPORE) PHD(HARVARD)Traditional Chinese literature and culture, withemphasis on drama, songs, and fiction in thelater dynastiesMs Cui Yan BA(BEIJING) MA(LONDON)Lector in Chinese. Modern Chinese languageand literatureMA CHINESE LITERATURECORE COURSECHINA AND INNER ASIADURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent). Incoming students will be expectedto have completed at least the equivalent of twoyears of undergraduate Chinese language study.PROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Michel HockxAll students are required to write a 10,000-worddissertation on an approved topic and take oneof the two available core courses together withthe compulsory course ‘Theory and Techniquesof Comparative Literature’. They also select oneminor course.MA CHINESE LITERATURENot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.EITHER Traditional Chinese Literature inTranslationThe course aims to provide students with theknowledge and skills to read, interpret and analyseclassical and pre-modern Chinese literary textsagainst cultural and historical contexts. Selectedscholarly texts will be introduced to support andguide the discussion. The course component willprovide students with a good basic knowledge oftraditional Chinese literary culture and a usefulfoundation for other research. All texts are read inEnglish translation but students with reading abilityin classical and literary Chinese will be encouragedto read the texts in the original as well. Studentselecting this core course are recommended tochoose a text-reading course in classical or literaryChinese as their minor option.OR Modern Chinese Literature in TranslationThe course aims to provide students with theknowledge and skills to read, interpret and analysemodern and contemporary Chinese literary textsagainst cultural and historical contexts. Selectedscholarly texts will be introduced to support andguide the discussion. The course component willprovide students with a good basic knowledgeof modern Chinese literary culture and a usefulfoundation for further research. All texts are read inEnglish translation but students with reading abilityin modern Chinese will be encouraged to read the

texts in the original as well. Students electing this corecourse are recommended to choose a text-readingcourse in modern Chinese as their minor option.COMPULSORY COURSETheory and Techniques of Comparative LiteratureThis course covers the historical development ofcomparative literature studies as an independentdiscipline and considers the main trends incomparative literary studies.MINOR COURSESStudents who do not have advanced or nativespeakercompetence in Chinese are required toselect one of the following two courses, whichoffer advanced training in reading and translatingChinese literary texts.- Traditional Chinese Language and Literature II(MA)- Modern Chinese Literature (MA)For students with advanced or native speakercompetence in Chinese, alternative minor unitsmay be selected from the MA Sinology programme(see page 62), or the second core course maybe selected as a minor, with approval from theprogramme convenor.MA EAST ASIAN LITERATUREDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent) plus linguistic competence in therelevant language(s)PROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Michel HockxSEE ALSO:MA Japanese LiteratureMA Korean LiteratureMA Comparative LiteratureThis degree is designed either as an endqualification in itself or to prepare the studentfor more advanced graduate work (MPhil/PhD).Incoming students will be expected to havecompleted at least the equivalent of the first twoyears of undergraduate language study at SOASin the language of specialisation.The MA consists of four units: Students selectthree units from Group A and Group B. Studentsmust select at least one unit from each group.Students may select a maximum of two unitsdealing with the same literature. The fourth unitis the 10,000-word dissertation. This is based onvernacular and Western-language sources on atopic agreed in conjunction with the advisor.The dissertation must be comparative in nature.MA EAST ASIAN LITERATURENot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.Select three courses from groups A and B (at leastone from each group and not more than two dealingwith the same literature)GROUP A- Modern Chinese Literature in Translation- Japanese Traditional Drama (half unit) (term 1)- Modern Japanese Literature (half unit) (term 2)- Survey of Korean Literature- Traditional Chinese Literature in TranslationGROUP B- Modern Chinese Literature (Masters)- Modern Chinese Film and Theatre (half unit)(term 1)- Modern Film From Taiwan and the ChineseDiaspora (half unit) (term 2)- Japanese Calligraphy: History and ReadingPractice (half unit) (term 2)- Pre-Modern Japanese Literature 1(Minor only)- Modern Japanese Literature II (full course)- Topics in Korean Literature- Japanese Literature and Drama in Art (half unit)(term 2)- Practical Translation from and into Korean- Traditional Chinese Language and Literature(Masters)- Traditional Chinese Literature in Translation61CHINA AND INNER ASIA

62CHINA AND INNER ASIAMA SINOLOGYDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours(or equivalent) in ChinesePROGRAMME CONVENORDr Andrew H-B LoSEE ALSO:MA Chinese Studies,MA East Asian Literature,MA Chinese LiteratureStudents are expected to have a degree of at leastupper-second class level or equivalent and tohave proved to our satisfaction that they have acompetence in both modern and classical Chineseequivalent to at least the level reached by the endof our third year BA Chinese course. The degreeis designed either as an end qualification in itselfor to prepare the student for more advancedgraduate work (MPhil/PhD).Please note that this programme does notfollow the major/minor pattern. Students mustundertake the compulsory course (SinologicalMethodology) together with two other courses.At least one course must be chosen from List Aand students may choose a third option from ListB. The 10,000-word dissertation must be related toeither the compulsory course or one of the courseson list A, i.e., Sinological Methodology, ClassicalDocumentary Texts or Modern Documentary Textsand not to any optional courses chosen from List B.Supervisors will be assigned in consultation with thecourse convenors according to the topic selected.MA SINOLOGYNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSESinological MethodologyThis compulsory course offers uncompromisinglybroad training in the essential tools and sourceswhich must be mastered if effective research is tobe carried out in the fields of Chinese literary andcultural studies. There will be no clear divisionbetween classical and modern Chinese or betweenmaterials in full form and simplified script, it beingassumed that competence over a full range of theculture underlies research in any one aspect of it.Choose three courses from the lists belowLIST A(Students must choose at least one course from this list)Classical Documentary TextsThe objectives of this course are the introductionto study of representative genres in the classicalcorpus. Understanding of content and researchvalue will be stressed rather than merit as literature.The classics, diaries, gazetteers, legal texts, anecdotalwritings, collected works and critical writingswill all be covered as well as other materials, andstudents will be expected to prepare annotatedtranslations for class discussion as well as termessays on chosen topics.Modern Documentary TextsThis course is designed to avoid word-for-wordtranslation and instead to stress understandingof style and content, while dealing with scholarlyand reference texts more than with literary works.Major 20th-century articles of influence on Chinesehistory, society and culture will be studied togetherwith academic articles from leading journals in thehumanities and social sciences, and students will beencouraged to introduce texts of relevance to theirown special interests.LIST B: OPTIONS- Modern Chinese Literature in Translation- Modern Film From Taiwan and the ChineseDiaspora (half unit, term 2 only)- Modern Chinese Film and Theatre (half unit,term 1 only)- Ancient Chinese Civilisation- Chinese Art History: Critical Writings- Traditional Chinese Literature in Translation- Art and Archaeology of the Silk Road- Chinese Cinema and Media

DEPARTMENT OFDEVELOPMENT STUDIESThe Department of Development Studies wasestablished in 1996 to provide innovative andchallenging teaching in the field of developmentstudies and to foster high quality research on thedevelopment of poorer countries. It offers highlysuccessful Masters programmes that attract studentsfrom around the world and a dynamic researchstudent (MPhil/PhD) programme.NUMBER OF STAFF 18RAE 4DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/developmentFACULTY Law and Social SciencesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMSC DEVELOPMENT STUDIESMSC DEVELOPMENT STUDIESWITH SPECIAL REFERENCETO CENTRAL ASIAMSC GLOBALISATION ANDDEVELOPMENTMSC VIOLENCE, CONFLICT ANDDEVELOPMENT63The Department’s MAs are taught through astrong interdisciplinary social science approach,incorporating key elements of Economics, PoliticalEconomy, Politics, Social Anthropology, andSociology. These are not ‘vocational’ programmesin the sense that some MAs in development are(for example, in Development Management orProject Planning). Rather, they provide studentswith the intellectual capacity in developmentissues they can apply to make their own analyticaljudgments in a range of development contexts andin relation to diverse development interventions.Teaching is also informed by the wide range ofexperience of the Department’s staff in research andin applied work undertaken for most of the leadingUN and other international organisations, bilateralaid donors, Asian and African governments, andAsian and African as well as international NGOs.RESEARCHThe Department currently has 25 research students,working on a range of research topics in many partsof Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.We are particularly interested in potential researchstudents who wish to work in one of the threemain research clusters of the Department, namely:agrarian political economy, rural labour markets,rural inequality and rural development, foodcommodity chains; globalisation, neoliberalism,governance and institutions and violence, warand forced migration.Research students are encouraged to attend weeklytraining sessions to introduce them to a number ofpractical techniques and vocational skills utilisedwithin the development profession; fortnightlyseminars on topics relevant to Development Studiesand, where appropriate, post-experience workshops.STRUCTUREMSc programmes are comprised of two corecourses, two options and a dissertation of 10,000words on an approved topic. The programmestructure permits students to choose one of theoptional courses from an approved list of optionsin the various social science or languages andcultures departments at SOAS. This provides theopportunity to take advantage of the wide rangeof thematic and regional expertise of Departmentstaff and of staff in other SOAS departments.Options can be chosen from courses offered by thefive departments of languages and cultures in 25modern languages and in the literatures and culturesof Africa, East Asia, South East Asia, South Asiaand the Near and Middle East; and from coursesoffered by other social science and humanitiesdepartments covering Politics, History, Economics,Law, Study of Religions, Art and Archaeology,Social Anthropology, and Music. In the case of theMSc Development Studies with Special Referenceto Central Asia, the optional course(s) and thedissertation must be taken in Central Asian topics.In all cases optional courses must be chosen fromthe approved list (see overleaf) and in consultationwith course tutors and approved by convenors ofMSc programmes. For some options it is necessaryto have previous training in a relevant disciplineand/or the permission of the academic departmentoffering the course. A student choosing half courseoptions must select two, of which one must be inTerm 1 and the other in Term 2.DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

64 SOME RECENT THESESDEVELOPMENT STUDIESGiuseppe Caruso – Conflict management andhegemonic strategies in the World Social Forum 2004Peter da Costa – Inside Africa’s Development Regime:How Experts Shape PolicyFilippo De Danieli – Drug political economy/mafiasin TajikistanColin Robertson – Oil, corruption and factionalismin Sudan and ChadACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASProfessor Gilbert Achcar BA(LYONS) BA MA(LEBANESEUNIVERSITY BEIRUT) PHD(PARIS VIII)Middle East and north Africa; social and politicaltheory; international relations; globalisation; sociologyof religionProfessor Henry Bernstein MA(CANTAB) MSC(LONDON)Postgraduate Admissions Tutor (PhD) / Research TutorEast Africa and South Africa; sociology of development;agrarian political economy; social and political theory;food commodity chains; governance and developmentProfessor Elisabeth J Croll MA(CANT. NZ)MA PHD(LONDON) ACSSPeople’s Republic of China: anthropological approachesto the study of gender, family, social policy, governanceand cultural identity, rural development, anthropologyand the management of development, anthropologyof developmentProfessor Christopher Cramer BA PHD(CANTAB)Postgraduate Admissions Tutor (MSc Violence, Conflictand Development)Africa: economics of Africa, political economy ofdevelopment, political economy of war and peacein southern Africa, and the economics of cashewproduction, processing and tradeDr Jonathan Di John BA (HARVARD) PHD(CANTAB)Development economics, economic growth, institutionaleconomics, taxation in less developed countries, thepolitical economy of oil states, political economyof industrial policy in Latin America, especially ofVenezuela, Columbia and BrazilDr Jonathan Goodhand BA PGCE(BIRMINGHAM)MSC PHD(MANCHESTER)South and Central Asia; complex political emergencies,humanitarian aid; NGO capacity building, aid, conflictand developmentDr Laura Hammond MA PHD(WISCONSIN)Horn of Africa; Ethiopia; Somalia; forced migration;resettlement; returnees; remittances; internationalassistanceDr Michael Jennings BA MA(OXFORD) PHD(LONDON)Politics and history of development processesin sub-Saharan Africa, governance, civil society,non-governmental organisations and faith-basedorganisations, and social aspects of health in AfricaDr Tania Kaiser BA(BRISTOL) MPHL DPHIL(OXON)East Africa, West Africa, Sri Lanka; conflict anddevelopment; forced migration; refugees; humanitarianinterventionsDr Deniz Kandiyoti BA(PARIS) MSC PHD(LONDON)Postgraduate Admissions Tutor (MSc DevelopmentStudies)Middle East and Central Asia: gender and development;the state and social policy; feminist theoryDr Jens Lerche MA PHD(COPENHAGEN)South Asia; agrarian political economy; rural labourrelations; governance and developmentDr Zoe Marriage BA(OXON) MSC PHD(LSE)Sierra Leone, Rwanda, DR Congo and Sudan; politicaland psychological processes of violence and assistance,rural policyDr Terry McKinley BA(SAN DIEGO) MA PHD(CALIFORNIA)Poverty reduction, growth, inequality, employment andhuman development; the implications for economicpolicies of linking poverty reduction strategies to theMillennium Development GoalsMr Paolo Novak MSC(LONDON)Postgraduate Admissions Tutor (MSc Globalisation andDevelopment)Afghanistan; Pakistan; refugees; borders; governance;international interventionDr Carlos Oya LICENCIATURA(MADRID) MSC PHD(LONDON)West Africa, Southern Africa, agrarian politicaleconomy; poverty; rural labour; government-donorrelations; research methodsDr Elaheh Rostami-Povey BSC(UEL) MA(SUSSEX) PHD(OPEN)Middle East: gender and development issues, especiallywomen’s economic and political participation inMuslim societies, with particular reference to Iran andAfghanistan; civil society; NGOsProfessor Alfredo Saad-Filho PHD(LONDON)Head of DepartmentSouthern Africa and Latin America, political economyof development; value theory; financial marketsDr Subir Sinha BA(DELHI) MA PHD(NORTHWESTERN)South Asia: institutions of development, NGOs, socialmovements; the environment, common propertyinstitutions and resource use

MSC DEVELOPMENT STUDIESMSC DEVELOPMENT STUDIESWITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TOCENTRAL ASIADURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Zoe MarriageSEE ALSO:MSc Violence, Conflict and Development,MA Social Anthropology of Development,MA Social Anthropology,MSc Finance and Development,MSc Political Economy of Development,MSc Development EconomicsMSC DEVELOPMENT STUDIES /MSC DEVELOPMENT STUDIES WITHSPECIAL REFERENCE TO CENTRAL ASIANot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES- Theory, Policy and Practice of Development- Political Economy of DevelopmentOPTIONAL COURSES- Civil Society, Social Movements and theDevelopment Process (Term 1)- Development Practice (Term 2)- Fundamentals of Research Methods inDevelopment Studies (Term 1)- Gender and Development (Term 2)- Issues in Forced Migration (Term 2)- Marxist Political Economy and GlobalDevelopment (Term 2)- Problems of Development in the Middle Eastand North Africa (Term 2)- Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) asDevelopment Agencies (Term 1)- Security (Term 1)65Nkechi Amarachukwu AnieboMSc Development StudiesMy SOAS experience has been beautiful. I lovedthe diversity, it gives you this feeling of solidarity.There was never a dull moment; we wereconstantly busy, either attending seminar/talksabout current world issues or having concertsand live music almost every Friday.SOAS tries to meet the need of every singlecultural group, which makes it unique. There isalways something to learn about other cultures.Development Studies is very intense andinteresting. The amount of knowledge I acquiredand the fact that I can actually apply it in practicemakes me feel that my time here was worth it,and I am proud to be a SOASian.DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

66DEVELOPMENT STUDIESMSC GLOBALISATION ANDDEVELOPMENTDURATIONOne calendar year (full time)Two years (part time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSAt least upper second class degree in a relevant field,though relevant work experience will also be takeninto consideration.PROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Gilbert AchcarSEE ALSO:MSc Development StudiesMSC GLOBALISATION AND DEVELOPMENTNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES- Globalisation, Governance and Development- EITHER Theory, Policy and Practice ofDevelopment OR Political Economy ofDevelopmentOPTIONAL COURSES- Civil Society, Social Movements and theDevelopment Process (Term 1)- Development Practice (Term 2)- Fundamentals of Research Methods inDevelopment Studies (Term 1)- Gender and Development (Term 2)- Issues in Forced Migration (Term 2)- Marxist Political Economy and GlobalDevelopment (Term 2)- Problems of Development in the Middle Eastand North Africa (Term 2)- Critical Approaches to Neoliberalism and theState (Term 1)- Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) asDevelopment Agencies (Term 1)- Security (Term 1)MSC VIOLENCE, CONFLICTAND DEVELOPMENTDURATIONOne year (full-time)Two years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSAt least upper second class degree in relevant fieldPROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Christopher CramerSEE ALSO:MSc Development StudiesMSC VIOLENCE, CONFLICT AND DEVELOPMENTNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES- The Political Economy of Violence and Conflict- Theory, Policy and Practice of DevelopmentOR Political Economy of Development ORAnthropology of Development (taught by theAnthropology Department)OPTIONAL COURSES- Civil Society, Social Movements and theDevelopment Process (Term 1)- Development Practice (Term 2)- Fundamentals of Research Methods inDevelopment Studies (Term 1)- Gender and Development (Term 2)- Issues in Forced Migration (Term 2)- Marxist Political Economy and GlobalDevelopment (Term 2)- Problems of Development in the Middle Eastand North Africa (Term 2)- Critical Approaches to Neoliberalism and theState (Term 1)- Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) asDevelopment Agencies (Term 1)- Security (Term 1)- War to Peace Transitions (Term 2)

DEPARTMENT OFECONOMICSThe Department of Economics is one of the country’sleading departments specialising in the economics ofdevelopment and growth. Research is pursued on avariety of topics and is unique in its depth and range ofregional coverage. A special feature of the Departmentis its orientation towards Political Economy as well asFinance and Development. In addition, the Departmentmajors on aspects of economic theory that go beyondmainstream paradigms.NUMBER OF STAFF 20RAE 4DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/economicsFACULTY Law and Social SciencesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMSC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICSMSC ECONOMICS (WITHREFERENCE TO AFRICAOR SOUTH ASIA ORTHE MIDDLE EAST ORTHE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION)MSC FINANCE ANDDEVELOPMENTMSC POLITICAL ECONOMY OFDEVELOPMENT67The core of the Department’s teaching andresearch enables students to gain a closeunderstanding of theoretical and analytical issues;to apply rigorously the relevant concepts, acrossa wide spectrum of problems, to the countriesof Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the globaleconomy at large; and to acquire a thoroughfamiliarity with the conceptual apparatusof Econometrics, including the necessarystatistical tools.The Department includes regional specialists, witha broad range of theoretical and applied interests.The Department employs its own computerprogrammer who takes on the responsibility forthe training and other needs of postgraduatestudents. Full computing facilities are availableto all postgraduate students.RESEARCH DEGREESStudents whose qualifications indicate that theyare able to pursue independent research may beaccepted to read for a research degree (MPhil/PhD). Normally a Masters degree in Economicsis a prerequisite.An essential feature of the MPhil and PhDwork is the close relationship between researchstudents and supervisors. Supervisors andstudents meet regularly and consult closely. Allresearch students have a supervisory committeeto cover theoretical, empirical and regionallyspecific supervision, as appropriate. There is aResearch Student Tutor with overall responsibilityfor research students, who is available fordiscussion of general problems.All research students in Economics receive acopy of the manual on Research Methods inEconomics. Students are required to participatein a workshop/seminar in which research topicsand results are presented and discussed by staffand students. In addition, there is a regulardepartmental Political Economy of Developmentseminar, to which members of the departmentand visiting speakers present papers.There is a strong interdisciplinary basis forresearch and teaching. London, moreover,provides an unrivalled opportunity for studentsto hear papers being read by leading authoritiesin African and Asian studies. Research studentsmay choose from a wealth of seminars bothin the School (especially in the regional andinterdisciplinary centres) and in other collegesand institutes of the university.STAFF RESEARCHAll academic staff are active researchers andpublish in core journals such as AmericanEconomic Review, Economic Journal, CambridgeJournal of Economics, Oxford Bulletin ofComparative Economics, World Bank EconomicReview, World Development, Journal ofInternational Development, Journal of AfricanEconomies, China Quarterly, Food Policy andthe Journal of Development Studies.GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN ECONOMICSThis one-year diploma is administered by theDepartment of Economics and provides studentswith a solid understanding of the main topicsECONOMICS

68 in economics. It is a programme largely atan undergraduate level, designed both as anentry qualification for postgraduate studyand as a bridge between undergraduate andpostgraduate work.The programme is suitable as a standalonequalification for those wishing to change theircareer path or develop within their presentprofession. Alternatively, the Diploma acts as aconversion course for students without previouseconomics training who wish to take an MScprogramme in Economics.The core prerequisites in economics andtechnical skills necessary for the Masters degreesare covered in one year. Students take fourcourses: Microeconomics & Macroeconomics,Quantitative Techniques, DevelopmentEconomics, and Foreign Trade and DevelopingCountries. Assessment is in the form of writtenexaminations and coursework. Completion ofthe Graduate Diploma at an acceptable levelallows students to take one of the MScs inEconomics in the following year.The entry requirements are normally a firstor upper second class honours degree (orequivalent). Other relevant experience, includinggood qualifications in a less relevant subject areamay be considered.Dr Myriam Blin LEI MEI(AIX-MARSEILLE)MA PHD(MANCHESTER)Mauritius and North Africa: gender economics,international trade and industrial policy, poverty,economics methodologyProfessor Anne E Booth BA(WELLINGTON) PHD(ANU)South East Asia: poverty measurement, determinantsand policy; economic history of South East AsiaDr Sonali Deraniyagala BA(CANTAB) MA(LONDON)DPHIL(OXON)South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa: technical changeand productivity in manufacturing, industrial policy,the impact of trade liberalisation on manufacturingperformanceMr Paulo Dos Santos BA(ECON) BS(MARYLAND CP)MSC(LONDON)Philippine banking sector, financial liberalisation,patterns and consequences of uneven economicdevelopment in South East Asia and Latin AmericaDr Graham Dyer MPHIL(CANTAB) BA PHD(LONDON)Middle East: economic problems of the Middle East;land productivity and holding size in Egypt; politicaleconomy of agrarian changeProfessor Ben Fine BA BPHIL(OXON) PHD(LONDON)Postgraduate Admissions Tutor (PhD)Southern Africa: the mineral-energy complex inSouth Africa; the political economy of consumption,particularly food; privatisation and industrial policy;political economy and economic theory; labour markettheory; economic imperialism; social capitalECONOMICSSOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESHikari Ishido – Economic Determinants of ForeignDirect Investment by Multinational Firms: The Caseof MalaysiaShahzavar Karimzadi – Keyne and Marx on MonetaryTheory: A Comparative Analysis with ParticularReference to Electronic MoneyACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASProfessor Robert F Ash BA MSC(ECON) PHD(LONDON)China’s economic development in the 20th and 21stcenturies (especially agricultural and rural change,demographic and employment issues, consumptionand living standards); evolution of ‘Greater China’;economic development of Taiwan and cross-Straiteconomic relationsDr Stephanie Blankenburg MA(HAMBURG)MPHIL(CANTAB)Growth Theory, economic institutions, history ofeconomic analysis, development in Latin AmericaDr Benjamin Groom BA (SHEFFIELD) MSC PHD(LONDON)Environmental and resource economics, appliedmicroeconomics and microeconometrics, socialdiscounting and intergenerational equity, appliedagricultural and water economics, economics ofbiodiversity and international environmental agreementsDr Jane Harrigan BA(OXON) MPHIL(CAMB)PHD(MANCHESTER)Head of DepartmentInternational financial flows, IMF and World Bankprogrammes in developing countries, the politicaleconomy of economic liberalisation in the Middle Eastand North Africa, and food policies in Sub-Saharan AfricaDr Deborah Johnston BA MPHIL(CANTAB) PHD(LONDON)Analysis and measurement of poverty; the workingof rural labour markets; agarian change and ruraldevelopment; the socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDSProfessor Massoud Karshenas BSC(ECON)MSC(ECON)(LONDON) PHD(CANTAB)Middle East: oil and economic development; diffusionof new technologies; labour markets and structuraladjustment; intersectoral resource flows, environment

Professor Mushtaq Khan BA(OXON) MPHIL PHD(CANTAB)South and South East Asia: institutional economicsand political economy; the economics of rentseeking, corruption and patron-client networks; lateindustrialisation and the stateDr Costas Lapavitsas BSC(ECON) MSC(ECON) PHD(LONDON)Postgraduate Admissions Tutor (MSc)Research TutorJapan: theory of banking and finance; history ofeconomic thought; the Japanese financial systemDr Dic Lo BSC(ECON)(CHINESE, H.K.) MA(EAST ANGLIA)PHD(LEEDS)China: industry and trade in China; late industrialisation;the Soviet-type economic system and transformationDr Matthew McCartney BA(CANTAB) MPHIL(OXON)Economic development and political economy ofpost-Independence South Asia: The State in lateindustrialization. Macro-dynamics and industrialisationin IndiaMr Satoshi Miyamura BA(TOKYO) MA(HITOTSUBASHI)MSC(LONDON)Institutional economics, labour economics, politicaleconomy of collective bargaining, economics of SouthAsia and JapanProfessor Machiko K Nissanke MSC(MOSCOW) MSC(ECON)PHD(LONDON)Africa and Asia: North/South economic relations,adjustment and development; finance and development;international trade and financeDr Graham Smith BA(DURHAM) MA(WARWICK)PHD(MANCHESTER)Emerging stock markets, financial futures, the marketsfor gold and other metals; time series econometricsDr Jan Toporowski BSC MSC(ECON) PHD(BIRMINGHAM)Macroeconomics, monetary policy, Kalecki and Post-Keynesian Economics, credit cycles, the Franc Zone69MSC DEVELOPMENTECONOMICSDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent) in EconomicsPROGRAMME CONVENORSDr Myriam Blin (Terms 1 & 2)Dr Deborah Johnston (Term 3)SEE ALSO:MSc Economics,MSc Finance and Development,MSc Political Economy of DevelopmentThe MSc Development Economics is a taughtMasters degree, taught within a structuresprogramme being mainly course modules anda dissertation.It consists of eight course modules deliveredthrough lectures, classes, and tutorials and an8,000-word dissertation. The degree is awardedon the basis of examinations written in May anda dissertation which is submitted in September.All students must complete and pass the BasicMathematics and Statistics course which is taughtover three weeks in August/September before thestart of the core courses of the MSc.MSC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICSNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES- Macroeconomics- Microeconomics- Growth and Development- Quantitative Methods 1- Quantitative Methods 2OPTIONAL COURSESSelect any three but not two from same region- African Economies I- African Economies II- Applied Economics of the Middle East I- Applied Economics of the Middle East II- Capital Markets, Derivatives and CorporateFinance- Comparative Political Economy- Economic Development of South Asia (a)- Economic Development of South Asia (b)- Economic Development of the Asia Pacific Region I- Economic Development of the Asia Pacific Region IIECONOMICS

70ECONOMICS- Economics of Environment and Development- Financial Systems and Economic Development- Growth and Development- International Economics I- International Economics II- Marxist Political Economy and WorldDevelopment- Political Economy of Institutions- Theory of Financial Institutions and PolicyMSC ECONOMICSPROGRAMMESDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlySPECIAL FEATURESModularENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class hours degree(or equivalent) in EconomicsPROGRAMME CONVENORSDr Myriam Blin (MSc Economics with regard toAfrica) (Terms 1 & 2)Dr Deborah Johnston (MSc Economics with regardto Africa) (Term 3)Professor Robert F Ash (MSc Economics withregard to Asia Pacific Region)Professor Massoud Karshenas (MSc Economicswith regard to Middle East)Matthew McCartney (MSc Economics with regardto South Asia) (Term 1)Professor Mushtaq Khan (MSc Economics withregard to South Asia) (Terms 2 & 3)SEE ALSO:MSc Development Economics,MSc Political Economy of Development,MSc Finance and DevelopmentApplicants without a first degree in Economicsmay be admitted to the Diploma in Economics(see page 67) in the first instance. Satisfactorycompletion of the Diploma, at a level acceptableto the School, may allow students to take theMSc in the following year. For details seewww.soas.ac.uk/economicsThe Department offers four MScs in Economicswhich offer the student the option of the followingregional specialisations:• MSc Economics with reference to Africa• MSc Economics with reference to South Asia• MSc Economics with reference to theMiddle East• MSc Economics with reference to the AsiaPacific RegionThe general objectives of the programme are:• To enable students to apply the principles ofeconomic analysis to the design of economicpolicy with reference to the selected region;• To teach postgraduates the technical andanalytical skills to qualify them to practice asprofessional economists;• To enable practising professional economists toimprove and update their skills and knowledge;• To impart the skills and knowledge that enablestudents to progress towards PhD researchsubsequently.The MSc Economics is taught within a structuredprogramme rather than being obtained mainlyby research and dissertation. It consists of eightcourse modules delivered through lectures, classesand tutorials, and an 8,000-word dissertation.The degree is awarded on the basis of coursework, examinations written in May/June, and adissertation which is submitted in September.All students must complete and pass the BasicMathematics and Statistics course which is taughtover three weeks in August/September before thestart of the MSc.Graduates of Masters programmes in theDepartment of Economics at SOAS have followedsuccessful careers in international banking andfinance, in national governments in many partsof the world, in international developmentagencies and in a range of non-governmentalorganisations. SOAS MSc graduates have beenvery successful in gaining highly competitiveOverseas Development Institute (ODI) fellowships,which have allowed them to work in governmentagencies in countries ranging from Mozambiqueto Papua New Guinea.

MSC ECONOMICS PROGRAMMESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES- Macroeconomics- Microeconomics- Growth and Development- Quantitative Methods 1- Quantitative Methods 2OPTIONAL REGIONAL COURSESChoose two from the list below- African Economies 1- African Economies 2- Economic Development in South Asia (a)- Economic Development in South Asia (b)- Applied Economics of the Middle East 1- Applied Economics of the Middle East 2- Economic Development of the Asia PacificRegion 1- Economic Development of the Asia PacificRegion 2OPTIONAL COURSESChoose one from the list below- Capital Markets, Derivatives and CorporateFinance- Economics of Environment and Development- International Economics 1- International Economics 2- Political Economy of Institutions- Theory of Financial Institutions and Policy- Financial Systems and Economic Development- Comparative Political Economy- Marxist Political Economy and WorldDevelopment71Sahar Taghdisi-RadPhD Development EconomicsBeing a research student at SOAS comes withmultiple advantages: from being engaged inin-depth analytical debates through numerousseminars and workshops to experiencingteaching at the department.The first-hand specialist and regional knowledgeof the academics is one of the greatest assetsand ensures high quality supervision of theresearch students. The weekly research/PhDseminars give both the current PhD students andexperts in the field the opportunity to presenttheir works, challenge each other’s ideas andget engaged in critical debates, all of which notonly create a vibrant intellectual atmosphere,but are also of enormous importance to therefinement of one’s research ideas.ECONOMICS

72ECONOMICSMSC FINANCE ANDDEVELOPMENTDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSAt least upper second class or equivalent in EconomicsOR a joint degree containing Economics PLUS workexperience in financial markets and developmentPROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Machiko NissankeSEE ALSO:MSc Economics,MSc Development Economics,MSc Political Economy of DevelopmentThis Masters is designed for economists andfinanciers who are interested in exploring therelationship between national and internationalfinancial policies and practices and their impacton economic development. Anyone working, orwishing to work, for international organisationsand/or in financial institutions with an interest ineconomic development would gain much fromthis programme.The programme includes eight modules inmacroeconomics, microeconomics, quantitativemethods, international finance, corporate finance,derivatives and capital markets, and financialsystems in the context of economic development.Students will also complete an 8,000-worddissertation.MSC FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENTCOMPULSORY COURSESTerm 1- Microeconomics- Quantitative Methods 1- Capital Markets, Derivatives and Corporate Finance- Financial Systems and Economic DevelopmentTerm 2- Macroeconomics- International Economics 2- Quantitative Methods 2- Theory of Financial Institutions and PolicyMSC POLITICAL ECONOMYOF DEVELOPMENTDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSGood undergraduate degree in, or including,EconomicsPROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Mushtaq KhanSEE ALSO:MSc Economics,MSc Development Economics,MSc Finance and DevelopmentThe MSc in the Political Economy of Developmentoffers a great deal of flexibility in the study ofadvanced issues in economics and politicaleconomy an is aimed at two types of students:those who have already done a lot of economicsand want to specialise in issues of politicaleconomy; and also those who have completedjoint degrees at the undergraduate level witheconomics as a component and who nowwant to study economics at an advancedlevel without necessarily taking compulsorycomponents in microeconomics, macroeconomicsand econometrics.MSC POLITICAL ECONOMY OF DEVELOPMENTNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES- Growth and Development- Political Economy of Institutions- Research Methods in Political Economy 1- Research Methods in Political Economy 2OPTIONAL COURSESChoose four from the list below- African Economies 1- African Economies 2- Economic Development of South Asia (a)

Hot stuff – Indian chilli pepper vendor73- Economic Development of South Asia (b)- Applied Economics of the Middle East 1- Applied Economics of the Middle East 2- Economic Development of the Asia Pacific Region 1- Economic Development of the Asia Pacific Region 2- Macroeconomics- Microeconomics- Quantitative Methods 1- Quantitative Methods 2- Capital Markets, Derivatives and Corporate Finance- Economics of Environment and Development- International Economics 1- International Economics 2- Theory of Financial Institutions and Policy- Financial Systems and Economic Development- Comparative Political Economy- Marxist Political Economy and WorldDevelopmentECONOMICS

74DEPARTMENT OFFINANCIAL ANDMANAGEMENT STUDIESThe Department of Financial and Management Studies(DeFiMS) conducts research and postgraduateteaching in the fields of finance, managementand related subjects.NUMBER OF STAFF 20DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/defimsFACULTY Law and Social SciencesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMSC INTERNATIONALMANAGEMENT (CHINA)MSC INTERNATIONALMANAGEMENT (JAPAN)MSC INTERNATIONALMANAGEMENT (MIDDLEEAST AND NORTH AFRICA)MSC FINANCE AND FINANCIALLAWThe Department offers supervision and trainingfor Masters degrees and PhD students in financeand in management.PHD PROGRAMMEThe PhD programme offers advanced trainingand research supervision on topics in finance,management and development topics, leadingto the University of London PhD or MPhil.Professor Andrew Dorward BA(OXON) PHD(READING)Professor of Development EconomicsDr Bassam Fattouh BA(BEIRUT) MSC PHD(LONDON)Reader in Financial StudiesDr Dafydd Fell BA(LEEDS) PHD(LONDON)Lecturer in Taiwan StudiesReaching for the sky – Hong Kong’s majestic Tower 2of the International Finance CentreSOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESEdson Gandarillas Morales – Institutionalarrangements to improve the responsiveness ofagricultural innovations systems to the needs of thepoor: An investigation of participatory monitoringand evaluation in BoliviaIoanna Gedeon – Supplier-buyer relationshipdissolution in the UK food industryDulekha Kasturiratne – Value, relationships andcompetitive advantage in the Sri Lankan tea industryFINANCIAL AND MANAGEMENT STUDIESACADEMIC STAFFDr Fabrizio Adriani PHD(ROME)Lecturer in International Business and FinanceDr Richard Alexander BA MA(CANTAB) DIP(CITY)PHD(LONDON)Lecturer in Financial LawProfessor Robert F Ash BA MSC(ECON) PHD(LONDON)Professor of Economics with reference to Chinaand TaiwanDr Hong Bo BA MA(LAIZHOO) PHD(GRONINGEN)Senior Lecturer in Chinese Business and ManagementDr Luca Deidda BA(PISA) MSC PHD(LONDON)Senior Lecturer in Financial Studies

Mr Norman Flynn BA(ECON)(SUSSEX)MA(ECON)(NEWCASTLE)Director of Studies (Distance Learning)Professor Laurence Harris BSC(ECON)MSC(ECON)(LONDON)Head of DepartmentProfessor of EconomicsDr Richard Mead BA(DURHAM) MA(BANGOR)PHD(BIRMINGHAM) MM(CHULALONGKORN)Admissions TutorConvenor of MSc International ManagementProgrammesDr Helen Macnaughton BA(WAIKATO) MA PHD(LONDON)Lecturer in International Business and Management(Japan)Dr Alessandro PiergalliniFellow in Financial StudiesDr Nigel Poole BSC MSC PHD(LONDON)Senior LecturerMr Colin Poulton BA(OXON) MSC(LONDON)Research FellowDr Pasquale Scaramozzino LAUREA(ROME) MSC(ECON)PHD(LONDON)PhD TutorReader in EconomicsMs Sonja RuehlDeputy Dean, Faculty of Law and Social SciencesMr Laurence Smith BSC MSC (LONDON)Senior LecturerProfessor Laixiang Sun BSC MSC(PEKING)PHD(INST. SOC. STUDIES)Professor of Chinese Business and ManagementDr Damian Tobin BA MBS ECON (LIMERICK) PHD (LONDON)Lecturer in Chinese Business and Management75MSC INTERNATIONALMANAGEMENT (CHINA)DURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSYou should have a recognised first degree withgood grades in any subject equivalent to a UKupper second class honours. Additionally, wewill consider relevant professional qualificationsor experience.PROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Laixiang SunThe MSc in International Management (China)focuses on management and its environmentin China and includes high-level courses ininternational management and finance disciplines.The programme is specially designed as an academicqualification in management for students fromthe UK, European Union and elsewhere wishingto gain expertise on business in China andfor students from China wishing to obtain aqualification in international management witha focus on China.MSC INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT (CHINA)No knowledge of Chinese is required to completethe MSc programme successfully, since Englishlanguage materials are available. Those students whoalready have Chinese language skills will, however,have every opportunity to use them in studyingdata and source materials. For those who desire it,our programme also offers unique opportunities tolearn Chinese either at an introductory level, or atan advanced level for business purposes.The degree is taught in collaboration with theDepartment of Management, Clore ManagementCentre at Birkbeck College, a sister college in theUniversity of London.PROGRAMME STRUCTUREThe programme comprises six taught courses(three in term 1 and three in term 2) and adissertation of 10,000 words.The modules include:- Core modules that enable you to study theinterplay between global and local factorsinfluencing management decisions in China.- Elective modules that either develop managementskills which can be applied worldwide, or buildunderstanding of the Chinese business environment.Students may combine both types of elective.DISSERTATIONA dissertation reporting on supervised research. Thedissertation will account for 25 per cent of the degree.FINANCIAL AND MANAGEMENT STUDIES

76MSC INTERNATIONALMANAGEMENT (JAPAN)DURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two years (part-time)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSYou should have a recognised first degree with goodgrades in any subject equivalent to a UK uppersecond class honours.PROGRAMME CONVENORMs Sonja RuehlThe MSc in International Management (Japan)focuses on management and its environmentin Japan and includes high-level coursesin international management and financedisciplines. The programme is specially designedas an academic qualification in managementfor students from the UK, European Unionand elsewhere wishing to gain expertise onbusiness and its environment in Japan, andfor students from Japan wishing to obtain aqualification in international managementwith a focus on Japan.MSC INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT (JAPAN)No knowledge of Japanese is required to completethe MSc programme successfully, since Englishlanguage materials are available. Those students whoalready have Japanese language skills will, however,have every opportunity to use them in studying dataand source materials.The degree is taught in collaboration with theDepartment of Management, Clore ManagementCentre at Birkbeck College, a sister college in theUniversity of London.PROGRAMME STRUCTUREThe programme comprises six taught courses(three in term 1 and three in term 2) and adissertation of 10,000 words.The six courses include:- Core modules that enable you to study theinterplay between global and local factorsinfluencing management decisions in Japan- Elective modules that either develop managementskills that can be applied worldwide, or buildunderstanding of the Japanese business environment.Students may combine both types of elective.DISSERTATIONA dissertation reporting on supervised research. Thedissertation will account for 25 per cent of the degree.FINANCIAL AND MANAGEMENT STUDIES

MSC INTERNATIONALMANAGEMENT (MIDDLE EASTAND NORTH AFRICA)DURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two years (part-time)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSYou should have a recognised first degree with goodgrades in any subject equivalent to a UK uppersecond class honours. Additionally, we will considerrelevant professional qualifications or experience.PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Bassam FattouhThis programme focuses on management and itsenvironment in the Middle East and North Africaand includes high level courses in internationalmanagement and finance disciplines. It is designedas an academic qualification in managementfor students from the UK, European Union andelsewhere wishing to gain expertise on businessand its environment in the Middle East andNorth Africa, and for students from the MiddleEast and North Africa wishing to obtain aqualification in international management witha focus on the region.MSC INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT(MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA)The degree is taught in collaboration with theDepartment of Management, Clore ManagementCentre at Birkbeck College, a sister college in theUniversity of London.PROGRAMME STRUCTUREThe programme comprises six taught courses (threein term 1 and three in term 2) and a dissertation of10,000 words.The courses include:- Core modules that enable you to study theinterplay between global and local factorsinfluencing management decisions in the MiddleEast and North Africa.- Elective modules that either develop managementskills that can be applied worldwide, orbuild understanding of the regional businessenvironment. Students may combine both typesof elective.DISSERTATIONA dissertation reporting on supervised research.The dissertation will account for 25 per cent ofthe degree.MSC FINANCE ANDFINANCIAL LAWDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two years (part-time)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake only (a three-week pre-sessionalcourse in September is a requirement)ENTRY REQUIREMENTSYou should have a recognised first degree with goodgrades in any subject equivalent to a UK uppersecond class honours. Additionally, we will considerrelevant professional qualifications or experience.PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Richard AlexanderThis programme takes an integrated approachto finance and financial law, including riskmanagement, regulation, mergers andacquisitions, initial public offerings, bondissues and loans. It is designed as an academicqualification which is particularly suitable forlawyers specialising in finance and banking,for bankers and finance specialists, and forfinancial regulators and compliance officers.PROGRAMME STRUCTUREStudents take two pre-sessional introductorymodules (‘Introduction to Financial Analysis’and ‘Introduction to Law and Legal Method’),followed by six courses (three in term 1 andthree in term 2) and a dissertation of 10,000words. Students write a dissertation reportingon supervised research. The dissertation willaccount for 25 per cent of the degree.Left: Visions of 2020 – Finance Ministry HQ inMalaysia’s new administrative capital, Putrajaya77FINANCIAL AND MANAGEMENT STUDIES

