History taster: India Post Independence (1947-2004)
A lively introduction to the key turning points in India’s social and political history from independence in 1947 to the early 2000s, exploring how the world’s largest democracy evolved.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
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This taster session explores the watershed moments in India’s social and political development after independence in 1947. It introduces learners to India’s remarkable journey as a newly independent nation navigating partition, nation-building, democracy, and economic change.
Drawing on key themes from the full course India Post Independence: Exploring Social and Political History, it examines how political, economic, and social developments are interconnected, offering a concise yet engaging insight into the forces that shaped modern India.
What will we cover?
We will look at how India has:
Built a nation after independence - dealing with the legacy of Partition and creating a shared identity across a hugely diverse population
Established and sustained democracy - understanding how democratic institutions, elections, and political participation have developed over time
Responded to crisis and conflict - including moments of internal tension and external war, and what they reveal about the resilience of the state
Balanced unity and diversity - exploring regional identities, languages, and the rise of local and regional politics
Managed economic change and development - from early planning to later liberalisation and globalisation
Evolved as the world’s largest democracy - considering how political, social, and economic changes connect across time
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Identify key events and turning points in India’s post-independence history
Understand how political, social, and economic developments are interconnected
Describe how India established and sustained democratic institutions
Explain the significance of major milestones such as the Constitution, wars, Emergency, and liberalisation
Develop confidence in discussing modern Indian history in a wider global context
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an introductory-level taster.
No prior knowledge of Indian history is required-just an interest in history, politics, or global developments. The session is suitable for complete beginners as well as those wishing to refresh or broaden their understanding.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The session will be taught through:
Illustrated mini-lecture
Guided discussion of key events and themes
Opportunities for questions and reflection
There is no required work outside the session, though optional suggestions for further reading will be provided.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Dr Reshmi Banerjee is a political scientist with specialization in food security, agricultural policies and cross-border studies on North East India/Myanmar. She was previously a visiting research fellow in the King’s India Institute, King’s College, London, an academic visitor in the Asian Studies Centre at St Antony’s College, University of Oxford, a research associate in the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), a post-doctoral fellow in the department of international relations, University of Indonesia and a researcher in the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Jakarta. Reshmi has been a Visiting Professor in Jamia Millia Islamia, a fellow in the Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies and a visiting research fellow in the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi. She has taught in Delhi University and in the University of Indonesia (UI). She has a Masters, M.Phil and Ph.D from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and a Masters in Museum Cultures from Birkbeck, University of London. She is the author/editor of several books and journal articles. Her research focus areas are: conflict, identity politics and institutional interventions.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/history-taster-india-post-independence-1947-20043069001History taster: India Post Independence (1947-2004)https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/intro-to-philosophy-1024.jpg1919GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Asian history/Courses/vm/South Asian Heritage Month22851177117819731375912285117711781653<p>A lively introduction to the key turning points in India’s social and political history from independence in 1947 to the early 2000s, exploring how the world’s largest democracy evolved.</p>003068995History taster: India Post Independence (1947-2004)1919https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/intro-to-philosophy-1024.jpgInStockDaytimeTueKeeley StreetAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekday2026-09-15T00:00:00+00:00BeginnersSep 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHWH3221919History taster: India Post Independence (1947-2004)151219Reshmi Banerjeehistory-taster-india-post-independence-1947-2004/hwh322-2627<p>A lively introduction to the key turning points in India’s social and political history from independence in 1947 to the early 2000s, exploring how the world’s largest democracy evolved.</p>0000-Available|2026-09-15 00:00:00<p>This taster session explores the watershed moments in India’s social and political development after independence in 1947. It introduces learners to India’s remarkable journey as a newly independent nation navigating partition, nation-building, democracy, and economic change.</p><p>Drawing on key themes from the full course <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/india-post-independence-exploring-social-and-political-history/hpc138-2627" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">India Post Independence: Exploring Social and Political History</a>, it examines how political, economic, and social developments are interconnected, offering a concise yet engaging insight into the forces that shaped modern India.</p><p>A lively introduction to the key turning points in India’s social and political history from independence in 1947 to the early 2000s, exploring how the world’s largest democracy evolved.