list of courses and syllabi
Just a few of the courses being offered in the spring of 2022 in the Department of Religion. Click HERE for more information about each of these courses as well as a complete listing of all courses being offered in the spring of 2022.
Preview of some of the courses being offered this fall in the Department of Religion. Click HERE for more information about each of these courses as well as a complete listing of all courses being offered this fall.
This course takes a critical approach to the paranormal as an “other” category for religion and science, including insights from folklore studies, laboratory research and cognitive science.
The course explores the theories and practices of meditation developed by the major Buddhist traditions, in relation to the relevant social, philosophical, and religious contexts. The focus is on the classical models of contemplative practice developed in South Asia, their transformation in East Asian Buddhism, the contemporary practice of meditation in America, and the growing […]
This advanced undergraduate course explores the relations between religion and politics in Latin America and the Caribbean, past and present.
This course explores the competing secular and religious views regarding human impacts on and moral responsibilities toward nature and the key thinkers and social movements in contention over them.
This course critically examines the roles played by religion, ethics, and nature during the evolution of the cultural, political, and environmental history of North America since European contact. It pays special attention to the role religion has variously played in hindering and promoting proenvironmental behaviors and the quest for environmental sustainability and social justice. The […]
This course explores the ethical dimensions of global social, political, and environmental issues. Students will learn about different philosophical and religious ethics and use those approaches to understand and evaluate the moral issues involved in contemporary issues, including human rights, war and peace, climate change, and public health.
This is a new course, offered at UF for the first time. It is open to students from all majors who are interested in learning about Buddhist philosophy. There are no formal prerequisites and no knowledge of Asian languages is required.
The goal of this course is to instruct students with no prior knowledge of Sanskrit with a systematic introduction to the language. Using introductory textbooks and handouts students will learn to read core narrative and philosophical Sanskrit texts by mastering the grammar and vocabulary. Class time will consist in practicing exercises and reading Sanskrit sentences. […]
The study of Muslims in South Asia—in India, but also in Bangladesh and Pakistan—is crucial for understanding contemporary Islam in our global world. South Asian Muslims are also active in the Arabian Gulf region and in Western Europe and North America, especially in the UK. In this course, we take “Islam in South Asia” as […]
This class explores the role of religion in movements for social change. We will address core questions in study of social movements – how movements emerge, why people join, how they mobilize resources, what strategies and tactics they employ, and what goals they seek – by examining a range of case studies, including civil rights […]
The modern study of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) effectively began in the nineteenth century, when scholars, through painstaking critical analysis of the biblical text, discovered that the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) was written not by one author — Moses, according to venerable tradition — but by several, over the course of several centuries. […]
Religion is arguably the most powerful and pervasive force in the world. Majoring in religious studies can help you understand the complex and sometimes volatile relationships between religion and politics, economics, and social structures, as well as the ways in which the past (scripture, tradition, history) has helped shape the present. Fall classes now enrolling! […]
In the twenty-first century, spirituality and health care are intersecting in new ways. Traditional and indigenous medical practices are increasingly being sanctioned by and integrated with Western biomedicine. Health providers are expected to be aware of patients’ spiritual needs. Students will learn about: The historically shifting boundaries between medicine, psychology and religion in the West. […]
As many as three-quarters of Americans believe in ghosts. The majority hold other paranormal beliefs as well. What does this tell us about the future of religion? In a “disenchanted” world, why do we continue to be fascinated with the paranormal, as seen in the explosion of the topic in film (horror, superheroes), television, gaming […]
Professor Robin M. Wright (ONLINE) This course is dedicated to the study of non-Western healers and medicine in relation to various religious traditions around the globe. The most important themes we shall discuss are: the efficacy of religious symbols in the healing process; cross-cultural notions of the body, pain, and healing; embodiment of healing powers […]
Read more "Summer Students Explore Non-Western Healing Practices"
Can you believe it? Football season is flying by, Thanksgiving break is just around the corner, and it’s time to register for Spring classes. As you register for Spring coursework in the coming weeks we wanted to make sure you had all the relevant information on courses offered through #UFreligion (you can find the full […]
Read more "New religions, food, and animals oh my! — Spring 2017 courses"
Religion matters. Religion news matters. Every single day a new religion headline hits the press — on blogs and online news agencies, television and in print. And so, there are serious matters to consider when it comes to reporting religion news. Why should we report on religion news? What are the best practices? How do […]
As you register for Spring coursework in the coming weeks we wanted to make sure you had all the relevant information on courses offered through #UFreligion (you can find the full course listings HERE [PDF] and HERE [Excel]). We may be biased, but we have a great line-up of classes ranging from Religion in Latin America to Islam, Media, […]
Can you believe it? Homecoming is upon us, Thanksgiving break is just around the corner, and it’s time to register for Spring classes. Time flies when you’re having fun (a.k.a. when you’re studying religion at UF). As you register for Spring coursework in the coming weeks we wanted to make sure you had all the […]
Read more "Our Spring courses bring all the students to the hall"