The following descriptions of courses being offered by the Department of Religion in Fall 2021 were submitted by the course instructors.
Specific information regarding the dates, times, and locations of these courses may be found in the Registrar’s official webpage: Schedule of Courses for Fall 2021.
If you are looking for a complete syllabus for a course, check the Syllabi area for availability.
IDS 2935 Post-Holocaust American Jews – Rachel Gordan
The Holocaust was the most catastrophic event in contemporary Jewish history. Although the loss of Jewish lives occurred in Europe, the Holocaust had grave and transformative effects for American Jews. This looks at those effects in American culture and their implications for other religious, racial, and immigrant minority groups.
IDS2935 Nature, Spirituality & Popular Culture – Bron Taylor
Beginning with the period since Walt Disney began making animal-focused documentaries and animated films in the 1930s, continuing up through the blockbuster motion picture Avatar (2009) and the Animal Kingdom Theme part further expressing its themes, this course takes a global tour examining the religious, spiritual, ethical, and political dimensions of artistic productions, scientific representations in museums, and other cultural inventions (such as theme parks), in which nature takes center stage. We will explore the international cultural tributaries, influences, and controversies such productions engender, for they constitute important ways that environmental ethics, and quests for environmentally sustainable livelihoods and lifeways, are expressed and promoted. The course will enhance students’ abilities to interpret these cultural productions and their evocative power, explore their own reactions to these social phenomena, whilst learning to think more deeply about their own places in, and obligations to, the natural world.
IDS 2935 God, Humanity & Evolution – Jonathan Edelmann
How do we think about science and religion? What language do we use? What is evolution? How does evolution shape our thinking about ourselves, the world, or another world? How are these questions interconnected? This course teaches the work of scholars and scientists from a diverse range of traditions. By the course content students will learn internationally from religious, philosophical, and scientific authors on reality, its development, and the beings who experience it. Students will produce written documents to develop their own understanding and approach to the course content, and they will learn to reflect on their own beliefs, practices, and academic disciplines in relation to this course.
REL 2121 American Religious History (online) – David Hackett
This course offers an introductory overview of the American religious experience from an historical and cultural perspective. The interaction of American religions and cultures is examined in three chronological periods: 1) Colonial America 1500-1800 2) Nineteenth Century, and 3) Twentieth Century.
REL 2210/REL 3938 Hebrew Scriptures – Robert Kawashima
This course will introduce students to the modern scholarly study of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and its world. While we will touch upon various literary genres in the Bible, we will focus on biblical narrative, as we trace the history of ancient Israel — inasmuch as this can be reconstructed from our primary sources — from its origins up to the Babylonian Exile (586 B.C.E.). We will also analyze various aspects of the “culture” of ancient Israel, including its political (judges, kings) and religious (priests, prophets) institutions. In particular, we will study Israelite religion, not just as a set of beliefs and practices, but as a mode of knowledge, a means of understanding god(s), humans, the world, and the relations between them. Topics will include: myth, ritual, sacrifice, law, and the sacred. Here, we will address the conceptual divide between so-called “pagan” religions and, for lack of a better term, the “monotheistic” religion of ancient Israel. The point isn’t to judge the relative merits of these two different religious systems, but to recognize and understand their differences. Our approach will be broadly literary and comparative. Thus, we will draw upon the mythic and epic traditions of Mesopotamia and Ugarit, in order to bring the peculiar nature of the Bible and biblical religion into better focus. And throughout the semester, various methodological questions regarding textual interpretation and the analysis of religion and culture will be raised.
REL 2300 Intro to World Religions (online) – Vasudha Narayanan
When you complete this course, you will be able to:
- Explain basic world views, rituals, and beliefs of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Chinese religions, Japanese religions, Indigenous Religions, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.
- Problematize the category of religion and identify your own working definitions.
- Identify the social, political, and cultural factors that come into play in the formation and understanding of a given religion. –
- Equipped with this knowledge of different religious traditions, and the contexts in which they thrive, identify your own vantage point, as well as engage with different cultures and countries in an informed, respectful manner.
