printer friendly pagePWR 194CW: Brave New Worlds: An Introduction to (De)colonial Rhetorics
Since the time of Columbus, colonial agendas and policies have engendered their own rhetorics of justification and explanation. After all, European modernism began with the encounter of the New World, and Europe¿s own identity was forged in the process of ¿Latinization¿ of the Western Hemisphere. In response, decoloniality arose as a rich intellectual critique in the late 1990s in South America and the Caribbean. Decolonial rhetorical traditions stand in a unique position vis-à-vis the development of modernity, colonialism, racialized identities, the crisis of European reason, and the dawn of globalization. In an era of Trumpism, in which European modernity once again justifies restricting the mobility and freedom of Latinx immigrants, among other ethnic groups, perhaps no other form of intellectual critique seems quite so urgent. This course introduces students to primary decolonial rhetorical texts and asks students to apply these insights to pressing contemporary challenges by practicing deep reading of primary and secondary texts, preparing group presentations, and exploring creative acts of composition with an eye toward imagining brave new worlds and the decolonial rhetorical practices valued therein.
Last offered: Winter 2019
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-EDP
PWR 194NCR: Topics in Writing & Rhetoric: Introduction to Cultural Rhetorics (CSRE 194NCR)
All cultures have their own ways of communicating and making meaning through a range of situated rhetorical practices. In this gateway course to the Notation in Cultural Rhetorics, you'll explore the diverse contexts in which these practices are made and continue to be made;learn methodologies for examining their rhetorical production across media and modality; and study situated cultural practices and their historical and current developments.
Terms: Win
| Units: 4
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-EDP
Instructors:
Jernigan, H. (PI)
PWR 194SB: Topics in Writing and Rhetoric: Rhetoric of Science
Understanding rhetoric as readers and interpreters of texts and to develop skills as writers and speakers. Prerequisite: first two levels of the writing requirement or equivalent transfer credit. For topics, see
https://undergrad.stanford.edu/programs/pwr/courses/advanced-pwr-courses.
Last offered: Autumn 2015
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II
RELIGST 3: The Religious Life of Things
Temples, prayer beads, icons, robes, books, relics, candles and incense, scarves and hats, sacred food and holy water; objects of all sorts play a prominent role in all religions, evoking a wide range of emotional responses, from reverence, solace and even ecstasy, to fear, hostility and violence. What is it about these things that makes them so powerful? Is it beliefs and doctrines that inspire particular attitudes towards certain objects, or is it the other way around? Many see a tension or even contradiction between religion and material pursuits and argue that the true religious life is a life without things. But is such a life even possible? This course adopts a comparative approach, drawing on a variety of traditions to examine the place of images, food, clothing, ritual objects, architecture and relics in religious thought and practice. Materials for the course include scholarship, scripture, images and at least one museum visit.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3-5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, WAY-A-II, WAY-EDP
RELIGST 4: What Didn't Make the Bible (CLASSICS 9N, HISTORY 112C, JEWISHST 4)
Over two billion people alive today consider the Bible to be sacred scripture. But how did the books that made it into the bible get there in the first place? Who decided what was to be part of the bible and what wasn't? How would history look differently if a given book didn't make the final cut and another one did? Hundreds of ancient Jewish and Christian texts are not included in the Bible. "What Didn't Make It in the Bible" focuses on these excluded writings. We will explore the Dead Sea Scrolls, Gnostic gospels, hear of a five-year-old Jesus throwing temper tantrums while killing (and later resurrecting) his classmates, peruse ancient romance novels, explore the adventures of fallen angels who sired giants (and taught humans about cosmetics), tour heaven and hell, encounter the garden of Eden story told from the perspective of the snake, and learn how the world will end. The course assumes no prior knowledge of Judaism, Christianity, the bible, or ancient history. It is designed f