78DEPARTMENT OFHISTORYThe History Department is recognised internationallyas a centre of excellence for postgraduate studies inthe history of Africa and Asia.NUMBER OF STAFF 23RAE 5*DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/historyFACULTY Arts and HumanitiesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMA HISTORY: ASIA/AFRICAMA HISTORICAL RESEARCHMETHODSHISTORYIn the 1996 and 2001 Research AssessmentExercises, it achieved the highest grade. With23 full-time members of staff – and a varyingcorps of research associates and distinguishedvisiting scholars – the Department provides arich research environment, much of it centred onits five research seminar series on African, SouthAsian, Middle Eastern, East Asian, and SouthEast Asian history. With around 20 or morenew students a year joining the History PhDprogramme, it has a large and active communityof research scholars.RESEARCH DEGREESResearch supervision is provided for a wide rangeof topics within Africa’s and Asia’s vast past,although it has particular strength in economic,social, religious, and political history, and in thehistory of medicine, science, and technology.New research students are required to attend,during their first year, a weekly seminar onresearch methods which provides training forresearch specifically in the history of Africaand Asia. In addition, research students attenda weekly regional history seminar – on Africa,South Asia, the Near and Middle East, EastAsia, or South East Asia – and often specialworkshops on themes related to their research.Close links are maintained with the nearbyInstitute of Historical Research and the Instituteof Commonwealth Studies, which run their ownresearch seminars.Although some theses rely mainly on materialsin English and other European languages, amajor advantage of taking a research degree inhistory at SOAS is that the School can provideinstruction in many African and Asian languages.Students requiring such instruction are advised tomention it at the time of application, and to discussarrangements with prospective supervisors as earlyas possible after receiving an offer. In addition,research students in history whose work extends intoother disciplines are encouraged to seek advice fromstaff in other departments, notably Anthropologyand Sociology, and the Study of Religions.In addition to the resources of the SOAS Library,historians at the School benefit from easy accessto the British Library (including the India Officeand Oriental Collections), to the British LibraryNewspaper Library at Colindale, to the NationalArchives, and to the large number of otherrelevant archives and libraries in central London.SOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESIzabela Orlowska – Re-Imagining Empire: EthiopianPolitical Culture under Yohannis IV (1872–89)George Barei – Britain and Algeria 1945–1965Sara Koplik – The Demise of the Jewish Community inAfghanistan (1933–1951)Nilanjan Sarkar – The Political Identity of the DelhiSultanate, 1200–1400ACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASProfessor Ravi Ahuja PHD(HEIDELBERG)Modern South Asian HistoryDr Daud Ali BA(WILLIAM & MARY) MA PHD(CHICAGO)History of medieval South India: courtly culture in earlymedieval IndiaProfessor Ian Brown BA(BRISTOL) MA PHD(LONDON)The modern economic and political history of SouthEast Asia; the economic impact of the inter-wardepression on South East AsiaDr James R Brennan BA(ILLINOIS) MA(ALABAMA)PHD(NORTHWESTERN)History of urbanisation and nationalism in modern EastAfrica; Indian ocean diasporasProfessor William Gervase Clarence-Smith MA(CANTAB)DIPPOL(PARIS) PHD(LONDON)The modern economic history of the Third World; SouthEast Asian history; tree crops; Asian trading diasporas;alternative transport technologies

Dr Michael Charney BA(MICHIGAN-FLINT)MA(MICHIGAN & OHIO) PHD(MICHIGAN)The social and cultural history of early modern SouthEast Asia, with particular reference to BurmaProfessor Frank Dikötter BA MA(GENEVA) PHD(LONDON)Social and cultural history of modern ChinaDr Wayne Dooling BA MA(CAPE TOWN) PHD(CANTAB)Early colonial South African history; slavery andemancipation in the Cape ColonyDr Benjamin Fortna BA(YALE) MA(COLUMBIA)PHD(CHICAGO)Head of DepartmentModern Middle Eastern History; the late Ottomanempire, late Ottoman education and literatureDr Nelida Fuccaro MA(VENICE) PHD(DURHAM)MA ConvenorModern Middle Eastern history, especially Iraq, PersianGulf and Syria; urban social history; colonialism,ethnicity and nationalism; Kurdish historyProfessor G R Hawting BA PHD(LONDON)Pre-modern Islamic and Middle Eastern history; theorigins and early development of Islam in the Middle EastDr Konrad Hirschler MA PHD (LONDON)History of the Middle East; Islam in the Middle EastDr Andrea Janku MA PHD(HEIDELBERG)China, Social and Cultural History; The Early Press andthe History of Communication; Environmental HistoryDr Angus Lockyer BA(CANTAB) MA(WASHINGTON)PHD (STANFORD)Modernisation and modernity in Japan; world’s fairs,international and industrial exhibitionsProfessor Tom McCaskie MA PHD(CANTAB)Research TutorHistory and culture of Asante and Africa; comparativehistory; history of ideas; historiographyDr James McDougall MA DPHIL (OXON)Politics of Northern AfricaDr John Parker BA PHD(LONDON)Early modern and modern West African history,especially social and political history of GhanaDr Avril A Powell MA(CANTAB) PGCE PHD(LONDON)Islam in South Asia; Mughal history; Muslim-ChristianrelationsDr Richard Reid BA(STIRLING) PHD(LONDON)History of AfricaProfessor Peter G Robb BA(WELLINGTON) PHD(LONDON)FRHISTSThe history of modern South Asia; Indian agrarianhistory, especially Bihar and Eastern India; Europeansurveys in India, c. 1780–1830; early CalcuttaDr Shabnum Tejani BA (OBERLIN COLL)MA MPHIL PHD (COLUMBIA)Nineteenth and twenieth-century social and intellectualhistory, particularly of the Bombay Presidency;communalism and nationalism in India; debates aroundsecularism and religious intoleranceProfessor Tom Tomlinson MA PHD(CANTAB)Economic HistoryDr Heidi Walcher BA(TÜBINGEN) MA PHD(YALE)Political and social history of 19th-century Iran;Qajar urban historyEchoes of power – palatial architecture of the MughalEmpire, Rajasthan, India79HISTORY

80 reference to Asia and Africa. It is particularlyMA HISTORY: ASIA/AFRICAvaluable to those intending to proceed to a higherresearch degree.DURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)Please note that not all the courses listed here will beavailable every year, and some new courses are likelyto be added. For up-to-date information consultthe Convenor of the History MA Programme,who will also be pleased to provide more detailedinformation on individual courses. The Convenormay be contacted via the Faculty Office.HISTORYPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Nelida FuccaroSEE ALSO:MA Historical Research MethodsMany of the students who choose the MAHistory: Asia/Africa have recently completeda ‘conventional’ first degree focusing on thehistory of the Western world but have come torealise, correctly, that there lies beyond Europea vast, rich historical experience which needs tobe explored. Others take the MA as a preparationfor a higher research degree such as an MPhil orPhD in history.Each student is required to choose three coursesfrom a wide range of options. One of the threecourses will be recognised as the student’smajor course. The degree is completed by thewriting, after the examinations, of a 10,000-worddissertation on a topic which has evolved over theyear from the major course.In choosing their courses most students focuseither on a particular region – Africa, the Nearand Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, orEast Asia – or on a particular theme, for example,the rise of nationalism in colonial Africa or Asia;economic and social change in the colonial world;the history of Islam.Students may choose to substitute one historycourse with an approved course from another MAprogramme (for example, a language course) – anoption that may be of particular interest to thosecontemplating future research.It is also possible to select one course (‘minor’only) from a list of history courses offered byother colleges of the University of London. Oneof the three taught courses may be the courseentitled Research Methods in History with specialMA HISTORY: ASIA/AFRICANot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.Choose one major course and two minor courses fromthe list below (the 10,000-word dissertation on anapproved topic must be linked to the selected major)METHODOLOGY- Research Methods in History with specialreference to Asia and AfricaAFRICA- Power, Authority and Political Thought in Eastand Central Africa, 1850–2000- History, People and Cultures of Ethiopia- Colonial Conquest and Social Change in SouthernAfrica (half unit)- Social and Cultural Transformations in SouthernAfrica since 1945 (half unit)- West African Coastal Societies and Cultures,1780–1930- The History and Politics of Portuguese-speakingAfrica (Minor only)NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST- Origins and Development of Islam in the MiddleEast: Problems and Perspectives- The End of Empire in the Middle East and theBalkans- Modernity and the Transformation of the MiddleEast, 1839–1958- The Il-Khanate: Mongol Rule in West Asia,1258–1335- Envisioning the Past: Arabic HistoriographyCENTRAL ASIA- Central Asia: History, Politics and ReligionEAST ASIA- Japanese Modernity

- Locating China I: China and Other Worldviewsbefore ‘Westernisation’ (half unit)*- Locating China II: Missionaries and Misfits in theBritish Construction of China (half unit)*- History of Religion in Imperial China- Continuity and Change in Modern China,1840–1949- Topics in the History of Traditional Korea- Topics in Modern Korean History- Society, Culture and Drugs in China, 1700–1990* Students selecting ‘Locating China I’ or ‘LocatingChina II’ must select the other half unit as well.SOUTH ASIA- Body, Power and Society in Early India- History and Doctrines of Indian Buddhism- Islam in South Asia- Evolution of the State and Politics in Colonial India- Pakistan: History, Culture, Islam- Modern Bengal: the evolution of Bengali cultureand society from 1690 to the present day- The Indian TempleSOUTH EAST ASIA- Society and Politics in late Colonial South East Asia- World War II, Cold War, and the ‘War on Terror’:The United States and South East Asia, from 1942to present- The Rise and Fall of Southeast Asian Empires,16–18th centuries- Jawi and the Malay Manuscript Tradition- Pre-modern historical texts of Java, Bali and theMalay World in English translationAN APPROVED ASIAN OR AFRICAN LANGUAGE(See departments of the Faculty of Languages andCultures)COURSES FROM OTHER COLLEGES(Students may take up to one full unit course from thelist below – availability should be checked with theappropriate college)- Goldsmiths College – Islam and Christianity inModern Africa (half unit)- Goldsmiths College – A Visual History ofBuddhism (half unit)- Royal Holloway College – The Growth of MuslimCommunities in Britain, 1879–1950- Royal Holloway College – Gender and Society inthe Modern Islamic World- University College London – Nationalism andNational Identity in Twentieth-Century LatinAmerica- University College London – ThinkingPostcolonially: Britain and the empire in theNineteenth Century81Hashim ZaheerMA History: Africa/AsiaI initially studied BA History and Politics at SOASand graduated in 2006. The following academicyear I began my studies for MA History: Africa/Asia. There are many reasons why I decided tostay at SOAS and study at postgraduate level.For instance, the specialisation in Asian andAfrican studies complements the array of topquality lecturers that make SOAS a reputableacademic institution in the UK and the restof the world.Moreover, SOAS promotes a unique studentambience and universal ethos that makes itappealing and enjoyable for all. You are ableto study at ease without compromising yourextra-curricular activities.HISTORY

82HISTORYMA HISTORICAL RESEARCHMETHODSDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent); relevant background in the regionof specialismPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Nelida FuccaroSEE ALSO:MA History: Asia/AfricaThe MA in Historical Research Methods may betaken as a freestanding Masters programme. Thestudent must complete a programme of researchtraining and submit a dissertation on an approvedtopic. Candidates must also submit a numberor research-related assignments which, takentogether with the dissertation, are equivalentto approximately 30,000 words. For studentsprogressing on to a PhD, the MA dissertation willnormally take the form of a research proposal.AIMS AND OUTCOMESThe MA in Historical Research Methods isdesigned to train students in research skills to thelevel prescribed by the various funding councils.It is intended for students with a good first degreein History, or who possess a taught Masters degreein History. Most students would be expected toprogress to a research degree in History at the endof the course, but it is also possible to take it as astand-alone programme.By the end of the programme all students takingthe course will:• Have practical competence in an appropriaterange of research methods and tools in political,cultural, social and economic history;• Have the ability to understand key issuesof method and theory, and to understandthe epistemological issues involved in usingdifferent methods;• Have undertaken a substantial piece ofhistorical research in the form of a dissertation;• Have acquired, if necessary, suitable languagetraining for research in their chosen region ofAsia and Africa;• In addition to key issues in research design,students will be introduced to any specificresearch methods and tools required forresearch in their chosen topic and region.STRUCTURE AND COURSES• Research Methods in History with specialreference to Asia and Africa• Sources and research design in historicalresearch• EITHER language training from the Faculty ofLanguages and Cultures for students who donot have the appropriate language skills OR onecourse listed for the MA History: Asia/Africa(see page 80) to be selected with advice fromthe dissertation supervisor• 10,000-word dissertation on an approved topicTEACHING METHODSTeaching methods will vary according to thenature of courses on offer. They may includeformal lectures, student and staff-led seminars,small group and informal discussions.

CENTRE FORINTERNATIONAL STUDIESAND DIPLOMACYEstablished in 2000, the Centre for InternationalStudies and Diplomacy (CISD) at the School of Orientaland African Studies (SOAS) is a research-drivenunit committed to the promotion of excellence inscholarship and teaching.NUMBER OF STAFF 8CENTRE WEBSITEwww.cisd.soas.ac.ukFACULTY Law and Social SciencesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMA INTERNATIONAL STUDIESAND DIPLOMACYPOSTGRADUATE DIPLOMAPGDIP INTERNATIONAL STUDIESAND DIPLOMACY83The mission of the CISD is to promote crossdisciplinaryresearch and teaching that combinesthe distinctive expertise of SOAS with cutting-edgeresearch and public discussion of internationalpolitics in a globalising world, and to seek externalfunding for research and institutional developmentlinked to its teaching programmes.Intellectually, the Centre is distinctive in promotinginterdisciplinary research and instruction thatweaves together the best of area studies and freshthinking in the field of international studies.Institutionally, the Centre builds on the MA inInternational Studies and Diplomacy, a programmedevoted to providing students with the skillsand training necessary for a career in traditionaldiplomacy and areas of global civil society.In the Palace of Peace – the International Court ofJustice, The Hague, NetherlandsACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASDr Stephanie Blankenburg MA(HAMBURG)MPHIL(CANTAB)Growth Theory, economic institutions, history ofeconomic analysis, development in Latin AmericaDr Catriona Drew LLB(ABERDEEN) PHD(LONDON)Public International Law; international legal history(particularly self-determination of peoples), andlegal theoryDr Stephen Hopgood BSC(BRISTOL) DPHIL(OXON)International relations theory; international politics inthe twentieth century; theories of the stateDr Tat Yan Kong BA(NEWCASTLE) MPHIL DPHIL(OXON)Chair of the CISDKorea and Taiwan: government-business relations;comparative political economy, late industrialisation;development theoryDr Mark Laffey BA MA(CANTERBURY, NZ) PHD(MINNESOTA)International relations theory; international politicaleconomyDr Dan Plesch BA(NOTTINGHAM) PHD(KEELE)Director of the CISDApplied International Relations: weapons of massdestruction, diplomacy, globalisation and corporateaccountability, globalisation and democracy,globalisation and energy, role of international nongovernmentalorganisations, the United Nations andthe NazisLisa Smirl BA(MANITOBA) BA(OXON) MSC(LONDON)Teaching fellow in the Practice of International AffairsLeslie Vinjamuri BA(WESLEYAN) MSC(ECON) PHD(COLUMBIAInternational Relations Theory: InternationalOrganisation, Postconflict Reconstruction andStatebuilding, the Politics of International CriminalJustice, and Civil Liberties and Human Rights in thewar on terrorINTERNATIONAL STUDIES AND DIPLOMACY

84MA/PGDIP INTERNATIONALSTUDIES AND DIPLOMACYDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlySPECIAL FEATURESPractical and academic emphasis plus an optionalEuropean Study TourENTRY REQUIREMENTSNormally a first or upper second class honoursdegree (or equivalent). Other relevant experience,including good qualifications in a less relevantsubject area may be considered.The MA/PGDip in International Studies andDiplomacy is designed mainly for those engagedin, or planning to embark upon, a professionalcareer requiring international expertise; as adiplomat or member of a government departmentsuch as foreign trade; as an international civilservant or member of a non-governmentalorganisation.The programme will however also suit thosewishing to deepen their academic and practicalunderstanding of international affairs. Thestudy of international affairs and contemporarydiplomatic practice as offered at SOAS providesa unique educational opportunity for individualsinterested in acquiring a better understanding ofthe nature of contemporary global issues.SOAS offers an education that goes beyond theEuro-centric approach which has dominatedsuch programmes in the past. It is able to dothis because the width and depth of its scholarlyresources make it the leading centre for the studyof Asia and Africa in Europe.The International Studies and Diplomacyprogramme has a multi-disciplinary structurebased in the Centre for International Studies andDiplomacy. The programme draws on the teachingand research strengths of the SOAS departmentsof Politics, Law and Economics within the Facultyof Law and Social Sciences. For the practical studyof diplomacy, the programme is also able to drawon the rich pool of expertise available in Londonfrom the diplomatic, business and media worlds.The annual (optional) European Study Tour toGeneva emphasises the link between theory andpractice as it includes guided tours of institutionssuch as the International Court of Justice, the WarCrimes Tribunal, NATO, the United Nations andother EU bodies.Students will have opportunities to volunteer inthe organisation of major public conferences oncritical issues in globalisation.INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AND DIPLOMACY

STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTSThe schedule is designed to allow participationby those in full-time employment. The durationof study for the MA is one calendar year full-timeor two or three years part-time. The durationof study for the Postgraduate Diploma is oneacademic year full-time or two academic yearspart-time.Attendance for full time students is typically twohours on three evenings each week during termtime. Additional seminars and one-day eventsmay be scheduled.Participants may choose a combination of coursesto meet their professional needs and personalinterests. The programme is convened on a multidisciplinarybasis, and teaching is through lecturesand seminars and additional workshops conductedby SOAS faculty and visiting specialists.The award of the MA degree or of the PostgraduateDiploma is made on successful completion of anexamination in the appropriate number of coursesand – in case of the MA – also a dissertation. Eachcourse is examined by a three-hour written paper,and two pieces of written coursework.Candidates must normally possess a first or uppersecond class Honours degree or equivalent ina discipline related to the programme (such aspolitics, history, law, economics, internationalrelations). Other relevant experience, includinggood qualifications in a less relevant subjectarea may be considered. Candidates whose firstlanguage is not English must have acquired alevel of written and spoken English satisfactoryto the School.APPLICATIONS AND BROCHUREThis programme has its own brochure andapplication form. Please write to or contact:Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy(CISD), SOASThornhaugh Street,Russell Square,London WC1H 0XGtel: +44 (0)20 7898 4840/4830fax: +44 (0)20 7898 4839email: cisd@soas.ac.ukwww.cisd.soas.ac.ukApplications and supporting documentationshould be submitted as early as possible, andshould reach the Centre and MA Administratorwell in advance of 1st August of the year inwhich the applicant hopes to enrol. However, lateapplications will always be considered if places areavailable. Please note that applications are dealtwith in order of receipt.MA/PGDIP INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ANDDIPLOMACYNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the CISD website or contact the CISD office.Some courses may be taught in other departmentsof the School.The MA is developing and the CISD intends to offernew courses in areas such as industrial organisationand transnational companies in the global economy,peace and security, energy in global politics, andmedia and diplomacy.MA/PGDip candidates must select three coursesfrom Group A, or two courses from Group A andone from Group B.GROUP A- General Diplomatic Studies and Practice- International Relations- International Law- International EconomicsGROUP BStudents may select one course from the followingdegree programmes:- MA African Studies (see page 144)- MA Chinese Studies (see page 145)- MA Islamic Studies (see page 121)- MA Japanese Studies (see page 151)- MA Korean Studies (see page 153)- MA Near and Middle East Studies (see page 154)- MA South Asian Area Studies (see page 156)- MA South East Asian Studies (see page 158)- MA Taiwan Studies (see page 160)- MA Turkish Studies (see page 161)Or one of the following courses:- Political Economy of Development- Theory, Policy and Practice of DevelopmentLeft: Shimmering Shangri-La – Song Zan Lin Si temple,the world’s second largest and oldest Buddhist temple inChina’s Yunnan province85INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AND DIPLOMACY

86DEPARTMENT OFJAPAN AND KOREANUMBER OF STAFF 13RAE 5DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/japanandkoreaFACULTY Languages and CulturesJAPAN AND KOREAThe Department is part of the Faculty of Languages andCultures and covers through teaching and research abroad range of studies relating to Japan and Korea.Japan and Korea have been greatly influencedby the social, religious, and cultural practicesof China. The Chinese writing system has beenparticularly important. However, both Japanand Korea have gone on to develop their owndistinctive and rich cultural traditions.More than 100 students are registered with theDepartment at any one time, and up to a quarterof those are postgraduates working on taught orresearch degrees. Though most students comefrom Britain and the EU, a significant number arefrom other countries, including Japan, Korea andthe United States.After graduating, our students go on to takeadvantage of a wide range of work opportunities;from academic positions, museums, art galleries,charities, aid agencies to employment in a varietyof international businesses where they are ableto make full use of the cultural background andlanguage they have acquired at SOAS.Many of the taught courses require students togain knowledge of a target language, and this skilldeepens the ability of students to come to a greaterunderstanding of the cultures they study.RESEARCH DEGREESThe Department is able to supervise MPhil andPhD degrees by research and thesis in a widerange of cultural and linguistic subjects. Intendingresearch students should not feel constrainedto limit their choice of topics to those indicatedagainst the names of current staff members(postgraduate students have recently been workingon a range of topics that include Japanese cinema,Kabuki texts, modern Japanese linguistics andliterature, Meiji historical texts, Korean linguisticsand literature, Korean colonial and eighteenthcenturyhistory). Research undertaken at MPhiland PhD level is based on literary, documentary,and archive material available at SOAS and alsogathered during fieldwork in Japan and Korea.TAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMA APPLIED JAPANESELINGUISTICSMA EAST ASIAN LITERATURE– SEE PAGE 61MA JAPANESE LITERATUREMA KOREAN LITERATUREINTERDISCIPLINARYMA JAPANESE STUDIES– SEE PAGE 151MA KOREAN STUDIES– SEE PAGE 153MA TAIWAN STUDIES– SEE PAGE 160MA ANTHROPOLOGY OF MEDIA– SEE PAGE 47MA COMPARATIVE LITERATURE(AFRICA/ASIA) – SEE PAGE 146ACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASDr John L Breen MA PHD(CANTAB)Modern Japanese language; Japanese history, withspecial reference to 19th century political, socialand intellectual history; Japanese religions in thepre-modern and modern erasDr Stephen H Dodd BA(OXON) MA PHD(COLUMBIA)Admissions Tutor – JapaneseModern Japanese literature, with particular interestin representations of the native place (furusato),gender/sexuality and modernityProfessor Andrew Gerstle BA(COLUMBIA) MA(WASEDA)PHD(HARVARD)Japanese literature, drama and thought, primarily of theTokugawa period, with particular interest in Bunrakuand Kabuki theatre and the plays of ChikamatsuDr Anders Karlsson MA PHD(STOCKHOLM)Postgraduate Tutor / Admissions Tutor – KoreanKorean language; literature and society; history of 19thcentury KoreaMs Misako Kanehisa BED(EHIME) MA(LEEDS)Lector in JapaneseMs Miwako Kashiwagi BA(OSAKA) MA(INDIANA)Lector in JapaneseDr Griseldis Kirsch PHD(MICHIGAN)Lecturer in Contemporary Japanese CultureDr Mika Kizu BA(NANZAN) MA(CALIFORNIA) PHD(MCGILL)Theoretical linguistics; Syntax; Japanese linguistics;Second Language Acquisition

Ms Grace Koh BA(AMERICAN UNIV. PARIS) MST(OXFORD)Korean literature (pre-modern and early modern),with particular interest in Koryo prose; Korean literaryhistory and thought; East Asian prose traditionsMs Kyung Eun Lee BA(DONGDUK) MA(EWHA)Lector in KoreanDr Barbara Pizziconi BA(ROME) MA(TOKYO UNIV. FOREIGNLANGUAGES) PHD(NAPLES)Japanese applied linguistics; language teachingmethodology; second language acquisition withemphasis on pragmatic aspects; linguistic politenessMrs Kazumi Tanaka BA MA(INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIANUNIV. TOKYO)Senior Lector in Japanese. Modern Japanese language;language pedagogy; curriculum developmentDr Jae Hoon Yeon BA MA(SEOUL) PHD(LONDON)Head of DepartmentKorean language and linguistics, especially morphosyntaxand linguistic typology; structure and historyof Korean language; Korean language teaching andtranslation; modern Korean literature87MA APPLIED JAPANESELINGUISTICSDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent), usually in Japanese, Linguisticsor Applied LinguisticsPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Barbara PizziconiSEE ALSO:MA Japanese Studies,MA LinguisticsChomskyan framework. Native or near nativefluency in Japanese or a first degree in Japanesewill normally be required.Students are required to write a 10,000-worddissertation on an approved topic.MA APPLIED JAPANESE LINGUISTICSNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.The course consists of the following components:- Japanese Language Learning and Teaching- Introduction to the Study of Language- The Grammatical Structure of JapaneseThe MA Applied Japanese Linguistics is the firstof its kind to have been established in Europe. Itis designed to provide opportunities for futureteachers to develop an informed approach tolanguage teaching and for experienced teachersto reflect on their practices and beliefs. The corecourse examines basic aspects of the languagelearning process and the implications for thelanguage teacher.The relationship between theory and practice isa primary consideration throughout the course.This component includes observation and activeparticipation in a Japanese language class.The degree also aims to increase the student’sunderstanding of language through the studyof the general principles of Linguistics, and toprovide the student with experience in analysingthe grammatical structure of Japanese in theMA JAPANESE LITERATUREDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree (orequivalent), plus linguistic competence in JapanesePROGRAMME CONVENORDr Stephen DoddSEE ALSO:MA Japanese Studies,MA Comparative Literature,MA East Asian LiteratureJAPAN AND KOREA

88 This degree is designed either as an endqualification in itself or to prepare the studentfor more advanced graduate work (MPhil/PhD).Incoming students will be expected to havecompleted at least the equivalent of the first twoyears of undergraduate language study at SOASin Japanese.JAPAN AND KOREAStudents attend three compulsory courses,i.e. Japanese Traditional Drama, ModernJapanese Literature and Theory and Practice ofComparative Literature. They also choose oneliterature/ language course from the list below;Students are required to write a 10,000-worddissertation based on Japanese and westernsources on a topic agreed with the advisor.MA JAPANESE LITERATUREJAPANESE TRADITIONAL DRAMA (HALF UNIT)The course aims to provide students with a workingawareness of the main texts and underlyingaesthetic principles of pre-modern Japanese dramafrom the earliest times to the mid-19th century.The course will be taught in English and will involveclose reading and discussion of both dramatic andtheoretical texts, as well as examination of visualmaterials including videos and prints. The primarytextual focus will be upon the dramatic genresof noh, jôruri and kabuki, and a major theme ofthe course will be the ways in which these genresrecast and recycle plots, structures and thematicelements from older prose and poetry canons. Inaddition to looking at genre transformation andinteraction, by reading translated extracts fromtheoretical writings the course aims to examinehow pre-modern Japanese dramatists, actors andassociated practitioners conceptualised their ownworking practices.MODERN JAPANESE LITERATURE (HALF UNIT,COMPULSORY COURSE)The course will cover literary writings from 1868to the present day. The texts will be used to discussthe wider social and economic developmentsin modern Japan. Topics covered will build onpre-modern themes already raised in the JapaneseTraditional Drama course, but attention will begiven to the distinct social and economic contextof modern Japan that led to a very different literaryarticulation of the relationship between peopleand their environment. An important question tobe addressed is whether modern Japanese literaryforms can be attributed mainly to the introductionof Western paradigms, or to a more native-basedliterary and cultural set of circumstances. Studentswill read background critical and theoreticalwritings from both Japanese and non-Japaneseperspectives, while seminars will offer theopportunity to tackle questions raised througha close reading of literary texts. It is hoped thatstudents will be able to make useful comparisonswith similar problems that have arisen in the fieldof pre-modern Japanese literature.THEORY AND TECHNIQUES OF COMPARATIVE LITERATURE(COMPULSORY COURSE)This course covers the historical development ofcomparative literature studies as an independentdiscipline and considers the main trends incomparative literary studies.LITERATURE COURSE- Pre-Modern Japanese Literature I- Pre-Modern Japanese Literature II- Readings in Modern Japanese Literature (MA)- Practical Translation from and into JapaneseEach course will cover selected readings in Japaneseand discussion of critical studies. For students withadvanced or native speaker competence in Japanese,an alternative minor unit may be selected with theapproval of the programme convenor.MA KOREAN LITERATUREDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORMs Grace KohSEE ALSO:MA Korean Studies,MA Comparative Literature,MA East Asian LiteratureThis degree is designed either as an endqualification in itself or to prepare the studentfor more advanced graduate work MPhil/PhD.Incoming students will be expected to havecompleted at least the equivalent of two years

of undergraduate Korean language study. Studentsare required to take three taught courses and towrite a dissertation of 10,000 words.MA KOREAN LITERATURENot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSESurvey of Korean LiteratureThis course aims to provide students with an overallhistory of Korean literature from the earliest timesup to the 20th century. In the first term, the coursewill focus on pre-modern/Sino-Korean literarytraditions up to the Choson period. The secondterm will be devoted to the introduction of literaryand social passages to modernity in 20th centuryKorea. Students will read a selection of primarytexts in English translation as well as secondarysources on literary history, theory and criticism.Topics in Korean LiteratureThis course aims to provide students with thehistory and evolution of the perception and practiceof literature in Korea based on works of diversegenres and traditional discourses on literaryconventions. This is a language-based coursethat largely involves reading prescribed texts inKorean and translating them into English. Tutorialsessions, in which students present their readingsand translations in finished form, form the corecomponent of this course.MINOR OPTIONSOne minor course must be selected from thefollowing options. Students with no prior backgroundin literary studies are strongly advised to select thefirst option.- Theories and Techniques of ComparativeLiterature- Korean Advanced Masters- Topics in History and Structure of the KoreanLanguage- Directed Readings in Korean StudiesIn very exceptional circumstances, if a studenthas sufficient background in Korean languageand literary studies, a minor option in Chineseor Japanese literature may be selected, providedthat the course is directly relevant to the student’sdissertation topic.89Lucien BrownPhD Language Researchin Japan and KoreaAfter completing my MA in Korean Studies,I was keen to continue pursuing my researchinterests in the Korean language and appliedlinguistics. SOAS offered me the programme,expertise and resources.The obvious highlight was being able to doextended research in Seoul during my secondyear. Doing overseas research is a fantasticlearning experience, which I recommendwholeheartedly.I feel Korean studies and applied linguistics havea big future at SOAS. The Korean section is smalland friendly, but also active and progressive.Good personal and professional relationshipswith my supervisor and other academics werea big help while I was writing my thesis.JAPAN AND KOREA

90 SCHOOL OFLAWThe Law Department is the only one of its kind inthe country that is specifically dedicated to legalsystems and legal challenges of the developingworld, with complementary strengths in human rights,international law and institutions, environmental lawand international trade and commerce.NUMBER OF STAFF 25RAE 5DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/lawFACULTY Law and Social SciencesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESLLM (MASTER OF LAWS)– GENERAL DEGREESpecialist LLMs:LLM BANKING LAWLLM CHINESE LAWLLM DISPUTE AND CONFLICTRESOLUTIONLLM ENVIRONMENTAL LAWLLM HUMAN RIGHTS, CONFLICTAND JUSTICELLM INTERNATIONAL ANDCOMPARATIVE COMMERCIALLAWLLM INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICLAWLLM INTERNATIONAL LAWLLM ISLAMIC LAWLLM LAW, CULTURE AND SOCIETYLLM LAW, DEVELOPMENT ANDGOVERNANCELLM LAW IN THE MIDDLE EASTAND NORTH AFRICALLM MIGRATION AND ETHNICMINORITY LAWLLM SOUTH ASIAN LAWMA INTERNATIONAL ANDCOMPARATIVE LEGALSTUDIES (GENERAL MA)Specialist MAs:MA CHINESE LAWMA DISPUTE AND CONFLICTRESOLUTIONMA HUMAN RIGHTS LAWMA INTERNATIONAL ANDCOMPARATIVE COMMERCIALLAWMA INTERNATIONAL LAWMA ISLAMIC LAWMA LAW, CULTURE AND SOCIETYMA LAW, DEVELOPMENT ANDGLOBALISATIONMA MIGRATION AND ETHNICMINORITY LAWLAWScales of justice – the SupremeCourt of India, New Delhi

The Department has long enjoyed renown asa world-class centre for study and research incomparative (South, Central and East Asia,Africa, Islam and the Middle East), transnational,and international law. Today its staff carry onthat tradition in a new, globalised context,as well as contributing to the developmentof the vital disciplines of 21st-century law,such as international economic law, law andgovernance, law and conflict, and internationalcommercial law.We explore a wide range of legal issues bearingon developing states and their place in theworld. Specialist fields include trade law, law anddevelopment, comparative law, commercial law(including copyright and patent law), humanrights, environmental law, Islamic law, disputeresolution and international law, to name but a few.In every area, SOAS courses are designed not onlyto introduce students to the general fields of lawthat relate to the developing world, but also anunderstanding as to how generic legal structuresand processes may operate in non-Westernsocial and cultural settings. We also engagescholarship with interdisciplinary expertise: lawplus language, culture, economics and politics,and we attract and welcome students from allover the world.The School of Law sponsors a number ofpublications, such as the Journal of African Lawand the Yearbook of Islamic and Middle EasternLaw, and has established a number of thematic orregional research centres that reflect the specialistresearch themes within the School.The School has unrivalled expertise in the field ofcomparative law (China, Africa, South/ South-EastAsia, the Middle East), complemented by a rangeof experts dealing with issues of international andtransnational law. All teachers on courses offeredat SOAS are experts in their designated field. Manyhave years of experience advising governments,international organisations or non-governmentalorganisations. Many also have professionalexperience as qualified practitioners.Teaching is provided not only by the Department’sfull-time members of staff, together with teachersfrom other University of London law schools, butalso by other part-time visiting teachers drawnfrom leading experts working in private practice,governmental departments and internationalinstitutions. An official survey of teachingstandards in British institutions gave SOAS thehighest rating, and the School of Law scored a 5in the last Research Assessment Exercise.Among the principal themes of our research andteaching programme are:DEVELOPMENT AND PLURALISMThe School of Law possesses unmatched expertisein national legal systems of the developing world.This core expertise is combined with criticalperspectives (post-colonial, gender, politicaleconomy) on the role of law and legal institutionsin development policy; culturally-informedanalysis of legal functions and institutions inAfrican and Asian jurisdictions; knowledgeand awareness of the continuing prestige ofreligiously-derived legal traditions (especiallyIslamic); and interest in the field of alternativedispute resolution.GLOBALISATION, GOVERNANCE ANDTRANSITIONThe School of Law has considerable expertise inthe following fields: International commercial,financial and company law; trade law and WTO;intellectual property law; the UN system, majorregional intergovernmental systems (EU, AU,ASEAN) and regime-based institutions andprocesses from a developing world perspective;law in the context of market transition anddemocratisation (China, Southeast Asia, CentralAsia, Africa).HUMAN RIGHTS AND ENVIRONMENTThe School of Law has an established reputationas a centre of considerable expertise in thefield of human rights and the environment.Specialist areas include: economic and socialrights, justice and reconciliation, conflict andglobalisation, gender equity and women’s role inconflict resolution; international and comparativeenvironmental law in context of development(sustainability); inter-relation of national, regional,and international protection regimes, naturalresources. The School of Law co-sponsors theLaw, Environment and Development Journal(LEAD) published online at www.lead-journal.orgLAW AND COLONIALISMThe School of Law has long been concerned withthe legal dimensions of colonial and post-colonial91LAW

92 discourse. It offers a range of courses associatedwith examining the relationship betweenlaw, globalisation and the enduring colonialheritage. These include Colonialism, Empireand International Law; Law and Globalisation;Law and Development; Human Rights in theDeveloping World; and Law, Institutions andthe Political Economy of Transition.DEPARTMENTAL CENTRESCENTRE FOR ISLAMIC AND MIDDLE EAST LAW(CIMEL)CIMEL promotes the study and understanding ofIslamic and modern Middle East legal systems byencouraging research, guest lectures, publicationsand academic exchanges. It maintains strongties with lawyers, diplomats and internationalorganisations interested or based in the widerIslamic world. At a historical juncture where Islamand the Middle East are subjects of extensive butsometimes poorly informed discussion, CIMELfurnishes an indispensable scholarly and policyresource base.and imperialism). It promotes research in thehistory of international law, in the applicationof postcolonial discourse to the contemporaryworld and the development of critical theoreticalperspectives on the role played by internationallaw in the developing world. The centre hasan active student membership comprised ofboth doctoral students and post-graduateMasters students.EAST ASIAN LAW CENTREThe East Asian Law Centre promotes the studyand understanding of laws and legal traditionsin East Asia. It has played a central role inpromoting legal reform in post-Mao Chinathrough its involvement over a number of yearsas the academic host for training and researchprogrammes, jointly organised with UK andEuropean institutions, for lawyers, procurators,judges, legislators and senior civil servants aswell as academics from the PRC.LAW, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENTCENTRE (LEDC)LAWCENTRE FOR LAW AND CONFLICTThe Centre addresses the question of the legalframework for the prevention, control andresolution of regional conflict in Africa, theMiddle East and Asia. It explores issues rangingfrom the legal basis for peace settlements toaccountability for gross human rights violationsand post-conflict reconstruction of political,social, economic, and legal institutions.CENTRE FOR ETHNIC MINORITY STUDIES (CEMS)CEMS affords a singular platform for the scholarlyconsideration of issues relating to the legal statusand concerns of persons from ethnic minoritiesin Britain and abroad. It has published a majorseries of books on issues such as the primarypurpose rule in British immigration, immigrationand adoption, refugees and carrier rights and theeffects of the return of Hong Kong to China.CENTRE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW ANDCOLONIALISM (CILC)The Centre of International Law and Colonialismis concerned with promoting research interrogatingthe contemporary and historical relationshipbetween international law and forms ofcolonialism (post-colonialism, neo-colonialismThe Law, Environment and DevelopmentCentre (LEDC) seeks to provide a focalpoint to expand the increasing interest in thedynamic relationships between the fields of law,environment and development. The main goal ofthe LEDC is to advance research and teaching,and explore the role each of these disciplinesplays in realising the sustainable developmentand natural resource use, particularly in theSouth. LEDC adopts multidisciplinary approachesin researching key issues in environmental lawand development today; including, water, landuse, forests, climate change, intellectual propertyand indigenous peoples rights.SIR JOSEPH HOTUNG PROGRAMME FOR LAW,HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE BUILDING IN THEMIDDLE EASTThe Sir Joseph Hotung Programme wasestablished in 2004 for purposes of promotinga greater understanding of the legal dimensionsof the relationship between Palestine and Israel,including the role and responsibilities of thirdparties, through independent and scholarlyresearch. The audience for the project’s workis the general public, as well as those whocontribute to the formation and implementationof policy, wherever they may be based. Inparticular, its work places emphasis on the

function of human rights and humanitarianlaw in this relationship, and aims to evaluateproposals for the peace process with a specificfocus on their legal content. The programme isalso concerned with issues such as the equitableallocation of water resources, the questionof Palestinian refugees, the potential role ofthe European Union in the peace process andquestions of transitional justice. The broad goal isto generate policy-oriented scholarship that willsupport the development of practical strategiesfor a just and lasting peace in the region.RESEARCH DEGREESThe School of Law accepts students for researchwork leading to a PhD. The central feature ofPhD work is the close relationship between theresearch student and his or her supervisor, inwhich they meet regularly and consult closely.This relationship is supported and strengthenedin various ways. Every research student has anadjunct supervisor, another member of staff witha close interest in the student’s region and/or subfieldof the discipline.There is a research tutor with overall responsibilityfor research students who is available for adiscussion of general problems. In addition thereare a number of other activities which contributeto a research student’s work and training. Allincoming students are required to take the Schoolof Law’s Research Seminar Programme in theirfirst year.Research students are encouraged to contributeto the research activities of the department.Several of them are active in the various Centresrun in the School of Law and are encouragedto participate in conferences and other projectsorganised by the School. New research studentsare often encouraged, and may be required, topresent papers relating to their research on anannual basis for which they receive support andassistance from within the School of Law.Many SOAS research students spend some timedoing field work in the regions of their research.The School, and other members of SOAS, throughtheir various connections with individuals andinstitutions in the universities and governments ofAsia and Africa, facilitate this work with personalcontacts and introductions. The School’s languagetraining facilities are also available to students todevelop their facility in an appropriate languagefor research purposes.Applicants must normally have an advanceddegree equivalent in level and content to theSchool of Law’s LLM or MA.SOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESFahad al-Zumai – The Protection of Investors in GulfCooperation Council Stock Markets: A case study ofKuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab EmiratesJessica Carlisle – Rules, Negotiation, Claims andCounter Claims: Judicial Discretion in a DamascusShari‘a CourtMohammed Hoque – Judicial activism as a goldenmean: A critical study of evolving activist jurisprudencewith particular reference to BangladeshThoko Kaime – Protecting the Rights and Welfare of theAfrican Child: An Assessment of the Contribution of theAfrican Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the ChildCarol Tan – Weihaiwei: Colonialism, law and custom innortheast ChinaACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASDr Richard Alexander BA MA(CANTAB) DIP(CITY)PHD(LONDON)Financial Services Law and regulation, control ofeconomic crime, human rights law (especially EuropeanConvention on Human Rights – measures taken to fightorganised and economic crime and terrorism), EuropeanUnion LawProfessor Mashood Baderin LLB(NIGERIA)LLM PHD(NOTTINGHAM)Postgraduate Exams OfficerIslamic Law; Public International Law; International andComparative Human Rights Law; Human Rights andIslamic Law, especially interaction between internationallaw, human rights law and Islamic law in Muslim statesDr Fareda Banda BL LLB(ZIMBABWE) DPHIL(OXON)Comparative family Law; alternative dispute resolution;law and society in AfricaDr Gunnar Beck MA(HEIDELBERG) MPHIL DPHIL(OXON)European Union Law, legal theory; legal reasoning andmethod in common law and civil law jurisdictions;moral and political philosophyProfessor Matthew Craven BA LLM PHD(NOTTINGHAM)DIPEDPublic international law, human rights (particularlyeconomic, social and cultural rights), internationallegal theory, international legal history93LAW

