|
Chair: Susan Ackerman
Professors S. Ackerman, I. Amadiume, N. K. Frankenberry, R. M. Green;
Associate Professors E. Z. Benor, S. Heschel, R. Ohnuma, A. K. Reinhart;
Assistant Professors C. E. Hardy III, C. H. MacEvitt, G. Raz; Visiting
Professors A. J. Newman, J. E. Wright; Visiting Assistant Professor N. F.
Denzey; Lecturer M. K. K. Yearl.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR
Prerequisite: Religion 1.
Requirements: In addition to Religion 1, the major consists of nine courses
including:
1. At least two courses from the Introductory series on Religion (Religion 2
through 19).
2. At least one course from the Approaches to the Study of Religion series
(Religion 20 through 23).
3. At least two courses from the Intermediate series on Religion (Religion
24 through 79).
4. One on-campus seminar in Religion (Religion 80 or 81). Students should
note that some seminars will have prerequisites. Consult the Chair for more
information.
5. As Culminating Experience, either completion of the Honors Program, or
the Senior Colloquium (Religion 85), or an Advanced Independent Study (Religion
84). Consult the Chair for more information.
6. The major must include at least one Religion Department course from among
those designated as fulfilling the Non-Western requirement.
No more than three transfer courses, which may include Religion 76, 77, or
78 (on D.F.S.P.), will be accepted for major credit. All transfer courses must
be approved in advance by the Department.
Major programs are subject to the approval of the Chair.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MODIFIED MAJOR
Prerequisite: Religion 1.
Requirements: In addition to Religion 1, 11 courses of which 7 or more shall
be in the Department.
1. At least two courses from the Introductory series on Religion.
2. At least one course from the Approaches to the Study of Religion
series.
3. At least one course from the Intermediate series on Religion.
4. One on-campus seminar in Religion. Students should note that some
seminars will have prerequisites.
5. As Culminating Experience, either completion of the Honors Program, or
the Senior Colloquium (Religion 85), or an Advanced Independent Study (Religion
84). Consult the Chair for more information.
The remainder may be courses in other departments provided that such courses
constitute a coherent program of study in religion. Approval of the modified
major must be obtained from the Chair.
The modified major must include at least one Religion Department course from
among those designated as fulfilling the Non-Western requirement.
No more than three transfer courses, which may include Religion 76, 77, or
78 (on D.F.S.P.), will be accepted for major credit. All transfer courses must
be approved in advance by the Department.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR
Prerequisite: Religion 1.
Requirements: In addition to Religion 1, the minor consists of five courses
to be selected as follows:
1. Two courses from the Introductory series on Religion.
2. At least one course from the Approaches to the Study of Religion
series.
3. At least one course from the Intermediate series on Religion.
4. One additional course in Religion (any level).
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS AND FOREIGN STUDY
Courses taken at the University of Edinburgh on the Department's foreign
study program will normally be counted among the intermediate courses required
for the major as listed in 2, above. The course offered by the Dartmouth
faculty leader is Religion 79.
RELIGION HONORS PROGRAM
Qualified majors may apply for admission to the Honors Program of the
Department during the second or third terms of their junior year. Completion of
the Honors Program is prerequisite to graduation with Honors or High Honors in
the major subject.
The Honors Program of the Department of Religion is designed to encourage
and enable a qualified major student to pursue a long-term independent research
project on some topic of interest and importance. Through the project, as
guided by a member of the faculty, the student should come to an understanding
in depth of the content of the subject and the methodological procedures
necessary to enable him or her to reach the desired goal.
During two terms of the senior year the honors student will pursue the
project under the guidance of a selected faculty member by enrolling in
Religion 86 (Honors I: Research) and 87 (Honors II: Writing). The student is
expected to produce a substantial thesis as the culmination of the project. A
paper of seventy-five to one hundred pages would be considered usual, although
the exact nature of the project might dictate a different length. The student
will be expected to maintain at least a 'B+' level of performance throughout
the two terms. Unless at least a grade of B+ is assigned the thesis and a
cumulative average of 3.0 is maintained in the major, he or she will not be
considered to have successfully completed the project. If in the judgment of
the Department the student has failed to perform at the minimal level, it will
have the right to terminate the project at the end of the first or the second
term.
