printer friendly pageRELIGST 1: Religion Around the Globe
This course surveys major religious traditions of the world. Through examination of a variety of materials, including scriptures and other spiritual writings, religious objects and artifacts, and modern documentary and film, we explore Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Jainism as rich historical and living traditions.
Terms: Win
| Units: 4
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, GER:EC-GlobalCom, WAY-EDP, WAY-SI
RELIGST 4: What Didn't Make It into the Bible (CLASSICS 9N, 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 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 7N: Religion, Ecology and Environmental Ethics
The world today is in the midst of a major ecological crisis that is manifested in extreme weather events, loss of biodiversity, depletion of fisheries, pollution of air, water, and soil, prolonged draughts, and mass extinction of species. Since the 1970s world religions have begun to grapple with the religious significance of the environmental crisis, examining their own scriptures, rituals and ethics in order to articulate religious responses to the ecological crisis. This course explores how certain religions¿Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism¿have addressed the ecological crisis for the past fifty years. Preserving the distinctiveness of each religious tradition, this seminar examines: the issue of religion as the cause of the environmental crisis; the resources for ecological responses within each tradition; the emergence of new religious ecologies and ecological theologies; the contribution of world religions to environmental ethics; and the degree to which the environmental crisis has functioned¿and will function¿as the basis of inter-faith collaboration. We will work to develop a shared vocabulary in environmental humanities, and special attention will be given to the contribution of religion to animal studies, ecofeminism, religion and the science of ecology, and the interplay between faith, scholarship and activism.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-ER
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.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-SI
Instructors:
Mross, M. (PI)
RELIGST 11N: The Meaning of Life: Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Religious Perspectives
What is involved in making personal/existential sense of one's own life? We study artworks and texts by Manet, T.S. Eliot, Plato, Plotinus, Augustine, Marx, Nietzsche, and Heidegger, as well as Ingmar Bergman's classic film, "The Seventh Seal."
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum
Instructors:
Sheehan, T. (PI)
RELIGST 12N: Perspectives on the Good Life
The question is how to approach and evaluate different perspectives on the good life, especially when those perspectives are beautifully, and elusively, presented to us as texts. We will consider both classic and modern writers, from the West and from China; some are explicitly religious, some explicitly secular; some literary, some philosophical. Most of the class will revolve around our talk with each other, interpreting and questioning relatively short texts. The works we will read - by Dante, Dickenson, Zhuangzi, Shklar, and others - are not intended to be representative of traditions, of eras, or of disciplines. They do, however, present a range of viewpoint and of style that will help frame and re-frame our views on the good life. They will illustrate and question the role that great texts can play in a modern 'art of living.' Perhaps most important, they will develop and reward the skills of careful reading, attentive listening, and thoughtful discussion. (Note: preparation and participation in discussion are the primary course requirement. Enrollment at 3 units requires a short final paper; a more substantial paper is required for the 4-unit option.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3-4
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum
RELIGST 24S: Witches, Witchcraft, and Witch-Hunting in Early America
The early modern era witnessed a dramatic surge in the religious and legal persecution of women and men suspected of and executed for witchcraft. While witch-hunting was a global phenomenon, this class shall focus on the early American religious experience. This course will explore the history of witchcraft in early America, with particular focus on Puritan New England. This class will challenge students to consider what was witchcraft? Why did people believe in it, and how did it give meaning to their worlds? What functions did witchcraft have in society? Who were most vulnerable to accusations? What best explains the phenomenon of witch-hunting? Because this class takes a historical approach to the religious world of early America, much of the coursework will center on interpreting and analyzing primary sources related to witchcraft (e.g. sermons, diaries, letters, trial notes) and engaging with secondary sources by witchcraft experts. Our focus shall be both macro and micro, studying small single episodes, as well as large-scale events, such as the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-EDP
Instructors:
Gullotta, D. (PI)
;
Mendez, N. (TA)
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.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-EDP
Instructors:
Ahmed, A. (PI)
;
Hafoka, E. (TA)
RELIGST 36X: Dangerous Ideas (ARTHIST 36, COMPLIT 36A, EALC 36, ENGLISH 71, ETHICSOC 36X, FRENCH 36, HISTORY 3D, MUSIC 36H, PHIL 36, POLISCI 70, SLAVIC 36)
Ideas matter. Concepts such as revolution, tradition, and hell have inspired social movements, shaped political systems, and dramatically influenced the lives of individuals. Others, like immigration, universal basic income, and youth play an important role in contemporary debates in the United States. All of these ideas are contested, and they have a real power to change lives, for better and for worse. In this one-unit class we will examine these ¿dangerous¿ ideas. Each week, a faculty member from a different department in the humanities and arts will explore a concept that has shaped human experience across time and space. Some weeks will have short reading assignments, but you are not required to purchase any materials.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 1
Instructors:
Anderson, R. (PI)
RELIGST 50: Exploring Buddhism
A comprehensive historical survey of the Buddhist tradition, from its beginnings to the 21st century, covering principal teachings and practices, institutional and social forms, and artistic and iconographical expressions. (Formerly
RELIGST 14.)
Terms: Spr
| Units: 4
| UG Reqs: GER:EC-GlobalCom, GER:DB-Hum, WAY-EDP
Instructors:
Harrison, P. (PI)
;
Craig III, R. (SI)
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