94 Dr Philippe Cullet LLM(LONDON) MA (LONDON)JSD(STANFORD)International law, environmental law; intellectualproperty; human rights; natural resourcesDr Catriona Drew LLB(ABERDEEN) PHD(LONDON)Postgraduate Admissions Tutor – PHDPublic International Law; international legal history(particularly self-determination of peoples), andlegal theoryMr Ian D Edge MA LLB(CANTAB)Islamic law; the general law of Egypt and the Gulf;commercial law in the Middle East; conflict of lawsand international transactionsMr Alexander Fischer BA(LSE) MA(HEIDELBERG)Constitutional and Comparative Public Law;Constitutional Theory; Federalism; Law and Courts;Law and Politics; Laws of South AsiaMr Nicholas H D Foster MA(CANTAB)DESU(AIX-MARSEILLE III) SOLICITORComparative commercial and comparative corporatelaw, with special reference to Islamic Law and the laws ofthe Middle East, in particular the UAE; Islamic financeMr Ioannis Glinavos LLB LLM(KENT)Contract Law; legal aspects of post communisttransition; law and economicsMs Gina Heathcote BA LLB(AUSTRALIA) LLM(WESTMINSTER)International feminist legal theories; International Lawespecially laws on the use of force; women’s humanrights; political and legal theoriesMr Andrew Huxley MA BCL(OXON)South East Asian law, particularly Burma and Thailand;Buddhism and law; comparative legal theory; trusts andlaw of tortsMs Catherine Jenkins LLM(LONDON) MA(OXON)DESU(AIXMARSEILLE III)Postgraduate Tutor – LLMHuman rights: civil liberties: European law: law andconflictDr Prabha Kotiswaran BA, LLB(NATIONAL LAW SCHOOL OFINDIA UNIVERSITY) LLM SJD(HARVARD)Criminal Law, Feminist Legal Theory, Law and SocietyDr Martin W Lau MA PHD(LONDON)Laws of South Asia; comparative environmental law,Islamic lawDr Michael Likosky BA(VASSAR) DPHIL(OXON)JSD(CARDOZO)Law and globalisation, law and development,international economic law and human rights,infrastructure project law, laws of export processingzones and science parks, expansion of Silicon Valleyglobally, Malaysian law, colonial law, transnationalcorporationsDr Makeen F Makeen LLB(CAIRO) LLM PHD(LONDON)Postgraduate Admissions Tutor – MA & LLMIntellectual property (particularly comparative copyrightlaw); information technology law; internationalconstruction arbitration; contract law; commercial lawin the Middle EastProfessor Werner F Menski MA(KIEL) PHD(LONDON)Classical and modern Hindu law; laws of South Asia;family law; comparative law; South Asians in the UK;immigration law; ethnic minoritiesProfessor Peter Muchlinski LLB(LONDON) LLM(CANTAB)BARRISTER FRSAResearch TutorThe regulation of multinational enterprises; internationalcorporate governance and corporate social responsibility;foreign investment law; WTO law and practice;competition law; international commercial law anddevelopmentMr Scott Newton BA(BERKELEY) JD MPA(HARVARD)Postgraduate Tutor – MALegal and Institutional reform in Central Asia; roleof law in post-socialist transition law markets andglobalisation in developing and transitional states;law governance and post-conflict reconstruction;human rightsDr Emilia Onyema LLB(NIGERIA) LLM(KING’S LONDON)International trade law; comparative commercial law;alternative conflict resolutionProfessor Michael J E Palmer LLB(CANTAB) BSC(ECON)MA LLD(LONDON)Dispute resolution and civil procedure; Chinese law(traditional and modern); conflict of laws; comparativefamily lawDr Lynn Welchman MA(CANTAB) PHD(LONDON)Head of SchoolIslamic law; law of the Middle East and North Africa,especially comparative family law, human rights, genderand lawDr Sanzhu Zhu BA(SHANXI) LLM(SOUTH CENTRAL UNIVPOLITICAL SCIENCE & LAW, WUHAN) PHD(LONDON)Chinese law; comparative commercial lawLAW

MASTER OF LAWS (LLM)DURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two/three/four years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent) in LawSEE ALSO:MA Programmes in LawThe Law School offers a specialist range of LLMdegrees many of which, in their subject andfocus, are unique in the United Kingdom. TheSOAS LLM is designed mainly for students withlaw degrees (or other relevant qualifications orexpertise) who are looking to develop skills inspecialised areas relating to law in a global anddeveloping-world context.It offers a unique educational opportunity forindividuals broadly interested in international,comparative, or transnational law as it relates tothe developing world. It also, however, combinesnewer areas of research and practice, with moretraditional offerings in the field of law (including,for example, banking law, trade law, the law offinance and investment). Whether you are astudent looking for specialist courses in Islamiclaw or transnational regulation, or a studentlooking for solid grounding in internationalbusiness law or commercial practice, SOAS hassomething to offer you.For recent graduates, the LLM arms them with anadvanced qualification, which in many cases hasproved invaluable for a successful career in law.For professionals, it provides an opportunity torefresh their expertise and encounter knowledgeand ideas at the forefront of legal research.Because of the specialist nature of the institution,the student population attending the SOAS LLMis extraordinarily diverse: people from all over theworld come to SOAS to study law, bringing withthem a unique range of experience and expertisewhich enlivens the learning experience.At the same time, the SOAS LLM programmeis relatively small by London standards, andstudents can therefore enjoy its strong collegiateatmosphere. SOAS law school is located in theheart of the university district in Central Londonclose to a range of libraries (including that of theInstitute for Advanced Legal Studies to which allpost-graduate students have access), and ideallypositioned for students to enjoy the range ofacademic activities (lectures and seminars) thatoccur on a daily basis within London.The LLM programme is designed to be maximallyflexible, permitting students to tailor a degree totheir own particular professional requirements orcareer interests. Students may either opt to take ageneral LLM (in which there are no restrictionsconcerning the courses to be chosen) or to acquirea specialist LLM (in human rights, for example) bytaking designated courses from an approved list.ADMISSIONCandidates must normally have obtained at leastan upper second class Honours degree in lawfrom a UK university or an equivalent degree.Applications from lawyers with other qualificationsand professional experience can be consideredand are welcome. Queries relating to qualificationsor suitability for this course should be directed tothe Faculty of Law and Social Sciences.PROGRAMME STRUCTUREThe programme, which starts in late Septembereach year, is a 12-month full-time programme.Alternatively it can be studied part-time over two,three or four years.Students registered for the LLM select four coursesto study during the programme from those on offereach year. One of those courses may be chosenfrom the courses offered by our partner institution(see ‘Additional List’ below), and certain non-Lawcourses (such as specialist languages or courses inpolitics or development studies) may be taken ifthese clearly complement the chosen Law subjects.It is a requirement of the degree programmethat every student undertakes a 15,000-worddissertation as the mode of assessment for one thefour chosen courses. Most courses are taught inweekly seminars or lectures of two hours’ durationand the teaching programme usually finishes inApril/May. Examinations are normally held overa four-week period in May/June of each year. Thecompulsory dissertation must be submitted inSeptember following the year of registration.95LAW

96LAWMASTER OF LAWS (LLM)Not all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.Students are required to study four courses, at leastthree of which must be from the list belowSOAS LAW COURSES- Alternative Dispute Resolution- Arab Comparative Commercial Law- Banking Law- Chinese Commercial Law- Colonialism, Empire and International Law- Comparative Environmental Law- Comparative Family Law- Comparative Immigration and Nationality Law- Copyright in the Middle East and North Africa- Ethnic Minorities and the Law- Foreign Trade and investment Law of East Asia- Foundations of Chinese Law- Human Rights in the Developing World- Human Rights of Women- Intellectual Property Rights and Development- International and Comparative CommercialTransactions- International and Comparative Copyright Law- International and Comparative Corporate Law- International Commercial Arbitration- International Environmental Law- International Human Rights Clinic- International Protection of Human Rights- International Tax Law- International Trade Law- Islamic Law- Islamic Law 2: Succession- Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction inPost-Conflict Societies- Law and Globalisation- Law and Governance in the Developing World- Law and Natural Resources- Law and Policy of International Courts andTribunals- Law and Society in South Asia- Law and Society in the Middle East andNorth Africa- Law, Development and Globalisation- Law of International Finance- Law of Treaties- Law, Human Rights and Peace Building: TheIsraeli-Palestinian Case- Law, Institutions and Political Economy ofTransition- Laws of South East Asia- Legal Aspects of Commercial Fraud- Legal Dimensions of External Relations of EU- Legal Regulation of the Music Industry- Modern Chinese Law- Multinational Enterprises and the Law- Procedural Principles and Ethical Standards- World Trade Organisation and Trade Linkagesin the WTOThe LLM is normally awarded as a general LLMdegree. Those who wish to obtain an LLM in aspecialised area may do so by choosing three coursesthat relate to the relevant subject groupings below(Further information as to which subjects qualify forparticular subject groupings may be obtained fromthe admissions tutor).SUBJECT GROUPINGS/SPECIALIST LLMSLLM Banking- Banking Law- Chinese Commercial Law- Foreign Trade and Investment law of East Asia- International Commercial Arbitration- International Tax Law- International Trade Law- Law and Society in South Asia- Law of International FinanceLLM Chinese Law- Chinese Commercial Law- Foundations of Chinese Law- Foreign Trade and Investment law of East Asia- Modern Chinese Law- An approved languageLLM Dispute and Conflict Resolution- Alternative Dispute Resolution- International Commercial Arbitration- Law and Policy of International Courts andTribunals- Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction inPost-Conflict Societies- Procedural Principles and Ethical StandardsLLM Environmental Law- International Environmental Law- Intellectual Property Rights and Development- Law, Environment and Development- Law and Natural ResourcesLLM Human Rights, Conflict and Justice- Human Rights and Islamic Law- Human Rights of Women- Human Rights in the Developing World- International Human Rights Clinic- International Protection of Human Rights

- Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction inPost-Conflict Societies- Law and Inequality- Law, Human Rights and Peace Building: theIsraeli-Palestinian CaseLLM International and ComparativeCommercial Law- Arab Comparative Commercial Law- Banking Law- Chinese Commercial Law- Copyright in the Middle East and North Africa- Foreign Trade and Investment law of East Asia- Human Rights in the Developing World- Intellectual Property Rights and Development- International Commercial Arbitration- International and Comparative CommercialTransactions- International and Comparative Copyright Law- International Tax Law- International Trade Law- Law and Globalisation- Law of International Finance- Legal Aspects of Commercial Fraud- Legal Dimensions of External Relations of EU- Legal Regulation of the Music Industry- Multinational Enterprises and the Law- Procedural Principles and Ethical Standards- World Trade Organisation and Trade Linkagesin the WTOLLM International Economic Law- International Commercial Arbitration- International and Comparative Corporate Law- International Tax Law- International Trade Law- Law of International Finance- Legal Dimensions of External Relations of EU- World Trade Organisation and Trade Linkagesin the WTOLLM International Law- Colonialism, Empire and International Law- International Commercial Arbitration- International Protection of Human Rights- International Environmental Law- International Tax Law- Law of Treaties- Law, Human Rights and Peace Building: theIsraeli-Palestinian Case- Law and Policy of International Courts andTribunals- World Trade Organisation and Trade Linkagesin the WTOLLM Islamic Law- Arab Comparative Commercial Law- Human Rights and Islamic Law- Islamic Law of Succession- Islamic Law- Law and Society in the Middle East and NorthAfrica- An approved languageLLM Law, Culture and Society- Ethnic Minorities and the Law- International and Comparative CommercialTransactions- International and Comparative Corporate Law- Law, Institutions and Political Economy ofTransition- Law and Governance in the Developing World- Law and Globalisation- Law and Society in the Middle East and NorthAfrica- Law and Society in South Asia- Laws of South East AsiaLLM Law, Development and Governance- Human Rights in the Developing World- Intellectual Property Rights and Development- International Commercial Arbitration- International and Comparative CommercialTransactions- International and Comparative Corporate Law- Law and Governance in the Developing World- Law, Development and Globalisation- Law, Institutions and Political Economy ofTransition- Law and Globalisation- Legal Dimensions of External Relations of EU- Multinational Enterprises and the LawLLM Law in the Middle East and North Africa- Copyright in the Middle East and North Africa- Human Rights and Islamic Law- Islamic Law of Succession- Islamic Law- Law, Human Rights and Peace Building: theIsraeli-Palestinian Case- Law and Society in the Middle East and NorthAfrica- An approved languageLLM Migration and Ethnic Minority Law- Comparative Immigration and Nationality Law- Ethnic Minorities and the Law- Law and Society in South AsiaLLM South Asian Law- Law and Society in South Asia- Laws of South East Asia- Law, Environment and Development- An approved language97LAW

98LAWOne full unit course (or two half unit courses) ofthe four courses students take may be selectedfrom courses offered by our partner institutions(see Additional List below), and certain non-Lawsubjects (such as specialist languages or courses inpolitics or development studies) may also be takenif these clearly complement the chosen Law subjects.(Choice of the selected course may be subject toavailability and approval by the LLM tutor)ADDITIONAL LIST- Advanced Equity and Trusts Law- Advanced Land Law- Advanced Medical Negligence- Challenging Public Power: AdvancedAdministrative Law- Company Law- Comparative Class Actions- Comparative Laws in non-Western Contexts- Computer Law- Consent (in contemporary medicine)- Constitutional Law and Constitutional Rightsin the USA- Contract Law in the European Union- Corporate Governance- Corporate Social Responsibility, Human Rightsand Globalisation- Courts in Comparative Perspective- Discrimination Law- e-Commerce Law- EC Regulation of the State in CompetitiveMarkets (half unit)- Environmental and Planning Law- EU Financial Services Law- EU Justice and Home Affairs- EU Social Law and Policy- European Community Competition Law- European Community Tax Law- European Internal Market Law- Franchising Law (half unit)- Gender, Law and the State: Current Legal Issues- Globalisation, International Communityand New World Order: Law beyond theNation State- Global Policy and Economics of IntellectualProperty Law- Industrial and Intellectual Property- Insurance (excluding Marine Insurance)- Intellectual Property Aspects of Medical Law- Intellectual Property in the Digital Millennium- International and Comparative CommercialArbitration- International and Comparative Competition Law- International and Comparative Law of Copyrightand Related Rights- International and Comparative Law of Patents,Trade Secrets and Related Rights- International and Comparative Law of TradeMarks, Designs and Unfair Competition- International and Comparative Social Justice- International and Comparative Trust Law- International Commercial Litigation- International Construction – Contracts andArbitration- International Criminal Law- International Law and Development- International Law of Armed Conflict and theUse of Force- International Law of the Sea- International Law on the Rights of the Child- International Merger Control- International Tax Law- International Trade and Investment DisputeSettlement- International Trade Law- Internet Regulation- Judicial Protection in the EU- Latin American, MERCOSUR and ANCOMLaw and Institutions- Law of Credit and Security- Law of Economic Crime- Law of Finance and Foreign Investment inEmerging Economies- Legal Theory in the Common Law Tradition- Media Law- Medical Jurisprudence- Mental Health Law- Modern Legal History- New Medical Technologies and the Law- Regulation of Financial Markets- Remedies in Contract and Law- Secured Finance in CommercialTransactions- Securities Regulation (course also available astwo half units: UK Securities Regulation andComparative and International Aspects ofSecurities Regulation)- Space and Satellite Law- Tax and Estate Planning- Taxation and Electronic Commerce(half unit – may become full unit)- Taxation of Business Enterprises- Taxation of Corporate Finance- Taxation Principles and Policy- Telecommunications Law- The Law of Succession- The Law of Investment Entities- Transfer of Technology Law (half unit)- Value Added Tax- Youth Justice (half unit)

MA INTERNATIONAL ANDCOMPARATIVE LEGAL STUDIESDURATIONOne year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSUpper second class honours preferably in arelated disciplineThe MA is intended primarily to address theneeds of professionals with non-law degrees,who wish to further their understanding of thelegal issues they encounter in their workinglives. Although work experience is not essentialfor entry to this programme, many studentshave spent some time with internationalorganisations, governmental bodies or NGOsconcerned for example, with human rights,refugees, environment and development issues.Others may have work experience with corporateresponsibility or dispute resolution. Some cometo study law at SOAS simply to take advantageof its unrivalled expertise in subjects such asIslamic Law, International Law, Chinese Law,or Law and Development.The programme is open to people from anybackground who have a good first degreein a non-law discipline and the motivation,commitment and ability to rise to the challengesof studying law at the postgraduate level. Studentscome from all over the world, making theexperience of studying law at SOAS particularlyenriching and enjoyable.The MA programme does not entitle graduatesto practise as lawyers, but may help with makinga move into more legally orientated work. Likethe LLM, the MA is designed to be maximallyflexible – allowing students to chose between ageneric MA in International and ComparativeLegal Studies, or a specific MA in an area of legalspecialism (such as Chinese Law, Islamic Lawand Human Rights). The specialist programmesare listed below.PROGRAMME STRUCTUREThe MA is divided into four elements: threetaught courses and a 10,000-word dissertationon a topic related to the specialism of the degree.Most subjects are taught in weekly two-hourseminars, and the teaching usually ends inApril/May. Examinations are normally held overa four-week period in May/June of each year.The compulsory dissertation must be submittedin September following the year of registration.Every MA student must attend an intensivetwo-week Introduction to Law and Legal Methodcourse, which runs in September each year inthe weeks prior to registration. This is aimed athelping non-law students get accustomed to thestudy of law at a post-graduate level, and generallyassisting them in making the most of their studies.The Pre-Sessional Introduction to Law andLegal Method course provides students witha general introduction to English, Internationaland Comparative Law; legal methods and legalskills; research techniques; essay/ dissertationwriting; the use of library and on-line resources.It also includes (and particularly for overseasstudents) tours of the Law Courts and Parliamentand sessions aimed at adjusting students tolife in London.MA INTERNATIONAL AND COMPARATIVELEGAL STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.Applicants wishing to study for an MA in Law mustapply for one of the following 11 programmes.Those who do not wish to apply for one of thespecialised programmes (1) to (9) should apply forthe general programme (10). For students followingone of the specialised programmes (1) to (9),the dissertation must be on a topic related to thespecialism of the programme.1) MA CHINESE LAWStudents are required to take three taught courses:COURSES 1 & 2At least two courses from the following options:- Foundations of Chinese Law- Modern Chinese Law- Chinese Commercial LawCOURSE 3The third option may be chosen from the GeneralList below, or can be from the above list99LAW

100LAW2) MA DISPUTE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTIONStudents are required to take three taught courses:COURSES 1 & 2At least two courses from the following options:- Alternative Dispute Resolution- International Commercial Arbitration- Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction inPost-Conflict Societies- Law and Policy of International Courts andTribunals- Procedural Principles and Ethical StandardsCOURSE 3The third option may be chosen from the GeneralList below, or can be from the above list3) MA HUMAN RIGHTS LAWStudents are required to take three taught courses:COURSES 1 & 2At least two courses from the following options:- Human Rights in the Developing World- Human Rights of Women- International Human Rights Clinic- International Protection of Human Rights- Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction inPost-Conflict SocietiesCOURSE 3The third option may be chosen from the GeneralList below, or can be from the above list4) MA INTERNATIONAL AND COMPARATIVECOMMERCIAL LAWStudents are required to take three taught courses:COURSES 1 & 2At least two courses from the following options:- Banking Law- Chinese Commercial Law- International and Comparative CommercialTransactions- International and Comparative Copyright Law- International and Comparative Corporate Law- Law and Globalisation- International Trade Law- Legal Aspects of Commercial Fraud- Multinational Enterprises and the Law- World Trade Organisation and Trade Linkagesin the WTOCOURSE 3The third option may be chosen from the GeneralList below, or can be from the above list.5) MA INTERNATIONAL LAWStudents are required to take three taught courses:COURSES 1 & 2At least two courses from the following options:- Colonialism, Empire and International Law- International Commercial Arbitration- International Environmental Law- International Tax Law- Law, Human Rights and Peace Building:The Israeli-Palestinian Case- Law of Treatises- International Protection of Human Rights- Law and Policy of International Courts andTribunals- World Trade Organisation and Trade Linkagesin the WTOCOURSE 3The third option may be chosen from the GeneralList below, or can be from the above list6) MA ISLAMIC LAWStudents are required to take three taught courses:COURSES 1 & 2At least two courses from the following options:- Arab Comparative Commercial Law- Human Rights and Islamic Law- Islamic Law- Islamic Law 2: Succession- Law and Society in the Middle East andNorth Africa- An approved LanguageCOURSE 3The third option may be chosen from the GeneralList below, or can be from the above list7) MA LAW, CULTURE AND SOCIETYStudents are required to take three taught courses:COURSES 1 & 2At least two courses from the following options:- Procedural Principles and EthicalStandards- Alternative Dispute Resolution- Law and Society in the Middle East andNorth Africa- Law and Society in South Asia- Law and Society in South East AsiaCOURSE 3The third option may be chosen from the GeneralList below, or can be from the above list

8) MA LAW, DEVELOPMENT ANDGLOBALISATIONStudents are required to take three taught courses:COURSES 1 & 2At least two courses from the following options:- Colonialism, Empire and International Law- Law, Development and Globalisation- Law and Governance in the Developing World- Human Rights in the Developing World- Law and Globalisation- Law and InequalityCOURSE 3The third option may be chosen from the GeneralList below, or can be from the above list9) MA MIGRATION AND ETHNICMINORITY LAWStudents are required to take three taught courses:COURSES 1 & 2At least two courses from the following options:- Comparative Immigration and Nationality Law- Ethnic Minorities and the Law- Law and Society in South AsiaCOURSE 3The third option may be chosen from the GeneralList below, or can be from the above list10) MA INTERNATIONAL AND COMPARATIVELEGAL STUDIESStudents are required to take three taught coursesfrom the General List below:NB: This degree is only available if you do not taketwo or more subjects from any one of the specialistMA programmes outlines above.GENERAL LIST- Alternative Dispute Resolution- Arab Comparative Commercial Law- Banking Law- Chinese Commercial Law- Colonialism, Empire and International Law- Commercial Fraud- Comparative Commercial Law- Comparative Environmental Law- Comparative Family Law- Comparative Immigration and Nationality Law- Copyright Law in the Middle East andNorth Africa- Ethnic Minorities and the Law- Foreign Trade and Investment Law of East Asia- Foundations of Chinese Law- Human Rights and Islamic Law- Human Rights in the Developing World- Human Rights of Women- Intellectual Property Rights and Development- International and Comparative CommercialTransactions- International and Comparative Copyright Law- International and Comparative Corporate Law- International Commercial Arbitration- International Environmental Law- International Human Rights Clinic- International Protection of Human Rights- International Tax Law- International Trade Law- Islamic Law- Islamic Law 2: Succession- Justice, Reconciliation and Reconstruction inPost-Conflict Societies- Law and Globalisation- Law and Governance in the Developing World- Law, Human Rights and Peace Building:The Israeli-Palestinian Case- Law and Policy of International Courts andTribunals- Law and Society in the Middle East and NorthAfrica- Law and Society in South Asia- Law, Development and Globalisation- Law, Institutions and Political Economy ofTransition- Law of Treaties- Laws of South East Asia- Legal Dimensions of External Relations of the EU- Legal Regulation of the Music Industry- Multinational Enterprises and the Law- Modern Chinese Law- Procedural Principles and Ethical Standards- World Trade Organisation and Trade Linkagesin the WTO101LAW

102DEPARTMENT OFLINGUISTICSNUMBER OF STAFF 10RAE 3aDEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/linguisticsFACULTY Languages and CulturesThe Department was established in 1932, the firstlinguistics department in Britain, as a centre forresearch and study in Oriental and African languages.This is a role that it continues to play today. In additionto its seven core members of academic staff, theDepartment is home to an active community ofdistinguished visiting scholars, research associates,and postgraduate students.Research interests of the Faculty are wide-rangingand span the world’s languages, from Chinese toArabic, Swahili to Korean, Mongolian to Japanese.This focus on Oriental and African languages,informed by research in other Western andnon-Western languages and combined with theunparalleled access to the vast language and regionalexpertise of linguists in other SOAS departments,provides a unique research environment for thestudy of theoretical, comparative, descriptive anddocumentary linguistics.The Department offers Masters degrees intheoretical, descriptive and applied linguistics,and MPhil/PhD courses in Linguistics and inField Linguistics. More than 60% of students areregistered for postgraduate degrees, creating avibrant and supportive community which reflectsthe department’s emphasis on research andtraining and the diversity of its research interests.The Department hosts the Hans RausingEndangered Languages Project, funded by theLisbet Rausing Charitable Fund. This includes theEndangered Languages Academic Programme andthe Endangered Languages Archive, a state of theart digital language archive. There is a LinguisticsResources room which is equipped with computerhardware and software for linguistic analysis anda digital sound recording booth.RESEARCH DEGREESTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMA LINGUISTICSPATHWAYS IN MA LINGUISTICS:- MA LINGUISTICS (ARABIC)- MA LINGUISTICS (CHINESE)- MA LINGUISTICS (JAPANESE)- MA LINGUISTICS (KOREAN)- MA LINGUISTICS(TRANSLATION THEORY)MA LANGUAGE DOCUMENTATIONAND DESCRIPTIONMA THEORY AND PRACTICE OFTRANSLATIONSupervision is offered in theoretical, descriptiveand comparative linguistics, translation andlanguage variation. The MPhil/PhD coursesinclude a research training component whichcombines foundation and advanced coursesin linguistics, training in research methods,optional courses in field methods, linguisticdocumentation and research work leading to adissertation. Through a combination of courses,advanced seminars and individual supervision,the MPhil/PhD course aims to provide theintellectual discipline, knowledge and skillsrequired of a well-rounded researcher.LINGUISTICSSOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESMahmoud Fathulla Ahmad – The Tense and AspectSystem in KurdishIan Pickett – Some Aspects of Dialect VariationAmong the Nomads in Syria and Lebanon

ACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASProfessor Peter Austin BA(AS) PHD(ANU)PHD Admissions/ConvenorMärit Rausing Chair in Field Linguistics; Director,Endangered Languages Academic ProgrammeTypology, morpho-syntax, language documentationand description, historical linguistics, Lexical-Functional grammar, computer-aided linguistic analysis,Austronesian languages, Australian Aboriginal languagesDr Wynn Chao BA(NYCITY) PHD(MASS)Postgraduate TutorThe syntax-semantics interface; language universalsand typology; psycholinguistics; Chinese; RomancelanguagesDr Monik Charette MA(QUEBEC & MCGILL) PHD(MCGILL)Phonological theory; morpho-phonology; Altaiclanguages; French Dialectology; phonetics; Arabic,Arabic dialects and oral literature; Persian; LakotaProfessor Bruce Ingham BA PHD(LONDON)Head of DepartmentGeneral descriptive linguistics, Arabic, Persian, NorthAmerican Indian languages, dialects and oral literatureof the Arabian Peninsula – in particular the dialects ofthe Arabian bedouin, covering the dialects of the AlDhafir, Mutair, Al Murrah and Rwalah tribes; Lakota(Siouan), Cree (Algonquian)Dr Noriko Iwasaki PHD(ARIZONA)Lecturer in Language PedagogyDr Defeng Li PHD(ALBERTA)Reader in Translation StudiesDr Friederike Lüpke MA(KÖLN) PHD(KUN)MA Admissions/ConvenorLanguage documentation and description, contactlinguistics, anthropological linguistics, syntax-semanticsinterface, argument structure, Ajami writing in Africa,Niger-Congo languages, Mande languages, Atlanticlanguages, Jalonke (Fuuta Jalon, Guinea), Bainouk(Casamance, Senegal)Dr Irina Nikolaeva PHD(LEIDEN)Lecturer in Endangered LanguageProfessor Peter Sells BA(LIVERPOOL) PHD(MASSACHUSETTS,AMHERST)Japanese and Korean linguistics; Chinese syntax;Austronesian syntaxDr Andrew Simpson BA(BRISTOL) MA PHD(LONDON)Syntax; morphology; language change; historical syntax;Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Burmese, IndonesianLeft: Words are leaves on the tree of language –Ottoman book103Atef Al-shaerPhD LinguisticsI have been at SOAS for nearly four consecutiveyears. I did an MA in Linguistics, now I studyfor a PhD in Arabic sociolinguistics.From my experience, two areas arequintessential to SOAS’s distinction. First,there’s the internationalism of students andteachers. As a Palestinian student, I foundthat SOAS allows for core activities to furtherunderstanding about Palestine, Israel and theMiddle East in general – activities that couldhave been peripheral elsewhere.Second, there is SOAS library. It’s trulymagnificent, encompassing materials ofcentral importance to any study concernedwith the Oriental or African world, be itlinguistical, historical or sociological.LINGUISTICS

104MA LINGUISTICSDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Frederike LüpkeSEE ALSO:MA Applied Japanese Linguistics,MA Language Documentation and Description,MA Theory and Practice of TranslationThe MA Linguistics integrates taught and researchcomponents to offer post-graduate level trainingin formal linguistics, either as an end in itself or aspreparation for further training and research.PATHWAYSThe MA Linguistics programme offers pathwayoptions which draw upon SOAS’s uniqueresources and areas of expertise. The pathwaysare: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean andTranslation Theory.AIMS AND OUTCOMESThe programme is run on a modular basis to suitthe following four categories of students:• Those with a degree in linguistics who wish topursue more regional and language-based study;• Those with a degree in linguistics who wish topursue more research-oriented topics beforeproceeding to a research degree;• Those with little or no previous training inlinguistics who wish to acquire a knowledgeof the discipline;• Those with little or no previous training inlinguistics who wish to take the degree asa conversion course before proceeding to aresearch degree.With 75 graduates between 2000–2005, the MALinguistics attracts applicants from a wide variety ofcountries, backgrounds and experiences (graduatesin linguistics, languages, and other academicsubjects, professionals in Language Teaching andother disciplines and those who have a particularinterest in Oriental and African languages). Asignificant proportion of students go on to researchin linguistics and related disciplines, whether atSOAS or other universities in Europe and NorthAmerica. Many of the graduates already hold facultypositions in their countries and return to them,others take on a variety of teaching, academic orresearch-related posts or further training.LINGUISTICS

STRUCTUREStudents attend the three core courses – SyntacticStructure and Semantic Interpretation, Phonologyand Morphology and the Research FoundationsSeminar – select one full unit course or two half unitcourses from the list of options below and write a10,000-word dissertation on an approved topic.MA LINGUISTICS & MA LINGUISTICS PATHWAYSNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES- Syntactic Structure and Semantic Interpretation- Phonology and Morphology- Research Foundations SeminarOPTIONAL COURSESStudents may take one full unit course or two halfunit courses.Full unit courses:- Translation Theory- Second Language Acquisition in Japanese SyntaxHalf unit courses:- Current Issues in Phonology- Morphology- Advanced Syntax- Issues in Semantics- Topics in Lexical Semantics- Language, Society and Communication- Psychology of Language- Language Acquisition- Dialect Studies- Linguistic Structure of Chinese- Chinese Epigraphy and Calligraphy- Syntactic Structure of Japanese I- Syntactic Structure of Japanese II- Topics in History and Structure of the KoreanLanguage- Grammatical Typology of American IndianLanguages- Linguistic Typology- Historical Linguistics- Anthropology and Linguistics- Acoustic Phonetics- Experimental Phonetics- Field methods- Directed Readings in Linguistics- Issues in Language Documentation and Description- Applied Language Documentation and Description- Technology and Language DocumentationMA LANGUAGEDOCUMENTATION ANDDESCRIPTION (ELAP)DURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSUpper-second class degree (or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Frederike LüpkeSEE ALSO:MA Applied Japanese Linguistics,MA Linguistics,MA Theory and Practice of TranslationThis MA offers students a solid grounding notonly in linguistic analysis, but also in fieldworkmethodology, technology, and applied aspects oflanguage documentation in collaboration withspeaker communities. With this background,students will be able to contribute to the urgentlyneeded documentation of endangered languages.It is widely agreed that about half of the world’s6,500 languages are endangered to some degree.This course is part of the Endangered LanguagesAcademic Programme (ELAP), which specificallyaims to advance the documentation anddescription of endangered languages.ELAP also runs seminars, workshops, and intensivecourses on the documentation of endangeredlanguages. The programme is funded by the LisbetRausing Charitable Fund, and forms part of theHans Rausing Endangered Languages Project.STRUCTUREEntering students who already hold anundergraduate major in linguistics/appliedlinguistics, or an MA in linguistics take thefour core courses listed below and two options,and write a 10,000-word dissertation on anapproved topic. Students with no backgroundLeft: Dialect dialogue – Maasai, or Maa, is now spokenonly by about one million people in Southern Kenya andNorthern Tanzania105LINGUISTICS

106 in linguistics must take the core courses plusPrinciples of Linguistic Analysis and one optionplus a dissertation.MA LANGUAGE DOCUMENTATION ANDDESCRIPTIONNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES- Issues in language documentation and description(half unit)- Field methods (half unit)- Applied language documentation and description(half unit)- Technology and Language Documentation(half unit)OPTIONAL COURSES- Comparative Semitic (half unit)- Languages of Africa Masters (half unit)- Linguistic Structure of Hausa (half unit)- Anthropology and Linguistics Masters(half unit)- Phonology and Morphology- Directed Readings in Linguistics A (half unit)- Linguistic Structure of Chinese (half unit)- Issues in Semantics (Masters)- Language Typology (half unit)- Grammatical Typology of American-IndianLanguages (half unit)- Historical Linguistics Masters (half unit)- Principles of Linguistic Analysis (half unit)- Issues in Phonetics/PhonologyMA THEORY AND PRACTICEOF TRANSLATIONDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class or above honoursdegree (or equivalent); fluency in the specifiedAfrican or Asian language at least to the level ofthat imparted by a first degree in that language(see below for more details)PROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor M. Abdel HaleemSEE ALSO:MA Applied Japanese Linguistics,MA Language Documentation and Description,MA LinguisticsSophie SalffnerPhD Field LinguisticsFollowing my ELAP MA, I moved on to the PhDField Linguistics and then the PhD Linguistics– and after changing supervisors and topicsonce I finally found my match. I am happyworking with the Department staff, who aresupportive and open to the idea of working forand with the language community. Here youcan study traditional subjects alongside newones like video production and dictionarywriting for minority languages.LINGUISTICSI needed Yoruba for my fieldwork in Nigeria andat SOAS, unlike most other universities, I couldlearn it as part of my course. I lived among aNigerian community that speaks an endangeredlanguage and learnt many useful things.

This is a unique programme, in a position tocompete with currently available MA programmeselsewhere in Britain and reach markets hithertountapped (in law, politics, business, human rights,refugee programmes, etc). It suits those planningto move on to MPhil/PhD research as well asthose wishing to acquire the skills necessary fora career as professional translators. Its strongpoints are its range of languages and subject areas,its scope and flexibility, and collaboration withUniversity College London (UCL).Currently the programme includes Arabic,Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Persian and Swahili.It considers such issues as translation theory andtechnology, electronic publishing and contrastivelinguistics. Training is provided in translatingboth into and from English. Students are also ableto select options to suit their own preferences andintended career paths.The School of Library, Archive and InformationStudies (SLAIS) at UCL offers courses in translationtheory and history, and a number of modules onelectronic communication and publishing. SOASstudents are admitted to the UCL courses on theproviso that places are available in any given year.All students will be registered at SOAS.The programme is language-driven, and therequired MA dissertation will be grounded inone of the Asian and African languages listedabove. Students are allowed to choose up to butnot more than the equivalent of two full coursesfrom UCL. Students from programmes at UCLand Imperial College are similarly allowed to takeSOAS courses. Applicants need to be fluent in thespecified African/Asian language to the level ofthat imparted by a first degree in that language.Applicants without a relevant degree will needto provide evidence of their proficiency in it at alevel acceptable to the School. Where possible,international applicants will be required to supplythe result of a Proficiency Test taken in their homecountry. Students claiming proficiency who (afterregistration) prove not to be sufficiently fluent, willbe required to take in-sessional language courses,possibly at their own expense. All applicants mustsatisfy the School’s requirements with regard tocompetence in the English language.STRUCTUREThe MA consists of three taught courses (onecourse from the list of core courses and coursesamounting to the equivalent of two full coursesfrom the list of optional courses) and a 10,000-word dissertation on an approved topic.MA THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TRANSLATIONNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES- Practical Translation from and into Arabic- Practical Translation from and into MandarinChinese- Practical Translation from and into Japanese- Practical Translation from and into Korean- Practical Translation from and into Swahili- Practical Translation from and into PersianOPTIONAL COURSES- General Linguistics- Contrastive Linguistics- Grammatical Structure of Japanese- Translation Studies (at UCL)- Directed Readings in Linguistics/The Structureof Language A (half unit*)- Directed Readings in Linguistics/The Structureof Language B (half unit*)- Topics in the Structure of Chinese (half unit*)- Syntactic Structure of Japanese I (half unit*)- Syntactic Structure of Japanese II (half unit*)- Internet Technologies**- Principles of Computing and InformationTechnology**- Modern Book Trade**- Electronic Publishing**- Legal and Social Aspects**- Systems Management**- XML**- Digital Resources in Humanities**- Introduction to Programming and Scripting*** Any combination of two half units equals onefull course.** One-third courses at SLAIS/UCL (Anycombination of three of these modules equals onefull course. Each module involves a total of 30hours of teaching contact time over a single term.)107LINGUISTICS

108CENTRE FORMEDIA AND FILMSTUDIESEstablished in 2004, the Centre for Media and FilmStudies is a major new initiative in the study of non-Western media and film. It is unique not only in theUK but also worldwide in concentrating on mediaand film in the non-Western world, especially Asia,the Middle East and Africa, and their diasporas.NUMBER OF STAFF 5CENTRE WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/mediaandfilmFACULTY Arts and HumanitiesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMA CRITICAL MEDIA ANDCULTURAL STUDIESMA GLOBAL CINEMAS ANDTHE TRANSCULTURALMA GLOBAL MEDIA ANDPOSTNATIONALCOMMUNICATIONMEDIA AND FILM STUDIESThe programme teaches the disciplines ofMedia and Film Studies with special reference tocontemporary and historical trends in Asia, theMiddle East and Africa; however, by their natures,media and films are not confined geographically.Inevitably, therefore, the programme considersmedia and film in Africa, Asia and the MiddleEast within the broader context of media andfilm production and reception in the South,and in their increasingly complex relationshipswith Europe and North America. The emphasisgiven to particular regions, themes andapproaches will vary with current trends inthe disciplines, broader global developments,and the evolving research specialisations ofacademic staff.The programme recognises a special responsibilityto complement the provision of skills in thelanguages and the cultural and social affairs ofAfrica, Asia and the Middle East provided in theother departments and Centres of the school.It comprises three MAs, a doctoral researchprogramme, post-doctoral research and is amember of the London Screen Studies Group.The teaching faculty are recognised internationalspecialists in their fields, and provide unparalleledcoverage of the different aspects of media andfilm in their region. They see the three MAs asan overlapping family. Some courses (or coursecomponents) are common to more than onedegree, while others are available only within aparticular degree programme. Throughout, theintention is to combine an obligatory and rigorousformation in the skills basic to the degree under thestudy with an expression of a student’s individualinterests. Particular emphasis is put on the latterelement, and so each degree encourages studentsto undertake original project work and research,including use of our multimedia facilities.RESEARCH DEGREESThe Centre for Media and Film Studies enjoys alarge and vibrant community of research studentswho are studying a wide range of issues relatedto the global south. Training and supervision areprovided for students registered for postgraduateresearch degrees (MPhil and PhD). The researchstudent seminar is very student-oriented andresponsive to the specific needs and interests ofeach group. Training in a wide range of relevantresearch methods is provided. There is ampleopportunity to develop or improve language skillsand to attend selected courses offered across theMasters degree programmes.Student progress is supported by a SupervisoryCommittee that includes the supervisor andtwo other faculty members familiar with thearea of research. A weekly Research Seminarbrings all Centre students and faculty togetherto listen and debate with outside speakers, whoinclude academics, media professionals andothers from the NGO/advocacy sectors. Wehave recently created a new PhD with practice,designed for those with experience of the mediaand film industries, or wishing to include asubstantial component of practice-based workin their research.RECENT RESEARCH THESISSaeed Zeydabadi-Nejad – The Politics of Cinemaunder the Islamic Republic

ACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASDr Mark Hobart MA(CANTAB) PHD(LONDON)South East Asia, esp. Indonesia: critical cultural andmedia studies, philosophical issues and eurocentrismin the human sciences, media and performanceDr Dina Matar BSC(JORDAN) MSC PHD(LONDON)Arab Media; Middle East, particularly Arab Worldcommunication, culture and political studies; politicalcommunication; diaspora and ethnic minorities;transnational movements and communicationsMr Matti Pohjonen BA(AMERICAN UNIV., WASHINGTON DC)MA(SOAS)South Asia, esp. India; media theory; news; culturalimplications of new media technologiesProfessor Annabelle Sreberny MA(CANTAB)PHD(COLUMBIA) FRSAMiddle East, esp. Iran; cultural and media studies witha special interest in gender and democratisationDr Isolde Standish BA(BALLARAT) BA PHD(LONDON)East Asian film and visual mediaAssociate MembersProfessor Stephen Chan BA MA(AUCKLAND) MA(LONDON)PHD(KENT)Professor of International RelationsDr Lindiwe Dovey BA(HARVARD) PHD(CANTAB)Lecturer in African CinemaProfessor Rachel Dwyer BA(SOAS, LONDON)MPHIL(OXFORD) PHD(SOAS, LONDON)Professor in Indian Studies and CinemaMs Narguess Farzad BA(LONDON)Senior Fellow, Persian Language and LiteratureProfessor Andrew Gerstle BA(COLUMBIA) MA(WASEDA)PHD(HARVARD)Professor of Japanese StudiesDr Sian Hawthorne BA(LONDON) PHD(LONDON)Teaching Fellow, Gender Studies and ReligionDr Dana Healy PHD (PRAGUE)Lecturer in VietnameseDr Margaret Hillenbrand BA(CANTAB) MA(EDIN)DPHIL(OXON)Lecturer in Modern Chinese Culture and LanguageProfessor Michel Hockx DRS PHD(LEIDEN)Professor of ChineseDr Stephen Hughes BA(BATES COLL., LEWISTON)MA PHD(CHICAGO)Lecturer in Social AnthropologyDr Kevin Latham BA(OXON) PGDIP(ZHANGSHAN)MA PHD(LONDON)Lecturer in Social AnthropologyDr Dolores Martinez AB(CHICAGO) DIPSOCANTH DPHIL(OXON)Senior Lecturer in Anthropology with reference to JapanDr Nima Mina BA(MARBURG) MMUS PHD(MONTREAL)Lecturer in PersianDr Parvathi Raman BA PHD(LONDON)Lecturer in Social AnthropologyDr Justin Watkins BA(LEEDS) MA PHD(LONDON)Senior Lecturer in Burmese109MA CRITICAL MEDIA ANDCULTURAL STUDIESDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum good second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Mark HobartSEE ALSO:MA Global Cinemas and the Transcultural,MA Global Media and Postnational CommunicationThe degree considers critical issues in media andcultural studies in their full global complexity.Most media studies degrees concentrate on workin English on media production, distributionand reception in North America, Britain andAustralia. They ignore the contemporary massmedia in Asia, Africa and Latin America, despitethe emergence of many of the world’s largest film,television, music and print industries.For instance, in Asia terrestrial and satellitetelevision has become politically and culturallycrucial from Japan and China to Indonesia,India and through the Middle East. However, thepreoccupation with the domestic concerns of theBritish and American media industries disguisesthe realities of our now living in a multi-centredworld, in ways which conventional media andcultural theory fails to study.MEDIA AND FILM STUDIES

