American Religions Through Children's Media
RELI 483
Spring 2007
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
AMST 304 |
Children's literature, a genre whose history in America dates back to THE NEW ENGLAND PRIMER, has often been intertwined with religious practice in the United States. In this course we will study the history of American religions through the lens of children's media. In so doing, we will examine the issue of how Americans remember and mediate their religious pasts. How do the stories told by historians of American religion compare with the stories told in children's books and graphic novels? How do biblical adaptations for children vary across time and space? What are the ethical stakes at play in representing "religion"? We will keep these questions in mind through a variety of thematic units, including the consumer culture of holidays, Jewish nostalgia, the telling of slave religions, the
intersection of fantasy and religion in children's literature, and evangelical children's media, among other topics. The course readings juxtapose children's literature selections with essays and books from the fields of religious history, American studies, and cultural studies. |
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Essential Capabilities:
None |
| 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: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Mintz, Steven, HUCK'S RAFT: A HISTORY OF AMERICAN CHILDHOOL
LaHaye, Tim, LEFT BEHIND: THE KIDS
Lewis, C. S., THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE
Schmidt, Leigh Eric, CONSUMER RITES: THE BUYING AND SELLING OF AMERICAN HOLIDAYS
Taylor, Sydney, ALL-OF-A-KIND FAMILY
Diner, Hasia, REMEMBERING THE LOWER EAST SIDE
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Examinations and Assignments:
Weekly short papers, midterm take-home exam (essay-based), final research paper. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course fulfills the "Religion in Society" requirement for the Religion Department major. |
| Instructor(s): Eichler-Levine,Jodi Times: .M.W... 02:40PM-04:00PM; Location: PAC107; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 20 | | SR major: 5 | JR major: 5 | | |
| Seats Available: -1 | GRAD: 0 | SR non-major: 1 | JR non-major: 1 | SO: 8 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 9 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 9 |
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