Ed Steidle in India

Ed Steidle began his graduate studies in comparative literature at the Johns Hopkins University and went on to earn his master’s and doctoral degree at UC-Berkeley. Since joining the Stanford faculty in 1984, he has taught in various departments, including the English department, the Western Culture Program, and the graduate program in the Humanities. He also developed the successful Crossroads series for the Continuing Studies program. Ed’s background is in comparative literature and medieval literature, and his courses cover the history, art, and literature of selected cultures across Eurasia and the Americas from antiquity to the modern period.  

On this trip, Ed will cover a broad series of topics particularly associated with the sites we will visit on our itinerary.  He will discuss India’s Vedic origins and the fundamental cultural connections between the Mauryan Empire and the neighboring Hellenistic states that Alexander the Great had established.  These connections will include shared interests in epic literature and religious traditions as well as a common interest in Buddhist beliefs. He will explore the evolution and fundamental tenets of Hinduism, particularly the Shaivite and Vaishnavite traditions. He will also discuss the cultural and political interactions between India and the various western powers that established highly profitable trading outposts along its coasts during the Mughal period, particularly the Portuguese, the French and the British.    

• Joined Stanford faculty in 1984

• Taught in Stanford’s English Department, Graduate Program in the Humanities and Continuing Studies program

• BA, English literature and Oriental philosophy, Franklin and Marshall College

• MA and PhD, comparative literature, Johns Hopkins University and UC Berkeley