110 This programme addresses this double deficiency.It offers frames of analysis critical of this theoreticaland geographical closure, designed or studyingnon-Western media production, distribution,reception and commentary. The degree aimsto introduce students to the key contemporaryissues discussed in Asian and African media. Italso provides opportunities to engage directly inresearch on an aspect of these media.MEDIA AND FILM STUDIESThe optional courses offer access to a range ofapproaches to the critical study of Asian andAfrican discourses, ranging from cinema to music,comparative literature, gender and religion to artand archaeology; from the cultures and societiesof Asia and Africa to African and Asian diasporaand the study of language.The degree is distinctive in providing a depthof theoretical and cultural background tocontemporary media processes absent inmost other media and cultural studies degrees.Each student will take the compulsory course,two options of their choice and write a 10,000-word dissertation.MA CRITICAL MEDIA AND CULTURAL STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSE- Theoretical and Contemporary issues in mediaand Cultural StudiesStudents are required to take TWO half coursesfrom List Two. The remaining course(s) to be selectedfrom other lists.LIST 2 (COURSES IN MEDIA STUDIES)- The Transnational News Environment: Issues inProduction, Representation and Use (half unit)- Transnational Communities and Diasporic media:Networking, Connectivity, Identity (half unit)- Studies in Global Media and Post-nationalCommunication (half unit)- International Political Communication (half unit)- Mediated Culture in the Middle East: Politics andCommunication (half unit)- Rethinking Audiences (half unit)LIST 3 (COURSES IN THE CINEMAS OF ASIA AND AFRICA)- Japanese Cinema: An Historical Overview,1896–1952 (half unit)- Japanese Post War Film Genres (half unit)- Post Crisis Thai Cinema (half unit)- Post(Colonialism) and Otherness in South EastAsia on Screen (half unit)- Genders and Sexualities in South East Asian Film(half unit)- Indian Cinema: History and Social Context(half unit)- Indian Cinema: Key Issues (half unit)- Chinese Cinema and Media (half unit)- Iranian Cinema (half unit)- Film and Society in the Middle East- Aspects of African film and Video (half unit)- Modern Chinese Film and Theatre (Masters)(half unit)- Modern Film from Taiwan and the ChineseDiaspora (half unit)- Critical Approaches to the Study of RegionalCinemas (half unit)- Approaches to the Other in Science Fiction andHorror Films (half unit)- Script to Screen: introduction to film making(practical) (half unit)- Arab Cinemas (half unit)LIST 4- Theory and Techniques of ComparativeLiterature- Selected Topics in African Literature- Literatures in African Languages- Modern Arabic Literature and the West- Literatures of South Asia- The Comparative Literature of South East Asia- Postcolonial Theory and Practice- Aspects of South East Asian Music- Music in South Asian Culture- Music in the Middle East and North Africa- Music of East Asia- Music in Selected Regions of Africa: Contexts andStructures- Art and Society in Africa- Chinese Culture and Society- Japanese Culture and Society- South East Asian Culture and Society- South Asian Culture and Society- Near and Middle Eastern Culture and Society- West African Culture and Society- East African Culture and Society- Theory and Method in the Study of Religion- Buddhist Arts in Context (half unit)- Readings in French Feminism and Religion(half unit)- Readings in Derrida on Religion (half unit)- Central Concepts and Tenets of Indian Buddhism(half unit)

- Christianity and Social Change in Sub-SaharanAfrica- Gender, Postcolonialism and the Study ofReligions- Modern Bengal: the evolution of Bengali cultureand society from 1690 to the present dayONE LANGUAGE COURSEPlease see departments of the Faculty of Languagesand Cultures for detailsMA GLOBAL CINEMAS ANDTHE TRANSCULTURALDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Isolde Standishof production and reception, while offeringalternative methodological approaches tothe study of cinema within the local/global,intercultural contexts of the post-modernworld. The other option allows the student tospecialise in one or more of the many regionalcinemas on offer in the School – Japanese,Chinese (mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwanese),mainland and maritime South East Asian, Indian,Iranian, Middle Eastern and African).It also enables students to combine specialistfilm studies knowledge with a minor course inan Asian or African language or to advance theirsocial and cultural knowledge of a given regionthrough an ethnographic course.Alternatively, students may choose from a selectionof elective courses at one of the other colleges inthe University of London Screen Studies Group– Birkbeck, Goldsmiths, Kings, Queen Mary, UCL– to further develop cross-cultural perspectivesin an East/West framework. Each student willtake the compulsory course, two options of theirchoice and write a 10,000-word dissertation.111SEE ALSO:MA Critical Media and Cultural Studies,MA Global Media and Postnational CommunicationThe programme offers students the uniqueopportunity to study in-depth regional cinemasoutside the now standard research topographies,both geographical and theoretical, of mainstreamcinema studies, so opening up avenues foradvanced research in areas and methodologiesas yet untapped. Alternatively, it provides anavenue of study for those simply wishing toobtain a postgraduate qualification in CinemaStudies without being confined to a Euro-and/orAmerican-centric world-view.The degree is designed around a compulsory corecourse, ‘Cinema, Nation and the Transcultural’,that simultaneously challenges existingcritical paradigms defining ‘national cinema’in the simplistic terms of geographical zonesBollywood rising – the Mumbai film industry is thelargest producer of movies in the worldMEDIA AND FILM STUDIES

112MEDIA AND FILM STUDIESMA GLOBAL CINEMAS AND THETRANSCULTURALNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSE- Cinema, Nation and the TransculturalStudents are required to take at least one course(one full or two half courses) from List 2; theymay take up to one full course or equivalent fromlists 3–8.LIST 2- Japanese Cinema: An Historical Overview,1896–1952 (half unit)- Japanese Post War Film Genres (half unit)- Post Crisis Thai Cinema (half unit)- Post(Colonialism) and Otherness in South EastAsia on Screen (half unit)- Genders and Sexualities in South East Asian Film(half unit)- Indian Cinema: History and Social Context(half unit)- Indian Cinema: Key Issues (half unit)- Chinese Cinema and Media (half unit)- Iranian Cinema (half unit)- Script to Screen: introduction to film making(practical) (half unit)- Film and Society and the Middle East- Aspects of African Film and Video(half unit)- Modern Chinese Film and Theatre (Masters)(half unit)- Modern Film from Taiwan and the ChineseDiaspora (half unit)LIST 3- Chinese Culture and Society- Japanese Culture and Society- South Asian Culture and Society- Near and Middle Eastern Culture and Society- Studies in Global media and Post-nationalCommunications (half unit)- West African Culture and Society- East African Culture and Society- South East Asian culture and Society- African and Asian Diasporas in theContemporary World- Theoretical Issues in Media and Cultural Studies(half unit)- Modern Bengal: the evolution of Bengali cultureand society from 1690 to the present dayLIST 4(Courses from Birkbeck College; SOAS students maytake up to two half units)- Living Apart Together: British Film andTelevision, 1960–82- Contemporary American Cinema- European Cinema at the crossroads: postwardirections- Melodrama: Hollywood and World Cinema- Avant-Garde Film and Video- When Old Media Were New: Exploring theorigins of Audiovisual Media CultureLIST 5(Courses from Queen Mary, University of London;SOAS students may take up to two half units)- Comedies of Desire- History, Fiction, Memory in French Cinema- Hollywood and the 2nd World War- Paris on the Screen- Sighting Gender and Sexuality in LatinAmerican Cinema- Soviet Montage CinemaLIST 6(Courses from Goldsmiths College, University ofLondon; SOAS students may take up to two half units)- Cinema and Society- Explorations in World Cinema- First FilmLIST 7(Courses from Kings College, University of London;SOAS students may take up to two half units)- Exploitation Cinema- Media Aesthetics- Thinking Cinema with Emmanuel Levinas:Theory, Philosophy, Ethics- Contemporary French Cinema, 1990–2005: FromHeritage Productions to the ‘New Extremism’- London Film Culture- Traditions of Post-War Contemporary BritishCinemaLIST 8(Courses from University College London; SOASstudents may take up to two half units)- Cinema / Modernity / Government- Documentary Cinema- The French New Wave- The Latin American Cinematic Tradition- Spanish CinemaONE LANGUAGE COURSEPlease see the Faculty of Languages and Culturesfor details.

MA GLOBAL MEDIAAND POSTNATIONALCOMMUNICATIONDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Annabelle SrebernySEE ALSO:MA Global Cinemas and the Transcultural,MA Critical Media and Cultural StudiesThis programme starts from three premises.One is that globalisation is a set of complexand dense processes with unequal effects indifferent parts of the world but sufficientlystrong to invite analysis of a post-nationalspatiality of global social relations. The secondis that central to these processes is the role ofcommunications technologies as infrastructureand skeins of connectivity ad the circulationof mediated products that structure competingsocial imaginaries. The third is the growingconvergence between the previously separableareas of broadcasting, telecommunicationsand the Internet, so that study of the currentmoment needs to address not just conventionalmedia (press, radio, television) but also theexplosion in new communication technologies,including the Internet, satellite technologiesand mobile telephony.Thus, the remit of this degree is the study of thedynamics of globalisation and its critiques, and theroles and nature of communications technologiesand mediated content within these processes andthe consequent changes in the nature of political,economic, financial, social and cultural activity.The specific and unique focus of this degree will beits exploration of the responses to globalisation inthe South and the dynamic developments in media113Eva DvorákováMA Global Media and PostnationalCommunicationChoosing SOAS was one of the best decisionsin my life. The course provides unique insights,focusing on countries outside the traditionalscope of media studies. The department isvery friendly and inspirational – students andlecturers know each other and interact closely.Lecturers are very helpful while constantlypushing me forward at intellectual level.It was fantastic to meet some of the world’sbest academics and guest speakers.I have discovered new study areas thatstimulated my interest in the subject beyondmy course. I have also made many newfriends from a variety of backgrounds andcultures – it feels almost as if I havetravelled the whole world.MEDIA AND FILM STUDIES

114MEDIA AND FILM STUDIESand communications within Asia, Africa and theMiddle East. It examines the growing significanceof Asia, Africa and the Middle East as the locationsof new media players and new cultural genres, ofcomplex audience involvements with mediatedcommunication and as the sites of critical andcreative responses to globalisation processes.It is not only media content that circulates butpeople themselves who move, and one aspect ofthis degree is to take seriously the developmentand use of mediated forms by minority televisionchannels, deterritorialised political action or otherforms of cultural and political representation.Additionally, reactions to globalisation and itsmore problematic outcomes increasingly takeon postnational forms so the course will explorethe dynamics of global civil society and the useof it to build movements of solidarity.Each student will take the compulsory courseand two options of their choice and also writea 10,000-word dissertation.MA GLOBAL MEDIA AND POSTNATIONALCOMMUNICATIONNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSE- Global Media and Postnational Communication:Theoretical and Contemporary IssuesStudents are required to take TWO half courses fromList Two. The remaining course(s) to be selected fromother lists:LIST 1- The Transnational News Environment: Issues inProduction, Representation and Use (half unit)- Transnational Communities and Diasporic media:Networking, Connectivity, Identity (half unit)- Mediated Culture in the Middle East: Politics andCommunication (half unit)- International Political Communication (half unit)- Theoretical Issues in Media and Cultural Studies(half unit)- Rethinking Audiences (half unit)LIST 2- Japanese Cinema: An Historical Overview,1896–1952 (half unit)- Japanese Post-War Film Genres (half unit)- Cinema in South East Asia (half unit)- South East Asia on Screen (half unit)- Indian Cinema: History and Social Context (halfunit)- Indian Cinema: key issues- Post Crisis Thai Cinema (half unit)- Post(Colonialism) and Otherness in South EastAsia on Screen (half unit)- Genders and Sexualities in South East Asian Film(half unit)- Script to Screen: introduction to film making(practical) (half unit)- Iranian Cinema (half unit)- Film and Society in the Middle East- Aspects of African Film and Video (half unit)- Modern Chinese Film and Theatre (Masters)(half unit)- Modern Film from Taiwan and the ChineseDiaspora (half unit)- Critical Approaches to the Study of RegionalCinemas (half unit)LIST 3- Anthropology of Development- Perspectives on Development (half unit)- Near and Middle East Culture and Society- Chinese Culture and Society- East African Culture and Society- Japanese Culture and Society- West African Culture and Society- South East Asian Culture and Society- Civil Society, Social Movements and DevelopmentProcesses (half unit)- Economic Development of South East Asia- Economic Development of the Middle East- Economic Dynamics of the Asia-Pacific Region- Economic Problems of South Asia- Economic Problems and Policies in ModernChina- Politics and Society in Central Asia- Comparative Politics of the ContemporaryMiddle East II- Government and Politics of Modern South Asia- Government and Politics of modern South EastAsia- Media and Performance for ParticipatoryDevelopment in Africa- Christianity and Social Change in Sub-SaharanAfrica- Gender, Postcolonialism and the Study ofReligions- Theory and Method in the Study of Religions

DEPARTMENT OFMUSICThe Department of Music is the largest centreof ethnomusicology in Europe, offering uniqueeducational and research opportunities. The specialcharacter of the Department has attracted excellentratings for teaching and research, for example inTeaching Quality and Research Assessments, and innewspaper university guides.NUMBER OF STAFF 8RAE 5DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/musicFACULTY Arts and HumanitiesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMMUS ETHNOMUSICOLOGYMMUS PERFORMANCE115The Department owns a number of musicalinstruments and ensembles (including Javanesegamelan and Thai classical ensemble), and runsperformance courses. The School’s main libraryhas a large collection of ethnomusicologicalpublications and sound and video recordings.In addition, postgraduate students of theDepartment have access to a research archive,and to specialised audiovisual and multimediafacilities, including a recording studio.The Department has links with the Departmentof Music at King’s College, University ofLondon, and with a number of universities inother countries. Outside of its formal teachingprogrammes, the Department runs a series ofconcerts and workshops, including studentrecitals, and a highly successful World MusicSummer School involving 17 courses in 2007some taught by amazing performers fromamong our own present or past students(www.soas.ac.uk/summermusicschool).RESEARCHStaff and students pursue research on a widerange of subjects, mainly but not exclusivelyfocused on the music of Asia and Africa (projectson Caribbean and Eastern European music, forexample, are also in progress). Staff have specialinterests in the music of China and Central Asia(Harris), Korea (Howard), Japan, Indonesia andThailand (Hughes), India and Nepal (Widdess),the Islamic Middle East (Wright), the Jewishworld (Wood), and Africa (Durán). Music isstudied as a cultural phenomenon, and alsofrom analytical and historical perspectives.Instrumental and vocal, sacred and secular, artand popular, traditional and modern musicalforms are all of equal interest. Research methodsemployed include fieldwork, archive research,recording, performance, transcription andanalysis, and composition.For several years SOAS hosted the AHRCResearch Centre for Cross-Cultural Music andDance Performance. This provided a majorstimulus to performance research among staffand students. The Department will continue topromote such performance-based research and topublish results as CDs, DVDs and in written form.Postgraduate students of the Department comefrom a wide variety of backgrounds in the UK andfrom overseas. Most are performers of music aswell as researchers, and there is a lively interchangeof musical skills and interests. After graduating,they go on to an equal diversity of careers in musicand other fields: alumni include a curator at theBritish Library Sound Archive, several employeesof the Asian Music Circuit, a producer with theBBC World Service, lecturers in ethnomusicologyat universities in Korea, Lesotho, Thailand, Ireland,the USA and the UK among others, performers,music teachers and composers.SOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESMelissa Elliott – Music, Race and Diaspora: RomaniMusic Making in Ostrava, Czech RepublicIain Foreman – The Culture and Poetics of JazzImprovisationRaiomond Mirza – The House of Song: MusicalStructures in Zoroastrian Prayer PerformanceJames Burns – The Beard Cannot Tell Stories to theEyelash: A Study of Creative Transformation in an EweFuneral Dance-Drumming TraditionMUSIC

116 ACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASDr Lucy Durán BMUS MMUS(LONDON) PHDMusic of the Mande cultural area; popular music inWest and Central Africa; music of the Latin CaribbeanDr Rachel Harris BA(OXON) MMUS PHD(LONDON)Postgraduate TutorEthnomusicology; musics of China and Central Asia,especially Uyghur; recorded music; music and ritual,music, identity and politicsProfessor Keith D Howard BA(CNAA) MA(DURHAM)PHD(BELF) PGCE LTCL FRSAHead of DepartmentEthnomusicology; music of East Asia especially Korea;Korean culture and society; composition; musiceducation; shamanism; music in religionDr David W Hughes MA(CANTAB) MPHIL(YALE)PHD(MICHIGAN)Ethnomusicology; music of East Asia especially Japan;Japanese folk and theatre music; music and linguistics;Indonesian gamelan and Javanese street musicDr Angela Impey BA(DURBAN) BMUS(CAPE TOWN)PHD(INDIANA)Music of Africa; Applied Ethnomusicology; music anddevelopmentProfessor Richard Widdess MUSB MA PHD(CANTAB)MA(LONDON)Research TutorNorth Indian art-music; history of music in South Asia;Newar music; music theory and analysisDr Abigail Wood BA/MA(CANTAB) MPHIL(CANTAB)PHD(CANTAB)Jewish music; music and subcultural identities; Musicin Jewish-Christian relations; urban and internet-basedfieldworkProfessor Owen Wright BA(LEICESTER) BA PHD(LONDON)Music of the Islamic Middle East; historical musicologyMUSICMMUS ETHNOMUSICOLOGYDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent), usually in MusicPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Rachel HarrisSEE ALSO:MMus PerformanceThe MMus in Ethnomusicology enables thestudent of music to pursue the musical traditionsof a selected area in their cultural context. Coursesmay be chosen to the value of 1 unit from thefollowing regions: East Asia, South East Asia, SouthAsia, the Middle East, Africa or Jewish music.In addition the MMus introduces the aims andmethods of Ethnomusicology as a discipline, andoffers further options (see below). The programmeis eligible for funding under the AHRC’s ResearchPreparation Masters Scheme.STRUCTUREThe Ethnomusicology programme comprisesthree courses and a 10,000-word dissertation.In addition to these formal elements, MMusstudents are expected to attend regularpostgraduate and public seminars.CAREER OPPORTUNITIESApart from research, there are no specific careerpaths to which this degree is designed to lead,but a range of opportunities are open in fieldssuch as education (at all levels), publishing,archive work, arts management, broadcasting,performance and composition.MMUS ETHNOMUSICOLOGYNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSE- Ethnomusicology in PracticeREGIONAL COURSES TO THE VALUE OF ONE UNITSELECTED FROM THE FOLLOWING- Aspects of South East Asian Music- Indian Classical Music

- Music of East Africa- Pop Music and Politics in Israel (half unit)- Klezmer music: roots and revival (half unit)- Music of the Middle East and North Africa- Music in selected regions of Africa: contexts andstructures- Music in South Asian culture- Central Asian Music (half unit)- Aspects of Central Asian music (half unit)CHOOSE ONE FULL UNIT (OR TWO HALF UNITS) FROMTHE FOLLOWING:- A non-Music course from the MA Area Studiessyllabus relating to the region of choice; AreaStudies syllabus details available from the Facultyof Languages and Cultures.- A second regional Music course from the optionsabove.- One or two of the following options:- Analysing World Music: Transcription andAnalysis in Ethnomusicology (half unit)- Composition (half unit)- Gender and Music (half unit)- Performance- The Music Business (half unit)Anthropology and Sociology- African and Asian Cultures in Britain(half unit)- African and Asian Diasporas in the ModernWorld (half unit)MMUS PERFORMANCEDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent), usually in MusicPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Rachel Harrisdegree. The programme is eligible for fundingunder the AHRC’s Research Preparation andProfessional Preparation Masters Schemes, andit includes a training component that may allowstudents to continue to MPhil/PhD programmes.The Performance programme, in which studentschoose and Asian or African performancetradition, is examined in two parts, the secondrequiring evidence of practice-based research.To supplement this, students take one of theregional music courses offered at SOAS (taughtthrough lectures and tutorials), a performancetheory training programme, and one of a set ofoptional courses.MMUS PERFORMANCENot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES- Performance Theory (half unit)- EITHER Analysing World Music: Transcriptionand Analysis in Ethnomusicology ORComposition OR Gender and Music ORThe Music Business (each half unit)PERFORMANCE- Performance- Performance as ResearchREGIONAL COURSES TO THE VALUE OF ONE UNITSELECTED FROM THE FOLLOWING- Aspects of South East Asian Music- Indian Classical Music- Music of East Africa- Pop Music and Politics in Israel (half unit)- Klezmer music: roots and revival (half unit)- Music of the Middle East and North Africa- Music in selected regions of Africa: contextsand structures- Music in South Asian culture- Central Asian Music (half unit)- Aspects of Central Asian music (half unit)117SEE ALSO:MMus EthnomusicologyThis degree has been designed to meet therequirements of students who wish to specialisein performance while studying for an academicMUSIC

118DEPARTMENT OFNEAR AND MIDDLE EASTNUMBER OF STAFF 24RAE 5DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/nmeFACULTY Languages and CulturesA unique concentration of world-class teaching andresearch on 5,000 years of culture, from cuneiformand ziggurats to Arabic and Islamic revolution.The wide range of subjects studied within theDepartment of Languages and Cultures of theNear and Middle East reflects not only the presenteconomic and political importance of the region,but also the diversity and historical depth ofculture within an area that stretches from NorthAfrica to the borders of China and includes someof the most ancient cradles of civilisation and thebirth-places of several of the world’s great religions.The Department has received excellent ratings forboth teaching and research, and many membersof staff have been awarded major grants byfunding bodies such as the British Academy andthe Leverhulme Trust. MA degrees and researchsupervision are offered in an impressively broadrange of fields, spanning the languages andcultures of the Ancient Near East, medievaland modern Iran, Central Asia and the Caucasus,the Jewish tradition, and the Islamic world.Although linguistic and literary studies form thecore of the department’s work, some of its staffalso specialise in the study of religions, and othershave particular interests in such fields as cinemaand music. Their expertise is complemented bythat of Middle Eastern specialists in other SOASdepartments, such as Art and Archaeology,History and Political Studies, the whole addingup to a unique concentration of world-classteaching and research.RESEARCH DEGREESTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMA ANCIENT NEAR EASTERNLANGUAGESMA ARABIC LITERATUREMA ISLAMIC STUDIESMA ISRAELI STUDIESINTERDISCIPLINARYThe list of the staff of the Department providesinformation on the main areas of teaching andresearch, and supervision for research studentscan be provided across this wide range.SOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESMA NEAR AND MIDDLE EASTERNSTUDIES – SEE PAGE 154MA ISLAMIC SOCIETIES ANDCULTURES – SEE PAGE 150MA TURKISH STUDIES– SEE PAGE 161Amel Al-Malki – Tradition and Modernity in PostcolonialNovels: A Comparative Study of Al-tayyib Salihand Chinua AchebeHanadi Behairi – Dialogism in the Qur’an: A LiteraryAnalysis of the Story of AbrahamACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASProfessor Muhammad A S Abdel Haleem BA(CAIRO)PHD(CANTAB) FCIL(LONDON)Qur’an, Hadith, Tafsir; Islam in society; classical andmodern Arabic literatureNEAR AND MIDDLE EASTIn the Near and Middle East Department youwill find a truly diverse and international studentbody, including students from many countriesof the Middle East. After completing theirpostgraduate studies, many students have goneon to pursue an academic career at home orabroad, while others find an outlet for their newlyacquired skills in publishing and other media.Right: City of the Sun God – detail from the ancientHeliopolis temple ruins at Baalbek in the LebanonDr George Dedes BA MA PHD(HARVARD)Early Anatolian Turkish; Ottoman language andliteratureDr Tamar Drukker BA MA(HEBREW UNIV) PHD(CANTAB)Lector in Hebrew. Modern Israeli culture and literatureDr Ayman El-Desouky BA(CAIRO) MA PHD(AUSTIN, TEXAS)Modern Arabic novelDr Nada Elzeer BA MPHIL PHDLector in ArabicMs Narguess Farzad BA(LONDON)Senior Teaching Fellow in Persian language andliterature

Professor Andrew R George BA PHD(BIRMINGHAM) FBACuneiform and Ancient Mesopotamian studiesProfessor B George Hewitt MA PHD(CANTAB) FBAHead of Department (2007/8)Caucasian languages (especially South and North WestCaucasian) and linguisticsProfessor Bruce Ingham BA PHD(LONDON)Dialectology, phonetics; Arabic, Arabic dialects and oralliterature; Persian; LakotaProfessor Hugh Kennedy PHD(CANTAB)Professor in ArabicDr Nima Mina BA(MARBURG) M.MUS PHD(MONTREAL)Lecturer in Persian; émigré- and prisoner memoirsDr Wen-Chin Ouyang BA BED(TRIPOLI) MA MPHILPHD(COLUMBIA)Classical and modern Arabic literature and story-tellingProfessor Tudor V Parfitt MA DPHIL(OXON)Modern Hebrew language and literatureDr Gavin Picken BSC(MANCHESTER) MA PHD(LEEDS)Postgraduate Research TutorSufism, Islamic Law and TheologyMs Fatima Rawan BA(LATAKIA) MA(EXETER)Lector in ArabicDr Bengisu Rona BA(ISTANBUL) PHD(LONDON)Modern Turkish language and linguistics; 19th and20th century Turkish literatureMr Muaadh Salih BSC ECON(BAGHDAD) DIP NEP(CAIRO)M SOCS(BIRMINGHAM) MILTSenior Lector in Arabic. Computer-assisted languagelearningMr Mohamed I Said MSC DIC(LONDON)Senior Lector in ArabicDr Daniel Schwemer PHD(WÜRZBURG)Ancient Near Eastern magical textsDr Mustafa Shah BA PHD(LONDON)Early Arabic LinguisticsDr Colin Shindler BSC(LEICESTER) MSC(N.LONDON)PHD(MIDDLESEX)Zionism and the history of IsraelProfessor Nicholas Sims-Williams MA PHD(CANTAB) FBAOld and Middle Iranian languages; Indo-Europeancomparative philology; history of Central AsiaDr Stefan Sperl BA(OXON) PHD(LONDON)Classical Arabic literature, medieval Arabicpopular literature; court poetry and oral literature;refugee studiesDr Katherine P Zebiri BA PHD(LONDON)Postgraduate Research Tutor (2007)Arabic language and literature; modern Islamic studies119NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST

120MA ANCIENT NEAR EASTERNLANGUAGESDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent) plus knowledge of AkkadianPROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Andrew GeorgeTHREE OPTIONAL COURSES FROM THE LIST BELOW- Mesopotamian Languages and Literature A.The Third Millennium- Mesopotamian Languages and Literature B.The Second Millennium- Mesopotamian Languages and Literature C.The First Millennium- Sumerian Language- Hittite LanguageIn place of one of the options listed above, it maybe possible to take one course in Mesopotamianarchaeology or history from those taught atUniversity College London.NEAR AND MIDDLE EASTSEE ALSO:MA Arabic Literature,MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies,MA Islamic Studies,MA Islamic Societies and Cultures,MA Israeli Studies,MA Turkish Studies,MA English-Arabic Linguistics and TranslationThe MA in Ancient Near Eastern Languagesoffers an intensive programme of text-readingand language-learning for those who alreadyhave a good knowledge of the Akkadian language– usually at least two year’s experience.The degree is intended to widen the student’sexperience in the vast legacy of writtendocumentation in Akkadian and other languagesfrom ancient Mesopotamia and Anatolia.The programme is tailor-made to serve as anintermediate year between SOAS’s three-year BAin Ancient Near Eastern Studies (or an equivalentqualification) and postgraduate Assyriologicalresearch at the level of MPhil and PhD. It can,of course, be taken for its own sake.STRUCTUREStudents take three optional courses and write a10,000-word dissertation on an approved topic.MA ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN LANGUAGESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office.MA ARABIC LITERATUREDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSFirst or upper second-class honours degree oroverseas equivalent in Arabic or another relevantsubject with good knowledge of ArabicPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Wen-chin OuyangSEE ALSO:MA Islamic Studies,MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies,MA Islamic Societies and Cultures,MA Turkish Studies,MA English-Arabic Linguistics and TranslationThe MA Arabic Literature is an advancedMasters programme that provides an insight intothe Arab world through the in-depth study ofArabic Literature accessible to a wider body ofpostgraduate students and to provide them withtraining in the study of literature. The degreecombines the approaches of comparative literaturewith close reading of classical and modern Arabictexts. Topics explored include literary theory,translation techniques, sociology of literature,social and political dimensions of modernArabic literature, medieval popular literature,and different genres and themes of classical andmodern Arabic literature.

STRUCTURECourses are taught in English but all involvereading original Arabic texts, except ‘Theories andTechniques of Comparative Literature’. Studentstake three courses, one major and two minors. Themajor must be an Arabic literature course chosenfrom either List A or List B. Of the two othertaught courses, one of them must be chosen fromthe list that does not include the major. The thirdcan be taken from either list.OPTIONAL COURSES: LIST B- Arabic/English/Arabic translation- A Modern Arabic Literary Genre: Themesand Techniques- Arabic Poetry and Criticism- Arabic Popular Literature: Themes, Genresand Theory- Classical Arabic Prose Literature and Adab- Arabic/English translation121MA ARABIC LITERATURENot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES- 10,000-word dissertation on an approved topicOPTIONAL COURSES: LIST A- Theory and Techniques of Comparative Literature- Social and Political Dimensions in Modern ArabicLiteratureMA ISLAMIC STUDIESDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours (orequivalent) in Arabic or Islamic Studies or anyother subject, but there must be advanced knowledgeof Arabic and an interest in Islamic Studies.PROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor M. Abdel HaleemSEE ALSO:MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies,MA Arabic Literature,MA Islamic Societies and CulturesResting place – mosque at Kairouan in Tunisia,the oldest Islamic town in north AfricaThe MA offers the students the opportunityto concentrate on the Qur’an, the Hadith andother Islamic texts, and so provides an in-depthunderstanding of these texts and a unique trainingin the translation of Islamic religious material. Itwill benefit University staff, teachers of Islam inother institutions, translators of Islamic materialinto English in research centres, governmentdepartments, and da’wa centres. It providesan excellent research training, and is a usefulqualification for those who wish to progress toMPhil and PhD.STRUCTUREStudents take three taught courses (one majorfrom Group A, two minors from lists A and B)and write a 10,000-word dissertation. Normallyno more than two translation items may be taken.NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST

122NEAR AND MIDDLE EASTMA ISLAMIC STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.OPTIONAL COURSES: GROUP A- Qur’an and Hadith Studies- Islamic Legal Texts in Arabic- The Qur’an: Language, Style and Translation intoEnglish- Islamic Texts- Translation of Islamic Texts a project- The Hadith: Language, Style and Translation intoEnglish- Sufism- Islamic Philosophical Theology: Studies in MuslimDoctrine and HeresiographyOPTIONAL COURSES: GROUP B- Modern Trends in Islam- Studies in Early Islamic Art and Archaeology- Studies in later Islamic Art and Archaeology 1:Art and Patronage of the Mamluks- Mamluk Art- Ottoman Art- Miniature Painting of the Arab World- Painting and Calligraphy of the Islamic World- History of Islam in Africa- Origins and Early Development of Islam in theMiddle East: Problems and Perspectives- Islam in South Asia- Islamic Law I- Music of the Near and Middle East (Masters)MA ISRAELI STUDIESDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSAt least upper second class first degree and stronginterest in the subjectPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Colin ShindlerSEE ALSO:MA Near and Middle Eastern StudiesThe MA Israeli Studies is an interdisciplinarydegree which will explore the history, culture,politics, languages, and music of Israel and itsrelationship with the Jews of the Diaspora.STRUCTUREThe MA consists of:• Three taught courses – one major subject andtwo minor – which start in October and finishin April;• Two essays – each to be completed by the endof the winter and spring terms;• A three-hour examination in June;• A dissertation in the major subject to becompleted by the following September.MA ISRAELI STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.OPTIONAL COURSESTwo Israeli Studies courses (one major and oneminor) from:- Zionist Ideology- Israel, the Arab World and the Palestinians- Modern Israel through its Culture- A Historical Approach to Israeli Literature- Modern Hebrew Poetry- Jews and Genetics: History and Identity (Masters)(half unit)- The Prose Literature and Culture of the Haskalah(Masters) (half unit)AND either one further minor from the above listor from the following:- Music of the Jews- Modern Hebrew language courses (Masters)- Judaism in the Hellenistic and Roman Period- Family, Work, and Leisure in Ancient Judaism(half unit)- Judaism and Gender (half unit)Courses are offered at different levels of competencein both languages

DEPARTMENT OFPOLITICS ANDINTERNATIONAL STUDIESThe Department of Politics and International Studieshas been in existence for more than 30 years, andhas established itself in that time as the only universitydepartment in Britain which specialises in thecomparative study of the politics of Asia and Africa.NUMBER OF STAFF 18RAE 4DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/politicsFACULTY Law and Social SciencesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMSC AFRICAN POLITICSMSC ASIAN POLITICSMSC INTERNATIONAL POLITICSMSC MIDDLE EAST POLITICSMSC STATE, SOCIETY ANDDEVELOPMENT123Most members of the Department have regionalspecialisations, for example, West Africa, SouthAsia or China. At the same time, each hasspecialised interests in areas of the discipline. Atpresent, the Department as a whole has particularinterests in identity and modernity, state andsociety, international and regional politics inAsia and Africa, and politics and development.MSC POLITICS PROGRAMMESThe Department of Politics and InternationalStudies offers five linked Masters programmesin politics and in the international politics ofAsia, Africa and the Middle East. Two of theprogrammes might be classified as disciplinaryMScs – International Politics and State, Societyand Development. In these, the objective is togive the student the opportunity to undertake arigorous training in political theory, with specialreference to the study of politics outsideEurope and America.The remaining three programmes might bemore accurately described as regional specialistMScs, aiming to provide students with a detailedspecialist understanding of both domestic andinternational politics (and of the implications ofone for the other) in Africa, Asia and the MiddleEast. These regional MScs also introduce studentsto relevant bodies of theory and require them toconfront various theoretical issues.At Masters level, emphasis is placed on seminarwork as well as lecture attendance. Studentsmay be expected to make presentations, andare expected to write substantial assessedcoursework papers that often require significantindependent work.As well as being examined on three taughtcourses, the final quarter of a student’s degreemark comes from the writing of an independentlyresearched 10,000-word dissertation. Studentsare encouraged to take up topics which relate thestudy of a particular region to a body of theory,although they may also do purely disciplinarydissertations (in international relations theory, forexample). This dissertation is due for submissionin September of the year following admissionto the School.Courses on regional politics can also be takenas part of a Masters programme elsewhere inthe School, especially the Regional Studies andDevelopment Studies programmes.ENTRY REQUIREMENTSThe usual qualification for entry is a firstclass or upper-second class Honours degree(or equivalent) in some aspect of Politics orInternational Relations, or in a related socialscience discipline. Applicants without a politicsor social science background may in somecircumstances be considered for admissiondepending on the details of their academictraining and undergraduate performance.Students applying without a relevant backgroundshould make a case for admission in theirapplication based on the relevance of theacademic experience they do have for thestudy of Politics or International Relations. Insome circumstances, students may be asked toundertake a one-year qualifying course leading toa Certificate in Politics (see page 124). Completionof this Certificate does not guarantee entry to aMasters programme.POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

124 EXAMINATIONS AND ASSESSMENTThe MSc degree will be awarded on successfulcompletion of a final examination in the threetaught courses and a 10,000-word dissertation.The MSc may be awarded at Distinction, Merit orPass levels depending on academic performance.All elements – the three taught courses and thedissertation – carry equal weight. Examinationsare normally held in May/June. Each examinationconsists of a three-hour exam from which thestudent must choose three questions. A significantcomponent, typically around 30%, of the markcomes from assessed coursework submittedduring the previous two terms.The dissertation topic will be approved bythe MSc convenor during term two, and thendiscussed with the student’s appointed supervisor.Dissertations must be submitted, as noted, bya published deadline in September of the yearfollowing admission.RESEARCH DEGREESThe Department of Politics and InternationalStudies accepts students for research work leadingto a PhD. The central feature of PhD work is theclose relationship between the research studentand his or her supervisor, in which they meetregularly and consult closely. This relationshipis supported and strengthened in various ways.Every research student has an adjunct supervisor,another member of staff with a close interest in thestudent’s region and/or sub-field of the discipline.There is a research tutor with overall responsibilityfor research students who is available for adiscussion of general problems. In addition thereare a number of other activities which contributeto a research student’s work and training.All incoming PhD research students are requiredto take PhD training courses in their first year.Within the Department regular seminars are heldto which political scientists working on Africaand Asia or on other relevant aspects of thediscipline are invited to give presentations or leaddiscussions. Students are encouraged to suggestthemes for such meetings, and may in due coursepresent papers. During term-time many otherseminars on African and Asian themes are heldwithin the School. New research students are oftenencouraged, and may be required, to attend MSccourses relevant to their research.Almost all SOAS research students spendsome time doing field work in the regionsof their research. The Department and theSchool, through their various connections withindividuals and institutions in the universitiesand governments of Asia and Africa, facilitate thiswork with personal contacts and introductions.The School’s language training facilities areavailable to students in order to develop theirfacility in an appropriate language for researchpurposes. Applicants must normally have anadvanced degree equivalent in level and contentto the Department’s MSc in Politics.The Department has approximately 30 MPhil andPhD students and more than 70 MSc students atany one time.POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIESCERTIFICATE IN POLITICAL STUDIESThis one-year certificate is intended as a bridgingcourse for students without adequate backgroundat first degree level in the study of Politics but whoare keen to study politics at Masters level. It isespecially suitable for students who, for example,have obtained a good first degree in an Asian orAfrican language and wish to apply this to thestudy of a particular country or region.Normally the programme is formed from fourundergraduate courses (two introductory units,plus one unit of a disciplinary nature and one unitof a regional nature). Passing the certificate at anupper-second class standard is normally deemed

to make a student eligible for admission to theMSc programmes in Politics at SOAS.The entry requirements for the certificate arenormally an undergraduate honours degree atthe upper second level or above. In exceptionalcircumstances, the department may considerother applications where significant relevant workor personal experience can be demonstrated.For further information see the relevant entry onwww.soas.ac.uk/politicsSOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESSimona Vittorini – Representing the Nation: CompetingSymbolic Repertoires in IndiaWilliam Judson Dorman – The Politics of Neglect:The Egyptian State in Cairo 1974–1998ACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASDr Arshin Adib-Moghaddan BA MA(HAMBURG)PHD(CAMBRIDGE)International politics of West Asia; Iranian foreign anddomestic politics; Critical theories of internationalrelations; US foreign policy in the “third world”; Islamicpolitical and intellectual historyDr Fiona Adamson BA(STANFORD) MA PHD(COLUMBIA)International Relations Theory; International Security;Migration and Diaspora Mobilisation; Globalisation andGlobal Governance; Transnational Identity MovementsDr Rochana Bajpai BA(BARODA) MA(JAWAHARLAL NEHRUUNIV) PHD(OXON)Postgraduate Admissions Tutor /Programme Convenor (PhD)Contemporary political theory, particularlymulticulturalism; methodology, particularly politicalideologies; modern Indian politicsProfessor Stephen Chan BA MA (AUCKLAND) MA (LONDON)PHD (KENT)Politics of southern Africa, normative values andnon-Western methodologiesDr Bhavna Davé BA MA(BOMBAY) PHD(SYRACUSE)Kazakhstan: politics of language, ethnicity andnationalism in post-Soviet countriesDr Dafydd Fell BA(LEEDS) PHD(LONDON)Domestic politics in Taiwan, particularly partypolitics, election campaigning, gender politics andpolitical corruptionLeft: Independence monument, CambodiaDr Stephen Heder BA MA(CORNELL) PHD(LONDON)South East Asia, particularly Cambodia: political violenceDr Stephen Hopgood BSC(BRISTOL) DPHIL(OXON)Postgraduate Admissions Tutor / Programme ConvenorInternational relations theory; anthropology of theinternational; international politics of human rightsDr Salwa Ismail BA(CAIRO) MA(MCMASTERS) PHD(MCGILL)Urban politics and state-society relations in the MiddleEast; the study of islamism; Islamist movements; modernArab and Islamic politic thought; political ethnographyDr Laleh Khalili BSC(TEXAS) PHD(COLUMBIA)Policing and incarceration, gender, nationalism,political and social movements, refugees and diasporasin the Middle EastDr Tat Yan Kong BA(NEWCASTLE) MPHIL DPHIL(OXON)Head of DepartmentKorea and Taiwan: government-business relations;comparative political economy; late industrialisation;development theoryDr Mark Laffey BA MA(CANTERBURY, NZ) PHD(MINNESOTA)Postgraduate Admissions Tutor / Programme Convenor(International Politics)International relations theory; international politicaleconomyDr Matthew J Nelson BA(BOWDOIN) PHD(COLUMBIA)South Asian politics with special reference to the politicsof Islamic identity in North India and PakistanDr Lawrence Saez BA(CALIFORNIA) MALD(FLETCHER)MA PHD(CHICAGO)Comparative and international politics: internationalpolitical economy, comparative political economy,emerging markets, South AsiaDr Julia C Strauss BA(CONNECTICUT COL.)MA PHD(CALIFORNIA)China and Taiwan: public administration and civilservice, regulation, state and society, and environmentalpolitics in ChinaProfessor Charles R H Tripp BA(OXON) MSC(POL)PHD(LONDON)Middle East: states and ideologies, war, Islamicpolitical thoughtDr Leslie Vinjamuri BA(WESLEYAN) MSC(ECON)PHD(COLUMBIA)International Relations Theory: InternationalOrganisations, Postconflict Reconstruction andStatebuilding, the Politics of International CriminalJustice, and Civil Liberties and Human Rights in thewar on terrorDr Tom Young BSC MA PHD(LONDON)Southern Africa: international politics; South Africandomestic politics; political theory125POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

126MSC AFRICAN POLITICSNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSEGovernment and Politics in AfricaOPTIONAL COURSESAll students also need to choose courses to the valueof two full units from the list below:- Economic Development of Africa- Government and Politics in Africa- International Politics of Africa- Power, Authority and Political Thought in Eastand Central Africa- State and Development in Asia and Africa- State and Society in Asia and Africa- West African Coastal Societies and Cultures1780–1930- Languages (choose one): Hausa, Amharic, Somali,Yoruba, SwahiliMSC ASIAN POLITICSNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.All students need to choose courses to the valueof three full units from the list below:- China and International Politics- Modern Chinese Law- Economic Problems and Policies inModern China- Economic Problems of South Asia- Economic Development of Modern Taiwan(half unit)- Evolution of the State and Politics in ColonialIndia- Government and Politics of ModernSouth Asia- Government and Politics of ModernSouth East Asia- Government and Politics of Taiwan (half unit)Oluwafunmilayo Esther OlaoreMSc African PoliticsPOLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIESDuring my undergraduate studies in Politicswith Economics I felt privileged to be brieflyintroduced to non-mainstream InternationalPolitics discourses concerning the so-calledThird World. I say privileged because,to me, the mainstream discourses weresomewhat simplistic.I felt SOAS would be the right place to furthermy interest in African Politics and so far it’sbeen a wonderful experience. Here dominantdiscourses are deconstructed, which widensyour perspective on world issues. For example,should the drive for democracy in Africa be onlyabout regular elections? How does HIV/AIDSaffect democracy/national security?And the learning process continues outside theclassroom, too, at events on various subjects.