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Over two billion people alive today consider the Bible to be sacred scripture. But how did the books that made it into the bible get there in the first place? Who decided what was to be part of the bible and what wasn't? How would history look differently if a given book didn't make the final cut and another one did? Hundreds of ancient Jewish and Christian texts are not included in the Bible. "What Didn't Make It in the Bible" focuses on these excluded writings. We will explore the Dead Sea Scrolls, Gnostic gospels, hear of a five-year-old Jesus throwing temper tantrums while killing (and later resurrecting) his classmates, peruse ancient romance novels, explore the adventures of fallen angels who sired giants (and taught humans about cosmetics), tour heaven and hell, encounter the garden of Eden story told from the perspective of the snake, and learn how the world will end. The course assumes no prior knowledge of Judaism, Christianity, the bible, or ancient history. It is designed for students who are part of faith traditions that consider the bible to be sacred, as well as those who are not. The only prerequisite is an interest in exploring books, groups, and ideas that eventually lost the battles of history and to keep asking the question "why." In critically examining these ancient narratives and the communities that wrote them, you will investigate how religions canonize a scriptural tradition, better appreciate the diversity of early Judaism and Christianity, understand the historical context of these religions, and explore the politics behind what did and did not make it into the bible.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 4
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-SI
RELIGST 6N: Religion in Anime and Manga
Religious themes and topoi are ubiquitous in Japanese anime and manga. In this course, we will examine how religions are represented in these new media and study the role of religions in contemporary Japan. By doing this, students will also learn fundamental concepts of Buddhism and Shinto.WIN '24: This class will be meeting in room 338 in the East Asia Library.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-EDP
Instructors:
Mross, M. (PI)
RELIGST 8N: Gardens and Sacred Space in Japan
This seminar will explore gardens and sacred spaces in Japan. We will study the development of Japanese garden design from the earliest records to contemporary Japan. We will especially focus on the religious, aesthetic, and social dimensions of gardens and sacred spaces. This seminar features a field trip to a Japanese garden in the area, in order to study how Japanese garden design was adapted in North America. Note: This course will be offered in East Asia Library, Room 212.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-SI
Instructors:
Mross, M. (PI)
RELIGST 10N: The Good Death
We often discuss what makes a 'good life' - that is a life worth living, a life exemplary of one's values and ideals, a life full of meaning. But what makes a 'good death'? Far from being a topic to avoid, ideas of death - what it means, its variations, how it relates to the preceding life, how it should unfold - are rich topics in religion. For religious people, the question of how life is lived in preparation, anticipation, or ignorance of death is often quite central. So, how do religious people imagine what death is and what lies beyond? What guidance exists for the time of death and its aftermath? How is the body understood in relation to death and beyond - and how is it managed? How do the living coexist with the dead in various forms? How do changing ecological and technological concerns shape death practices in the USA and elsewhere? In this class we will explore conceptions of the good death through a variety of religious traditions and perspectives, looking at issues such as the after/next life, death rituals, burial practices, corpses, the holy dead, martyrs, ghosts and spirit guides, and others.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-SI
Instructors:
Bigelow, A. (PI)
RELIGST 26S: Contemporary Islam & Muslims in America
In this course, we will explore contemporary Islam and Muslims in a post-9/11 and Trump-era America. Following some brief grounding history in Week 1, we will use ethnographic studies and digital media content to understand the American Muslim experience in the 21st century. Each week, we will also address how the lived experience of American Muslims interacts with theoretical and normative conceptions of Islam, and whether these interactions eventually create a distinctive American Islam. Topics covered include: racial & gender dynamics, ideological debates, institutions, social media wars, politics, and specific communities as case studies. Together we will develop a critical perspective on the American Muslim experience, particularly as a case of how one diverse religious community negotiates religion in a complex sociopolitical setting.
Last offered: Summer 2020
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-EDP
RELIGST 51: Exploring Buddhism in Tibet and the Himalayas
From elaborate sand mandalas, masked dances, and entrancing ritual music to meditating yogis, robed monks, and the Dalai Lama himself, Tibetan forms of Buddhist traditions have for decades been an integral part of our modern globalized world. This course introduces the history, institutions, doctrines, and practices of Buddhism in Tibet and the broader Himalayan region.
Last offered: Winter 2020
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II
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