REL 2301 Intro to Hindu Culture (online)– Vasudha Narayanan
This course, taking a “lived religion” approach, is designed to introduce and familiarize students with the diverse cultures connected with Hinduism. We will discuss the early religious history in the Indian subcontinent as well as the texts, themes and Hindu philosophies that continue to flourish into the 21st century. Throughout the course of the semester, we will read and discuss literature, art and architecture, dance and music, gender issues, social structures, and food traditions of fasting and feasting.
The course also considers the reach and influence of Hinduism beyond India by examining how the Hindu traditions form a substratum culture in Southeast Asia and functions as a living tradition in Trinidad, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the United States. The course content raises and answers questions like: Why do Hindus wear a mark on their forehead? What kind of diet do Hindus follow? What happens inside Hindu temples? How do Hindus celebrate festivals? In doing so, we will also touch on the broader issues of colonial scholarship, gender, importance of language, construction of religious identities, and political and social issues.
REL 2315 Religions of Asia – Jonathan Edelmann
REL 2341 Intro to Buddhism – Mario Poceski
The course is a broad survey of the essential beliefs, doctrines, and practices that over the centuries have fashioned the identity of Buddhism as a pan-Asian religion that transcends ethnic, cultural, and linguistic boundaries. The course covers the historical development of the major Buddhist traditions, including the formulation of key doctrinal tenets and religious practices, the growth of the monastic order, and the formation of new religious ideals and doctrines by the Mahāyāna tradition. We will also explore the spread and transformation of Buddhism outside of India, including China and the Western world, before and during the modern period.
REL 2362 Intro to Islam – Ali Mian
This course offers a critical survey of Muslim belief and ritual in historical perspective. Yet, Muslims have not always used the word, “Islam,” to refer to the constellation of ideas and practices elaborated and embodied by the Prophet Muhammad and the early believers. This course unpacks the modern construction of Islam as religion, but also introduces students to Muslim doctrines, devotional acts, and socio-cultural institutions. To that end, we will read about the Islamic religious tradition from a number of thematic angles: community, historical selfconsciousness, scripture, memory, theology, sectarianism, law and jurisprudence, mystical experience and practice, gender, sexuality, race and racialization, and secularity as well as globalization. In this way, we will use various crucial themes to survey key characteristics of Muslim experiences from late antiquity to modern times. At the same time, we will also study issues of representation and translation in Islamic studies. This course therefore brings two objects of study under critical scrutiny: “Islam” (by studying various accounts by and about Muslims) and “Islamic studies” (by studying various representations of “Islam” within multiple disciplinary frameworks, including religious studies, history, cultural anthropology, area studies, and political science).
REL 2502 Intro to Christianity – David Hackett
This class introduces students to the Christian religion. We first examine the Gospels to wrestle with the core scripture for Christians throughout the world. Then we ask: Who was Jesus and What did he teach? Historically, we highlight critical moments in the development of the Christian community in the West. Finally we ask several contemporary questions: What is the significance of the emergence of World Christianities? What is the status of Evangelicalism after Trump? and What are the possibilities and pitfalls of being “spiritual but not religious”.
REL 3022 Myth and Ritual – Erin Prophet
This course examines the theories and methods in the anthropological and religious studies of myths, rituals, religious specialists, and religious movements. Examples will be primarily drawn from indigenous cultures of the Americas, but also from ancient Mediterranean cultures. Students can expect to learn how to interpret the symbolism and meanings of myths and rituals. We will discuss the place of myth and ritual in both traditional and non-traditional societies and the importance of both in mediating historical change.
This course examines the “cult” and “new religious movement” in the context of modernity. Students will explore common typologies of religious groups, the dynamics of charismatic leadership, the sociology of small-group behavior, millennialism and apocalypticism, schism, violence, and government response, along with models of conversion—including “brainwashing.” They will trace the dynamics of tension and accommodation as groups change over time and investigate how new religious groups push the boundaries of social norms concerning family, sexuality, work and community. Specific groups to be reviewed include the Shakers, Mormons, Peoples Temple (Jonestown), Rajneeshies, Branch Davidians, and Wicca. Methodological approaches include sociological and religious studies. Students will perform case studies or engage in comparative work on two or more groups. They will also learn to evaluate the phenomenon of new religion through close reading, discussion, and written and oral presentation. Most classes include a short clip of a film, TV show or documentary.