- Islam in South Asia- Japanese Modernity- Politics and Society in Central Asia- Politics and Society of the Korean Peninsula- State and Development in Asia and Africa- State and Society in Asia and Africa- State and Society in the Chinese Political Process- Languages (choose one): Chinese, Japanese,Korean, Cambodian, Indonesian, Thai,Vietnamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Nepali,Sinhalese, Tamil or UrduMSC INTERNATIONAL POLITICSNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSEInternational PoliticsOPTIONAL COURSESAll students also need to choose courses to the valueof two full units from the list below:- China and International Politics- Economic Development of Modern Taiwan(half unit)- Government and Politics in Africa- Government and Politics of ModernSouth Asia- Government and Politics of ModernSouth East Asia- Government and Politics of Taiwan (half unit)- International Politics- International Politics of Africa- International Politics of the Middle East- Pakistan: history, culture, Islam (Master)(Minor only)- Politics and Society in Central Asia- Politics and Society in the Middle East- Politics and Society of the Korean Peninsula- State and Development in Asia and Africa- State and Society in Asia and Africa- State and Society in the Chinese Political ProcessRight: Desert riches – Saudi currencyMSC MIDDLE EAST POLITICSNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSEPolitics and Society in the Middle EastOPTIONAL COURSESAll students also need to choose courses to the valueof two full units from the list below:- Economic Development of the Middle East- International Politics of the Middle East- Introductory language: Hebrew, written Persian,written Turkish, Arabic, Kurdish, Kurmanji- Islamic Law- Modernity and Transformation of the Middle East1839–1958- Politics and Society in the Middle East- State and Development in Asia and Africa- State and Society in Asia and Africa127POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

128MSC STATE, SOCIETY ANDDEVELOPMENTNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.Students follow one of three disciplinarypathways below:- Political Theory- Political Economy- Political SociologyAll students need to choose courses to the valueof three full units.They select one or two of the following disciplinarypolitics courses:- State and Development in Asia and Africa- State and Society in Asia and AfricaAND one or two of the following regionalpolitics courses:- State and Society in the Chinese PoliticalProcess- Government and Politics in Africa- Government and Politics of Modern South Asia- Government and Politics of Modern SouthEast Asia- Politics and Society in Central Asia- Politics and Society of the Korean Peninsula- Politics and Society in the Middle EastCarole ReckingerMSc International PoliticsPOLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIESAfter graduating with a BA in DevelopmentStudies and South East Asian Studies from SOASin 2005, I worked in Timor-Leste in the Office ofthe President and the Foreign Affairs Ministry.This valuable experience strengthened myinterest in approaching development issues inthe non-western world on a more theoreticallevel. The unique and rewarding environmentSOAS provides for the study of non-Europeansocieties, along with the very positive andfulfilling experience I had during my BA,made me return.The MSc International Politics was veryrewarding, and the teaching excellent. Itimproved my analytical understanding ofinternational politics, and I gained a regionalexpertise in the international politics of Africa.

DEPARTMENT OFSOUTH ASIANUMBER OF STAFF 13RAE 5DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/southasiaFACULTY Languages and Cultures129The Department offers the widest coverage in Europeof research and teaching related to the languages,literatures and cultures of the principal countriesof South Asia: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistanand Sri Lanka.The Department’s primary commitment is to eightlanguages (Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Nepali, Pali,Punjabi, Sanskrit, and Urdu) and their literaturesand cultures. It also offers language instructionin Sinhala and Tamil. Several of these languagesare not available as degree subjects elsewhere inBritain. The teaching at MA level also includescourses in South Asian cinema and literature thatrequire no knowledge of a South Asian language.Research and teaching draw heavily upon theresources of the Library’s extensive South Asiacollection, and is closely connected with the workof other SOAS departments.In a Teaching Quality Audit, the Higher EducationFunding Council for England (HEFCE) assessedthe quality of teaching – curriculum design;content and organisation; student progressionand achievement; learning resources; and qualityassurance mechanisms – in the three Asian Studiesdepartments taken together (East Asia, SouthAsia and South East Asia). The departments wereawarded 23 out of a possible 24 points, rankingthem with the very best available anywhere inthe British university system. The Departmentreceived a ‘5’ rating in the 2001 ResearchAssessment Exercise.There are three Masters programmes to choosefrom. Applicants looking for a multidisciplinaryapproach to South Asia should choose MASouth Asian Area Studies (see page 156), whichis convened by the South Asia department butfeatures courses from many different parts of theSchool; those wanting a greater concentrationon South Asian languages and literatures shouldchoose the departmental degree, MA Languagesand Literatures of South Asia; and those wishingto study South Asian literatures in a morecomparative perspective should choose MAComparative Literature (Africa/Asia) (see page146). Students interested in Indian cinema mayinclude it in the South Asian Area Studies orSouth Asian Languages and Cultures MAs, or aspart of one of the MAs offered by the Centre forMedia and Film Studies (see page 108).RESEARCH DEGREESTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESThe research interests of the Department’smembers include: Vedic texts and Sanskritepics; Islam in South Asia; nationalism andlinguistic identity; medieval Hindu devotionaltexts; twentieth century fiction in South Asianlanguages; postcolonial literatures; Bengali,Hindi, Nepali and Urdu poetry; Indian cinemaand popular cultures; the South Asian diaspora;Sikh history and literature; Mughal history;and translation. These interests are increasinglyreflected in the postgraduate teaching theDepartment contributes to its Masters degreesand in the kind of work that is undertaken bythe Department’s research students.The research training offered by the Departmenthas been enhanced in recent years by theintroduction of interdepartmental researchseminars organised by the Faculty of Languagesand Cultures.SOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESMA LANGUAGES AND CULTURESOF SOUTH ASIAINTERDISCIPLINARYMA COMPARATIVE LITERATURE(AFRICA/ASIA)– SEE PAGE 146MA SOUTH ASIAN AREA STUDIES– SEE PAGE 156Angela Eyre – Land, Language and Literary Identity:A Thematic Comparison of Indian Novels in Hindiand EnglishHephzibah Israel – Protestant Translations of the Bible(1714–1995) and Defining a Protestant Tamil IdentityUrvi Mukhopadhyay – The Perception of the Medievalin Indian Popular Films: 1920s–1960s (Joint degreewith History)SOUTH ASIA

130 ACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASDr Whitney Cox BA(VIRGINIA) MA PHD(CHICAGO)Sanskrit literature and literary theory, Tamil literature,intellectual and cultural history of South India, Historyof SaivismProfessor Rachel M J Dwyer BA(LONDON) MPHIL(OXON)PHD(LONDON)Head of DepartmentHindi Cinema; Gujarati language and literature; GujaratiVaishnavism; Gujarati diaspora; comparative Indianliterature; Indian popular culture; Indian filmDr Jeevan S Deol BA(BRITISH COLUMBIA) MPHIL(LONDON)PHD(CANTAB)History of eighteenth and nineteenth century Punjab;Mughal history; Sikh literature and scriptures; Punjabilanguage and literature; terrorism and security issuesProfessor Michael J Hutt BA PHD(LONDON)Nepali language and literature; textual perspectives onchange in the Himalayan region; Nepalese artMr Abdul Hussain KhondokerLector in BengaliMr Rakesh Nautiyal BA MA(GARHWAL) LLBLector in HindiDr Francesca Orsini LAUREA(VENICE) PHD(SOAS)Hindi literature; North Indian literary culture;Hindi-UrduMr Krishna Pradhan BA MA(TRIBHUVAN)Lector in NepaliDr William Radice MA DPHIL(OXON)Bengali language and literature; Tagore; 19th centuryBengal; literary translationDr Lucy Rosenstein BA MA PHD(LONDON)Mediaeval Hindi (Braj) language and literature; Hindilanguage and comparative linguistics; the modern Hindishort story; modern Hindi poetryDr Renate Söhnen-Thieme DRPHIL(MAINZ)Postgraduate TutorSanskrit language and literature; classical Indianreligions, folklore and music of BaltistanDr Hanna ThompsonLector in BengaliDr Amina Yaqin BA(PUNJAB) BA(SUSSEX) PHD(LONDON)Urdu language and literature; post colonial literatureand theory; gender studiesMA LANGUAGES ANDCULTURES OF SOUTH ASIADURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours or equivalentPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Whitney CoxDEPUTY CONVENORProfessor Rachel Dwyerappreciation of the linguistic and literary cultureof the subcontinent. The ‘Directed Readings’courses, available in several modern languages,have a flexible curriculum that allows them toaccommodate the interests of individual studentsor groups of students. The MA will provide, interalia, an appropriate training for students wishingto proceed to postgraduate research in SouthAsian studies; its focus on South Asian languages,cultures and literatures distinguishes it from theinterdisciplinary perspective of the MA in SouthAsian Area Studies on the one hand and fromthe broader focus of the MA in ComparativeLiterature on the other.STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTSSOUTH ASIASEE ALSO:MA South Asian Area Studies,MA Comparative Literature (Africa/Asia)This degree provides a coherent combinationof courses in South Asian languages and theirassociated literatures and cultures; it leads to anadvanced level of understanding of one aspect ofSouth Asian civilisation, together with a broaderStudents take three taught courses, one of whichis designated a major, and complete a 10,000-word dissertation related to the major. Two of thethree courses must be taken from List A and onlyone from List B. Candidates who wish to take alanguage at other than introductory level will beassessed at the start of the term to determine theRight: Fortified frontiers – India’s north-westernprovince of Rajasthan

most appropriate level of study. Part-time students(two years) will take two courses in the firstyear (normally their minors) and the major anddissertation in the second year; part-time students(three years) take one course per year, and theirdissertation in the third year.CHOOSING THE COURSESApplicants are asked to specify their preferredmajor subject and to give an alternative, as notall courses are available every year and practicalconsiderations such as timetabling may limitchoices. Once enrolled, students have two weeksto finalise their choice of subjects, during whichtime they may sample different subjects throughattending lectures and/or seminars.MA LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OFSOUTH ASIANot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.OPTIONAL COURSES: LIST A (MAJORS OR MINORS)- Al-Qaeda and international jihadi terrorism:history and ideology (Masters)- Buddhist Sanskrit Narrative Texts- Culture and Conflict in the Himalaya- Directed Readings in the Literature of aModern South Asian Language (Urdu/Hindi/Nepali/Bengali)- Genders, sexuality and the study of Asianliterature and film- Indian Cinema: its history and social context- Indian cinema: Key Issues- Jihad and resistance in the Islamic world:eighteenth century to present (Masters)- Literatures of South Asia- Modern Bengal: the evolution of Bengali cultureand society from 1690 to the present day (Masters)- Pakistan: history, culture, Islam (Masters)- Postcolonial Theory and Practice- Sanskrit Literature- Sanskrit texts from the Hindu tradition- Readings in Sanskrit Systematic Thought- Theory and Techniques of Comparative Literature- Literature and Colonialism (Masters)- Narratives of Mobility in Contemporary HindiLiterature (Masters)- Readings in Contemporary Hindi (Masters)OPTIONAL COURSES: LIST B (ONE LANGUAGE OPTIONAS A MINOR ONLY)- Bengali Language 1- Bengali Language 2- Advanced Bengali- Gujarati Language 1- Hindi Language 1- Hindi Language 2- Hindi B- Hindi C- Nepali Language 1- Nepali Language 2- Basic Pali- Pali: Intermediate Level- Punjabi Language 1- Sanskrit Language 1- Sanskrit Language 2- Buddhist Sanskrit Narrative Texts- Sinhalese Language 1- Sinhalese Language 2- Tamil Language 1- Tamil Language 2- Urdu Language 1- Urdu Language 2- Literacy in Urdu131SOUTH ASIA

132DEPARTMENT OFSOUTH EAST ASIAThe Department offers the widest coverage in Europeof research and teaching related to the languages,literatures, and cultures of the principal countriesof South East Asia, and is the only department ofa British university within which these subjects canbe studied as part of a named degree.NUMBER OF STAFF 9RAE 5DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/southeastasiaFACULTY Languages and CulturesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMA LANGUAGES ANDLITERATURES OF SOUTHEAST ASIAINTERDISCIPLINARYMA COMPARATIVE LITERATURE(AFRICA/ASIA) – SEE PAGE 146MA SOUTH EAST ASIAN STUDIES– SEE PAGE 158SOUTH EAST ASIAIts primary commitment is to five languages(Burmese, Indonesian/Malay, Khmer, Thai, andVietnamese) and their literatures, cinemas andassociated cultures. The research and teaching inthis Department draw heavily upon the resourcesof the Library’s extensive South East Asia collection,and are closely connected with the work of manyof the School’s other Departments.RESEARCH DEGREESThe Department, along with the School’s twoother Asian Studies departments, received a ‘5’rating in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise.The research interests of the Department’smembers include: classical Malay literature;modern literature in Malay, Indonesian, Thai,and Vietnamese; Islam in South East Asia;language pedagogy; phonetics; gender studies;oral literature and folklore; cinema in SouthEast Asia; and translation. These interests areincreasingly reflected in the kind of work that isundertaken by the Department’s research students.The research training offered by the Departmenthas been enhanced in recent years by theintroduction of interdepartmental researchseminars organised by the School’s languageand culture departments.SOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESSarah Hicks – Syair Selindung Delima: a literary andphilological studyMontira Rato – Peasants and the countryside inpost–1974 Vietnamese literatureSoison Sakolrak – Thai literary transformation: ananalytical study of the modernisation of Lilit Phra LorACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASProfessor Vladimir I Braginsky PHD DLIT(MOSCOW)Postgraduate TutorMalay and Indonesian classical and modern literatureand culture; Islam in the Malay-Indonesian worldMs Vantana Cornwell BA (THAMMASAT)MA(CENTRAL MICHIGAN)Lector in ThaiDr Rachel Harrison BA PHD(LONDON)Head of DepartmentModern literary, cultural, film and gender studies withreference to Thailand; literary criticism and South EastAsian Literatures in a comparative context; Westerncinema set in South East AsiaDr Dana Healy PHD(PRAGUE)Admissions TutorVietnamese language and literature, language teaching;folk literature, modern poetry, theatre, artProfessor E Ulrich Kratz DR PHIL(FRANKFURT)Traditional Malay philology, the contemporaryliteratures, cultures and societies of the MalayspeakingworldDr Ben Murtagh BA MA(LONDON) PHD (LONDON)Traditional Malay and modern Indonesian literature;history of Indonesia; film in Indonesia and Malaysia;gender and sexuality in IndonesiaMr Sallehuddin Bin Abdullah Sani BA(LONDON)Lector in IndonesianDr David A Smyth BA PHD(LONDON)The Thai novel; Thai literary historiography; Thailanguage; modern Thai history; language teachingDr Justin Watkins BA(LEEDS) MA PHD(LONDON)Burmese language and literature; Khmer language;Mon-khmer and Tibeto-Burman languages; phonetics;computer lexicography.

MA LANGUAGES ANDLITERATURES OF SOUTHEAST ASIADURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Vladimir I BraginskySEE ALSO:MA Comparative Literature (Africa/Asia),MA South East Asian StudiesThis degree provides the student who has a priorknowledge of one South East Asian language withthe opportunity to make a deeper study of thatlanguage and its literature and to gain a broaderunderstanding of the region, either through thestudy of a second South East Asian language,or through a course on the literature or cinemaof the region. The ‘Directed Readings’ coursesin Burmese, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnameseare flexible and may be adapted to accommodatethe interests of individual students or groupsof students.STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTSStudents take three taught courses, one fromList A (below), which is designated the majorsubject, one from List B, which is designated theminor subject, and a third course from eitherList A or List B, which is also designated a minor.In addition students complete a 10,000-worddissertation related to the major subject.Students who wish to take a language at other thanintroductory level are assessed at the beginningof term to determine the most appropriate levelof study. Part-time students (two years) normallytake two minor courses in the first year and themajor and dissertation in the final year; part-timestudents (three years) take one course per yearand complete the dissertation in the final year.MA LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES OF SOUTHEAST ASIANot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.OPTIONAL COURSES: LIST A (MAJORS OR MINORS)- Burmese Texts and Translation- Modern Burmese Fiction- Issues in Burmese Linguistics- Directed Readings in Burmese- Indonesian Literature up to 1942- Indonesian Literature: Writing in the age of theNew Order (half unit)- Traditional Malay Literature- Modern Literature in Malay- Directed Readings in Indonesian- The Thai Novel- Thai Short Stories- A Selected Thai Author- Directed Readings in Thai- Contemporary Vietnamese Prose Fiction- Modern Vietnamese Poetry- Directed Readings in VietnameseOPTIONAL COURSES: LIST B (MINORS)- Any course from List A (above)- Basic Khmer (half unit)- Burmese Language 1, 2- Indonesian Language 1, 2, 3- Thai Language 1, 2- Vietnamese Language 1, 2- War, Revolution, Independence in South EastAsian Literatures in Translation (half unit)- Post(Colonialism) and Otherness in South EastAsia on Screen (half unit)- Genders and Sexualities in South East Asian Film(half unit)- Post Crisis Thai Cinema (1997–2007) (half unit)- Genders, Sexualities and the study of AsianLiteratures and Film- Theory and Techniques of Comparative Literature- Jawi and the Malay manuscript tradition(half unit)- Pre-modern historical texts of Java, Bali and theMalay World in English translation (half unit)133SOUTH EAST ASIA

134DEPARTMENT OFSTUDY OF RELIGIONSThe Department has unrivalled expertise in thereligions and philosophies of Asia and Africa.Our interest in these religions is not limited totheir presence in Asia and Africa, however, butextends to all areas of the world where they arenow represented.NUMBER OF STAFF 18RAE 5DEPARTMENT WEBSITEwww.soas.ac.uk/religionsFACULTY Arts and HumanitiesTAUGHT MASTERS DEGREESMA BUDDHIST STUDIESMA CHRISTIANITIES OF ASIA ANDAFRICAMA GENDER STUDIES ANDRELIGIONMA INDIAN RELIGIONSMA JAPANESE RELIGIONSMA STUDY OF RELIGIONSSTUDY OF RELIGIONSAt the postgraduate level we are concernedmainly with the MA Study of Religions, MAIndian Religions, MA Japanese Religions, MA inChristianities of Asia and Africa, MA BuddhistStudies, MA Gender Studies and Religion, andwith the MPhil and PhD in Religious Studies.In the coming year the Department will bereorganising its MA programmes in order toexpand course options and to provide a numberof specialist streams. We anticipate that these willbe available for the 2008/09 session. Much of theDepartment’s activity centres on the courses andseminars connected with postgraduate studies.Many of our staff and students belong jointlyto this Department and another department ofthe School, since the study of religions at SOASoften involves the use of special linguistic orinterdisciplinary skills. In addition to the regionaldepartments which specialise in the languagesand literatures of various parts of Asia and Africa,we have strong links with the Departments ofArt and Archaeology, History, and Anthropology.The study of religions is invariably a multidisciplinaryundertaking.The total number of staff and students in theDepartment is relatively large (about 150 studentsand 18 staff at the time of writing). We feel thatwe are big enough to be significant but not so bigas to be impersonal.Our courses and staff maintain a balancebetween expertise in a particular religioustradition (Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism,Christianity, Zoroastrianism, etc.) and thefields of Comparative Religion and the theoriesand methods of Religious Studies. Most of ourresearch students are working on a particularreligious tradition but we welcome applicationsfrom those wishing to work in the comparativeand methodological fields.The Department was awarded a grade 5 in the2001 Research Assessment Exercise.RESEARCH DEGREESIn addition to providing research supervision, theDepartment runs a research training programmein the Study of Religions to equip Year 1 MPhil/PhD students with the necessary research skills.There is a weekly postgraduate seminar at whichstudents meet to discuss work in progress, orpresent draft chapters of their theses. Students arealso strongly encouraged to attend other seminarsand conferences relating to their specialist fields.The Department hosts a number off specialistresearch centres, each of which run regularseminars, workshops, and host visiting speakers,and research students are welcome to be involvedin their activities.The progress of each postgraduate is supportedby a Supervisory Committee, made up of theirsupervisor, and two other members of stafffamiliar with their area of research.SOME RECENT RESEARCH THESESYulia Egorova – Jews and Judaism in Modern IndianDiscourseJoachim Persoon – Central Ethiopian Monasticism1974–1991: The Survival of an Ancient Institution ina Changing WorldZhenjing Shi – The Formation and Transformationof the Mahaparinirvanasutra in Theravada, Mahayanaand Daoism

ACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR RESEARCH AREASProfessor T H Barrett MA(CANTAB) PHD(YALE)History of Chinese religion, notably Taoism andBuddhism; pre-modern Chinese history, especiallythe Tang periodProfessor Brian Bocking BA (LANCASTER) MA PHD(LEEDS)Head of DepartmentJapanese religions; Sino-Japanese Buddhism; the Studyof ReligionsDr Kate Crosby BA DPHIL(OXON)Research Admissions TutorBuddhism of South and South East Asia; BuddhistSanskrit and Pali literature, with particular referenceto post-and non-canonical literature, Pali philologyDr Lucia Dolce LAUREA MA(VENICE) PHD(LEIDEN)Japanese religious history, especially the medievalperiod; Japanese Tantric Buddhism; Buddhism and theesotericisation of religious practice; Millenarian writingsand prophecy; Kami-Buddhas associationDr Peter FlügelReligion and society in South Asia, Jainism, Jains,minority religions, religion and law, South Asian diasporaProfessor Paul Gifford BA(WELLINGTON) MLITT(OXON)Christianity; recent developments in AfricanChristianity; the socio-political role of religion in AfricaDr Jan-Peter Hartung BA PHD(ERFURT)Shi’a Islam; Islam in South AsiaDr Sian Hawthorne BA(LONDON) PHD(LONDON)MA Programmes ConvenorGender and religion; myth and mythology;continental theory; feminist philosophyProfessor Catherine Hezser DR. THEOL(HEIDELBERG)PHD(JTS, NEW YORK) HABILITATION(FREE UNIV. BERLIN)Judaism in Hellenistic and Roman times; rabbinicliterature; social history of Jews in late antiquity;American Jewish history and literatureDr Almut Hintze BA(HEIDELBERG) MPHIL(OXON)DPHIL(ERLANGEN) DHABIL(BERLIN)ZoroastrianismDr Erica Hunter PHD(MELBOURNE)Eastern Christianity, i.e. the Chalcedonian andnon-Chalcedonian churches of the Middle East,with particular reference to IraqDr Angelika Malinar MA PHD(TÜBINGEN)Hinduism in South Asia; theological and philosophicalliterature, Sanskrit epics and puranas; Hindu traditionsin modern contextsDr Ulrich Pagel BA PHD(LONDON)Tibetan language and literature; Tibeto-MongolianBuddhism; Mongolian languageDr Antonello Palumbo LAUREA MA PHD(NAPLES)Ideological history of pre-modern China; Chinesereligions, notably Taoism and Buddhism; Manichaeismand Eastern Christianity in medieval China; Chinesecultural relations with Central AsiaDr Theodore Proferes BA(NEW YORK) MA PHD(HARVARD)Vedic language and religion; Indian philosophyProfessor Christopher Shackle BA DIPSOC ANTHROPBLITT(OXON) PHD(LONDON) FBAPanjabi and Urdu languages and literatures; regionallanguages of Pakistan and North West India; Sufismand Islam in South Asia; Sikhism and its scriptures;comparative literature of the Islamic worldDr Tadeusz Skorupski LTH(VATICAN) PHD(LONDON)Buddhist studies; philosophical and religious doctrines;literature; iconographyDr Cosimo Zene BA MA PHD(LONDON)Research TutorThemes and figures in the study of religion; continentalphilosophy; missiology; Asian ChristianityCalm karma – Buddhist monk in Rizongmonastery, India135STUDY OF RELIGIONS

136STUDY OF RELIGIONSMA BUDDHIST STUDIESDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three calendar years (part-time)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSNormally, an upper second class Honours degreefrom a UK university, or an overseas qualificationor equivalent standard. Students with qualificationswhich are somewhat ambiguous, such as thoseobtained at private or monastic institutions,should enquire about the School’s position onsuch qualifications.PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Tadeusz SkorupskiSEE ALSO:MA Indian Religions,MA Japanese Religion,MA Christianities of Asia and Africa,MA Study of Religions,MA Gender Studies and ReligionThe MA in Buddhist Studies provides a coherentbut flexible range of taught courses on Indianand other forms of Buddhism. It combinescourses dealing with specific regions, issues andtraditions in Buddhism with language-basedcourses examining Buddhist texts in Sanskrit,Pali, Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese. While theprevailing focus of the degree is on the historical,literary and doctrinal aspects of Buddhism, it alsoincludes courses that examine various aspects ofcontemporary Buddhist practice.The programme also provides students with theopportunity to pursue their own research intereststhrough the dissertation and optional coursesof independent study. The structure of the MAprogramme is designed to accommodate studentswho wish to study Buddhism without languagestudy as well as those who already have a workingknowledge of Buddhist languages or wish toacquire new language skills.Three categories of courses are offered: taughtcourses (A), language-based courses in readingand interpreting Buddhist texts (B), and languagecourses (C). Students select three course unitsfrom these categories depending on their interests:those uninterested in language study may selectall three from group A; those who have a workingknowledge of the relevant languages may selectthree courses from categories A and B; whilethose beginning language study may select onelanguage course from category C in additionto two courses from category A. The dissertationof 10,000 words comprises the fourth componentof the degree.Graduates of the MA Buddhist Studiesprogramme are prepared for further researchleading to the PhD and well-qualified for careersin education, the arts, and any field where a richunderstanding of religious issues is valued.STRUCTURE AND COURSESThe student is required to take one major courseand two minor courses from the lists on the right,and to submit a dissertation of 10,000 words.The Convenors acknowledge that students embarkon this programme from a variety of educationaland linguistic backgrounds and with differentpersonal objectives. In order to establish andconfirm the most suitable and viable combinationof course options, students are advised to discusstheir options with the Convenor/ Tutors of theselected courses.MA IN BUDDHIST STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.Choose one major and two minor courses from thelists belowA. MAJOR OR MINOR OPTIONS- History and Doctrines of Indian Buddhism- Chinese Buddhism in the Pre-Modern Period- Indian Mahåyåna Buddhism (half unit)- Esoteric Buddhism in India and Tibet (half unit)- Buddhist Rituals (half unit)- Central Concepts and Tenets of Indian Buddhism(half unit)- Independent Research Project on Buddhism(half unit)- Topical Lectures and Seminars in Buddhist Studies(half unit)- Historical Developments of Indian Buddhism(half unit)- Buddhism in Tibet (half unit)- The Buddhist Conquest of Central Asia (half unit)

- Buddhist Scriptures: Mahåyåna and Vajrayåna(half unit)- Features of Buddhist Monasticism (half unit)- Buddhism: Theravådin Traditions (half unit)- Buddhist Arts in Context (half unit)- East Asian Buddhist Thought (half unit)- Art and Religious Experience in Premodern Japan(half unit)- Tibetan Buddhist Texts from Central Asia(half unit)- Samples of Buddhist Literature in Sanskrit andTibetan (half unit)- Translation of Chinese Canonical Texts- Buddhist Sanskrit Narrative Texts- Buddhist Texts in Chinese: A Critical Approach- Selected Texts from Mahåyåna Sutra Literature(half unit)- Art and Archaeology of the Silk Road- Women in Buddhism (half unit)B. MINOR OPTIONS ONLY- Religious Practive in Japan: Texts, Rituals andBelievers- Japanese New Religions (Masters) (half unit)- Death and ReligionC. LANGUAGE OPTIONS(Students may take one language course as a minorfrom below)- Basic Sanskrit- Sanskrit Intermediate (Masters)- Pali: Intermediate- Special Course in Chinese I- Special Course in Chinese II- Special Course in Chinese III- Special Course in Chinese IV- Special Course in Chinese: Mandarin forCantonese Speakers- Special Course in Chinese: Reading Classical andLiterary Chinese- Basic Japanese I- Basic Japanese II- Advanced Japanese (Masters)- Introduction to Literary Classical Tibetan- Sinhala- Burmese Language I, II- Cambodian Language I- Thai 101: Thai Language IA- Thai 200: Thai Language 2- Vietnamese Language I- Vietnamese 2: Vietnamese Language IIMA CHRISTIANITIES OF ASIAAND AFRICADURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Paul GiffordSEE ALSO:MA Indian Religions,MA Japanese Religions,MA Study of Religions,MA Buddhist Studies,MA Gender Studies and ReligionThis degree enables the student to specialise ineither the various forms of Eastern Christianity,or in modern expressions of African Christianity,or a combination of both.STRUCTURE AND COURSESThe student is required to take one major courseand two minor courses from the lists below,and to submit a dissertation of 10,000 words.The dissertation must be written in conjunctionwith the student’s major subject.MA CHRISTIANITIES OF ASIA AND AFRICANot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.Choose one major and two minor courses from thelists belowMAJOR OR MINOR OPTIONS- Comparing Christianities- Eastern and Orthodox Christianity- Christianity and Social Change in Sub-SaharanAfrica- Eastern Christian Texts on Martyrs and Monks137STUDY OF RELIGIONS

138STUDY OF RELIGIONSMINOR OPTIONS ONLY- Gender, Post-colonialism and the Study ofReligions- Comparative Politics of the ContemporaryMiddle East- Muslim-Christian Relations- Economic Development of Africa- Government and Politics in Africa- Mystical Traditions- Painting and Architecture in the ChristianNorth-Eastern Africa: 2nd–18th centuries- Gender and Christianity (half unit)- Death and ReligionLANGUAGE OPTIONS (SUBJECT TO APPROVAL)- Amharic I- Elementary Written Persian- Persian Intermediate (Masters)- Elementary Georgian- Hausa I- Introduction to Standard Modern Arabic- Elementary Arabic, Arabic Intermediate (Masters)- Arabic Higher Intermediate (Masters)- Introduction to Classical Arabic Grammarand Classical Texts- Hebrew- Somali I- Syriac for Beginners- Swahili I- Swahili IIA Intermediate- Elementary Modern Turkish- Turkish Intermediate- Yoruba ILady in red –the traditionalsari that marksan Indianwedding dayMA GENDER STUDIES ANDRELIGIONDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Sian HawthorneSEE ALSO:MA Study of Religions,MA Japanese Religions,MA Christianities of Asia and Africa,MA Indian Religions,MA Buddhist StudiesThe MA in Gender Studies and Religion at SOASis a unique programme. Drawing on the expertiseof staff in the Department for the Study ofReligions, it offers the specialised study of genderin relation to religions as well as a foundation ingender theory. Students take three taught coursesand complete a dissertation. All students take thecore course ‘Gender, Post-colonialism and theStudy of Religions’. Further options include a widerange of gender, religion and language coursesfrom inside and outside the Department of theStudy of Religions.Students take three taught courses and completea 10,000-word dissertation. All students take thecompulsory option ‘Gender, Postcolonialism andthe Study of Religions’. Further options includea wide range of gender, religion, and languagecourses from inside and outside the Departmentof the Study of Religions.The programme will appeal to students with avariety of backgrounds and objectives:• Those coming from Women’s Studies or GenderStudies who wish to engage more deeply withGender theory in relation to religions, especiallybut not exclusively the religions of Asia and Africa;• Those coming from Asian or African Studieswho wish to incorporate the study of gender andreligions into their own areas of expertise; and

• Those coming out of particular disciplines suchas Religious Studies or Theology, Anthropology,History and Politics, with or without previousexperience in the study of gender or religion,and who wish to broaden their understandingof this important area.By selection of courses to suit the academic needsof each student, this programme can provide:• A specialised research training in MA inGender Studies and Religion, perhaps includinga relevant language. This pathway is suitable forstudents contemplating advanced postgraduateresearch in gender studies and religion in Asiaor Africa, at SOAS or elsewhere;• A broad MA programme for students withsome background in Women’s Studies, GenderStudies, Religion, Theology, etc, who wish toenhance their knowledge of gender in relationto religions, with or without language study;• A special interest MA, which enables studentsto study in depth gender issues in relation to aparticular religion or region.Prospective students should contact the ConvenorDr Sîan Hawthorne (sh79@soas.ac.uk) at an earlystage of their application in order to seek adviceon the most appropriate options for study.STRUCTURE AND COURSESThe student is required to take one major courseand two minor courses from the lists below, andto submit a dissertation of 10,000 words. Gender,Postcolonialism and the Study of Religion willexamine the central questions of epistemologyand methodology in relation to the application ofgender and other critical theories in the study ofreligions and particularly the theory and practiceof feminist research, and will include a historicaland critical survey of the discipline of the Studyof Religions in order to explore the challenge ofgender studies for the field.MA GENDER STUDIES AND RELIGIONNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.Select one major and two minor courses from thelists belowMAJOR OPTION- Gender, Post-colonialism and the Study ofReligionsMINOR OPTIONS ONLY- Orthodoxy and Gender in Indian Traditions- Women in Buddhism (half unit)- Religious Practice in Japan: Texts, Ritualsand Believers- Esoteric Buddhism in India and Tibet (half unit)- Buddhism in Tibet (half unit)- Buddhism: Theravådin Traditions (half unit)- Buddhist Arts in Context (half unit)- East Asian Buddhist Thought (half unit)- Theory and Method in the Study of Religion- History of Religion in Imperial China- Jainism: History, Doctrine and theContemporary World- Religious and Philosophical Ideas of Ancient andMedieval India- Vedic Interpretations- Zoroastrianism: Historical and ContemporaryPerspectives- Text and Context in Zoroastrianism- Christianity and Social Change in Sub-SaharanAfrica- Eastern and Orthodox Christianity- Eastern Christian texts on Martyrs and Monks- Comparing Christianities- Text and context in Classical Hinduism- The Buddhism of South East Asia- History and Doctrines of Indian Buddhism- Indian Mahåyåna Buddhism (half unit)- The Buddhist Conquests of Central Asia(half unit)- Japanese New Religions (Masters) (half unit)- Readings in Derrida on Religion- Readings in French Feminism and Religion- Judaism and Gender- Gender and Christianity (half unit)- Goddesses and constructions of gender inHinduism (term 2) (half unit)- Death and Religion- Al-Qaeda and international jihadi terrorism:history and ideology (Masters)- Jihad and resistance in the Islamic world:eighteenth century to present (Masters)Related courses from other departments, subjectto approval by the course convenor- Gender and Development (half unit)- South East Asia on Screen (half unit)- Cinema in South East Asia (half unit)- Issues in Psychoanalysis and Anthropology(half unit)- Comparative Media Theory (half unit)139STUDY OF RELIGIONS

140STUDY OF RELIGIONS- The End of Empire in the Middle East andthe Balkans- Modernity and the Transformation of the MiddleEast, 1839–1958- Developing World 1: Law and Development- Theory and Techniques and ComparativeLiterature- Modern Trends in Islam- Film and Society in the Middle East- Indian Cinema: Historical and Social Contexts(half unit)- Indian Cinema: Key Issues (half unit)- Media in Africa- Slavery and Servitude in Sub-Saharan AfricaOne language courseSee departments of the Faculty of Languages andCultures for details.MA INDIAN RELIGIONSDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Angelika MalinarSEE ALSO:MA Study of Religions,MA Japanese Religions,MA Christianities of Asia and Africa,MA Gender Studies and Religion,MA Buddhist StudiesThe MA degree in Indian Religions is designedto provide a coherent group of courses on Indianreligions and related subjects. During its longhistory from the Vedic period onwards Indiahas experienced profound cultural and religiousdevelopments.STRUCTURE AND COURSESThe student is required to take one major courseand two minor courses from the lists on the right,and to submit a dissertation of 10,000 words.MA INDIAN RELIGIONSNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.Choose one major and two minor courses from thelists belowMAJOR OR MINOR OPTIONS- Religious and Philosophical Ideas of Ancient andMedieval India- Vedic Interpretations- Jainism: History, Doctrine and the ContemporaryWorld- Historical and Contemporary Perspectives onHinduism- Text and Context in Classical Hinduism- Zoroastrianism: Historical and ContemporaryPerspectives- Jain Scripture and Community- Ascetic and non-dualist traditions of classical andmodern Hinduism- Goddesses and constructions of gender inHinduism (term 1) (half unit)- Reform, politics and the media: Hinduism in themodern world (half unit)MINOR OPTIONS ONLY- Islam in South Asia- Theory and Method in the Study of Religion- Mystical Traditions- History and Doctrines of Indian Buddhism- Gender, Post-colonialism and the Study ofReligions- Studies in Buddhist Literature in Pali- The Buddhism of South East Asia- Orthodoxy and Gender in the Indian traditions- Body, Power and Society in Early India- Introduction to Sikh Scriptures- Modern Bengal: the evolution of Bengali cultureand society from 1690 to the present day (Masters)- Death and Religion- Topical Lectures and Seminars in Buddhist Studies(half unit)- Buddhist Scriptures: Mahayana and Vajrayana(half unit)- Indian Mahayana Buddhism- Selected Texts from Mahayana Sutra Literature(half unit)- The Buddhist Conquest of Central Asia (half unit)- Independent Translation of Buddhist texts (half unit)- The Indian Temple- Readings in Sanskrit Systematic Thought

STUDENTS MAY TAKE ONE LANGUAGE FROM THEFOLLOWING AS A MINOR- Hindi 1- Hindi Language 2- Nepali 1- Avestan- Middle Persian- Persian Intermediate- Pali: Intermediate Level- Sanskrit- Sanskrit Intermediate- Sanskrit Texts from the Hindu Tradition- Buddhist Sanskrit Narrative Texts- Introduction to Classical Literary TibetanMA JAPANESE RELIGIONSDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree inAnthropology, Japanese Studies, Religious Studies,or History with an East Asian orientation.PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Lucia DolceSEE ALSO:MA Indian Religions,MA Christianities of Asia and Africa,MA Study of Religions,MA Buddhist Studies,MA Gender Studies and ReligionThe MA Japanese Religions is a uniqueprogramme – Europe’s first such Masters. It isdesigned to provide a comprehensive overview ofthe various traditions of Japanese religion, bothpast and present, while at the same time supplyingtools of analysis for further research in the field.Students will examine the historical developmentof religious traditions in Japan, including Shinto,Buddhism, and new religious movements, andwill explore the influence of religion uponJapanese culture. Themes and issues that will betaken up include the relation between religionand the state; the role of women in Japanesereligion; the meaning of rituals; the geography ofsacred place; pollution and purification, and theimportance of pilgrimages.STRUCTURE AND COURSESThe student is required to take one major courseand two minor courses from the lists below, andto submit a dissertation of 10,000 words.MA JAPANESE RELIGIONSNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.Choose one major and two minor courses from thelists belowMAJOR OR MINOR OPTIONS- Religious Practice in Japan: Texts, Rituals andBelievers- Japanese New Religions (Masters) (half unit)MINOR OPTION ONLY- Readings in Japanese Religions- East Asian Buddhist Thought (half unit)- Individual Research Project in Japanese Religions(half unit)- Japanese Culture and Society- Theory and Method in the Study of Religion- Archaeology of the Japanese Archipelago(half unit)- Material Culture of Early Japan (half unit)- Japanese Calligraphy: History and ReadingPractice (half unit)- Japanese Literature and Drama in Art (half unit)- Buddhist Arts in Context (half unit)- History of Religion in Imperial China- Gender, Post-colonialism and the Study ofReligions- The Buddhism of South East Asia- History and Doctrines of Indian Buddhism- Independent Translation of Buddhist Texts(half unit)- Art and Religious Experience in Pre-modernJapan (half unit)- Translation in Chinese Canonical texts- Topical Lectures and Seminars in BuddhistStudies (half unit)- Mystical Traditions- Japanese New Religions (Masters) (half unit)- Japanese Modernity- Death and Religion141STUDY OF RELIGIONS