In order to qualify for an Honors Program in the Religion Department, the
student must have at the time of application an average of 3.0 in all subjects
and 3.3 in the major. The interested candidate should, in consultation with a
faculty adviser, decide on a course of study, reading, and writing, and should
then present these proposals in a petition to the Department.
Preparation and Submission of Thesis Proposal. After the proposal
is approved by the faculty adviser, it will be submitted to the Religion
Department for approval. Since the Department may request that the student
rewrite the proposal, we recommend that a proposal be submitted to the
Department by the seventh week of the spring term of the junior year.
Thesis Writing. A student must write a two-term thesis, for which
two course credits may be received. A thesis written during the fall and winter
must be submitted by the end of the first week in May. A thesis completed
during the spring term must be submitted by the end of the third week in May.
An oral defense will be scheduled shortly thereafter.
The Honors Program counts as fulfilling the Culminating Experience
requirement. Honors students are normally expected to participate in the Senior
Colloquium but are excused from the writing component.
ELEMENTARY COURSE
1. Patterns of Religious Experience
06F, 07W, 07F, 08W: 11
A comparative study of some of the basic patterns of religion. The course
will focus upon such themes as religious experience, myths of creation, stories
of religious founders and heroes, the origin and resolution of human suffering,
and the structure and meaning of religious community and ritual. Source
material for these themes will be taken from the literary and artistic
resources of the following religious traditions: Buddhism, Christianity,
Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR or INT.
Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV or INT. The staff.
INTRODUCTORY COURSES
2. Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
The course will introduce students to some central issues in the
philosophical evaluation and interpretation of religious belief and practice.
We will read texts from a variety of philosophical perspectives dealing with
the justification of religious belief, the problem of evil, religious
experience, religious language, and the nature and destiny of the human person.
Some attention will be given to comparative issues in the philosophy of
religion.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR. Class of
2008 and later: Dist: TMV. The staff.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses
numbered 22, 29, 30, 32, 35, 36, 62, 63.
3. Modern Religious and Anti-Religious Thinkers
08W: 12
Critical examination of some of the most influential modern proponents and
opponents of religious faith, with special emphasis on the question: what is
involved in belief in God?
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
Frankenberry.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses
numbered 22, 29, 30, 32, 35, 36, 62, 63.
4. Religion of Israel: The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) (Identical to
Jewish Studies 4)
07W: 2
An introduction to the religion of ancient Israel through an examination of
a number of the books of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), including Genesis,
Exodus, Joshua, Samuel, the Psalms, Job, and the prophets. Attention will also
be given to the religion of Israel's Phoenician and Mesopotamian neighbors.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Ackerman.
For courses at the Intermediate level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern
religions, see courses numbered 23, 56-58.
5. Early Christianity: The New Testament
07S: 2
An examination of primitive Christianity as witnessed by the writings of the
New Testament. Emphasis will be given to the literary and historical analysis
of the Gospels and Epistles and to an understanding of the pre-Christian and
non-Christian religions of the Hellenistic world.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Denzey.
For courses at the Intermediate level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern
religions, see courses numbered 23, 56-58.
6. Introduction to Judaism (Identical to Jewish Studies 6)
06F, 07F: 12
The readings and lectures in this course will be devoted to giving an
outline of the Jewish religion, both in its ideas and its practices. Materials
will be drawn from rabbinic, medieval, and modern Judaism.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Benor.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Judaism, see courses numbered 30,
60-63.
