Ordering Nature, Humanity, and Deities
CHUM 323
Fall 2006
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
RELI 303 |
In the period between the 12th and 21st centuries, an epistemological revolution occurred that has resulted in a set of globalized, European-born epistemologies displacing most of the myriad forms of knowledge among indigenous peoples. The pervasiveness of these epistemologies testifies not just to the projected power of European imperialism but, also, to the persuasiveness of western hegemony. Just as profoundly, the shift included efforts to categorize humans racially, religiously, and ethnically using systems of classification developed to categorize nature. This course considers this shift with an exploration of the epistemologies by which South Asian and Europeans knew their respective worlds in the pre-modern and modern periods. The analytic foundation of the course will rest on the examination of the categories by which cultures classified those worlds. Categories such as "nature," humanity," and "religion" will be critically examined. The course will consider the pre-imperial forms of knowledge in Europe and South Asia, the development of western empirical science, the influence of theology, and the evolution of contemporary academic disciplines through the imperial encounter with the peoples, land, and religions of the Subcontinent, among other dominions. Because of the focus on the multiplicity of epistemologies, a variety of forms of expression--verbal and non-verbal--will be considered including literature, historiography, art, museums, maps, and religious texts. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Writing |
| 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) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Christopher Columbus, THE FOUR VOYAGES
Wendy Doniger, THE LAWS OF MANU
Donna Haraway, MODEST WITNESS
Thomas Kuhn, THE STRUCTURE OF SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTIONS
Gyan Prakash, ANOTHER REASON
Christopher P. Toumey, GOD¿S OWN SCIENTISTS: CREATIONISTS IN A SECULAR WORLD
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Examinations and Assignments:
Three short papers, one research paper. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course fulfills a "Critical Theory" requirement for the Religion department major. |
| Instructor(s): Gottschalk,Peter S. Times: .M.W... 11:00AM-12:20PM; Location: CFH106; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: 4 | JR major: 3 | | |
| Seats Available: 6 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 4 | JR non-major: 3 | SO: 1 | FR: X |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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