142 with one of the taught courses selected from- Basic Japanese 1Major Options and constituting the student’s- Basic Japanese 2major subject. The remaining two taught courses- Intermediate Japanesewhich count as Minor Options may be selected- Advanced Japanesefrom either Major or Minor Options. The studentis allowed to take only one language.STUDY OF RELIGIONSMA STUDY OF RELIGIONSDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)PROGRAMME CONVENORDr Sian HawthorneSEE ALSO:MA Indian Religions,MA Japanese Religions,MA Christianities of Asia and Africa,MA Buddhist Studies,MA Gender Studies and ReligionThe degree aims to offer a wide range of courses inthe study of Asian and African religions. The widescope of this degree permits students to focus onone specific religion or region, or to study morethan one religious tradition. Such flexibility in thechoice of courses provides a variety of options andways in which different courses may be packagedtogether for specific purposes be it postgraduateresearch or relevant careers. In addition totaught courses, the degree also offers a numberof relevant languages. Although knowledge of arelevant language is not required for this degree,certain taught courses may only be taken bystudents with language competence. When alanguage component is selected as part of thisdegree, the student is permitted to study onlyone language in conjunction with a religioustradition to which the language relates.STRUCTURE AND COURSESThe student is required to take one major courseand two minor courses from the lists below, andto submit a dissertation of 10,000 words on anapproved topic. The dissertation must be linkedMA STUDY OF RELIGIONSNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.Choose one major and two minor courses from thelists belowMAJOR OR MINOR OPTIONS- Theory and method of the study of religion- Gender, Post-colonialism and the Study ofReligions- Mystical Traditions- Taoism and the Religions of China- Death and ReligionMINOR OPTION ONLYIslam- The Origins and Early Development of Islam inthe Middle East: Problems and Perspectives- Modern Trends in Islam- Muslim Britain: perspectives and realitiesJudaism- Judaism in the Hellenistic and Roman Period- The Holocaust in Theology, Literature and Art(half unit)- Judaism and Gender (half unit)- Family, Work and Leisure in Ancient Judaism(term 1) (half unit)- Judaism and Modernity (half unit)Chinese and East Asian Religions- Locating China I: China and Other Worldviewsbefore ‘Westernisation’* (half unit)- Locating China II: Missionaries and Misfits in theBritish Construction of China* (term 2) (half unit)- History of Religion in Imperial China- Translation of Chinese Canonical Texts- East Asian Buddhist Thought (half unit)- Japanese New Religions (Masters) (half unit)- Archaeology of the Japanese Archipelago (half unit)- Material Culture of Early Japan (half unit)- Art and Religious Experience in Premodern Japan(half unit)* Students wishing to take this course as a majorsubject must select the other half of the course

Indian Religions- Texts and Context in Classical Hinduism- Religious and Philosophical Ideas of Ancient andMedieval India- Historical and Contemporary Perspectives ofHinduism- Orthodoxy and Gender in Indian traditions- Vedic Interpretations- Body, Power and Society in Early India- Jainism: History, Doctrine and theContemporary World- Jain Scripture and Community- Islam in South AsiaChristianity- Eastern and Orthodox Christianity- Eastern Christian Texts on Martyrs and Monks- Christianity and Social Change in Sub-SaharanAfrica- Gender and Christianity (half unit)Buddhism- Esoteric Buddhism in India and Tibet (half unit)- Studies in Buddhist Literature in Pali- Central Concepts and Tenets of Indian Buddhism(half unit)- Buddhist Scriptures: Mahayan and Vajrayana(half unit)- Buddhist Rituals (half unit)- The Buddhist Conquest of Central Asia (half unit)- Topical Lectures and Seminars in Buddhist Studies(half unit)- The Buddhism of South East Asia- Tibetan Buddhist Texts from Central Asia(half unit)- Buddhism in Tibet (half unit)- Women in Buddhism (half unit)- Independent Translation of Buddhist Texts- Buddhism: Theravadian Traditions (half unit)- Buddhist Art in Context- History and Doctrines of Indian Buddhism- Selected Texts from Mahayana Sutra Literature(half unit)- Indian Mahayana Buddhism (half unit)- Historical Developments of Indian Buddhism(half unit)- Features of Buddhist Monasticism (half unit)- Chinese Buddhism in the Pre-Modern PeriodGeneral- Zoroastrianism: Historical and ContemporaryPerspectives- Text and Context in Zoroastrianism- Readings in French Feminism and Religion(half unit)- Al-Qaeda and international jihadi terrorism:history and ideology (Masters)- Modern Bengal: the evolution of Bengali cultureand society from 1690 to the present day (Masters)- Jihad and resistance in the Islamic world:eighteenth century to present (Masters)- The Indian Temple- Religion in Britain: Faith Communities andCivil SocietyLanguagesStudents may take one language course from eitherAfrica, East Asia, the Near and Middle East, orSouth East Asia as a minor. Details are availablefrom the Faculty of Languages and Cultures.Circles of meditation – prayer wheels on an island offHiroshima, Japan143STUDY OF RELIGIONS

144INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIESMA AFRICAN STUDIESDEPARTMENTAfrica (see page 40)FACULTYLanguages and CulturesPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Chege GithioraDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)dissertation related to the major. As the emphasisin the Regional Studies programmes is oninterdisciplinary study, students are requiredto select their three courses from more thanone discipline.The two minor courses can be taken from thesame discipline (but different to that of the major),or two different ones. Candidates who wish totake a language at other than introductory levelwill be assessed at the start of term to determinewhich is the most appropriate level of study.CHOOSING THE COURSESApplicants are asked to specify their preferredmajor and asked to give an alternative as practicalconsiderations such as timetabling and availabilityof courses may limit freedom of choice.INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIESSEE ALSO:Centre of African StudiesThe MA in African Studies provides an unrivalledprogramme of excellent advanced courses onAfrica, one of the world’s most fascinatingand challenging regions. The opportunity forinterdisciplinary study of the continent is aparticular advantage of the degree. Students canchoose from a range of about 30 courses in 12disciplines as shown below.Our former students have chosen to study Africaat this level for a wide range of reasons. For some adeep interest in the history and culture or politicaleconomy of a particular region is sufficientmotivation, but for many students the programmehas, in addition, been followed with the intentionof furthering their career opportunities. Some goon to work either in Africa, or in fields relatedto Africa. The opportunity to combine studyof particular African subjects with an Africanlanguage is very useful, although some evidenceof competence in learning a foreign language isusually required.STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTSStudents take three taught courses, one of which isconsidered a major, and complete a 10,000-wordMA AFRICAN STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.OPTIONAL COURSES (MAJORS AND MINORS)- Somali I- Amharic I- Yoruba I- Hausa I- Zulu I- Swahili I- Swahili IIA- Practical Translation from and into Swahili- The History and Politics of Portuguese-speakingAfrica (Minor only)- Urbanisation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Livelihoodsand Patterns of Growth- Southern Africa: The Political Ecology of Landand Agriculture- Agricultural and Environmental Issues inSub-Saharan Africa, with special reference toWest Africa- Environment and Development in TropicalDrylands- Muslim Societies in Sub-Saharan Africa- Religious and Philosophical Thoughtin Africa

- Media in Africa- Media and Performance for ParticipatoryDevelopment in Africa- Aspects of African Film and Video (half unit)- Literatures in African Languages- Selected Topics in African Literature- West African Culture and Society- East African Culture and Society- Painting and Architecture in Christian North EastAfrica 2nd to 18th Centuries- Art and Society in Africa- The Arts of the African Diaspora- Economic Development in Africa- History of Islam in Africa- Slavery and Servitude in Sub-Saharan Africa- Colonialism and Development in East andCentral Africa- West African Coastal Societies and Cultures,1786–1930- History, People and Cultures of Ethiopia- Islamic Law I- Music in Africa: Contexts and StructuresSelected Topics- Government and Politics in Tropical Africa- Christianity and Social Change in Sub-SaharanAfricaMA CHINESE STUDIESDEPARTMENTChina and Inner Asia (see page 59)FACULTYLanguages and CulturesPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Wang TaoDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)SEE ALSO:MA Pacific Asian StudiesThe MA Chinese Studies provides an exceptionalopportunity to take advantage of the wide rangeof disciplinary approaches to the study of Chinesesocieties available at SOAS. The main emphasis inthis programme is on modern and contemporaryChina, although it is also possible to study aspectsof pre-modern China.In addition to the courses on offer, studentsdevelop their own particular area of specialisationby writing a dissertation in their major discipline.They are exposed to a wide range of topicsthrough participation in the seminars, generallectures, and specialised workshops organisedby the Centre of Chinese Studies.The students who take this degree come frommany countries and have a wide variety ofacademic backgrounds. While some havealready studied China and wish to broaden theirknowledge, others approach the region throughan academic discipline in which they have alreadybeen trained. The resulting diversity combineswith specialist teaching to create a stimulatingacademic environment.STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTSStudents take three taught courses, one of which isconsidered a major, and complete a 10,000-worddissertation on an approved topic related to themajor. As the emphasis in the Regional Studiesprogrammes is on interdisciplinary study, studentsare required either to select their three coursesfrom three different disciplines or two disciplinesand one language course.The two minor courses can be taken from thesame discipline (but different to that of the major),or two different ones. Some disciplines such aspolitics, economics or social anthropology requirean appropriate qualification (such as all or partof a first degree) if any of their courses are to betaken as the major subject.CHOOSING THE COURSESWhen applying, applicants are asked to specifytheir preferred major subject, and asked to givean alternative as practical considerations suchas timetabling and availability of courses maylimit freedom of choice. Once enrolled, studentshave two weeks to finalise their choice of subjectsand have the opportunity of sampling a varietyof subjects through attending lectures etc. Forfurther information on departments and courseslisted, please refer to the relevant sections in theprospectus or visit www.soas.ac.uk145INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

146INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIESMA CHINESE STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.OPTIONAL COURSES (MAJORS AND MINORS)- Special Course in Chinese I- Special Course in Chinese II- Special Course in Chinese III- Special Course in Chinese IV- Special Course in Chinese: Mandarin forCantonese Speakers- Special Course in Chinese: Reading Classical andLiterary Chinese- East Asian Cinema and Media- Chinese Culture and Society- Chinese Cinema and Media (half unit)- Chinese Ceramics from 10th to 17th Century- Ceramics in Chinese Culture, 10th to 18thCenturies Masters- Seminar in East Asian Art I: Chinese BuddhistArt of Dunhuang- Chinese Epigraphy and Calligraphy- Seminar in East Asian Art II: Aspects of ChinesePainting- Archaeology and Art of the Silk Road- Art and Archaeology of the Silk Road- Ancient Chinese Civilisation- Chinese Art History: Critical Writings- Practical Translation from and into MandarinChinese- Modern Documentary Texts- Modern Chinese Literature in Translation- Modern Film From Taiwan and the ChineseDiaspora (half unit)- Modern Chinese Film and Theatre (half unit)- Japanese Post-War Film Genres (half unit)- Economic Problems and Policies in ModernChina- Government and Politics of Taiwan (half unit)- Society and Culture in Taiwan (half unit)- Economic Development of Modern Taiwan(half unit)- Economic Dynamics of the Asia-Pacific Region- Nationalism, Sexuality and the Body in China:Comparative Perspectives in Cultural History- Society Culture and Drugs in China, 1700–1990- Continuity and Change in Modern China,1840–1949- Patients, Healers and Society in China from theHan Dynasty to the Cultural Revolution- Chinese Law I: Traditional Chinese Law- Chinese Law II: Modern Chinese Law- Chinese Law III: Commercial Law- Music of East Asia Masters- State and Society in the Chinese Political Process- China and International Politics- International Politics of Asia- Heritage and Holy History in China- History of Religion in Imperial China- East Asian Buddhist Thought (half unit)- Locating China I: China and Other WorldviewsBefore ‘Westernisation’ (half unit)- Locating China II: Missionaries and Misfits inthe British Construction of China (half unit)- Modern Chinese Literature (Masters)- Traditional Chinese Language and Literature(Masters)- Traditional Chinese Literature in TranslationMA COMPARATIVE LITERATURE(AFRICA/ASIA)FACULTYLanguages and CulturesPROGRAMME CONVENORProfessor Graham FurnissDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)This cross-regional MA programme draws uponboth the first-hand specialist expertise and thecomparative and theoretical interests of membersof staff of the School’s five regional departments.The degree is designed to offer a training inthe comparative study of African and Asianliteratures. It makes available SOAS’s expertise inthis vast field primarily to students interested instudying these literatures through English. Thesubjects covered include both English languageliteratures of Africa and Asia and literature writtenin African and Asian languages. The latter arepresented through English translations.Students explore new horizons for the comparativestudy of literature, breaking out of the Euro-

centric space in which comparative literature hasdeveloped so far. However, the course covers themajor theoretical contributions to the comparativestudy of literature made by Western scholars. Italso draws on the wealth of literary productionin the West for purposes of comparative analysis.In doing so, it constructs a unique multiculturaldomain and perspectives for the study of literatureand its location in culture and society.STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTSPrior knowledge of an African or Asian languageis not a requirement for admission to this degree.However, provision is made for those with thenecessary fluency in reading to pursue the directstudy of the African or Asian literature of theirchoice in the original language as one of theirmajor or minor options alongside English-basedcourses. All students are required to take the corecourse on Theory and Techniques of ComparativeLiterature in their first year.Two other courses – one major and one minor– plus a dissertation of 10,000 words must also becompleted. For further information on the courseslisted, please refer to the course descriptionsearlier in the prospectus or visit www.soas.ac.ukCORE COURSEThis course on Theory and Techniques ofComparative Literature covers both the historicaldevelopment of the discipline and its maincontemporary trends. An important constituentof the course is the practical treatment of aselected range of issues and themes in Africanand Asian literatures which have been or can bebest understood in a comparative perspective.MA COMPARATIVE LITERATURE (AFRICA/ASIA)Not all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSE- Theory and Techniques of Comparative LiteratureENGLISH-BASED OPTIONAL COURSES- Selected Topics in African ContemporaryLiterature- Literatures in African Languages- Japanese Traditional Drama (half unit) (Term 1)- Modern Japanese Literature I (half unit) (Term 2)- Japanese Literature and Drama in Art- Modern Chinese Literature in Translation- Traditional Chinese Literature in Translation- Modern Film From Taiwan and the ChineseDiaspora (half unit) (Terms 1 and 2)- Modern Chinese Film and Theatre (half unit)(Terms 1 and 2)- Survey of Korean Literature- Literatures of South Asia- The Comparative Literature of South East Asia(half unit)- Japanese Cinema: an Historical Overview 1896-1952 (half unit)- Japanese Post-War Film Genres (half unit)- Social and Political Dimensions of Modern ArabicLiterature- Modern Arabic Literature and the West- Postcolonial Theory and Practice- Indian cinema: its history and social context(half unit)- Cinema in South East Asia (half unit)- South East Asia on screen (half unit)- Genders and sexualities in South East AsianCinema (half unit)LANGUAGE-BASED OPTIONS- Topics in Korean Literature- A Modern Arabic Literary Genre: Themes andTechniques- Arabic Poetry and Criticism- Social and Political Trends in Nineteenth CenturyTurkish Literature- Selected Topics in Twentieth Century TurkishLiterature- Directed Readings in the Literature of a ModernSouth Asian Language- Buddhist Sanskrit Narrative TextsONE of the following options taught at UCL maybe taken as a MINOR:- Modern Literary Theory- Translation Studies- Practice and Methodology of ComparativeLiterature147INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

148INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIESMA GENDER STUDIESCENTREGender Studies (see below)FACULTYLanguages and CulturesPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Nadje Al-AliDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class (II.1) or abovehonours degree (or equivalent)SEE ALSO:MA in Gender Studies and ReligionCENTRE FOR GENDER STUDIESSOAS’s interdisciplinary Centre for GenderStudies, housed in the Faculty for Languagesand Cultures, has been established to promotethe study of gender in relation to Asia andAfrica. Its primary objectives are to promoteinterdisciplinary research and teaching in thefield of Gender Studies with particular referenceto Asia and Africa; and to provide a forumfor collaboration in the research and teachingof Gender Studies both within SOAS and inconjunction with other institutions.The Centre provides an administrativeand intellectual home for the School’s MAprogramme in Gender Studies, as part of whichit is responsible for the organisation of regularseminars open to SOAS students and staff, toacademics and students of other institutions andto the general public. The Centre’s membershipsees its task as one of contributing to theoretical,methodological and pedagogical debates withinthe study of Gender in the context of the Asianand African Studies through publications,conferences, workshops and teaching.The Centre for Gender Studies further welcomesapplications for MPhil and PhD research degreesin all areas of gender-related study. The Centrehouses a training programme in Gender Studiesfor research students the work of which issupported by the organisation of regular Centreseminars. For further information please emailgenderstudies@soas.ac.ukMembership of the Centre is open to all academicstaff and students at SOAS as well as to individualsbased in other higher education institutions inthe UK with an academic interest in the field ofgender studies. For further information pleasecontact Dr Rachel Harrison (rh6@soas.ac.uk)or Dr Nadje Al-Ali (na@soas.ac.uk) and visitwww.soas.ac.uk/genderstudiesTHE MA PROGRAMMEThe principal aim of the MA Gender Studiesis to refocus issues of Western gender studieson the complex specificities of Asia and Africa.Drawing on the expertise of staff across all SOASfaculties, it offers the specialised study of genderin relation to Asian and African cultures, togetherwith rigorous training in and questioning ofcontemporary gender theory.STRUCTUREStudents take three taught courses and writea 10,000-word dissertation. All students takethe compulsory course on ‘Gender Theory andthe Study of Asia and Africa’. Further optionsinclude a wide range of gender and genderrelatedcourses from a comprehensive listoffered by the Faculties of the Languages andCultures, of Arts and Humanities and of Lawand Social Sciences. The dissertation will bebased on either the compulsory course, or oneof the component courses.Prospective students are urged to contact theprogramme convenor Dr Nadje Al-Ali ongenderstudies@soas.ac.uk at an early stage oftheir application to seek advice on the mostappropriate options for study.MA GENDER STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the Centre for Gender Studies website orcontact the Faculty office. Some courses may betaught in other departments of the School.CORE COURSE- Gender Theory and the Study of Asia and Africa

OPTIONAL COURSESStudents must choose the equivalent of two fullcourses from the list below; only one languagecourse may be taken (see Faculty of Languagesand Cultures).- Genders, Sexualities and the Study of AsianLiterature and Film- Approaches to the Other in Science Fiction andHorror Film- Cinema, Nation and the Transcultural- Japanese Cinema: an historical overview 1896–1952 (half unit)- Japanese Post-War Film Genres (half unit)- Cinemas of the African Diaspora (half unit)- Indian Cinema: its history and social context(half unit)- Indian Cinema: key issues (half unit)- Post(Colonialism) and Otherness in South EastAsia on Screen (half unit)- Genders and Sexualities in South East AsianCinema (half unit)- Post-Crisis Thai Cinema (1997–2007) (half unit)- Theory and Techniques of Comparative Literature- Social and Political Dimensions of Modern ArabicLiterature- Literatures of South Asia- War, Revolution and Independence in South EastAsian Literatures in Translation (half unit)- Survey of Korean Literature- Modern Japanese Literature (half unit)- Japanese Traditional Drama (half unit)- Modern Trends in Islam- Al-Qaeda and international jihadi terrorism:history and ideology (Masters)- Jihad and resistance in the Islamic world:eighteenth century to present (Masters)- Gender, Post-colonialism and the Study ofReligions- Readings in Derrida on Religion (half unit)- Readings in French Feminism and Religion(half unit)- Gender and Christianity (half unit)- Judaism and Gender (half unit)- Goddesses and constructions of gender inHinduism (half unit)- Orthodoxy and Gender in Indian Traditions- Theory and Method in the Study of Religions- Death and Religion- Issues in the Anthropology of Gender (half unit)- Issues in psychoanalysis and anthropology(half unit)- Cultural understandings of health- Chinese Culture and Society- Japanese Culture and Society- South Asian Culture and Society- South East Asian Culture and Society- Near and Middle-Eastern Culture and Society- West African Culture and Society- East African Culture and Society- The End of Empire in the Middle East & theBalkans- Power, Authority, and Political Thought inEastern and Central Africa, 1850–2000- Postcolonial Theory and Practice- Language courses (subject to availability)- One language acquisition course taught at SOASGENDER-RELATED OPTIONAL COURSES OFFERED AT UCL(a maximum of one full course unit can be taken; notall courses listed below will be available each year)- Gender in Archaeology (half unit)- Feminist issues in Israeli Women’s Writing(half unit)- Narrating the Nation: Selected Topics inContemporary Israeli Literature (half unit)- Gender and Representation in Twentieth-CenturyScandinavian Literature and Film (half unit)- Women in Jewish Tradition- Family Politics in Israeli Fiction (half unit)- Gender Archaeology (half unit)- Gender Policy and Planning (half unit)- Cultures of AIDS in France: History, Policy andRepresentation (half unit)- Anthropology and Ecology of Development:Population and Nutrition (half unit)- Autobiography: Writing (and) the Self in FrenchLiterature (half unit)- The Poetic Identity and its Representations(half unit)- Gender in Modernity (half unit)- Gender and Language (half unit)- Latin American Cinematic Tradition- Anthropology of the Balkans- Holocaust Writings- Public and Private Modernity (half unit)149INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

150MA ISLAMIC SOCIETIES ANDCULTURESetc. For further information on departments andcourses listed, please refer to the relevant sectionsin the prospectus or visit www.soas.ac.ukINTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIESDEPARTMENTNear and Middle East (see page 118)FACULTYLanguages and CulturesPROGRAMME CONVENORTo be confirmedDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)SEE ALSO:MA Islamic Studies,MA Near and Middle Eastern StudiesThis MA programme studies many aspects ofthe world of Islam and its primary objective is toapproach the study of Islam through a variety ofdisciplines and in a variety of cultural contextsand periods. Applicants are not required to haveprevious academic experience of this subjectalthough an interest in Islamic societies andcultures will be expected.STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTSCandidates will take three taught courses (onemajor and two minors) and write a dissertation of10,000 words for their major option. A single-unitcourse in a relevant language can be taken as ONEof the two minor options. This Masters degreemay be considered as a preparation for researchor as a way of completing a liberal education.CHOOSING THE COURSESWhen applying, applicants are asked to specify theirpreferred major and asked to give an alternativeas practical considerations such as time-tablingand availability of courses may limit freedom ofchoice. Once enrolled, students have one weekto finalise their choice of subjects and have theopportunity during that week of sampling avariety of subjects through attending lectures,MA ISLAMIC SOCIETIES AND CULTURESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.N.B.: Anyone choosing three courses which are alsoon offer for the MA in Near and Middle EasternStudies (see page 154) will be required to register forthis latter degree.OPTIONAL COURSES (MAJORS AND MINORS)- Indonesian Language 1- Urdu Language I- Urdu II- Arabic 2- Arabic 4- Swahili I- Swahili IIA II- Indonesian II- Iranian Cinema (half course)- Near and Middle Eastern Culture and Society- Studies in Early Islamic Art and Archaeology- Studies in Later Islamic Art and Archaeology- Miniature Painting of the Arab World- Painting and Calligraphy of the Islamic World- Mamluk Art- Ottoman Art- Economic Development of the Middle East- History of Islam in Africa- Origins and Early Development of Islam in theMiddle East: Problems and Perspectives- Islam in South Asia- Islamic Law I- Law and Society I: Middle East and North Africa- Music of the Near & Middle East- Introduction to Standard Modern Arabic- Politics and Society in Central Asia- Central Asia: History, Politics and Religion- Modern Trends in Islam- Comparative Politics of the ContemporaryMiddle East (Minor only)- Pakistan: history, culture, Islam (Masters)(Minor only)- Jihad and resistance in the Islamic world:eighteenth century to present (Masters)- Al-Qaeda and international jihadi terrorism:history and ideology (Masters)

MA JAPANESE STUDIESDEPARTMENTJapan and Korea (see page 86)FACULTYLanguages and CulturesPROGRAMME CONVENORDr John BreenDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)SOAS offers the most comprehensive MA inJapanese Studies available anywhere in Europe.Courses are normally available to cover allhistorical periods, from the earliest to thepresent, and ranging over the social and politicalsciences, and humanities. Students are expectedto have a BA degree of 2:1 level or above, or someequivalent qualification in a relevant area. In somecases, it is possible to make offers to studentswith lower levels or from other backgroundswhere there is some compensatory factor, suchas pertinent work experience, a protracted periodin Japan or evidence of serious study conductedon the student’s own.The students who take this degree come frommany countries and have a wide variety ofacademic backgrounds, but tend to fall intofour main categories. Some have already studiedJapan and wish to deepen or broaden theirknowledge and understanding. Others havecome to recognise the country’s importance orits value for comparative study and approach itby majoring in the academic discipline in whichthey have already been trained.There are also students who come to the academicstudy of Japan after they have lived or workedin Japan and because they wish to acquire amore systematic understanding of the country.Finally, there are students who come fromJapan or other East Asian areas and who wishto study Japan from the perspective of a differentculture and in a different academic tradition.The resulting diversity of background combineswith specialist teaching to create a stimulatingacademic environment.There is no Japanese language requirement.It is possible to take an MA using only English.Language courses, however, are popular options.SOAS has its own Japan Research Centre (JRC),and shares the Sainsbury Institute for theStudy of Japanese Arts and Cultures (SISJAC)with the University of East Anglia; neither is ateaching institution, but both are able to benefitstudents in many ways. The JRC holds weeklyseminars where scholars from outside SOASare invited to talk on their research (see page 23for further information).CAREER OPPORTUNITIESAn MA in Japanese Studies can open many doors.Those remaining in London will be able to joinone of the numerous international bodies here,and those with specialist areas of knowledge(finance, law, art) will relatively easily find relevantposts. Many students choose to spend a period inJapan, especially if they have not done so before,to put their skills into practice. It is possible,where the MA is of a high grade, to continue toan MPhil or other research degree.STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTSStudents take three taught courses, one of whichis considered a major, and complete a 10,000-word dissertation related to the major. As theemphasis in the Regional Studies programmes ison interdisciplinary study, students are requiredto select their three courses from more than onediscipline. The two minor courses can be takenfrom the same discipline (but different to that ofthe major) or two different ones. Some disciplinessuch as politics, economics or social anthropologyrequire an appropriate qualification (such as all orpart of a first degree) if any of their courses are tobe taken as the major subject.Candidates who wish to take a language at otherthan introductory level will be assessed at thestart of term to determine which is the mostappropriate level of study.Part-time students (two years) will take twocourses in their first year (normally their minors)and the major and dissertation in the second year;part-time students (three years) take one courseper year, and their dissertation in the third year.151INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

152 CHOOSING THE COURSESINTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIESWhen applying, applicants are asked to specifytheir preferred major and asked to give analternative as practical considerations such astimetabling and availability of courses may limitfreedom of choice. For further information ondepartments and courses listed, please refer tothe relevant sections in the prospectus or visitwww.soas.ac.ukMA JAPANESE STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.OPTIONAL COURSES (MAJORS AND MINORS)- Special Course in Chinese I- Special Course in Chinese II- Special Course in Chinese: Mandarin forCantonese Speakers- Special Course in Chinese: Reading Classicaland Literary Chinese- Basic Japanese I- Basic Japanese II- Special Course in Chinese III- Special Course in Chinese IV- Japanese II- East Asian Cinema and Media- Japanese Culture and Society- Chinese Culture and Society- Ceramics in Chinese Culture, 10th to 18thCenturies Masters- Studies in the History of Japanese Art I- Studies in the History of Japanese Art II- Seminar in East Asian Art II: Aspects ofChinese Painting- Ancient Chinese Civilisation- Studies in the History of Japanese Art III- Art and Religious Experience in Pre-modernJapan (half unit)- Studies in the History of Japanese Art IV: EarlyArt and Archaeology of the Japanese Archipelago- Archaeology of the Japanese Archipelago(half unit)- Material Culture of Early Japan (half unit)- Shogunal Iconography in the Edo Period(half unit)- Popular Practice in the Edo-period Arts(half unit)- Japanese Calligraphy: History and ReadingPractice (half unit)- Advanced Japanese Masters- Advanced Japanese: Readings in ModernJapanese History- Modern Documentary Texts- Advanced Practical Japanese Masters- East Asian Literatures and Modernity: Chinaand Japan- Syntactic Structure of Japanese I (half unit)- Syntactic Structure of Japanese II (half unit)- Japanese Cinema: An Historical Overview1896–1952 (half unit)- Japanese Post-War Film Genres (half unit)- Modern Japanese Literature (half unit)- Japanese Traditional Drama (half unit)- Japanese Literature and Drama in Art (half unit)- Economic Problems and Policies in ModernChina- Government and Politics of Taiwan (half unit)- Society and Culture in Taiwan (half unit)- Economic Development of Modern Taiwan(half unit)- Economic Dynamics of the Asia-Pacific Region- Society, Culture and Drugs in China, 1700–1990- Continuity and Change in Modern China,1840–1949- Nationalism and Modernisation in Japan,c.1868–1952- Japanese Modernity- Practical Translation from and into Japanese- Chinese Law II: Modern Chinese Law- Chinese Law III: Commercial Law- Music of East Asia Masters- State and Society in the Chinese Political Process- China and International Politics- Government and Politics of Post-War Japan- International Politics of Asia- History of Religion in Imperial China- Directed Readings in Japanese Religions- East Asian Buddhist Thought (half unit)- Translations and Permutations: Towards anAnthropology of Film (half unit)- Readings in Japanese Religions- Topics in Korean Literature- Practical Translation from and into Korean- Music of East Asia (Masters)- Politics and Society of the Korean Peninsula

MA KOREAN STUDIESDEPARTMENTJapan and Korea (see page 86)FACULTYLanguages and CulturesPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Anders KarlssonDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent). Knowledge of an East Asianlanguage is an advantageThis degree is designed either to prepare thestudent for advanced graduate work in a widerange of subjects related to Korea or as an endqualification in itself. The MA in Korean Studiesconsists of four elements. Students must chooseone major course and two minors from thelists below.Students who plan to go on to further researchcan take a higher level Korean language as aminor. A 10,000-word dissertation constitutesthe fourth element and must be within the majoroption. The Directed Readings course must notcover the same subject matter as one of the topics.MA KOREAN STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.OPTIONAL COURSES (MAJORS AND MINORS)- Special Course in Chinese 1- Special Course in Chinese: Mandarin forCantonese Speakers- Special Course in Chinese: Reading Classical andLiterary Chinese- Special Course in Chinese: Elementary SpokenHokkien- Elementary Korean (Minor only)- Intermediate Korean- Basic Japanese 1- Higher Intermediate Japanese- Religious Art in Korea- Directed Readings in Korean Studies- Korean Advanced Masters- Topics in the History of Traditional Korea- Topics in Modern Korean History- Topics in the History and Structure of the KoreanLanguage- Topics in Korean Literature: History, Criticismand Translation- Literatures in African Languages- The Comparative Literature of South East Asia- Social and Political Dimensions of Modern ArabicLiterature- Modern Arabic Literature and the West- Postcolonial Theory & Practice- The following are half units and must be takenjointly (Minor only):- Japanese Cinema: An Historical Overview1896–1952 (Term 1)- Japanese Post-War Film Genres (Term 2)LANGUAGE-BASED OPTIONAL COURSES- Topics in Korean Literature- A Modern Arabic Literary Genre: Themes andTechniques- Arabic Poetry and Criticism- Social and Political Trends in Nineteenth CenturyTurkish Literature- Selected Topics in Twentieth Century TurkishLiterature- Directed Readings in the Literature of a ModernSouth Asian Language- Buddhist Sanskrit Narrative Texts (Minor only)ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONAL COURSES TAUGHTAT UCL MAY BE TAKEN AS A MINOR- Modern Literary Theory- Translation Studies- Practice and Methodology of ComparativeLiteratureStudents interested in taking one of the UCLoptions should contact Ms. Els Braeken at the ArtsFaculty Office, e.braeken@ucl.ac.uk153INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

154INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIESMA NEAR AND MIDDLEEASTERN STUDIESDEPARTMENTNear and Middle East (see page 118)FACULTYLanguages and CulturesPROGRAMME CONVENORTo be confirmedDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)SEE ALSO:Centre for Near and Middle Eastern StudiesThe MA Near and Middle Eastern Studiesprovides exceptional opportunities for studyingthis diverse and fascinating area through a varietyof disciplinary approaches. While the emphasisis on the modern period through the courses inModern History, Geography, Politics, Economicsand Anthropology, some exposure to the premodernculture and society of the area is providedthrough courses in Religious Studies, Islamic Artand Archaeology and History.STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTSStudents take three taught courses, one of whichis considered a major, and complete a 10,000-word dissertation related to the major. As theemphasis in the Regional Studies programmes ison interdisciplinary study, students are requiredto select their three courses from more than onediscipline. Two minor courses can be taken fromthe same discipline, but one cannot combine themajor with a minor from the same discipline.Some disciplines such as Politics, Economicsand Law usually require the applicant’s firstdegree to have been in the relevant discipline.CHOOSING THE COURSESWhen applying, applicants are asked to specifytheir preferred major and asked to give analternative as practical considerations such astimetabling and availability of courses may limitfreedom of choice. For further information ondepartments and courses listed, please refer tothe relevant sections in the prospectus or visitwww.soas.ac.ukMA NEAR AND MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.OPTIONAL COURSES (MAJORS AND MINORS)- Intermediate Modern Turkish Language- Elementary Georgian- Elementary Written Turkish- Elementary Written Persian- Advanced Modern Hebrew Language- Elementary Modern Hebrew- Iranian Cinema (half unit)- Near and Middle Eastern Culture and Society- Studies in Early Islamic Art and Archaeology- Studies in Later Islamic Art and Archaeology- Miniature Painting of the Arab World- Mamluk Art- Ottoman Art- Economic Development of the Middle East- The End of the Empire in the Middle East andthe Balkans- Middle Eastern Perspectives on History- Origins and Early Development of Islam in theMiddle East: Problems and Perspectives- Modernity and the Transformation of theMiddle East, 1839–1958- The Il-Khanate: Mongol Rule in West Asia,1258–1335- Islamic Law I- Law and Society I: Middle East andNorth Africa- Arabic/English/Arabic Translation- Arabic/English/Arabic Translation- Music of the Near & Middle East Masters- Introduction to Standard Modern Arabic- Persian Intermediate Masters- Zionist Ideology- Israel, the Arab World and the Palestinians- Politics and Society in Central Asia- Central Asia: History, Politics and Religion- Modern Trends in Islam- Social and Political Dimensions of ModernArabic Literature- Comparative Politics of the ContemporaryMiddle East (Minor only)

- Politics and Society of the Middle East (Major only)- Jihad and resistance in the Islamic world:eighteenth century to present (Masters)- Al-Qaeda and international jihadi terrorism:history and ideology (Masters)- Avestan 1- A selection of single-unit language courses fromthe Near and Middle East Departmental offerings(see page 118)MA PACIFIC ASIAN STUDIESDEPARTMENTSouth East Asia (see page 132)FACULTYLanguages and CulturesPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Ben MurtaghDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours(or equivalent)The region known as ‘Pacific Asia’ can be definedin various ways, but the ‘core’ countries are China(plus Taiwan), Japan, Korea, and the ASEANnations (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore,Thailand and Vietnam). There can be no doubtthat SOAS has more expertise in this extremelyimportant part of the world than any otherinstitution in West Europe; indeed there are veryfew places anywhere in the world which can boastthe same range of expertise.STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTSThis degree is a way of bringing together the largenumber of courses on Pacific Asia currently onoffer in SOAS Masters programmes for ChineseStudies, Japanese Studies, South East AsianStudies, and Korean Studies. Students take threetaught courses, one of which is considered amajor, and complete a 10,000-word dissertationrelated to the major.The Asia-Pacific programme will permit studentsto combine the courses below subject to thefollowing caveats:• Some courses have entry restrictions orprerequisites. Students wishing to major ineconomics, law, politics or anthropologyshould normally have studied the respectivediscipline at undergraduate level;• It will not be possible to combine two coursesfrom the same discipline, where there isconsiderable overlap in course content;• At least one minor subject must be from adifferent discipline to the major;• The courses selected must cover at least threeregions from China (plus Taiwan), Japan, Korea,and South East Asia;• Only one language may be chosen as a minor.The programme convenor will decide whetherthe courses chosen conform to the requirementsof the programme as defined above.MA PACIFIC ASIAN STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.OPTIONAL COURSES (MAJORS AND MINORS)Anthropology- Chinese Culture and Society- Japanese Culture and Society- South East Asian Culture and Society- Society and Culture in Taiwan (half unit)Art and Archaeology- Ancient Chinese Civilisation- Archaeology of the Japanese archipelago(half unit)- Art and religious experience in pre-modern Japan(half unit)- Ceramics in Chinese Culture: 10th to 18thCenturies- Chinese art history: critical writings- Directed readings in the history of East Asian Artand archaeology (half unit)- Japanese calligraphy: history and reading practice(half unit)- Popular practice in the Edo period arts (half unit)- Shogunal iconography in the Edo period(half unit)155INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

156INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES- South East Asian Art and Archaeology- Religious Art in KoreaEconomics- Economic development of Modern Taiwan(half unit)- Economic Dynamics of the Asia-Pacific Region(Major only)- Economic Problems and Policies in ModernChina (Minor only)- The economic development of South East AsiaHistory- Continuity and Change in Modern China,1840–1949- Japanese Modernity- Society and Politics in Late Colonial SouthEast Asia- Society culture and drugs in China 1700–1990- World War II, Cold War, and the ‘War on Terror’:The United States and South East Asia, from 1942to the present- Pre-modern historical texts of Java, Bali and theMalay World in English translation (half unit)Language (one option as a Minor only)- Special Course in Chinese 1, 2, 3, 4- Special Course in Chinese: Mandarin forCantonese Speakers- Special Course in Chinese: Reading Classical andLiterary Chinese- Elementary Korean- Intermediate Korean- Basic Japanese 1, 2- Intermediate Japanese- Advanced Japanese (Masters)- Burmese Language 1, 2- Indonesian Language 1, 2, 3, 4- Basic Khmer (half unit)- Vietnamese Language 1, 2- Thai 1, 2Law- Foundations of Chinese Law- Modern Chinese Law- Chinese Commercial Law- Islamic LawMedia- (Post)Colonialism and Otherness in SEA onScreen (half unit)- Japanese cinema: an historical overview 1896–1952 (half unit)- Japanese Post-War Film Genres (half unit)- Modern Chinese Film and Theatre (half unit)- Genders and Sexualities in South East Asian Film(half unit)- Post Crisis Thai Cinema (1997–2007) (half unit)Music- Music of East Asia- Aspects of South East Asian Music (Minor only)Politics- State and Society in the Chinese Political Process- China and International Politics- Government and Politics of Modern South East Asia- Government and Politics of Taiwan (half unit)- Politics and Society of the Korean PeninsulaMA SOUTH ASIAN AREASTUDIESDEPARTMENTSouth Asia (see page 129)FACULTYLanguages and CulturesPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Whitney CoxDEPUTY CONVENORProfessor Rachel DwyerDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degree(or equivalent)SEE ALSO:MA Languages and Cultures of South AsiaThe MA in South Asian Area Studies providesa wide-ranging interdisciplinary analysis ofthe countries of South Asia: India, Bangladesh,Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Studentscan choose to concentrate on pre-modern ormodern South Asia; they can also acquire a basicreading and speaking knowledge of one of thelanguages of the area or build on their existingknowledge of a language.An important part of the programme is thepreparation of a dissertation of about 10,000words on a topic in the student’s major field ofinterest. Each course has its own series of classes

and seminars, and in addition students arerequired to attend general lectures and seminarshosted by the Centre of South Asian Studies.STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTSStudents take three taught courses, one of which isdesignated a major, and complete a 10,000-worddissertation related to the major. Some disciplinessuch as politics, economics or social anthropologyrequire an appropriate qualification (such as allor part of a first degree) if any of their coursesare to be taken as the major subject. Students arerequired to attend general lectures and seminarshosted by the Centre of South Asian Studies.CHOOSING THE COURSESWhen applying, applicants are asked to specifytheir preferred major subjects and asked to givean alternative, as practical considerations such astimetabling and availability of courses may limitchoices. For further information on departmentsand courses listed, please refer to the relevantsections in the prospectus or visit www.soas.ac.ukMA SOUTH ASIAN AREA STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.OPTIONAL COURSES (MAJORS AND MINORS)Anthropology- South Asian Culture and SocietyArt and Archaeology- The Arts of TibetCinema- Indian Cinema: its history and social context- Indian cinema: Key IssuesCultural Studies- Contemporary South Asia- Culture and Conflict in the Himalaya- Modern Bengal: the evolution of Bengali cultureand society from 1690 to the present day (Masters)- Pakistan: history, culture, Islam- Genders, sexualities and the study of Asianliterature and film- Postcolonial Theory and Practice157Naseem BhandariMA South Asian Area StudiesStudying at SOAS has expanded my creativityand my knowledge of ancient India and thecontemporary South Asian diaspora. I wasable to engage in many interdisciplinarycourses such as Indian Cinema and Literaturesof South Asia, explore my interests and gainspecialist knowledge.SOAS is also an excellent place for spiritualgrowth. I suppose it’s quite natural that a schoolproviding such diverse and extensive optionsfor its students takes on a unique mould foreach of them. However for me, it epitomisesself exploration, self expression and selfactualisation. The ability to encompass oneselfby a sophisticated, jovial, and cosmopolitanatmosphere is what sets SOAS apart.INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

158INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIESEconomics- Economic Problems of South AsiaGeography- Water Resources and Water Policy (half unit)History- Al-Qaeda and international jihadi terrorism:history and ideology (Masters)- Body, Power and Society in Early India (Masters)- Evolution of the State and Politics in ColonialIndia- Islam in South Asia- Jihad and resistance in the Islamic world:eighteenth century to present (Masters)- The Tibetan Historical and Biographical TraditionLanguage [One Language Option As Minor Only]- Bengali Language 1- Bengali Language 2- Advanced Bengali- Gujarati Language 1- Hindi Language 1- Hindi Language 2- Nepali Language 1- Nepali Language 2- Basic Pali- Pali: Intermediate Level- Sanskrit Language 1- Sanskrit Language 2- Buddhist Sanskrit Narrative Texts- Sinhalese Language 1- Sinhalese Language 2- Tamil Language 1- Tamil Language 2- Urdu Language 1- Urdu Language 2- Literacy in Urdu- Elementary Written Persian- Persian Language 1- Persian Language 2- Persian Language 3- Introduction to Classical Literary TibetanLaw- Law and Society II: South Asia- Ethnic Minorities and the Legal SystemLiterature- Literatures of South Asia- Directed Readings in the Literature of aModern South Asian Language (Urdu/Hindi/Nepali/Bengali)- Modern Hindi Texts (Masters)- Sanskrit Literature- Sanskrit texts from the Hindu tradition- Readings in Sanskrit Systematic Thought- Literature and Colonialism (Masters)- Narratives of Mobility in Contemporary HindiLiterature (Masters)- Readings in Contemporary Hindi (Masters)Politics- Government and Politics of Modern South Asia- International Politics of Asia (Minor only)Religious Studies- History and Doctrines of Indian Buddhism- Buddhist Rituals (half unit)- Jainism: History, Doctrine and theContemporary WorldMA SOUTH EAST ASIANSTUDIESDEPARTMENTSouth East Asia (see page 132)FACULTYLanguages and CulturesPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Ben MurtaghDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours (or equivalent)SEE ALSO:Centre of South East Asian StudiesThe MA in South East Asian Studies providesexceptional opportunities for advanced study ofone of the world’s most diverse and importantregions. Students on the programme come froma wide range of backgrounds. Some students comeinto the programme having acquired an interestin South East Asia during their undergraduatecareer or as a result of travelling in the region.The programme has also attracted mature students:some take the MA as a partial preparation foremployment in the region; others, having livedin South East Asia for a number of years, seekto place their experience and impressions intoa more structured, analytical framework. Every

encouragement is given to students who wishto take a South East Asian language as a minor,although some evidence of foreign language facilityis clearly required. The language courses providean excellent foundation in conversation, readingand writing.STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTSStudents take three taught courses, one of whichis considered a major, and complete a 10,000-worddissertation related to the major. The two minorcourses can be taken from the same discipline(but different to that of the major) or two differentones. Some disciplines such as politics, economicsor social anthropology require an appropriatequalification (such as all or part of a first degree)if any of their courses are to be taken as themajor subject.CHOOSING THE COURSESWhen applying, applicants are asked to specifytheir preferred major and asked to give analternative as practical considerations such astimetabling and availability of courses may limitfreedom of choice. Once enrolled, students havetwo weeks to finalise their choice of subjectsand have the opportunity of sampling a varietyof subjects through attending lectures, etc. Forfurther information on departments and courseslisted, please refer to the relevant sections in theprospectus or visit www.soas.ac.ukMA SOUTH EAST ASIAN STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.OPTIONAL COURSES (MAJORS AND MINORS)- Basic Khmer (half unit) (Minor only)- Burmese Language 1, 2 (Minor only)- Indonesian Language 1, 2, 3, 4 (Minor only)- Thai Language 1, 2 (Minor only)- Vietnamese Language 1, 2 (Minor only)- Burmese Texts and Translation- Modern Burmese Fiction- Issues in Burmese Linguistics- Directed Readings in Burmese- Indonesian Literature up to 1942- Indonesian Literature: Writing in the age of theNew Order (half unit)- Traditional Malay Literature- Modern Literature in Malay- Directed Readings in Indonesian- The Thai Novel- Thai Short Stories- A Selected Thai Author- Directed Readings in Thai- Contemporary Vietnamese Prose Fiction- Modern Vietnamese Poetry- Directed Readings in Vietnamese- Jawi and the Malay manuscript tradition(half unit)- Pre-modern historical texts of Java, Bali and theMalay World in English translation (half unit)- War, Revolution, Independence in South EastAsian Literatures in Translation (half unit)- Genders, Sexualities and the study of AsianLiteratures and Film.- Genders and Sexualities in South East Asian Film(half unit)- Post Crisis Thai Cinema (1997–2007) (half unit)- Post(Colonialism) and Otherness in South EastAsia on Screen (half unit)- Southeast Asian Culture and Society- South East Asian Art and Archaeology- Aspects of South East Asian Music (Minor only)- Society and Politics in late Colonial SouthEast Asia- World War II, Cold War, and the ‘War on Terror’:The United States and South East Asia, from 1942to the Present- Government and Politics of Modern SouthEast Asia- The Economic Development of South East Asia- Islamic Law I159INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

160INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIESMA TAIWAN STUDIESCENTRETaiwan Studies (see below)FACULTYLaw and Social SciencesPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Dafydd FellDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours (or equivalent)SEE ALSO:MA Chinese Studies,MA East Asian Literature,MA Chinese Literature,MA Sinology,MSc International Management (China),MA Japanese Studies,MA Japanese Literature,MA Korean Studies,MA Korean LiteratureCENTRE OF TAIWAN STUDIESTaiwan occupies a critical geo-strategic position inthe Asia-Pacific Region and the development of itsrelationship with Mainland China and North Eastand South East Asian countries is an importantinfluence on economic and political developmentsin the region. Analysis of the development ofcontemporary Taiwan serves to highlight a unique,but transferable model of economic growth, socialtransformation and political modernisation.Since the establishment of the Taiwan StudiesProgramme in 1999, SOAS has become one ofthe world’s leading centres for Taiwan Studies.We offer the only MA in Taiwan Studies outsideof Taiwan. The School has also become one ofthe world’s most important centres for TaiwanStudies-related events. During term time wehold regular public seminars, in which scholarsworking on Taiwan present their research.We also manage the annual European Associationof Taiwan Studies conference, the largestsuch event in Europe, and host at least oneinternational Taiwan Studies conference a year.We are also able to offer PhD supervision in awide range of disciplines. For more informationon the Centre of Taiwan Studies please visitwww.soas.ac.uk/taiwanstudies or contactDr Dafydd Fell (df2@soas.ac.uk).THE MA PROGRAMMEThe MA in Taiwan Studies is the first postgraduatedegree focusing on contemporary Taiwan in theEnglish-speaking world. It offers an unrivalled rangeof advanced interdisciplinary courses on Taiwan’ssociety, culture, politics, language and economics.Students are required to take the equivalent ofthree courses plus a dissertation. Students musttake all four half unit courses from List A, andeither choose Elementary Spoken Hokkien or theequivalent of one course unit from List B. Thedissertation must be related to one of the courseson List A. Students may only take a language unitas a minor; admission to any language course andthe level of that language is subject to a placementtest and at the discretion of the course convenor.MA TAIWAN STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.CORE COURSES: LIST A- Economic Development of Modern Taiwan(Term 2) (half unit)- Government and Politics of Taiwan (Term 1)(half unit)- Society and Culture of Taiwan (Term 1) (half unit)- Modern Film from Taiwan and the ChineseDiaspora (Term 2) (half unit)OPTIONAL COURSES: LIST BAnthropology and Sociology- Chinese Culture and Society- Japanese Culture and SocietyEconomics- Economic Development of the Asia Pacific RegionHistory- Continuity and Change in Modern China 1840–1949- Japanese ModernityKorean Studies- Politics and Society of the Korean Peninsula

Language- Taiwanese (Hokkien)- Basic Japanese- Basic Japanese II (Masters)- Intermediate Japanese- Advanced Japanese (Masters)- Special Course in Chinese I- Special Course in Chinese II- Special Course in Chinese III- Special Course in Chinese IV- Special Course in Chinese: Reading Classicaland Literary ChineseLaw- Chinese Law II: Modern Chinese LawLiterature- Modern Chinese Literature in TranslationMedia Studies:- Chinese Cinema and Media (half unit)- Japanese Post War Film Genres (Term 2) (half unit)- Modern Chinese Film and Theatre (Term 1)(half unit)Music- Music of East AsiaPolitics- International Politics of Asia- China and International Politics- State and Society in the Chinese Political ProcessMA TURKISH STUDIESDEPARTMENTNear and Middle East (see page 118)FACULTYLanguages and CulturesPROGRAMME CONVENORDr Bengisu RonaDURATIONOne calendar year (full-time)Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)START OF PROGRAMMESeptember intake onlyENTRY REQUIREMENTSMinimum upper second class honours degreeor equivalentSEE ALSO:MA Near and Middle Eastern StudiesThis programme enables students to engagecritically with different aspects of Turkish politics,history, society and culture. Drawing on SOAS’swide resources in the field, it allows students tocombine a course of study according to theirinterests. It serves as excellent preparation forfurther research.An upper second class honours degree orequivalent in a social science or humanitiessubject is required. Knowledge of Turkish will benecessary for some of the course units, includingthe courses on Turkish literature and the historyof the Turkish language.STRUCTUREMA Turkish Studies has two streams wherestudents can specialize in either history andpolitics or in language and literature. Studentstake three courses, one major which must beselected from List A and two minors from listsA or B. An important component of the degreeis a compulsory 10,000-word dissertation on aselected topic normally related to the student’smajor course.MA TURKISH STUDIESNot all courses listed below may be available everyyear. For courses being offered in 2008/09, pleasevisit the relevant departmental website or contactthe Faculty office. Some courses may be taught inother departments of the School.LIST A: MAJOR COURSES (FROM WHICH AT LEAST ONECOURSE NEEDS TO BE SELECTED AS THE MAJOR COURSEOF THE MA)- Turkey: Continuity and Change- The End of the Empire in the Middle East andthe Balkans- History of the Turkish language- Social and political trends in 19th-centuryTurkish literature- Selected topics in 20th-century Turkish literatureLIST B: OPTIONAL COURSES- Elementary Written Turkish- Intermediate Modern Turkish Language- Advanced Turkish Translation- Ottoman Turkish- Politics and Society in Central Asia- Comparative Politics of the ContemporaryMiddle East II- Near and Middle East Culture and Society161INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

162Wide range of high-quality degreesfor study from homeDISTANCELEARNINGDEGREES164 CENTRE FOR FINANCIAL ANDMANAGEMENT STUDIES166 CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT,ENVIRONMENT AND POLICYDISTANCE LEARNING DEGREESRight: Dancing with fire in Thailand

163DISTANCE LEARNING DEGREES

164DEGREES AND DIPLOMASBY DISTANCE LEARNINGDISTANCE LEARNING DEGREESA range of postgraduate programmes by distancelearning, leading to University of LondonMaster of Science degrees or PostgraduateDiplomas, are offered by the Centre for Financialand Management Studies and the Centre forDevelopment, Environment and Policy. Thereare currently about 2,500 students studying ourdistance learning programmes worldwide.CENTRE FOR FINANCIAL ANDMANAGEMENT STUDIESThe Centre for Financial and Management Studies(CeFiMS) offers MSc, Postgraduate Diploma andCertificate programmes by distance learning inthe fields of finance, financial law, management,and related subjects. For details please seebelow, or to obtain the CeFiMS brochure andan application form for the distance learningprogrammes please visit www.cefims.ac.uk orcontact the CeFiMS Office:The Centre for Financial and Management Studies,University of London, SOAS,Thornhaugh Street,London WC1H 0XG,United Kingdom.tel +44 (0)20 7898 4050fax +44 (0)20 7898 4089email: enquiries@cefims.ac.ukwww.cefims.ac.ukMBA BANKINGThe MBA (Banking) is a qualification designedto be linked with a career in banking and buildon students’ professional experience.MSC FINANCIAL ECONOMICSThis programme focuses on the principlesand techniques needed at various levels byprofessionals in central banks, ministries offinance, and international agencies operatingin the context of today’s financial markets andbanking systems.MSC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENTThis programme focuses on the principles andtechniques needed at various levels of managementin commercial banks, investment banks, fundmanagement institutions or corporate treasurers’departments. The courses range from theanalysis of the macroeconomic environment offinancial operations to the principles of portfoliomanagement inequity and derivatives markets.MSC INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT(CHINA)As China takes its place as a leading economy inthe world, multinational companies and firmsthroughout the world have a growing need forsenior personnel with high quality managementskills and special knowledge of China. The MScInternational Management (China) responds tothis need, giving you the opportunity to studythe interplay between global and local factorsthat influence management decisions in businessrelated to China.PGDIP BANKINGThis postgraduate diploma is a University of Londondiploma offering a qualification for professionalsin banking. It offers a sound foundation in subjectsrelating to bank management and the position ofbanking in the economy.PGDIP ECONOMIC PRINCIPLESThis postgraduate diploma is designed forprofessionals who do not have previous formaltraining in economics. Its courses provide athorough understanding of the economic principlesof market economies and the basic quantitativetechniques economists use for analysing them.PGDIP FINANCE AND FINANCIAL LAWThis postgraduate diploma is a University ofLondon Diploma offering a qualification forprofessionals working, or seeking to work, in thefinancial services sector, a commercial law firm,a financial services regulator or a governmentMinistry of Finance (or equivalent). Depending

on the professional aspirations of the student,the studies may be weighted, through the choiceof electives, towards either law or finance.165PGDIP INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT(CHINA)This postgraduate diploma is attractive tostudents who have specific learning requirements.You will study the interplay between domesticdevelopments and the international perspective inChina’s economy and develop your understandingof management topics from an international andcross-cultural perspective.INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONALCOURSES (IPCS)These courses offer professional training either bydistance learning or as workshop-based executivecourses. Distance learning IPCs are academicforms of study that require intellectual abilityand discipline to complete. Successful completionleads to a University of London Certificate.Successful completion of a distance learningIPC may, if the student wishes to study further,be credited towards a Postgraduate Diploma orMSc programme containing that course.DISTANCE LEARNING DEGREES

166 CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT,ENVIRONMENT AND POLICYDISTANCE LEARNING DEGREESThe Centre for Development, Environment andPolicy (CeDEP) offer MSc, Postgraduate Diplomaand Certificate programmes by distance learningin the fields of Applied Economics and Business,Environment and Biodiversity, Public Policy andManagement and Sustainability and Development.For details please contact:The Centre for Development, Environmentand Policy,University of London, SOAS,Thornhaugh Street,London WC1H 0XGUnited Kingdomtel : +44 (0)20 7594 2680fax +44 (0)1233 812138www.soas.ac.uk/cedepMSC AGRIBUSINESS FORDEVELOPMENTThis programme is aimed at enhancing smallbusiness entrepreneurship among primaryproducers of agrifood products, and traders andother market intermediaries in the value chain.It provides students with conceptual, analyticaland research skills in business management andmarketing for the agrifood industry.MSC AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICSThis programme provides students with theessential tools required for theoretical andempirical economic analysis in the renewablenatural resources sector. Students are able totake modules orientated towards development,production, marketing, policy and economictransition.MSC APPLIED ENVIRONMENTALECONOMICSThis programme focuses on the complex interactionof natural processes with economic forces anddecisions by providing a sound theoreticalgrounding in and practical appreciation ofenvironmental and natural resource economics.The programme is designed for students with aprimary interest in issues and policies concerningthe rural environment.MSC BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATIONAND MANAGEMENTThis programme promotes broad understandingof biological diversity at species, genetic andecosystem levels; ability and confidence informulating management policies and conservationstrategies; skills in managing in situ and ex situanimal and plant conservation projects; basicunderstanding of breeding, biotechnology, andgenetic resource utilisation, and awareness ofethical and moral issues in biological resourceconservation and utilisation.MSC ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENTThis MSc takes a multidisciplinary approachto the management of current issues of globalenvironmental concern. It is relevant to those whoare concerned with the management of resourcesand the making and implementation of policiesthat have an environmental impact at local,national and international levels.MSC MANAGING RURALDEVELOPMENTThis programme provides an interdisciplinarybase for approaching the diverse issues involvedin rural change. It promotes critical awarenessof the social, economic and management issuesunderlying socioeconomic change, and conceptual,analytical and operational skills relevant to workin the public, private or NGO domains.MSC PUBLIC POLICY ANDMANAGEMENTThis programme focuses on modern methods ofpolicy management applied by large organisationsin the public and private sectors. They includethe principles of Management Informationand Information Systems, Human ResourceManagement, Public Financial Management,Investment Appraisal and Project Management,Organisational Change and Decentralisation.MSC SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTThis programme focuses on developing skillsfor addressing global and local challenges ofdevelopment and sustainability. It aims to enhanceknowledge for creativity and innovation in informedpolicy making; to promote technical, analytical,inter-personal and learning skills for resolving

challenges in this field; and to develop students’research experience and ethical understanding inpromoting sustainable development.PGDIP AGRIBUSINESS FORDEVELOPMENTThis postgraduate diploma provides a Universityof London qualification and skills in conceptualand analytical skills in business management andmarketing for the agrifood industry.PGDIP AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICSThis postgraduate diploma offers a relevantUniversity of London qualification and skillsin economic analysis in the renewable naturalresources sector, with a variety of modules ondevelopment, production, marketing, policyand economic transition.PGDIP APPLIED ENVIRONMENTALECONOMICSThis is a University of London postgraduatediploma which examines both theoretical andpractical aspects of the complex interaction ofnatural and economic processes. It is designedfor students with a primary interest in issuesand policies concerning the rural environment.PGDIP BIODIVERSITY, CONSERVATIONAND MANAGEMENTThis postgraduate diploma promotes broadunderstanding of biological diversity at differentlevels; skills in formulating managementand conservation policies and projects; basicunderstanding of genetic resource utilisation,and awareness of ethical and moral issues inbiological resource conservation and utilisation.PGDIP ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENTThis University of London postgraduate diplomatakes a multidisciplinary approach to currentglobal environmental concerns. It is relevant tothose who are concerned with the managementof resources and the making and implementationof policies that have an environmental impact atlocal, national and international levels.PGDIP MANAGING RURALDEVELOPMENTThis Postgraduate Diploma addresses the diverseissues involved in rural change. It promotescritical awareness of a range of issues underlyingsocioeconomic change, and analytical andoperational skills relevant to work in the public,private or NGO domains.PGDIP POLICY STUDIESThis postgraduate diploma provides an overviewof the variety of approaches to public policy andmanagement, from a historical and comparativeperspective. The courses move through techniquesand implementation to discussion of particularpolicy issues.PGDIP PUBLIC FINANCIALMANAGEMENTThis postgraduate diploma is a University ofLondon diploma offering a qualification forprofessionals who advise on and make policydecisions on the financing and managementof public infrastructure and services.PGDIP PUBLIC MANAGEMENTThis postgraduate diploma is a University ofLondon diploma offering a qualification forprofessionals who work in or with public sectororganisations. It focuses on managing people,managing change and designing and usinginformation systems.PGDIP SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTThis postgraduate diploma offers skills and arelevant University of London qualificationfor professionals who advise on and makepolicy decisions on sustainable development,with alternative specialisms in a range ofenvironmental and development fields.INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONALCOURSES (IPC)These courses offer professional training either bydistance learning or as workshop based executivecourses. Distance learning IPCs are academicforms of study that require intellectual abilityand discipline to complete. Successful completionleads to a University of London Certificate.167DISTANCE LEARNING DEGREES

168All you need to know about joining ouracademic communityCOMINGTO SOAS170 HOW TO APPLY173 SCHOOL POLICIES174 FEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT182 FEE SCHEDULE185 TERM DATES AND OPEN DAYS186 USEFUL CONTACTS187 SCHOOL ADDRESS ANDPRINCIPAL OFFICERS188 MAP OF SOASCOMING TO SOASRight: Carved spirits – Africanceremonial mask

169COMING TO SOAS

170HOW TO APPLYON-CAMPUS DEGREES: HOW TO APPLYPOSTGRADUATE AND RESEARCH STUDENTSA Postgraduate Application Form for the GraduateDiploma in Economics and all on-campuspostgraduate and research degrees except the MAInternational Studies and Diplomacy is includedwith this prospectus. Please refer to the detailedNotes when completing the Application Form.The Application Form is also available online atwww.soas.ac.uk/postgraduate or may be obtainedfrom the Student Recruitment Office (for contactdetails see page 186).Applications will be accepted from mid-Octoberonwards, and Faculties can start consideringthem from mid-November onwards. The Schoolreceives more applications than it has places soearly application is strongly advised.We consider the whole application, includingtranscript (where required) and references, beforereaching a decision. Applications will not beforwarded to the relevant academic departmentfor consideration unless they are complete,i.e. they have all the necessary supportingdocumentation. An incomplete application willconsiderably delay the decision-making process.Please be advised that evidence of your firstdegree needs to be included in your application.Documents must be in English. If it is necessaryfor documents to be translated, please send acopy of the original document and also a certifiedtranslation. Applicants who have graduated fromUK institutions should provide a photocopy oftheir degree certificate.copies of transcripts or degree certificates areacceptable. Photocopies of certified documentsare not acceptable.All applicants for the LLM, the MA InternationalManagement, the MA Finance and FinancialLaw and Masters and Research programmesin the Economics department are asked tosupply a full transcript of courses followed atundergraduate and, if relevant, at Masters level.This applies to applicants from the UK andfrom overseas.If you need any guidance on the applicationprocess please contact the Student RecruitmentOffice at study@soas.ac.ukAny queries about an application, once made,should be addressed to the Admissions Office(admissions@soas.ac.uk).RESEARCH STUDENTSIf you are applying for admission to a researchdegree programme, you must include with yourApplication Form a statement of at least 1,000words outlining your proposed research topic,indicating the research method and the sourcematerials you would use.Prospective research degree students areencouraged to make contact with an academicwho shares your research interests prior to thesubmission of an application. Details of academicsand their research areas can be found under thevarious departments in the ‘On-Campus Degrees’section of this prospectus, on the departmentalstaff pages of the SOAS website (www.soas.ac.uk)and on www.soas.ac.uk/registerofexpertiseHOW TO APPLYIf your application is based on degree levelstudies and/or qualifications from outside theUK you must also obtain a transcript, and submitit with your application form. A transcript is adetailed marksheet which confirms the award ofyour qualification and lists all subjects studied andgrades obtained. If you have not completed yourdegree at the time of applying, you should senda transcript of your marks so far.Please do not send original certificates ordiplomas. Only original certified (stamped)Applicants in the United Kingdom who wishto proceed to postgraduate research may find ithelpful to come to the School to talk over theirplans in greater detail before submitting anapplication. If so, they are welcome to contactthe School and ask for a preliminary interview.If your application is successful, your proposedresearch statement need not be binding, butyour final choice of research topic will have tobe approved by your supervisor and the othermembers of your supervisory committee.

Please be advised that, in common with otherBritish universities, at SOAS research studentsare initially registered for an MPhil and, usuallyby the end of June in the first full-time year, aretransferred to PhD registration if their progressis satisfactory.Applicants also applying for funding fromawards and scholarships will need to submittheir application for a place by the end of January,and certainly no later than five weeks beforethe deadline for the submission of the awardor scholarship application.171SOURCES OF FUNDINGIt is important that you should state on yourapplication for a programme your proposedsource of funds. If you are intending to apply forfunding from the British Research Board, theArts and Humanities Research Council or theSchool (see page 174 for details) it is advisable tosubmit your application for a postgraduate placeat the School as early as possible, preferably bythe end of January, but no later than five weeksbefore the relevant closing date(s) of the fundingapplications. The final dates for applicationsto reach funding bodies can be as early as theend of March.Please note that application for funding(including application for School funds) is aseparate process from application for a place ona programme of study at the School.An application for a scholarship cannot goforward for consideration unless the applicanthas been made an offer of a place. Applicantsfrom overseas are advised to make arrangementsfor the transfer of money to this country wellbefore they leave home, otherwise they may findthemselves with insufficient money for supportor to pay fees on arrival.Applicants should note that no student will bepermitted to enrol, attend classes or receivesupervision until the tuition fee for the wholeacademic year has been paid in full or there is aguarantee of payment from a sponsoring agencyfound acceptable to the School.ON-CAMPUS DEGREES:APPLICATION CLOSING DATESFor programmes beginning in September,applicants are strongly advised to apply as earlyas possible, especially if you are applying for ascholarship and require accommodation, andwant to maximise your chances of admission toan oversubscribed programme. However, thereis no guarantee that places will be available; allapplications will be considered up to 30 June, andlate applications may be considered thereafter.ON-CAMPUS DEGREES:CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONEach application is carefully considered andwe hope to make an initial response within fiveweeks. At some times of the year processing ofapplications may take longer.Candidates who are available in the UnitedKingdom may be called for an interview.The absence of academic members of staff(for instance on research leave) may affect thetiming of decisions.MATURE STUDENTSEach application will be considered individuallyon its merits, and your experience, if relevant, maybe considered in place of formal qualifications.DISABLED STUDENTSApplications from disabled students areconsidered using the standard academiccriteria regardless of any disability, and anyrelated information that is supplied is treatedas confidential. You are encouraged to discloseif you have a disability (e.g. a sensory, mobilityor dexterity impairment), or a specific learningdifficulty (such as dyslexia or dyspraxia), or achronic medical condition (for example, epilepsy,asthma or diabetes) so that we can identify andplan with you for any support needs. For detailson support services for disabled students offeredat SOAS see pages 20, 26 and 34.VISITING RESEARCH STUDENTS:HOW TO APPLYApplicants must complete and submit aPostgraduate Application Form (enclosed inthe prospectus or available from the RecruitmentOffice) on which they will need to demonstratethat the research to be undertaken is practicableand that they are academically competent toundertake it.There are no specific entry qualifications tofulfil but the School will wish to be satisfied thatHOW TO APPLY

172 applicants have the background and experiencenecessary to undertake research work, and alsoa sufficient command of the English language.In these respects similar considerations applyto VRS applications as to research studentapplications in general.MA/PGDIP INTERNATIONAL STUDIESAND DIPLOMACY: HOW TO APPLYThese programmes have their own brochure andapplication form, which can be obtained from:The Centre for International Studies andDiplomacy, SOASThornhaugh Street,Russell Square,London WC1H 0XGtel: +44 (0)20 7898 4840/4830fax: +44 (0)20 7898 4839email: cisd@soas.ac.ukwww.cisd.soas.ac.ukApplications and supporting documentationshould be submitted as early as possible, andshould reach the Centre and MA Administratorwell in advance of 1st August of the year inwhich the applicant hopes to enrol. However,late applications will always be considered ifplaces are available. Please note that applicationsare dealt with in order of receipt.OCCASIONAL STUDENTS:HOW TO APPLYProspective students wishing to apply to SOASas Occasional Students should apply directly toSOAS, using the application form available onwww.soas.ac.uk/srofiles/OccasionalApplication.pdfApplications must be returned with a referenceand any other relevant documents to the AcademicRegistrar, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, RussellSquare, London WC1H OXG, UK and be receivedat least two months before the start of term.LANGUAGE CENTRE DIPLOMAS ANDCERTIFICATES: HOW TO APPLYIf you are interested in Language CentreDiplomas/Certificates (Modern Chinese,Modern Japanese, Modern Standard Arabic),please download an application form fromwww.soas.ac.uk/languagecentre and send thecompleted form back to the Language Centreat SOAS.PRE-MASTERS AND ENGLISHLANGUAGE PROGRAMMES:HOW TO APPLYApplications for the above programmes (detailson pages 14 and 35) should be made directly toIFCELS at SOAS. Application forms and furtherdetails are available on www.soas.ac.uk/ifcelsDISTANCE LEARNING DEGREES:HOW TO APPLYPostgraduate degrees by distance learning(details on pages 162–167) have separateapplication forms, which are not included inthis prospectus. To obtain an application packplease contact the relevant centre.CERTIFICATE IN POLITICAL STUDIES:HOW TO APPLYAn application form for this certificate (detailson page 124) can be downloaded fromwww.soas.ac.uk/srofiles/OccasionalApplication.pdfHOW TO APPLYApplications must be returned with a referenceand any other relevant documents to theAcademic Registrar, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street,Russell Square, London WC1H OXG, UKand be received at least two months beforethe start of term.

SCHOOL POLICIES173ADMISSIONS POLICYThe nature of the School places diversity at the centreof life at SOAS. As such we are committed to providinghigh quality education to all, regardless of background,colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, gender,disability, sexual orientation or religion.Students are encouraged to achieve the highest levelof competence in their subject area and to developintellectual and other core skills to the furthest possibleextent. Applicants are welcomed from all backgrounds andwill be considered on the basis of their academic abilityand potential to benefit from the course. SOAS activelyensures that all applicants are treated fairly and equitably.www.soas.ac.uk/admissionspolicyTERMS AND CONDITIONS OF ADMISSION TOTHE SCHOOLAll students will be required as a condition of enrolmentto abide by and to submit to the procedures of theSchool’s Regulations for students and codes of practiceincluding that for Student Disciplinary Procedures, asamended from time to time, and to sign a declarationand undertaking to this effect on enrolment.The School will use all reasonable endeavours to delivercourses in accordance with the descriptions set out inthe prospectus. The School therefore reserves the rightto make or combine courses, if the School reasonablyconsiders such action to be necessary. If the Schooldiscontinues any course, it will use its reasonableendeavours to provide a suitable alternative course.EQUALITY AND DIVERSITYSOAS entertains a diverse population of students andstaff. This diversity is one of our greatest strengths andin order to consolidate and build upon it, equality ofopportunity and the absence of unfair discriminationmust be at the core of all our activities. The DiversityAdvisor, Miss Deb Viney, takes the lead within theSchool on these issues and can be contacted as follows:tel +44 (0)20 7074 5007, email dv4@soas.ac.ukThe School recognises the link between quality andequality and will not discriminate in the recruitmentor treatment of students or staff on the basis of:age, disability, ethnicity/race, gender, marital status,nationality, religion /belief, sexuality or any other factorwhich is not relevant to their academic development.The School is committed to promoting and developingequality of opportunity in all its functions. We seek todo this by:• Communicating our commitment to equality anddiversity to all members of the community;• Communicating where lies the responsibility forequality issues;• Providing training for decision-makers and briefingfor staff and students;• Treating any act of discrimination as a disciplinaryoffence;• Consulting with individuals and internal and externalinterested groups;• Implementing all applicable legislation includingthe Disability Equality Scheme, Race Equality Policy,Gender Equality Scheme and their associated actionplans, on which we report annually.The Governing Body and senior staff have responsibilityfor implementing this policy among staff and students.However each member of the SOAS community isresponsible for preventing and, if necessary, challengingor at least reporting) unfair discrimination which iswithin their control /experience.For the full text of the School’s Equality and Diversitypolicy, please see: http://mercury.soas.ac.uk/directorate/policydocuments/equalitydiversitypolicy.pdf or follow theEquality and Diversity links from the SOAS home page.FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: STATEMENT OFPRINCIPLESThe School of Oriental and African Studies is committedto the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge. This canonly be conducted effectively in an atmosphere of openenquiry, mutual tolerance and intellectual freedom. Inpractice this means that we acknowledge the paramountimportance of freedom of expression.Freedom of expression may not be exercised tothreaten the safety or freedom of expression of others.In making this assertion, the School endorses theprinciples of the Universal Declaration of Human Rightsand related international covenants. Furthermore, theSchool of Oriental and African Studies does not tolerateany form of discrimination or intimidation basedupon race, religion, gender, ethnicity, nationality orintellectual conviction.HOW TO APPLY

174FEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORTFEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORTPAYMENT OF FEESStudents are not allowed to start their course untilthe appropriate fees have been paid to the School,or there is evidence acceptable to the School thatfees will be forthcoming from a reliable sourcesuch as a United Kingdom Research Council.Students will be required to pay their fees forthe whole academic year when registering atthe School in September. Fees are normallynon-refundable.The School accepts a variety of methods ofpayment: cheques and bank drafts preferably inSterling (made payable to the School of Orientaland African Studies), credit and charge cardsincluding Visa, MasterCard, American Expressand Eurocard. International students can alsopay their fees through international banktransfer to SOAS.A student formally accepts responsibility for thepayment of the fees to the School in respect of aprogramme of study (although it is understoodthat a parent or guardian or a sponsor or officialbody may in fact pay those fees) either at the rateof fees charged in the relevant year by the Schoolto United Kingdom or other European Unionstudents or at the rate charged in that year tooverseas students, as determined by the School.In determining which of these rates is applicableto each student the School will have regard tothe Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations1997 and to all subsequent relevant regulationsor statutes but will decide each case as it shallin its absolute discretion see fit.For a detailed fee schedule see page 182.POSTGRADUATE AWARDS ANDSCHOLARSHIPSThe School offers a range of scholarships tosupport postgraduate study at SOAS. A numberof scholarships are also provided by the BritishGovernment, the University of London and otherscholarship agencies.Information in this and the following sections onscholarships was correct at the time of going topress. Please visit www.soas.ac.uk/scholarships fordetails of any new scholarships and amendmentsto existing scholarships. New opportunities arebecoming available, including awards sponsoredby major companies.THE APPLICATION PROCESSPlease note that application for funding(including application for School funds) is aseparate process from application to the Schoolfor a place on a programme of study at SOAS.The final dates for scholarship applications toreach funding bodies can be as early as one yearbefore tenure.Applicants applying for funding from awards andscholarships are therefore advised to submit theirapplication for postgraduate study at SOAS asearly as possible, preferably by the end of January,but no later than four weeks before the relevantclosing date(s) of the scholarship application(s).If you are interested in applying for an award orscholarship please follow the procedures set outon the following pages.ADVICE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTSIt is recommended that, in the first instance, youshould contact your own Ministry of Educationor Education Department, which will have detailsof most schemes and also be able to advise you ofyour own government’s conditions for studyingabroad. You should also contact the nearest BritishCouncil office in your home country for detailsof scholarship schemes and information andadvice on educational programmes and livingin the UK. If there is no British Council office,then contact the nearest British Embassy, HighCommission or Consulate.SCHOLARSHIPS PROVIDED/AWARDEDBY SOASStudents must have applied to study at SOASas early as possible, preferably by the end ofJanuary in the academic session preceding thatfor which awards are tenable, in order to beconsidered for the awards. Application forms maybe downloaded from www.soas.ac.uk/scholarshipsor obtained from the Scholarships Officer fromNovember 2007 onwards, for those applyingto study in September 2008. Notification about

the outcome of the application is by letter andgenerally by early July.The closing dates for scholarships provided orawarded by SOAS are detailed on the scholarshipswebsite www.soas.ac.uk/scholarships. Students areadvised to visit this website regularly for up-todateinformation on the scholarships listed belowand for details of new SOAS scholarships.SOAS BURSARYA limited number of bursaries may be awarded tostudents proposing to embark full-time on TaughtMasters programmes at the School. The value ofthe SOAS Bursaries is £8,300 per annum (2007/08rate). The Bursary does not carry remission offees, and it is tenable for one year. Candidatesmust possess a good Honours (preferably firstclass) degree from a United Kingdom university,or an equivalent qualification, although notnecessarily in a branch of Oriental or Africanstudies. Applications from students in the finalyear of an undergraduate Honours course / a firstdegree may also apply.SOAS OPEN SCHOLARSHIPSThis is a £100,000 scholarship scheme for full-timepostgraduate Taught Masters students at SOAS.It is distributed in the form of partial remissionof tuition fees. Awards of £2,000 will be made tostudents assessed to pay UK/EU level fees, and of£4,000 to students paying overseas fees. Applicantsfor the awards will be considered on the basis ofacademic merit. The total number of awards is30. The SOAS Open Scholarship and the SOASBursary may be held at the same time.RESEARCH STUDENT FELLOWSHIPS (MPHIL/PHD)A limited number of Research Student Fellowshipsmay be available each year for students who areproposing to register full time for MPhil/PhDprogrammes at SOAS. Only new research studentsmay apply; those already enrolled on a researchprogramme at SOAS are not eligible. Candidatesmust possess a good Masters degree from a UKuniversity or equivalent recognised by the School.The Fellowships consist of remittance of feesat UK/EU rates and an annual bursary (value£10,600 in 2007/08) that – subject to satisfactoryprogress – may be renewed for the normalduration of a full-time student’s registration (i.e.up to a further two years). Overseas fee payers areadvised to apply also for an Overseas ResearchStudent’s Award (see page 178), which meets thedifference between the higher and lower fees.SCHOLARSHIP FUND – ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIPAn Alumni Scholarship will be allocated onmerit to one student who applies for and isawarded a SOAS Open Scholarship. The valueof this scholarship is £1,000. The selection willbe made by the SOAS Bursary, Open Scholarshipand Commonwealth Shared Scholarshipsubcommittee. The Alumni Scholarship cannotbe held concurrently with a SOAS Bursary.ABU-HAKIMA BURSARYThis scholarship is for a student at SOAS takinga full-time Masters programme that includesstudying the history of the modern Arab world.The scholarship provides a bursary of £1,250 perannum. Applicants must possess a good Honoursdegree from a UK university or equivalentrecognised by the School.BERNARD BUCKMAN SCHOLARSHIP(MA CHINESE STUDIES)This scholarship was established in 1992 withfunds made available by Mrs Buckman, inmemory of her husband Bernard Buckman, whowas a Governor of the School. The scholarshipprovides remission of UK/EU fees for a studentpaying UK/EU fees and taking the full-timeMA Chinese Studies at the School. Applicantsmust possess a good Honours degree from a UKuniversity or equivalent recognised by the School.COMMONWEALTH SHARED SCHOLARSHIP(STUDENTS FROM AFRICAN COMMONWEALTHCOUNTRIES)This scheme is a joint initiative between the UKDepartment for International Development (DFID)and UK universities to support scholarshipsfor students from developing Commonwealthcountries who would not otherwise be able tostudy in the UK. The Scholarship is for Mastersprogrammes only and for students liable to paythe overseas tuition fee level.DFID pays the tuition fee on behalf of the student.International Student House (ISH) providesfree accommodation together with a smallcontribution in food vouchers to be spent in theISH restaurant. It is a condition of the scholarship175FEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT

176that the award holder resides at ISH during thewhole of their programme of study. In addition,the School provides a small maintenance grant ofat least £5,567 (2007/08 rate).Please note that only students who are holdingan unconditional offer of a place at SOAS by thescholarship closing date will be considered for aCommonwealth Shared Scholarship.CSJR MA JAPANESE RELIGIONS BURSARY(availability to be confirmed)The closing date for applications for the bursaryis 1st June in the academic session preceding thatfor which awards are tenable. Candidates musthave applied for entry a place of study at SOASby 1st June in the academic session precedingthat for which awards are tenable, in order to beconsidered for the CSJR Research Student Bursary.The selection will take place in June and resultscommunicated shortly thereafter.Further details and an application form areavailable on www.soas.ac.uk/scholarshipsFEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORTThis bursary is offered by the Centre for the Studyof Japanese Religions and awarded to candidatesregistering full-time or part-time for the MAprogramme in Japanese Religions at SOAS.The value of the bursary is £2,000, which maybe used either towards remittance of tuition feesor maintenance for the first year of study.The bursary is open to students with an outstandingacademic record regardless of nationality. TheCentre reserves the right not to make an award inthe event that no suitable application is received.The closing date for applications for the bursaryis 1st June in the academic session precedingthat for which awards are tenable. Candidatesmust have applied for a place of study at SOASby 1st June in the academic session precedingthat for which awards are tenable, in order tobe considered for the CSJR MA Bursary. Theselection will take place in June and resultscommunicated shortly thereafter.Further details and an application form areavailable on www.soas.ac.uk/scholarshipsCSJR RESEARCH STUDENT BURSARY(availability to be confirmed)This bursary is offered by the Centre for the Studyof Japanese Religions and awarded to candidatesregistering full-time or part-time for the researchprogramme (MPhil/PhD) in Japanese Religionsat SOAS. The value of the bursary is £3,500,which may be used either towards remittanceof tuition fees or maintenance for the first yearof MPhil/PhD study.The bursary is open to students with anoutstanding academic record regardless ofnationality. The Centre reserves the right notto make an award in the event that no suitableapplication is received.JAIN STUDIES MA SCHOLARSHIPThis award is sponsored by the Jain SpiritMagazine. The total value of this scholarship is£5,000, and it is awarded to students registeredat SOAS for an MA degree with a major in JainaStudies. Applications by letter, accompanied bya short CV, should be submitted by email to theCentre of Jaina Studies at the Department of theStudy of Religions at SOAS (Contact: Dr PeterFlügel – jainstudies@soas.ac.uk).WILLIAM ROSS MURRAY SCHOLARSHIP (LLM)This scholarship is shared with InternationalStudent House (ISH), an independent educationalcharity. SOAS remits the overseas rate of tuitionfees and ISH provides free accommodation and asmall contribution in food vouchers to be spent inthe ISH restaurant.The William Ross Murray Scholarship is forstudents from a developing country, who areliable to pay the overseas tuition fee level and areproposing to register full-time for the LLM degreeat SOAS. The scholarship is for an LLM studentwith high academic achievements. Please note thatonly students who are holding an unconditionaloffer of a place by the Scholarship closing datewill be considered and that it is a condition ofthe scholarship that you reside at InternationalStudent House (ISH) during the whole of yourcourse, where you are expected to play an activerole in the life of ISH.ADDITIONAL SOAS AWARDS FORFIELDWORKPostgraduate students already registered at theSchool are eligible to apply for awards to help themwith the cost of conducting MPhil/PhD fieldworkabroad. These awards are not generally tenableduring the first years of a student’s research and

are not awarded more than once to any student.Applications should be made well in advance ofthe proposed fieldwork. Details and an applicationform are available from the Scholarships Officerand on www.soas.ac.uk/scholarshipsSCHOLARSHIPS ADMINISTEREDBY SOASStudents are advised to visit www.soas.ac.uk/scholarships for up-to-date information on thescholarships listed below and for details of newscholarships administered by SOAS.ENDANGERED LANGUAGES ACADEMICPROGRAMME (ELAP) BURSARYThis bursary is to support a full-time PhD studentand includes payment of fees (at the UK/EUlevel) and an annual stipend of £9,750, renewablefor a further two years. For students paying thehigher (overseas) tuition fee, the remaining tuitionfees payable will normally be deducted from thestipend award.To be eligible to apply for an ELAP Bursary, youwill need to have completed a UK Masters degreein Linguistics at merit level or better (or overseasequivalent). Students currently studying for aMasters degree must be expecting to receive amerit or better. The area of language specialisationis open but preference will be given to a studentintending to work on an endangered languageof Africa or Asia.The bursary is available to someone without othermajor funding (apart from Overseas StudentResearch Award – see page 178). Please note thatyou must have applied for a place at SOAS beforeyou may apply for the bursary.degree from an Indian university or comparableinstitution. Those who already hold degrees fromuniversities outside India are not eligible to apply.Graduates are expected to return to work in theirhome country.Only those applicants who have been offereda place of study at SOAS by 1 March forprogrammes beginning the following Septemberwill be considered for a Felix scholarship. Felixapplications will only be forwarded to the FelixTrust if an unconditional offer of a place has beenagreed at the time shortlisting takes place at SOAS,which will take place at the beginning of April.Applicants for research programmes are expectedto apply for an Overseas Student Research award(see page 178).Up to six scholarships will be available per annum.They will cover tuition fees at the overseas rateand a maintenance grant of £10,980 per annum(2007/2008 rate).The closing date for applications is 1st Marchin the academic session preceding that forwhich awards are tenable. Further detailsand an application form are available onwww.soas.ac.uk/scholarshipsHSBC SOAS SCHOLARSHIP (MA SINOLOGY,MA CHINESE LITERATURE)These scholarships are for UK/EU fee payers whopropose to register full-time on the MA in Sinologyor the MA in Chinese Literature at SOAS. Awardholders must possess a good honours degree,preferably first class, from a UK institution oroverseas equivalent. The HSBC’s normal age limitis 25 years old when the awards begin.177Further details and an application form are availableon www.hrelp.org/courses/phd/bursaries.htmlClosing date for applications is 1st May in theacademic session preceding that for which awardsare tenable.FELIX SCHOLARSHIPS (INDIAN STUDENTS)These scholarships are open to Indian graduatesstarting a taught Masters or research (MPhil/PhD)degree at SOAS in September 2008, who wouldbe unable to take up their place without financialassistance. Applicants must be under 30 yearsof age and have at least a first-class HonoursThe scholarships cover tuition fees at the UK/EUrate and a maintenance allowance of £10,660(2007/08 rate). Successful students must agreeto attend the HSBC Scholars’ Day (date to beconfirmed) and meet the Chairman of HSBC.MILLICHOPE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPThree awards at a value of £1000 each will beoffered in the academic year 2008/09 for studentswho are proposing to register full-time for taughtMasters programmes at SOAS. These scholarshipswill be allocated on merit to students who applyfor and are awarded a SOAS Open Scholarship.The selection will be made by the SOAS Bursary,FEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT

