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CS92PROD
Visual Worlds of Himalayan Religions
RELI 321
Fall 2023 not offered
Crosslisting: GSAS 321

How do Tibetan Buddhists look at religious images? What do pilgrims in Nepal see when faced with sacred monuments? Why do devotees in Bhutan display erotic caricatures in public? This seminar will explore the ubiquitous role of images and imagining in the religious traditions of the Himalayan region. Readings and viewings will examine the painting, sculpture, architecture, and performing arts of the Himalaya (including Tibet, Nepal, north India, and Bhutan), placing them in the context of local religious beliefs, ritual practices, and literary canons. The seminar aims to understand how Himalayan cultures produce religious images and the ways of seeing that invest them with meaning. Classes will address specific modes of visual representation, the relationships between text and image, and the social lives of images, as well as processes of reading and interpretation. Particular attention will be paid to representations of Buddha Sakyamuni and visual expressions of his life.
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS RELI
Course Format: SeminarGrading Mode: Student Option
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Requirement for: (GSAS)(RELI-MN)(RELI)

Last Updated on NOV-13-2024
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