7. First-Year Seminars in Religion
Consult special listings
8. Introduction to Islam (Identical to Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
8)
07W: 10
A survey of important topics in the study of Islam, including the Qur'an and
the Prophet, Orientalism and the Western study of Islam, the role of Islamic
mysticism, Islam and the state, Islamic law, and Islamic theories of family and
person.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Reinhart.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Islam, see courses numbered
70-73.
9. Hinduism (Identical to Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 9)
08W: 2
An introductory survey of the Hindu religious tradition of South Asia from
1500 B.C.E. down to the present day. Emphasis will be given to the historical
development of elite, Sanskritic Hinduism and its constant interaction with
popular and local traditions.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Ohnuma.
For courses at the Intermediate level in the Religions of India, see courses
numbered 40-41.
10. The Religions of China (Identical to Asian and Middle Eastern
Studies 10)
07W: 12 08S: 10
An introduction to China's three major religions-Confucianism, Daoism, and
Buddhism-through the reading of classic texts. Also, a look at important
elements in Chinese folk religion-ancestor worship, temples, heavens and hells,
and forms of divination. Special attention will be paid to the importance of
government in Chinese religious thought and to continuity and change in the
history of Chinese religion.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Raz.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Chinese Religions, see courses
numbered 46-49.
11. Religion and Morality
06F: 10A 07F: 2
An examination of the process of moral reasoning and its relationship to
religious belief. Emphasis will be given to the analysis of issues that have
drawn the special attention of religious ethicists; among these are abortion,
stem cell research, the treatment of congenitally impaired newborns, same-sex
marriage, and physician assisted suicide.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR. Class of
2008 and later: Dist: TMV. Green.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Ethics, see courses numbered
29-30.
12. Religion and Society in America
07S: 11 08S: 12
A study of religious groups and movements in this country, ranging from the
major institutional faiths to religious protest groups, cults, and the
religions of the 'counter-culture.' Special attention is given to the social
forces which shape religious expression in America.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NA. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Hardy.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Religion in America, see courses
numbered 24, 53-54, 68.
13. Beyond God the Father: An Introduction to Gender and Religion
(Identical to Women's and Gender Studies 43.1)
08S: 10A
A survey of contemporary writings that explore the relations between gender
and religion in the West from historical, anthropological, theological, and
philosophical perspectives. The course serves as an introduction both to gender
studies and to the study of religion. Topics to be discussed include: current
theories of "gender" and of "religion," androcentric
scriptures, patriarchal institutions and matriarchal myths, sexual
prohibitions, body politics, queering religion, feminist theology, and the
emergence of feminist philosophies of religion. Authors may include: Mary Daly,
Judith Butler, Caroline Walker Bynum, Donna Haraway, Pamela Anderson, Grace
Jantzen, Howard Eilberg-Schwartz, Pierre Bourdieu, Rosemary Ruether, Elizabeth
Schussler-Fiorenza, and others.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NA. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
Frankenberry.
14. Women, Religion and Social Change in Africa and African Diaspora
(Identical to African and African American Studies 42 and Women's and
Gender Studies 44)
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
This introductory, multidisciplinary course examines women's religious
ideas, beliefs, concerns, actions, rituals, and socio-cultural experiences in
African societies and cultures from a comparative, historical, and gender
perspective. We will consider women's experiences of social change in African
religions, the encounter with Islam, slavery, Christianity, and colonialism.
Analysis is given to the articulations of economic and political power or lack
of power in religious ideas and to such questions as: What are the different
antecedents and circumstances in which women exercise or are denied agency,
leadership, power, and happiness in their communities? What can those in the
Western world learn from African women that is of use for better ways of living
today? Texts will include nonfiction, fiction, and film narratives.
Open to all students. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
For courses at the Intermediate level in the Religions of Africa, see
courses numbered 50-52.
15. The Christian Tradition
06F: 10 08W: 2
An introduction to the variety of Christian beliefs, institutions, and
practices from the first century to the end of the sixteenth century. Attention
will be focused on understanding how Christian communities adapted and
developed religious beliefs and practices in the face of changing historical
circumstances.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Yearl.