REL 3099 Spirituality and Health Care – Erin Prophet
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. How to evaluate the health impact of patients’ religious and spiritual beliefs and practices. Whether and how the effects of spiritual practices can be measured. The latest findings from the cognitive science of religion, including theories regarding the innateness of religious ideas. Finally, they will evaluate different models for integrating traditional and alternative therapies with Western biomedicine and learn best practices for assessing and meeting patients’ spiritual needs.
REL 3148 Religion and Violence– Terje Ostebo
The relations between religion and violence has long posed challenges both for ordinary life and for the academic study of religion. Religions sometimes contribute to violence or justify it, but they can also help achieve peaceful solutions to violent conflicts. Religious rituals themselves can be extremely violent, and some scholars argue that violence lies at the heart of religion itself. This class explores violence within religion, religiously motivated violence, religious justifications of political violence, and religious rejections and resolutions of violence. Throughout the course, readings will address a variety of religious traditions in different regions and historical periods. We will also explore a variety of approaches to religious studies and to comparative ethics, including both descriptive and normative studies.
REL 3291 Gender and Hebrew Bible – Robert Kawashima
This course will introduce students to the modern, critical study of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), as well as other ancient works, emphasizing in particular the analysis and interpretation of gender and sexuality in the ancient world. Specifically, we will engage in careful and informed readings of a range of biblical texts (narrative, law, wisdom literature), in order to investigate a series of questions regarding the mutual constitution of male and female in the literary traditions of ancient Israel. What happens to the goddess in monotheism? How does biblical narrative imaginatively realize the lives of women and men. What ideal roles are constructed and assigned to each? How are their bodies and sexualities conceptualized and legislated by biblical law? Comparative evidence from classical Greece and the ancient Near East will help bring the specificity of the biblical traditions into clearer focus. Selected secondary readings will introduce students to some of the theoretical issues involved in the study of gender and sexuality, of ancient literature in general, and of biblical literature in particular. No previous coursework on the Bible is required.
REL 3938 Chinese Buddhism – Mario Poceski
The course is a comprehensive survey of Chinese Buddhism. We will explore the growth and transformation of the beliefs, doctrines, practices, and institutions that shaped the historical trajectories of Chinese Buddhism, and consider the overall impact of Buddhism on Chinese religious, social, and cultural life.
REL 3938 Jews and Popular Culture – Rachel Gordan
Jews and popular culture: During the 20th century Jews played a prominent role in American popular culture. What does this history of American Popular culture by and about Jews tell us about Jews, religious and racial minorities, religious pluralism, and American culture? This course will look at some the most celebrated examples of Jews in American popular culture of the past century, including a mix of fiction and film.
REL 4371 Islam in Africa – Benjamin Soares
This course provides a comparative and historical survey of Islam and Muslim societies in their diversity in sub-Saharan Africa with particular emphasis on the period from 1800 to the present. Important themes in this course include the changing relationship between Islam and state power, Islamic education, Islamic legal traditions, Sufism, slavery, the challenges of colonial rule, reform, religious encounters, and the postcolonial secular state. The course will also draw attention to current issues relating to Islam in contemporary Africa such as popular culture, cultural heritage, the politics of gender and sexuality, conflict, and contemporary jihadi movements.
REL 4933 Senior Seminar (Comparative Study) – Ali Mian
What do we study when we study religion? This senior seminar offers an in-depth exploration of method and theory in the study of religion based on Understanding Religion by Paul Hedges (University of California Press, 2021). In the different units of this course, we shall problematize “religion” and examine the scholarship on “world religions” and the ethics and politics of translation. We shall also explore insider-outsider perspectives and other methodological debates. The key thematic clusters that we shall use to examine theories of religion include practice, power, identity, bodies, gender, ritual, violence, and secularism. We shall supplement Hedges’ book with excerpts from primary sources as well as other secondary scholarship.