</p><p>We will look at how India has:</p><ul><li><strong>Built a nation after independence</strong> - dealing with the legacy of Partition and creating a shared identity across a hugely diverse population</li><li><strong>Established and sustained democracy</strong> - understanding how democratic institutions, elections, and political participation have developed over time</li><li><strong>Responded to crisis and conflict</strong> - including moments of internal tension and external war, and what they reveal about the resilience of the state </li><li><strong>Balanced unity and diversity</strong> - exploring regional identities, languages, and the rise of local and regional politics</li><li><strong>Managed economic change and development</strong> - from early planning to later liberalisation and globalisation</li><li><strong>Evolved as the world’s largest democracy</strong> - considering how political, social, and economic changes connect across time</li></ul><ul><li>Identify key events and turning points in India’s post-independence history</li><li>Understand how political, social, and economic developments are interconnected</li><li>Describe how India established and sustained democratic institutions</li><li>Explain the significance of major milestones such as the Constitution, wars, Emergency, and liberalisation</li><li>Develop confidence in discussing modern Indian history in a wider global context</li></ul><p>This is an <strong>introductory-level taster</strong>.</p><p>No prior knowledge of Indian history is required-just an interest in history, politics, or global developments. The session is suitable for complete beginners as well as those wishing to refresh or broaden their understanding.</p><p>The session will be taught through:</p><ul><li>Illustrated mini-lecture</li><li>Guided discussion of key events and themes</li><li>Opportunities for questions and reflection</li></ul><p>There is <strong>no required work outside the session</strong>, though optional suggestions for further reading will be provided.</p><p>There are no additional course costs. </p><ul><li><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/india-post-independence-exploring-social-and-political-history/hpc138-2627" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">India Post Independence: Exploring Social and Political History</a></li><li><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/the-east-india-company-india/hwh262-2627" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The East India Company & India</a></li><li><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/the-philosophy-of-mahatma-gandhi-his-message-and-relevance-to-the-modern-world/hp269-2627" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi: His message and relevance to the modern world</a></li></ul><p><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/asian-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">View all our Asian history courses here.</a> </p>HistoryAsian historyvirtual151912HWH322NONETue15/09/2610:30 - 12:3010:3012:301 session1One-off onlyDaytimeWeekdayKSKeeley StreetReshmi BanerjeeBeginnersAvailable courses2026-09-15T00:00:00+00:00Sep 2026Culture, history & humanities1919History taster: India Post Independence (1947-2004)history-taster-india-post-independence-1947-2004/hwh322-2627<p>A lively introduction to the key turning points in India’s social and political history from independence in 1947 to the early 2000s, exploring how the world’s largest democracy evolved.</p>0000-Available|2026-09-15 00:00:00<p>This taster session explores the watershed moments in India’s social and political development after independence in 1947. It introduces learners to India’s remarkable journey as a newly independent nation navigating partition, nation-building, democracy, and economic change.</p><p>Drawing on key themes from the full course <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/india-post-independence-exploring-social-and-political-history/hpc138-2627" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">India Post Independence: Exploring Social and Political History</a>, it examines how political, economic, and social developments are interconnected, offering a concise yet engaging insight into the forces that shaped modern India.</p><p>A lively introduction to the key turning points in India’s social and political history from independence in 1947 to the early 2000s, exploring how the world’s largest democracy evolved.</p><p>We will look at how India has:</p><ul><li><strong>Built a nation after independence</strong> - dealing with the legacy of Partition and creating a shared identity across a hugely diverse population</li><li><strong>Established and sustained democracy</strong> - understanding how democratic institutions, elections, and political participation have developed over time</li><li><strong>Responded to crisis and conflict</strong> - including moments of internal tension and external war, and what they reveal about the resilience of the state </li><li><strong>Balanced unity and diversity</strong> - exploring regional identities, languages, and the rise of local and regional politics</li><li><strong>Managed economic change and development</strong> - from early planning to later liberalisation and globalisation</li><li><strong>Evolved as the world’s largest democracy</strong> - considering how political, social, and economic changes connect across time</li></ul><ul><li>Identify key events and turning points in India’s post-independence history</li><li>Understand how political, social, and economic developments are interconnected</li><li>Describe how India established and sustained democratic institutions</li><li>Explain the significance of major milestones such as the Constitution, wars, Emergency, and liberalisation</li><li>Develop confidence in discussing modern Indian history in a wider global context</li></ul><p>This is an <strong>introductory-level taster</strong>.</p><p>No prior knowledge of Indian history is required-just an interest in history, politics, or global developments. The session is suitable for complete beginners as well as those wishing to refresh or broaden their understanding.</p><p>The session will be taught through:</p><ul><li>Illustrated mini-lecture</li><li>Guided discussion of key events and themes</li><li>Opportunities for questions and reflection</li></ul><p>There is <strong>no required work outside the session</strong>, though optional suggestions for further reading will be provided.</p><p>There are no additional course costs. </p><ul><li><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/india-post-independence-exploring-social-and-political-history/hpc138-2627" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">India Post Independence: Exploring Social and Political History</a></li><li><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/the-east-india-company-india/hwh262-2627" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The East India Company &amp; India</a></li><li><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/the-philosophy-of-mahatma-gandhi-his-message-and-relevance-to-the-modern-world/hp269-2627" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi: His message and relevance to the modern world</a></li></ul><p><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/asian-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">View all our Asian history courses here.</a> </p>HistoryAsian historyconfigurable
19731178Asian historyhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/asian-history1/2/285/1177/1178/19731/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Asian history