For courses at the Intermediate level in the Christian tradition, see
courses numbered 31-34, 65-69.
16. Modern Islam (Identical to Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
15)
07X: 10
An introduction to developments in religious thought and practice since
1800, with special emphasis on topics of current controversy, including the
status of women, the nature of government, and the place of Islamic law.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Reinhart.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Islam, see courses numbered
70-73.
17. Introduction to Black Religion in the United States (Identical to
African and African American Studies 37)
08W: 10
This course explores and analyzes the highly diverse religious expressions
and postures among persons of African descent in the United States. While the
direction of the course is largely chronological, it is not intended as a
comprehensive survey of black religion in the United States. This course will,
however, situate black religious practice and thought in the larger terrain of
American religious history and explore several themes that will help us grapple
with how black people have shaped their religious culture and thought since
slavery.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NA. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Hardy.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Black Religion, see course numbered
68.
18. Indian Buddhism
08S: 2
An introductory survey of the Buddhism of South Asia from its beginnings in
the 6th century B.C.E. to its eventual demise in the 12th century C.E. Emphasis
will be given to the major beliefs, practices, and institutions characteristic
of Indian Buddhism, the development of its different varieties (Hinayana,
Mahayana, and Vajrayana), and its impact upon South Asian civilization at
large.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Ohnuma.
For courses at the Intermediate level in the Religions of India, see courses
numbered 40-41.
19. Experimental Curriculum Course-Introductory Level
07W: 10A 07S: 2A
The contents of this course will vary from term to term. Class of 2007 and
earlier: Dist: PHR; Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV (except
when otherwise noted). WCult: Varies.
In 07W, Assisted Reproduction In the 21st Century (Identical to
College Course 2). Dist: TAS. Green, Cramer, and Stern.
In 07S, Religion and Medicine in Ancient and Medieval Europe.
Yearl.
APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF RELIGION COURSES
20. Classical Approaches to the Study of Religion
07X: 12
This course is an introduction to the study of religion through its history.
Students will read classics in the field of religion focusing on specific
themes as analytical concepts and examining the relation between them. The
focus will change with each offering. By the end of the term students will have
acquired a familiarity with the ways in which religion has been studied and
will have had occasion to reflect, themselves, on major questions that have
engaged scholars for the last 150 years.
Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Class of 2007 and earlier:
Dist: PHR. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV. Reinhart.
21. Magic, Science, and Religion
07S: 10
Can significant distinctions be drawn between religious and magical ritual?
Do magic and religion thrive in opposition to the science of their time or in
congruence with it? The course addresses such theoretical questions in the
study of religion from perspectives of history, philosophy of science,
anthropology, and cognitive science. The course will suggest a general theory
of conditions under which religion tends to be or tends not to be magical.
Students will be invited to challenge that theory.
Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Benor.
22. Reason and Religious Belief
07W: 12 08W: 10
A study of the principal religious and philosophical arguments for and
against religious belief. The first part of the course will consider the
question of the justifiability of religious belief through an appeal to
religious experience and mysticism, to rational theistic arguments, and to
faith, showing the difficulties in each case. The second part of the course
will cover alternatives to classical theism and the contemporary challenge of
conceptual relativism and religious pluralism.
Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Class of 2007 and earlier:
Dist: PHR. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV.
Frankenberry.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses
numbered 2 and 3.
23. Theoretical Approaches to the Study of Myth: Interpreting Ancient Near
Eastern Mythology
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
This course examines various theoretical approaches to the study of
mythology that have been developed by scholars in the past century by
considering the ways in which these theoretical models have been used in the
interpretation of mythologies of two of the great cultures of the ancient Near
East, Mesopotamia and Canaan. Readings will include all the major myths of
Mesopotamian and Canaanite tradition; major articles by theoreticians of myth
such as Bronislaw Malinowski, Clyde Kluckhohn, and Claude Levi-Strauss; and
various essays that attempt to apply these theoretical studies to the ancient
Near Eastern mythological materials.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
For courses at the Introductory level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern
religions, see courses numbered 4-5.
