Gender and Spirituality in the United States
RELI 210
Spring 2025
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
FGSS 232 |
Reclaim your goddess energy. Worship at the altar within. Celebrate your moon cycle. Good vibes only. Messages like these invite women to sanctify themselves, find meaning in the workings of their bodies, and connect to supreme natural forces. They also have powered spiritual and political movements over the past 70 years. While we might we be inclined to relegate an interest in astrology, crystals, aromatherapy, yoga, or reiki to the realm of hobbies or health practices, this course will instead provide a more nuanced view. We will learn the historical and religious contexts of contemporary American spiritualities, particularly as they have been practiced by and marketed to women. We will answer questions such as: How different is spirituality from religion? Why has spiritual practice been commodified and gendered feminine since the New Age era of the 1960s? How has women's spirituality reflected changing ideals of womanhood and the feminine over time? Throughout the class, we will read and listen to popular spiritual content and contextualize it within broader struggles over identity, sexuality, and feminism. In particular, we will interrogate issues of religious appropriation and consider the effects of contemporary movements on the communities who have cultivated sacred practices for centuries. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS RELI |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 50% - 74% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Readings include selections from:
Courtney Bender, THE NEW METAPHYSICALS (2014)
Elizabeth Bucar, STEALING MY RELIGION (2022)
Susannah Crockford, RIPPLES OF THE UNIVERSE: SPIRITUALITY IN SEDONA, ARIZONA (2021)
Cynthia Eller, THE MYTH OF MATRIARCHAL PREHISTORY (2000)
Andrea R. Jain, PEACE, LOVE YOGA: THE POLITICS OF GLOBAL SPIRITUALITY (2020)
Pamela Klassen, BLESSED EVENTS: RELIGION AND HOME BIRTH IN AMERICA (2001)
Stephanie Mitchem, AFRICAN AMERICAN FOLK HEALING (2007)
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Examinations and Assignments:
Weekly low stakes reading quizzes to be completed before second class meeting of the week
3 Think-Piece Essays (3 pages / 750 words)
Final Exam (short answers)
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Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course fulfills the "Historical Traditions" requirement for the Religion major/minor. |
| Instructor(s): Ganga Kieffer,Kira Lena Times: .M.W... 10:50AM-12:10PM; Location: PAC101; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 20 | | SR major: 3 | JR major: 3 | | |
| Seats Available: 0 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 2 | JR non-major: 2 | SO: 5 | FR: 5 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 9 | 1st Ranked: 5 | 2nd Ranked: 4 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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