Macalester Moodle

Course Description
Like Latin and Greek in Europe, Sanskrit is a highly inflected language of scholarship, and revered in India as the perfect medium for discourse on everything from science and sex to philosophy and religion. (In modern Hindi, sanskriti means “culture.”) It flourished in its classical form after the age of the Buddha (5th century BC) and served as a scholarly lingua franca in India until the Islamic period and beyond. This course serves as an introduction to the grammar and script of Sanskrit, and we will advance to a point of reading simplified texts from the classical epic Ramayana. Students will be expected to attend class regularly and spend six hours a week outside class studying the grammar and vocabulary. Without this sort of effort, no progress is possible in such a complex language. In addition to the rigorous study of the language, we will consider both the role of the language in classical Indian culture and religion, and some texts from the Ramayana, looking at both English translations and Sanskrit originals.

Self-defense is, by its simplest definition, the act of keeping oneself safe. Our curriculum covers a continuum of scenarios and actions, from a no-contact interaction to a full-blown physical attack. We will discuss body language, awareness, and using one’s voice assertively. We will also explore physical resistance options and how to create the maximum amount of force possible in any given scenario. Warmups are included in all but the first class. Classes, except for the first class, will be conducted in bare feet unless other accommodations are made.