INTERMEDIATE COURSES
24. Latino/a Religious Traditions
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
This course is an introduction to the reception and transformation of
several religious traditions in two socio-cultural regions of Latin
America-Mexico and the "Hispanic Caribbean"-and their continued
development in the United States. The first half of the course will explore the
history and significance of Mexican Catholicism, and the development and
meaning of Mexican-American, or Chicano/a, religious traditions in the American
Southwest. The second half of the course will focus on the history and culture
of the Hispanic Caribbean, particularly of Cuba and Puerto Rico. Afro-Caribbean
traditions and Puerto Rican Pentecostalism will be studied as responses to both
modernity and the United States' cultural influence. Expressed historically
along a continuum from separatism to creolization, the meaning of Latino/a
identity will be analyzed as a truly "New World" cosmological
orientation and negotiation of power.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NA. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Introductory level in Religion in America, see courses
numbered 12 and 17.
29. Kierkegaard and Religious Existentialism
07F: 2A
A study of the correlation between religious and existential writings in the
modern period of Western thought. Critical assessment will be made of the
writings of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Bultmann, Jaspers, Buber, and Tillich.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Green.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses
numbered 2 and 3.
30. Evil and Suffering: Reflections on the Holocaust
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
The course analyzes conceptions of suffering and evil and types of human
response to them against the background of the Jewish experience in Europe
during the Nazi era. Readings will include works by Theodor Adorno, Hanna
Arendt, Augustine, Moses Maimonides, Immanuel Kant, Elaine Pagels, Judith
Shklar, and Simone Weil.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses
numbered 2 and 3. For courses at the Introductory level in Judaism, see course
numbered 6.
31. Sex, Celibacy, and the Problem of Purity: Asceticism and the Human Body
in Late Antiquity (Identical to Women's and Gender Studies 43.2 and
Classical Studies 11)
07F: 2
Late Antiquity (c. 300-500 AD) was a time when Christians struggled to
understand how gender, family life, and religion could intermesh. Did virgins
get to heaven faster than those who marry? Can a chaste man and woman live
together without succumbing to lust? Were men holier than women? What about
women who behaved like men? This course examines the changing understanding of
the body, marriage, sexuality, and gender within Christianity through reading
saints' lives, letters, polemical essays, and legal texts.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
MacEvitt.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see
courses numbered 5 and 15.
32. Mysticism and Christianity
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
In this course we will attempt to locate the phenomena of mysticism
historically, theologically, and philosophically. Focusing on selected mystical
authors from the Christian middle ages and/or early modern period, we will
discuss the genesis of the term mysticism, the experiential and linguistic
dimensions of mystical texts, the role of the body, sexuality, and gender in
descriptions of union between the believer and the divine, and the ethical
implications of mystical discourse. Finally, the importation of mysticism as a
category for understanding non-Christian religions will be discussed.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses
numbered 2 and 3. For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian
tradition, see courses numbered 5 and 15.
33. Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the Age of the Crusades
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
This course will focus on the interactions of the three major religious
communities of the medieval Mediterranean-Christian, Jewish, and
Muslim-beginning with the First Crusade in 1096 and ending with the arrival of
the Black Death in 1347. By examining topics such as pilgrimage, crusade and
jihad, the status of minority communities, and intellectual life, we will
explore how Christians, Jews, and Muslims clashed, cooperated, influenced, and
misunderstood each other.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see
courses numbered 5 and 15.
