What is Religion? Kool-Aid, Outer Space, and the Dalai Lama
RELI 151
Spring 2022
| Section:
01
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This course will introduce students to the academic study of religion. It will not offer a survey of "world religions"; rather, it will call upon a set of case studies to help us explore various theoretical issues in the study of religion. These include theories of religious experience, the interpretation of religious texts, the relationship between thought and practice, and the intersections of religion with law, culture, race, gender, and national identity. Perhaps most importantly, we will examine some of the historical, social, and political processes that have produced "religion" as a category in the first place. Together, these discussions will offer us a set of descriptive and analytical tools for understanding the role of religion in social, economic, and political life in both premodern and contemporary settings. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS RELI |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (RELI-MN)(RELI)(STS) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 50% - 74% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Reiko Ohnuma, "Animal Doubles of the Buddha"
Donald Lopez, BUDDHISM & SCIENCE: A GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED
Thomas Patton, THE BUDDHA'S WIZARDS: MAGIC, PROTECTION, AND HEALING IN BURMESE BUDDHISM
Tomoko Masuzawa, THE INVENTION OF WORLD RELIGIONS
Mayanthi Fernando, "Reconfiguring Freedom: Muslim piety and the limits of secular law and public discourse in France"
David Chidester, SALVATION AND SUICIDE
Emile Durkehim, ELEMENTARY FORMS OF RELIGIOUS LIFE
Kathryn Lofton, PRACTICING OPRAH: OR, THE PRESCRIPTIVE COMPULSION OF A SPIRITUAL CAPITALISM
Sandra Harding, THE BOOK OF JERRY FALWELL
Jeff Sharlet, "He's the Chosen One to Run America: Inside the Cult of Trump"
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Examinations and Assignments:
Active class participation
Four two-page papers
Midterm exam
8-10 page final paper |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Attendance and participation are required. |
| Instructor(s): Rubenstein,Mary-Jane Victoria Quintman,Andrew H Times: ..T.R.. 10:20AM-11:40AM; Location: DWNY113; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 40 | | SR major: 0 | JR major: 4 | | |
| Seats Available: 2 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 4 | JR non-major: 4 | SO: 14 | FR: 14 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 13 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 2 | 3rd Ranked: 1 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 10 |
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