178 Open Scholarship & Commonwealth SharedScholarship subcommittee. The MillichopeFoundation Scholarship cannot be heldconcurrently with a SOAS Bursary.OUSELEY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPThis scholarship is for a student taking a full-timeresearch degree, whose research requires the useof a Middle Eastern or Asian language. Applicantsintending to start a full-time research degree in2008/2009, and those who are enrolled in theirfirst year or second year of full-time researchdegree study at the School in 2007/2008, areeligible to apply for the award.At the time of application applicants must also be:Applicants for 2008 awards must be in receipt ofan offer to undertake a full-time research degreeat SOAS in 2008/2009 or be enrolled in their firstyear or second year of full-time research degreestudy at the School in 2007/2008. In addition,applicants must be liable to pay tuition fees atthe rate for international students. Studentswho are already enrolled in their first year atSOAS in 2007/2008 should note that they arenot eligible to apply for ORS support if theyintend to be away on fieldwork for the wholeof their second year in 2008/09.The value of the award is the difference betweenthe tuition fee for an international postgraduatestudent and a UK/EU postgraduate student.Maintenance costs are not covered.FEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT(a) A holder of a first degree of the University ofLondon awarded with First Class Honours orwith Second Class Honours, Upper Division,together with a Masters degree, the latter notnecessarily being awarded by the Universityof London, or(b) A holder of a Masters degree of the Universityof London awarded with a mark of Distinction,but not necessarily with a first degree of theUniversity of London in which case there isno restriction as to the classification of thefirst degree, or(c) A holder of a Masters degree of the Universityof London together with a first degree withFirst Class Honours, the latter not necessarilybeing awarded by the University of London.The Scholarship will be awarded for one year onlyand is to the value of £6,000 for this one year. Itdoes not carry remission of tuition fees.OVERSEAS RESEARCH STUDENTS (ORS) AWARDSOverseas Research Student (ORS) Awards aretenable at UK Universities and other institutions.They are offered on a competitive basis to overseaspostgraduate research students of outstandingmerit and research potential; other factors such asmeans, nationality, proposed field and institutionof study, will not be taken into account. Theawards may be held in any field of study.ORS awards are available to applicants intendingto commence a full-time research degree in2008/2009 and those who are first-year or secondyearfull-time research degree students at theSchool in 2007/2008.New awards offered in 2008 are valid only forthe 2008/09 academic session but, subject tosatisfactory progress, they may be renewed fora second or a third year according to the normalor remaining length of the research coursebeing undertaken*. (*The normal length isthree years. For students who take up an ORSaward in their second year, the award is renewablefor one year only. For students who take upan ORS award in their third year, the award isnot renewable).Details and an application form are availableon www.soas.ac.uk/scholarships. For furtherinformation you can also visit www.orsas.ac.ukSOAS HAKLUYT SCHOLARSHIP(MA CHINESE STUDIES)The scholarship is for a UK citizen taking thefull-time MA Chinese Studies programme in theacademic session 2008/09. The scholarship coverstuition fees at the home (UK/EU) level and a fullmaintenance grant (amount to be confirmed).The ideal candidate will be one who already hassome competence in Chinese language and whois interested in improving their understanding ofthe business environment in China.TIBAWI TRUST AWARD (PALESTINIAN STUDENTS)This scholarship is to assist a Palestinianpostgraduate student and may be used towardsconferences, fieldwork etc. The value of theaward is £600.The closing date for applications is Friday 12thJanuary in the academic session preceding that

for which awards are tenable. Further detailsand an application form are available onwww.soas.ac.uk/scholarshipsAWARDS OF THE UNIVERSITYOF LONDONCENTRAL RESEARCH FUNDThe University has a Central Research Fundto which students can apply for grants to assistspecific projects of research and for the provisionof special materials and apparatus. Grants are notmade for normal living costs.Application forms and further particulars maybe obtained from the Secretary to the CentralResearch Fund Committee, University of London,Senate House, London WC1E 7HU and fromwww.lon.ac.uk/crfSCHOLARSHIPS PROVIDED BY THEBRITISH GOVERNMENTARTS AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH COUNCIL(AHRC)The Arts and Humanities Research Council ofthe British Academy administers the Studentshipscheme, under which the Department forEducation awards studentships to graduates ofBritish universities or students of such universitiesin their final year before graduation.The AHRC administers three schemes forpostgraduate awards which provide funding forstudents undertaking Masters-level courses anddoctoral research in the arts and humanities.Full awardA full award covers both the cost of tuition fees,up to the RCUK maximum, and a maintenancegrant. To be eligible for a full award, you mustshow that you have a relevant connection withthe UK, usually through residence. Studentspreviously resident in the EU but who have beenin the UK in full-time education for the threeyears prior to the start of the course for whichthey are applying for an award, will also be eligiblefor a full award.Fees-only awardA fees-only award provides payment of tuitionfees, up to the RCUK maximum, but not amaintenance grant. To be eligible for a fees-onlyaward, you must have been ordinarily resident inthe EU for the three years immediately precedingthe start of the academic year in which yourcourse will commence.Studentships provide for payment of fees (upto a maximum of £3,240 per academic yearfor full-time students and £1,620 for part-timeaward holders – 2007/08 rates) and also providea maintenance grant (basic maintenance rate forLondon £14,600 for Doctoral Awards, £10,800 forResearch Preparation Masters awards and £10,200for Professional Preparation Masters Awards– 2007/08 rate). The closing date for applicationsto reach the British Academy is 1st May 2008.Further details can be found at www.ahrc.ac.ukSOAS has internal deadlines that are severalweeks before this. It is vital that you check thescholarships website www.soas.ac.uk/scholarshipsfor submission of AHRC applications and thatyou allow yourself and SOAS sufficient timeto complete the form, and forward it to theAHRC by 1 May.ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCHCOUNCIL (ESRC)SOAS has ESRC recognition for Anthropologyand for Economics. Further details are availablefrom the ESRC website www.esrc.ac.uk andthe departments.OTHER AWARDSStudents are advised to visit www.soas.ac.uk/scholarships for up-to-date information on thescholarships listed below and for details of anyfurther scholarships available.ALBAN SCHOLARSHIPSThis scholarship is the European Programme ofHigh Level Scholarships for Latin America. It willenable Latin American students and professionals,future academics and decision-makers in theirown countries, to benefit from the excellence ofthe Higher Education institutes in the EuropeanUnion. Further details on www.programalban.orgStudents from, and resident in 18 Latin Americancountries (as listed on the AlBan website), areeligible. The AlBan scholarship is for applicantsstudying postgraduate (Masters) or doctorate level(PhD) qualifications and may last from six monthsto two years. Students must be applying to studyin one of the 27 European Union Member States.179FEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT

180 BRITISH CHEVENING SCHOLARSHIPSThese scholarships are for students wishingto follow full-time taught Masters or researchpostgraduate-level courses in any subject at UKuniversities or colleges in the public sector. Mostscholarships are mainly for one year, but awardsare also occasionally given for shorter vocationalcourses/research attachments. Awards are givento cover all or part of the cost of the periodof study. Please contact the British Embassy,British High Commission or British CouncilOffice in your own country. Further details onwww.chevening.comBRITISH COUNCIL FELLOWSHIPSThese fellowships are full scholarships forprofessionals in fields considered by theBritish Council to be of special importancein the candidate’s own country. Grants arefor postgraduate study or research and rangefrom short attachments to research leading toa PhD. Grants vary in size – from small grantsto fellowships that will cover fees and livingexpenses. For details see www.britishcouncil.co.uk,contact the British Council in your own country,or write to: Fellows and Scholars Department,The British Council, 10 Spring Gardens, LondonSW1A 2BN (tel: +44 (0)20 7930 8466) orInternational Student Services Unit, RegionalServices Dept, The British Council, BridgewaterHouse, 58 Whitworth Street, ManchesterM1 6BB (tel: +44 (0)161 957 7000).from countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East,Latin America and Russia. Further details onwww.fordfound.orgFUNDACION CAJA MADRID SCHOLARSHIPSThese scholarships are available to Spanishnationals for postgraduate study (Masters,research and post-doctoral studies). They areavailable for Economics, Politics and Law relatedfields among others. Further details onwww.fundacioncajamadrid.es/Fundacion/Comunes/fun_cruceFULBRIGHT COMMISSION SCHOLARSHIPSThe Fulbright Commission provides fullscholarships for United States graduates to enablethem to study in the UK. For further informationwrite to the Graduate Students Programs, Instituteof International Education (IIE), 809 UnitedNations Plaza, New York, NY 10017– 3580, USAor visit www.fulbright.co.uk (UK enquiries) andwww.iie.org/fulbright (US enquiries).JOINT JAPAN/WORLD BANK GRADUATESCHOLARSHIPS (JJ/WBGS)JJ/WBGS are for graduate studies leading toMasters degree in development-related fields formid-career professionals from the World Bankmember countries, eligible to borrow. For detailssee www.worldbank.orgFEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORTCHARLES WALLACE INDIA TRUSTThe Charles Wallace India Trust offers Indiannationals who are normally resident in Indiaopportunities to visit Britain for postgraduatestudy, for research and for professional experience.The Trust concentrates mainly on the Arts andHumanities. There is an upper age limit. Awardsare managed through the British Council in Indiaand full information can be found on the IndiaScholarships Awarding Bodies page of the BritishCouncil website (see above). Alternatively, emailcwit@in.britishcouncil.orgFORD FOUNDATION INTERNATIONALFELLOWSHIPSThe Ford Foundation International Fellowship(IFP) programme provides support for up to threeyears of formal graduate-level study leading to aMasters or doctoral degree. Fellows are selectedTHE KARIM RIDA SAID FOUNDATIONTo apply for a Karim Rida Said Scholarship youneed to: have a good first degree; provide evidenceof your proficiency in English; be under 40 yearsof age; be Iraqi, Jordanian, Lebanese, Palestinianor Syrian and be resident in the Middle East;demonstrate that your chosen course of study willbe of use to your home country or the Middle Eastregion; have at least two years’ work experience;apply for a place on a course in Britain; sign abinding undertaking to return to your homecountry or another of the Foundation’s targetcountries. For details on studying for a Mastersdegree in the UK see www.krsf.org/whatwedoMARSHALL SCHOLARSHIPSThese are full scholarships for United Statescitizens who are under 26 and are graduatesof United States universities, to enable them tostudy for a degree in the UK. For details, see

www.marshallscholarship.org or write to:Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission,John Foster House, 36 Gordon Square,London WC1H 0PF; tel: +44(0)20 7387 8572;macc@acu.ac.uk. Application forms are availablefrom United States universities and colleges,British Consulates General in the United States,or British Information Services, 845 Third Avenue,New York, NY 10022, USA.MBI FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPSThe MBI Foundation offers scholarships to Arabresidents of the Middle East and North Africawishing to study for a one-year full-time Mastersdegree. For details see www.mbifoundation.comTHE NELSON MANDELA SCHOLARSHIPThis scholarship is for South African nationalsonly who are coming to SOAS for higher studies.The School will give a 20 per cent fee remission.Applications are usually open at the beginning ofAugust and close by the end of September. Thescholarship is advertised in The Sunday Times inSouth Africa throughout the month of August.Information on eligibility and other details areavailable from www.nelsonmandelascholarship.co.zayear for eligible students. For details please visitwww.soas.ac.uk/salliemaeloanUS Federal LoansEligible US students can apply for StaffordFederal Loans and private loans to cover theirtuition and maintenance costs. Please visitwww.soas.ac.uk/USfederalloan for further details.The Registry Fees and Scholarship section can alsocertify student registration for other loans, such asCanadian educational loans. Please contact us onRFEES-L@soas.ac.uk if you have any queries.Useful funding information can also be found at:• Hotcourses Scholarship Search(www.hotcourses.com/studentmoney)• HERO funding information for researchstudents (www.hero.ac.uk)181OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDINGLOANSAnother way to fund your studies is througheducational loans. Before taking out a loan ensurethat you understand what the repayments will beand that you will be able to afford them.Career Development LoansA career development loan is a bank loan for UKstudents designed to help you pay for your course.Repayments start one month after you completeyour course. You can borrow between £300 and£8,000. The bank will approve your loan accordingto your credit rating. For details visit www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/CareerDevelopmentLoans or freephone 0800 585505 for advice.Sallie Mae UK Education LoansThe Education Loan is a credit-based unsecuredloan for UK students operated by Sallie Mae (aleading provider of student loans in the UnitedStates). This loan provides up to £20,000 fortuition, fees, and living expenses per academicFEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT

182FEE SCHEDULE 2007–2008Please note that all figures quoted below relate to the 2007–2008 academic session. Figures for 2008–2009 were notavailable at the time of going to press.Students whose programmes extend over more than one academic session should note that tuition fees are payablein each session of study. For more information on fees, including fee status (i.e. UK/EU, Overseas) seewww.ukcisa.org.uk/images/tuitionfees_ewn.pdfFees for the School’s special programmes are not included below – please see www.soas.ac.uk/registry (under ‘Tuitionfees’) for further information. For details on the CeFiMs distance learning programmes see www.cefims.ac.uk and fordetails on the Language Centre Certificates and Diplomas see www.soas.ac.uk/languagecentrePOSTGRADUATE DEGREES – FEES PER ACADEMIC YEARFULL-TIME STUDENTS UK/EU* OVERSEAS*MSc Development Studies** (including Central Asia), £6,000 £10,920MSc Violence, Conflict and Development,MSc Globalisation and DevelopmentMScs in Economics (including Finance and Development, £4,750 £11,460Development Economics and Political Economy of Development)MSc programmes in International Management, £4,750 £11,460MSc in Finance and Financial LawMA/PGDip International Studies and Diplomacy £11,180 £11,180MScs in Politics (including State, Society and Development) £4,500 £11,460LLM and MAs in Law (including Dispute and Conflict Resolution, £6,200 £10,920and International and Comparative Legal Studies)(there is an additional charge for the compulsory pre-sessionalcourse for the MA programmes)Other PG degrees (MA, MMus MPhil, PhD) £3,900 (b) £10,920 (b)and non-degree students taking 3 courses (a)Visiting Research Students £3,900 £7,650Research Continuation, Maintenance and Interruption see part-time fees see part-time feesPART-TIME STUDENTS UK/EU* OVERSEAS*Fees for 3-Year Taught Masters programmes, where applicable, are given in brackets (c)FEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORTMSc Development Studies** (including Central Asia), £3,000 (£2,250) £5,460 (£4,095)MSc Violence, Conflict and Development,MSc Globalisation and DevelopmentMScs in Economics (including Finance and Development, £2,375 (£1,780) £5,730 (£4,295)Development Economics and Political Economy of Development)MSc programmes in International Management, £2,375 (£1,780) £5,730 (£4,295)MSc in Finance and Financial LawMA/PGDip International Studies and Diplomacy £5,590 (£4,190) £5,590 (£4,190)MScs in Politics (including State, Society and Development) £2,250 (£1,685) £5,730 (£4,295)LLM and MAs in Law (including Dispute and Conflict Resolution, £3,100 (£2,325) £5,460 (£4,095)and International and Comparative Legal Studies)(there is an additional charge for the compulsory pre-sessionalcourse for the MA programmes)

183MMus and other MA degrees £1,950 (£1,460) £5,460 (£4,095)Research degree (MPhil, PhD) £1,950 (d) £5,460 (d)Continuation of MPhil/PhD Registration (e) £615 £615Interruption/Maintenance of MPhil/PhD registration (f) £135 £135Non-degree students – up to 2.5 courses (g) £975 per course £2,730 per courseIFCELS ‡ COURSES UK/EU* OVERSEAS*Foundation Diploma for Postgraduate Studies £7,730 £9,660(Pre-Masters Programme)English Language and Academic Studies Course £2,240 per term/ £2,800 per term/£6,720 per year £8,400 per year* As determined by reference to the Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations‡ International Foundation Courses and English Language Studies(a) Occasional or non-degree students taking three courses are liable to pay full-time fees (see above).(b) Research degree students on approved full-time overseas fieldwork will be charged £1,880.(c) Not all taught programmes can be studied over three years.(d) Research degree students on approved part-time overseas fieldwork will be charged £940.(e) Continuation of Registration fees are payable by research degree students (part-time and full-time) who havesatisfied the School’s required period of registration, have paid the appropriate tuition fees, have been transferredfrom MPhil to PhD registration (if a PhD award is being sought) and are in the process of writing up theirthesis. Before consideration can be made of whether a student may enrol and pay Continuation fees, the writtenapproval of her/his supervisory committee is required. Students granted Continuation status may use the SOASlibrary and will be entitled to an appropriate level of supervision. They cannot attend classes and a time limit willbe placed on students who seek to extend their Continuation period.(e) Interruption of Study fees are payable by research degree students (part-time and full-time) who have not satisfiedthe School’s required period of registration but have permission to interrupt their period of study. Maintenance ofRegistration fees are payable by research degree students (part-time and full-time) who have satisfied the School’srequired period of registration (and may have been registered for a period as a Continuation student) but are notready to submit their thesis for examination. To remain registered for a research degree at the School, such studentswill be required to pay an Interruption of Study or Maintenance of Registration fee as appropriate. The paymentof this fee does not confer a right of access to the School, its facilities or its library or any right to supervision bythe School’s academic staff. Maintenance status is usually only permissible for a maximum of five years.(g) Fees are calculated on the basis of the number of courses studied. Half courses attract a tuition fee of £490(UK/EU) or £1,365 (Overseas) for postgraduates. These are the minimum fees chargeable to occasional/non-degree students. Occasional students taking three courses are liable to pay full-time fees (see above).NOTE: The School reserves the right to alter the schedule of fees with effect from the beginning of any academic year.FEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT

184USEFUL PUBLICATIONSYou may find the following publications of use.They can be found in libraries, or for internationalstudents at the Ministry of Education in your owncountry, or in the offices of the nearest BritishEmbassy or British Council.Study Abroad, published by UNESCO7 Place de Fontenoy75700 ParisFranceAlso available from:HMSO BooksPO Box 267London SW8 5DTThis publication contains full information oninternational scholarships to British universities.Awards for Postgraduate Study at CommonwealthUniversities, published by the Association ofCommonwealth Universities36 Gordon SquareLondon WC1H 0PFThis publication outlines scholarships, juniorfellowships, demonstratorships and other formsof financial assistance available for advancedstudy and research at pre- and immediately postdoctorallevel at British and other Commonwealthuniversities. It also includes awards open tograduates of non-Commonwealth countries.Awards for University Teachers and ResearchWorkers, also published by the Association ofCommonwealth UniversitiesIt includes schemes open to candidates of non-Commonwealth countries.The Grants Register, published by MacMillanReference Limited25 Eccleston PlaceLondon SW1W 9NFThis publication provides comprehensiveinformation about the availability of graduateand professional awards worldwide.UK EDUCATION DEPARTMENTPUBLICATIONSThe Education Department in each of the fourhome countries in the UK produces a guideto grants and loans. Although the majority ofinformation contained in the guides concernsundergraduate study, there is some informationrelating to graduate awards. Copies of theseguides and forms may be downloaded from:Department of Education and Skills(for students of England and Wales)Freephone information line: 0800 731 9133(for eligibility, fees etc.) or 0800 405010(for student loan accounts including loanpayments and repayments)www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/Awards Agency for ScotlandFreephone information line: 0845 111 1711www.student-support-saas.gov.ukDepartment of Education for Northern IrelandRathgael HouseBalloo RoadBangorCo Down BT19 7PRtel: +44 (0)28 9127 9279fax: +44 (0)28 9127 9100FEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORTThe Awards Almanac, published by St James PressGale Research InternationalP.O. Box 699Cheriton HouseNorth WayAndoverHampshire SP10 5YEThis publication provides details aboutscholarships, awards, fellowships and researchfunding available worldwide in all subjectdisciplines.The following site provides services andinformation for those in Northern Ireland whoare interested in financial support for students inHigher Education:www.studentfinanceni.co.ukIf you want to talk to someone about StudentSupport please call the Student Finance niCustomer Support Office:tel: 0845 600 0662

TERM DATES AND OPEN DAYS1852008–2009TERM 1 (2008):Monday 22 September – Friday 12 DecemberTERM 2 (2009):Monday 5 January – Friday 20 MarchTERM 3:Monday 20 April – Friday 13 JuneOPEN DAYS 2007–2008To find out more about SOAS, come along to one ofthe Postgraduate Open Evenings (5.00pm–8.00pm)held in the Brunei Gallery at the Russell Squarecampus. You get the chance to:• Speak to academic members of staff to getinformation and advice on our courses• Meet current students• Tour the campus and view our facilities• Visit the halls of residencePostgraduate Open Evenings will take place onthe following dates:• 25 October 2007• 28 February 2008• 22 May 2008Below: Alive with the sound of music – concerts areregular events at SOAS, including on Open DaysBooking is essential for these events. To reserveyour place please complete the booking form atwww.soas.ac.uk/opendaysTERM DATES AND OPEN DAYS

186USEFUL CONTACTSIf you are phoning from outside the UK the code is +44 (0)20 plus the eight digits of the number below.USEFUL CONTACTS AT SOASSTUDENT RECRUITMENTOFFICEFor general enquiries onstudying and applying toSOAS, prior to submissionof applications. Based inRussell Square.tel: 020 7898 4034fax: 020 7898 4039email: study@soas.ac.ukADMISSIONS OFFICEFor application enquiries– Undergraduate, PostgraduateTaught, MPhil, MPhil/PhD,Visiting Research. Based inRussell Square.tel: 020 7898 4300fax: 020 7898 4039email: admissions@soas.ac.ukREGISTRYFor enquiries about non-degreeprogrammes, exams, fees, andscholarships. Based in VernonSquare.tel: 020 7074 5105fax: 020 7074 5089email: registrar@soas.ac.ukALUMNI RELATIONStel: 020 7898 4041fax: 020 7898 4019email: alumni@soas.ac.ukDIVERSITY ADVISORtel: 020 7074 5007email: dv4@soas.ac.ukFACULTY OFFICE, ARTS ANDHUMANITIEStel: 020 7898 4020fax: 020 7898 4699email: artsandhumanities@soas.ac.ukFACULTY OFFICE, LANGUAGESAND CULTUREStel: 020 7898 4044fax: 020 7898 4399email: languagesandcultures@soas.ac.ukFACULTY OFFICE, LAW ANDSOCIAL SCIENCEStel: 020 7898 4402fax: 020 7898 4829email: lawandsocialsciences@soas.ac.ukINTERNATIONAL FOUNDATIONCOURSES AND ENGLISHLANGUAGE STUDIES (IFCELS)tel: 020 7898 4800fax: 020 7898 4809email: ifcels@soas.ac.ukLANGUAGE CENTREtel: 020 7898 4888email: languages@soas.ac.ukRESEARCH STUDENT ADVISORtel: 020 7898 4982email: dthomas@soas.ac.ukSTUDENT COUNSELLINGSERVICEtel: 020 7898 5016/5017email: counsellors@soas.ac.ukSTUDENT DISABILITY ADVISORtel: 020 7074 5018email: zd@soas.ac.ukSTUDENT WELFARE ADVISORStel: 020 7074 5014/5015email: welfare@soas.ac.ukSHAFTESBURY STUDENTHOUSING, ACCOMMODATIONSERVICES OFFICEFor enquiries about SOASStudent Residencestel: 020 7841 0408fax: 020 7278 7087email: student@shaftesburyhousing.org.ukUSEFUL CONTACTSCAREERS SERVICEtel: 020 7898 4115fax: 020 7898 4119email: careers@soas.ac.ukLEARNING AND TEACHINGUNITtel: 020 7898 4550email: ltu@soas.ac.uk

OTHER USEFUL CONTACTS187KING’S COLLEGE LONDONtel: 020 7836 5454email: ceu@kcl.ac.uk;schools.liaison@kcl.ac.ukwww.kcl.ac.ukQUEEN MARY LONDONtel: 020 7882 5555email: admissions@qmul.ac.ukwww.qmul.ac.ukUNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDONtel: 020 7679 7742(General enquiries);020 7679 3000(Degree information)email: admissions@ucl.ac.ukwww.ucl.ac.ukUNIVERSITY OF LONDONACCOMMODATION OFFICESenate House, Malet StreetLondon WC1 7HUtel: 020 7862 8880www.lon.ac.uk/accomSCHOOL ADDRESS ANDPRINCIPAL OFFICERSSCHOOL ADDRESSSchool of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS),University of LondonThornhaugh StreetRussell SquareLondon WC1H 0XGtel: 020 7637 2388 (switchboard)www.soas.ac.ukPRINCIPAL OFFICERSDIRECTOR AND PRINCIPALProfessor Paul WebleyPRO-DIRECTORProfessor Peter G RobbVICE-PRINCIPAL (EXTERNAL AFFAIRS)Professor Elisabeth J CrollDEAN OF FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIESProfessor Ian BrownDEAN OF FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND CULTURESProfessor Michael HuttDEAN OF FACULTY OF LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCESProfessor Matthew CravenREGISTRAR AND SECRETARYMs Sharon PageACADEMIC REGISTRARMr Terry HarveySOAS has one of the beststaff-student ratios in the UKUSEFUL CONTACTS / SCHOOL ADDRESS AND PRINCIPAL OFFICERS

188MAP OF SOASSt PancrasKing’s CrossDinwiddyHouseSOAS HALLSOF RESIDENCEPENTONVILLE ROADPaul RobesonHouseAngelEVERSHOLT STREETEustonEustonSquareBritishLibraryEUSTON ROADConnaught HallHughes Parry HallCanterbury HallCommonwealth HallSOASVERNON SQUARECAMPUSGRAY’S INN ROADFARRINGDON ROADGoodgeStreetUniversityCollegeLondonSOASRUSSELL SQUARECAMPUSUniversityof LondonUnion (ULU)TOTTENHAM COURT ROADRussellSquareBirkbeck College,Universityof London BritishMuseumRussellSquareSOUTHAMPTONROWCoram’sFieldsInternational HallTHEOBALDS ROADChanceryLaneCLERKENWELL ROADFarringdonHolbornHOLBORNMAP OF SOASOXFORD STREETPiccadillyCircusSt James’sSquareTottenhamCourt RoadPALL MALLSHAFTESBURYNationalGalleryCHARING CROSS RDAVENUETrafalgarSquareHIG HLeicesterSquareHOLBORNCharing CrossCoventGardenSTRANDKINGSWAYLondon EyeLincoln’sInn FieldsALDWYCHLaw CourtsKing’s CollegeLondonWATERLOO BRIDGERiver ThamesCity ThameslinkBlackfriarsBLACKFRIARS BRIDGE

A–Z OF POSTGRADUATEDEGREES AND DIPLOMAS189This lists all the subjects for postgraduate study. Please see the individual entries for further information.ON–CAMPUS MASTERS PROGRAMMESARTS AND HUMANITIESMA Anthropological Research Methods 44MA Anthropology of Food 46MA Anthropology of Media 47MA Buddhist Studies 136MA Christianities of Asia and Africa 137MA Critical Media and Cultural Studies 109MMus Ethnomusicology 116MA Gender Studies and Religion 138MA Global Cinemas and theTranscultural 111MA Global Media and PostnationalCommunication 113MA History: Africa/Asia 80MA Historical Research Methods 82MA History of Art and/or Archaeology 56MA Indian Religions 140MA Japanese Religions 141MA Medical Anthropology 48MA Migration and Diaspora Studies 49MMus Performance 117MA Social Anthropology 51MA Social Anthropology of Development 52MA Study of Religions 142LANGUAGES AND CULTURESMA African Literature 41MA Ancient Near Eastern Languages 120MA Applied Japanese Linguistics 87MA Arabic Literature 120MA Chinese Literature 60MA East Asian Literature 61MA Islamic Studies 121MA Israeli Studies 122MA Japanese Literature 87MA Korean Literature 88MA Languages and Cultures of South Asia 130MA Languages and Literatures of SouthEast Asia 133MA Language Documentation andDescription 105MA Linguistics 104MA Sinology 62MA Theory and Practice of Translation 106LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCESMSc African Politics 126MSc Asian Politics 126MA Chinese Law 99MSc Development Economics 69MSc Development Studies 65MSc Development Studies with specialreference to Central Asia 65MA Dispute and Conflict Resolution 99MSc Economics with reference to Africa 70MSc Economics with reference to South Asia 70MSc Economics with reference to theMiddle East 70MSc Economics with reference to theAsia Pacific Region 70MSc Finance and Development 72MSc Finance and Financial Law 77MSc Globalisation and Development 66MA Human Rights Law 99MA International and ComparativeCommercial Law 99MA International and ComparativeLegal Studies 99MA International Law 99MSc International Management (China) 75MSc International Management (Japan) 76MSc International Management (MiddleEast and North Africa) 77MSc International Politics 127MA International Studies and Diplomacy 84MA Islamic Law 99MA Law, Culture and Society 99MA Law, Development and Globalisation 99MSc Middle East Politics 127MA Migration and Ethnic Minority Law 99MSc Political Economy of Development 72MSc State, Society and Development 128MSc Violence, Conflict and Development 66LLM 95LLM Banking 95LLM Chinese Law 95LLM Dispute and Conflict Resolution 95LLM Environmental Law 95A–Z OF POSTGRADUATE DEGREES AND DIPLOMAS

190ON-CAMPUS MASTERS PROGRAMMES (CONTINUED)LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCES (CONTINUED)LLM Human Rights, Conflict and Justice 95LLM International and ComparativeCommercial Law 95LLM International Economic Law 95LLM International Law 95LLM Islamic Law 95LLM Law, Culture and Society 95LLM Law, Development and Governance 95LLM Law in the Middle East and North Africa 95LLM Migration and Ethnic Minority Law 95LLM South Asian Law 95INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIESMA African Studies 144MA Chinese Studies 145MA Comparative Literature (Africa/Asia) 146MA Gender Studies 148MA Islamic Societies and Cultures 150MA Japanese Studies 151MA Korean Studies 153MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies 154MA Pacific Asian Studies 155MA South Asian Area Studies 156MA South East Asian Studies 158MA Taiwan Studies 160MA Turkish Studies 161ON-CAMPUS DIPLOMASPGDip International Studies and Diplomacy 84Diploma in Asian Art 58DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMMESA–Z OF POSTGRADUATE DEGREES AND DIPLOMASMASTERS DEGREESMBA (Banking) 164MSc Agribusiness for Development 166MSc Agricultural Economics 166MSc Applied Environmental Economics 166MSc Biodiversity Conservation andManagement 166MSc Environmental Management 166MSc Financial Economics 164MSc Financial Management 164MSc International Management (China) 164MSc Managing Rural Development 166MSc Public Policy and Management 166MSc Sustainable Development 166POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMASPGDip Agribusiness for Development 167PGDip Agricultural Economics 167PGDip Applied Environmental Economics 167PGDip Banking 164PGDip Biodiversity, Conservation andManagement 167PGDip Economic Principles 164PGDip Environmental Management 167PGDip Finance and Financial Law 164PGDip International Management (China) 165PGDip Managing Rural Development 167PGDip Policy Studies 167PGDip Public Financial Management 167PGDip Public Management 167PGDip Sustainable Development 167

INDEX191Academic resources 16Accommodation 30Admission to the School,Terms and Conditions of 173Admissions Policy 173Africa, Languages and Cultures of 40African Literature 41African Politics 126African Studies 144Agribusiness for Development 166Agricultural Economics 166Alumni 27Ancient Near Eastern Languages 120Anthropological ResearchMethods 44Anthropology and Sociology 42Anthropology of Food 46Anthropology of Media 47Applied EnvironmentalEconomics 166Applied Japanese Linguistics 87Applying to SOAS 170Arabic Literature 120Arts and Humanities, Faculty of 8Art and Archaeology 54Awards and scholarships 174Banking 164, 190Biodiversity, Conservationand Management 166, 167Brunei Gallery, The 21Buddhist Studies 136Bursaries 174Career Development Loans 181Careers Service 27CeDEP (Centre for Development,Environment and Policy) 166CeFiMS (Centre for Financial andManagement Studies) 164Centre for Excellence inTeaching and Learning (CETL) 8Certificates 14Certificate in Political Studies 124Chaplaincy 26China and Inner Asia, Languagesand Cultures of 59Chinese Law 95Chinese Literature 60Chinese Studies 145Christianities of Asia and Africa 137Closing date for applications 171Comparative Literature(Africa/Asia) 146Contact details 186Cost of living 34Counselling 26Critical Media and CulturalStudies 109Degrees on campus 38Degrees by distance learning 162Development Economics 69Development Studies 65Development Studies with specialreference to Central Asia 65Diplomas 14Dispute and Conflict Resolution 99Distance Learning 162Distance Learning Degrees 162East Asian Literature 61Economic Principles 164Economics 67Economics programmes 70English Language Courses 34, 36English Language Requirements 10, 34Entry Requirements 10, 12, 13Environmental Law 95Environmental Management 166, 167Equality and Diversity 173Ethnomusicology 116Faculty and Departmental Centres 19AHRC Research Centre forCross-Cultural 19, 115Music and Dance PerformanceCentre of Buddhist Studies 19Centre for Development Policyand Research 19Centre of East Asian Law 19, 92Centre for Eastern and OrthodoxChristianity 19Centre for Ethnic MinorityStudies 19, 92Centre for Food Studies 19Centre for Gender and ReligiousResearch 19Centre for Gender Studies 19, 148Centre of International Lawand Colonialism 19, 92Centre for International Studiesand Diplomacy 19, 83Centre for Jaina Studies 19Centre for Jewish Studies 19Centre for Law and Conflict 19, 92Centre for Media and FilmStudies 19, 108Centre for Migration andDiaspora Studies 19Centre for the Study of JapaneseReligions 19Centre of Islamic and MiddleEastern Law 19, 92Centre of Islamic Studies 19Centre of Taiwan Studies 19, 160Hans Rausing EndangeredLanguages Project 18, 19Languages of the Wider WorldCETL 19London Confucius Institute 19Sainsbury Institute for the Studyof Japanese Arts and Cultures 19Fee schedule 2007–2008 182Fees 174Finance and Development 72Finance and Financial Law 77, 164Financial and ManagementStudies 74, 164Financial Economics 164Financial Management 164Financial support 174Foundation Diploma forPostgraduate Studies 14Freedom of Expression 173Galleries 21Gender Studies 148Gender Studies and Religion 138Global Cinemas and theTranscultural 111Global Media and PostcolonialCommunications 113Globalisation and Development 66Graduate Diploma in Economics 67Hans Rausing EndangeredLanguages AcademicProgramme (ELAP) 105Hans Rausing EndangeredLanguages Project (HRELP) 18Health and welfare support 26, 34Health care 26, 34Historical Research Methods 82History 78History: Africa/Asia 80History of Art and/or Archaeology 82History of the School 6Human Rights Law 95, 99Indian Religions 140Individual ProfessionalCourses 165, 167Information technology facilities 18In-sessional support 37Interdisciplinary Studies 144International and ComparativeCommercial Law 99International and ComparativeLegal Studies 99International Economic Law 95International English LanguageTesting Service (IELTS) 35International Foundation Coursesand English Language Studies(IFCELS) 35International Law 95, 99International Management(China) 75International Management(Japan) 76International Management(Middle East and North Africa) 77International Politics 127International students 34International Studies andDiplomacy 84Islamic Law 95Islamic Societies and Cultures 150INDEX

192INDEX (CONTINUED)INDEXIslamic Studies 121Israeli Studies 122Japan and Korea, Languagesand Cultures of 86Japanese Literature 87Japanese Religions 141Japanese Studies 151Korean Literature 88Korean Studies 153Language Documentation andDescription 103Language learning 10, 15Languages and Cultures,Faculty of 8Languages of the Wider WorldCETL 8Law 90Law and Social Sciences,Faculty of 9Law, Culture and Society 99Law, Development andGlobalisation 99Law, Development andGovernance 95Law in the Middle East andNorth Africa 95Learning and Teaching Unit(LTU) 21, 26Library 16Linguistics 102Living in London 28LLM (Masters in Law) 95Location 5Managing Rural Development 166, 167Map 188Masters programmes 9MBA (Banking) 164Middle East Politics 127Media and Film Studies 108Medical Anthropology 48Migration and Diaspora Studies 49Migration and EthnicMinority Law 95, 99Music 115Near and Middle East, Languagesand Cultures of the 118Near and Middle Eastern Studies 118Occasional Student Programme 15Open Days 185Pacific Asian Studies 155Part-time study 10, 12Percival David Foundationfor Chinese Art, The 21Performance 117Policy Studies 167Political Economy ofDevelopment 72Politics and International Studies 123Postgraduate studentships 174Postgraduate diplomas 14Pre-Masters programme 14Principal Officers 187Public Financial Management 167Public Management 167Public Policy and Management 166Regional Centres 19, 22Centre of African Studies 22Centre of Chinese Studies 22Centre of ContemporaryCentral Asia and the Caucasus 23Centre of Korean Studies 23Centre of South Asian Studies 24Centre of South East AsianStudies 24Japan Research Centre 23London Middle East Institute 24Religions, Study of 134Research and research degrees 11Research Applications 170Research Centres 18Research programme 11Scholarships 174School policies 173Sinology 62Sir Joseph Hotung Programme forLaw, Human Rights and Peace-Building in the Middle East 18, 92Social Anthropology 51Social Anthropology ofDevelopment 52Social life 28South Asia, Languages andCultures of 129South Asian Area Studies 156South Asian Law 95South East Asia, Languagesand Cultures of 132South East Asian Studies 158State, Society and Development 128Student residences 30Students’ Union 27, 28, 29Students with disabilities 20, 27, 34Study of Religions 134Study support 20, 26Summer courses 36Support services 26Taiwan Studies 160Term dates 185Terms and conditions 173Test of English as a ForeignLanguage (TOEFL) 35Theory and Practice ofTranslation 106Turkish Studies 161University of London, The 2Useful contacts at SOAS 186Useful publications 184Virtual Learning @ SOAS 20Violence, Conflict andDevelopment 66Visiting Research Students 13Working in the UK 34

This prospectus is a guide for applicants for degree programmes who intend to enterthe School in 2008, and it has been produced as early as possible for this purpose.Inevitably, the matters covered by the prospectus are subject to change from timeto time, although every effort is made to ensure that the information is accurate andup-to-date. If applicants require further information or confirmation of any matter,they should contact the Student Recruitment Office of the School. The School reservesthe right to alter or withdraw any degrees, courses or parts of courses.All offers of admission to pursue a course of study as a registered student of theSchool are made by the Head of Student Recruitment and Admissions or his officiallyauthorised deputy. No promise or purported offer made otherwise than in accordancewith this regulation has any validity.Issued September 2007Produced by the Marketing Department, SOASDesign by Owen & AveryPrinted by Linney PrintPrinted on Revive 50:50 Silk from the Robert Horne Group, which is produced using50% recovered waste fibre and 50% virgin wood fibre. Produced at a mill that has beenawarded the ISO14001 certificate for environmental management. The pulp is bleachedusing an elemental chlorine free (ECF) process.Photographs courtesy of:Asif Akbar – page 138; Torun Basu – page 111; Sudip Dutta – pages 79 & 131;Cristiano Galbiati – page 104; Rob Hartley – page 55; David Levenson – Front cover,Welcome page & pages 6, 7, 15, 17, 20, 25, 29, 32, 37, 165, 172, 181, 185 & 187;Robert Meij – page 135; Sue Pizarro – page 163; Glenn Ratcliffe – pages 50, 57, 65, 71,80, 89, 103, 106, 113, 126, 128, 157; Ajay Singh – page 90; Myles Taylor – page 143;Dave Vasant – page 73; Chris Webster – page 84; Mee Lin Woon – page 58 & 76Many thanks also to students and staff of SOAS who appear in these pages or havecontributed in other ways.

www.soas.ac.ukSCHOOL OF ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIESUniversity of LondonThornhaugh StreetRussell SquareLondon WC1H 0XGTEL +44 (0)20 7898 4034 (Student Recruitment Office)+44 (0)20 7637 2388 (Switchboard)FAX +44 (0)20 7898 4039 (Student Recruitment Office)EMAIL study@soas.ac.uk