34. Christianity and Conversion in the Northern World: Vikings, Celts, and
Anglo-Saxons
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
This course explores the transformation of Christianity in the early
medieval period. The conversion of 'barbarian' peoples in northwest Europe
between 400-1000 meant Christianity had to adapt to a new environment-one
without the Roman Empire, without cities, with different languages, cultures,
and notions of relations between the human and divine worlds. By exploring the
impact the conversion of the people of Ireland, England, and Iceland had on
Christianity, we will understand how ancient Christianity was transformed into
medieval Christianity. We will also explore the appeal this Mediterranean
religion had for communities that surrounded the much colder North Sea.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see
courses numbered 5 and 15.
35. Religion and Science
08S: 2A
The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of current developments
in the natural sciences and religious or theological interpretations of them.
Emphasis is given to understanding an emerging consonance between religion and
science in contrast to models of dissonance and conflict, or independence and
dialogue. Particular attention is given to (1) evolutionary biology, (2)
relativity physics, (3) cosmology, and (4) process theology and philosophy.
Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Class of 2007 and earlier:
Dist: PHR. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV.
Frankenberry.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses
numbered 2 and 3.
36. North American Religious Thought and the Revival of Pragmatism
07W: 10
This course explores a distinctively American tradition of religious thought
that developed outside of the strictly doctrinal or theological thinking of
churches, synagogues, and mosques. Readings range from the religious writings
of the classical pragmatists, including Peirce, James, Santayana, and Dewey, to
neopragmatists such as Richard Rorty, and prophetic pragmatists such as Cornel
West, and their critics. Topics include the character of religious experience,
divinity and nature, the problem of evil, and the meaning of truth.
Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Class of 2007 and earlier:
Dist: PHR; WCult: NA. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult:
W. Frankenberry.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses
numbered 2 and 3.
40. Advanced Topics in Indian Religions
07W: 2
This course will focus in some depth on a particular aspect of religion in
India-for example, a particular religion, sect, time period, body of
literature, type of religion, or religious movement. The topic will change with
each offering, and students may take the course more than once. Sample topics
include: "Goddesses of India," "The Anthropology of
Hinduism," "The Hindu Epics-Mahabharata and Ramayana," and
"Mahayana Buddhist Texts."
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
In 07W, Goddesses of India (Identical to Women's and Gender
Studies 43.4). This course will use both elite and popular Hindu religious
texts in conjunction with contemporary sociological and anthropological
accounts, scholarly analyses, visual art, and film to explore the diverse
identities and roles of India's many goddesses, both ancient and modern.
Special emphasis will also be given to the relationship between goddesses and
women. Ohnuma.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Religions of India, see courses
numbered 9 and 18.
41. Indian Buddhist Narratives
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
An in-depth study of Indian Buddhist narrative literature in English
translation. Emphasis will be placed on persistent religious themes and
concerns characteristic of Indian Buddhism's rich tradition of stories,
folktales, legends, and myths. Examples of such themes include: the life-story
of the Buddha as a paradigmatic model; the doctrines of karma and rebirth;
Buddhist moral virtues such as generosity, compassion, and wisdom; the
religious paths of lay-followers, monks, and nuns; Buddhist conceptions of the
cosmos and of the "good" society; and views concerning caste, class,
and gender.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Religions of India, see courses
numbered 9 and 18.
46. Daoism: Transformations of Tradition
06F: 11 08W: 10
In this course we will explore the historical developments and
transformations of Daoism from its ancient roots to present-day practices. We
will begin by looking at early traditions of immortality seekers and
self-cultivation and at the religious and philosophical ideas in the ancient
Chinese texts of the Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Guanzi. We will also examine recent
archaeological findings, Imperial religious practices, and the complex
interaction of Daoism with Buddhism. We will also look at contemporary Daoist
practices in China and Taiwan. Along the way we will devote special attention
to meditation and divination techniques; alchemy and sexual techniques for
transcendence; the place of women and the feminine in Daoism.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Raz.
For courses at the Introductory level in Chinese Religions, see course
numbered 10.
47. Buddhism in China
06F: 2
A study of the advent of Buddhism in China, its accommodating yet
transforming response to Chinese traditions and values, the emergence of the
authentically Chinese schools of T'ien-T'ai, Hua-yen, Ch'an, and Pure Land
Buddhism, and the enduring Buddhist heritage of China.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Raz.
For courses at the Introductory level in Chinese Religions, see course
numbered 10.
48. Body and Sex in Chinese Religions
08W: 2
In this course we will explore how different traditions in China
conceptualized the relationship between the human body and the universe, and
how individuals can attain immortality and transcendence. After examining
different conceptions of the human body in traditional China, we will focus on
sexual practices advocated by the traditions of immortality-seekers, Daoism,
and esoteric Buddhism as ways to enlightenment and transcendence. In our
explorations we will look at the earliest records of sexual practices found in
tombs of the 3rd century BCE and examine Daoist sexual initiation rites and
secret rites practiced by emperors. We will consider how notions of cosmic
powers and forces are expressed in sexual rituals and how society views such
practices. We will also compare Chinese notions of the body and of sexual
practices with those found in West.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Raz.
For courses at the Introductory level in Chinese Religions, see course
numbered 10.
49. Advanced Topics in Chinese Religions
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
In this course students will read and discuss the latest research on one of
the religions of China, or a particular sect, movement, or time period in the
history of Chinese religions. The topic will change with each offering. Thus,
students may take this course more than once. Sample topics include:
"Literature and Religion In China," "Politics and Religion In
China," and "Health, Death, and Healing in Chinese
Religions."
Prerequisite: Religion 10, Religion 46, or consent of instructor. Class of
2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult: NW. Class of 2008 and later:
Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
For courses at the Introductory level in Chinese Religions, see course
numbered 10.
50. Indigenous African Religions (Identical to African and African
American Studies 43)
07W, 08W: 10A
The course aims to introduce students to the study of African religions in
their traditional settings, covering some major themes that have interested
social researchers and incited debate. The approach is interdisciplinary,
introducing gender balance in the study of men's and women's experiences of
religion in practical everyday living and social action and analyzing how
religion constructs and maintains different gender roles and identities in
specific African societies. The construction of Gods and Goddesses and the role
of religion in politics are also examined. Finally, the philosophies of African
religions are assessed in the context of contemporary epistemological and
ethical debates in feminism, Afrocentricity, and ecological movements.
Open to all students. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
Amadiume.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Religions of Africa, see course
numbered 14.
51. Women's Spirit Possession Narratives in Cross-Cultural Perspective:
Nwapa and the Ezilis (Identical to African and African American Studies 87
and Women's and Gender Studies 50.1)
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
This multidisciplinary course is a cross-cultural comparison of women's
spirit possession, with emphasis on the significance of women's socio-religious
enchantments by African Goddesses, such as the Water Goddesses in Africa and
Ezilis in diaspora African cultures. We will study different accounts and
narratives of possession, including Flora Nwapa's works to assess her radical
reconstruction of the Lake Goddess/Mammy Water (Mami wata) as a feminist icon
of resistance and freedom. Our sources will include Flora Nwapa's novels,
literary criticism, nonfiction, religion and anthropological texts, art
history, and films, as we compare, assess, and analyze critical issues of
voice, choice, and the ethics of power in feminism's and religion's discourses.
Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult: NW. Class of 2008 and
later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Religions of Africa, see course
numbered 14.
52. Women's Rituals: From Africa and Around the World (Identical to
African and African American Studies 66 and Women's and Gender Studies
44.1)
07S, 08S: 2A
This course focuses on women's ritual practices in different cultures and
societies, both traditional and modern. It examines and describes women's
ritual actions, cultural beliefs, values and social practices through
alternative theories and models that enable us to better understand the full
possibilities of culture and religion in shaping our daily lives for a happier
and more just world. It aims to de-emphasize the marginalization, invisibility,
and exclusion of women in male-dominated religious, cultural, and social
practices by studying women's lives in a multiplicity of roles as shaped by
women's knowledge systems, religions, and cultural traditions from the cradle
to the grave.
The course is multidisciplinary and will use sources from social history,
religion, anthropology, literature, art, documentary film, and science.
Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult: NW. Class of 2008 and
later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Amadiume.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Religions of Africa, see course
numbered 14.
53. Religion and the Iroquois Longhouse
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
The Longhouse tradition of the Rotinonhsiónni (or Iroquois people) seeks to
build, maintain, and extend a network of relationship, the 'extended house,'
between and among human and other-than-human communities. Thus it works to
integrate more obviously religious structures with such domains as economics,
ecology, gender relations, decision-making, language, and diplomacy. This
course will utilize Native and non-Native sources to enrich our understanding
of this intricate system, paying attention to both its historical development
and its present reality. The course is oriented toward the production of
student research papers.
Prerequisite: It is highly recommended that students have taken Native
American Studies 10/Anthropology 4, or have done other work in the study of
Native American cultures. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
54. Native American Revitalization Movements
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
Revitalization theory focuses on movements that attempt to restructure,
reconstitute, or transform traditional practices, values, and ideas in the face
of drastically changing conditions that threaten a people's cultural or
physical survival. This course will explore the dynamics of these movements
through important case studies, including the pre-invasion Iroquois
Confederacy; the movement led by the Shawnee Prophet; the Handsome Lake
Movement; the Ghost Dance; and the Peyote Movement. We will reexamine
established theoretical explanations by placing new emphasis on Native
experiences and perspectives. We will conclude with a look at recent
developments in Indian Country that might constitute new kinds of
revitalization. Dist: SOC. Class of 2007 and earlier: WCult:
NA. Class of 2008 and later: WCult: W.
56. Women and the Bible (Identical to Women's and Gender Studies
43.3)
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
As contemporary Jewish and Christian communities of faith face the question
of the role of women within their traditions, many turn to the Bible for
answers. Yet the biblical materials are multivalent, and their position on the
role of women unclear. This course intends to take a close look at the biblical
tradition, both the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and the New Testament, to ask
what the Bible does -and does not say-about women. Yet the course is called
"Women and the Bible," not "Women in the Bible," and
implicit in this title is a second goal of the course: not only to look at the
Bible to see what it actually says about women but also to look at differing
ways that modern feminist biblical scholars have engaged in the enterprise of
interpreting the biblical text.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: CI.
For courses at the Introductory level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern
religions, see courses numbered 4-5.
57. Readings in the Biblical Tradition
07S: 10A
In this course, we will engage in an in-depth study of a particular biblical
book or of a particular biblical motif. The topic will change with each
offering, and students may there fore take this course more than once. Sample
topics include: "The Exodus Tradition"; "Job and the Joban
Tradition"; "Apocalyptic Traditions."
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR. Class of
2008 and later: Dist: TMV. WCult: Varies.
In 07S, "Heretics": Studies in Early Christian Diversity.
Before the emergence of Christian "orthodoxy," from the second to the
fourth century, Christianity often adopted unusual modes of expression. This
course offers an examination of some of these different forms of Christianity
as Christians attempted to balance issues of self-identity and self-definition
with compromise and cultural accommodation. Examining eleven prominent early
Christian "heretics" as case-studies, this course will focus on such
phenomena as "Jewish Christianity," Christian magic and astrology,
early Christian rituals including ecstatic rites of heavenly ascent, Christian
cosmologies and myths of origin, and Gnosticism. Denzey.
For courses at the Introductory level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern
religions, see courses numbered 4-5.
58. Topics in the Bible and Archaeology
06F: 10A
In this course, we will study the relationship between various biblical
texts and archaeological discoveries from the ancient Near East, including
ancient Israel, and from the Roman Empire during the period of Christian
origins. Particular attention will be paid to the ways in which archaeological
data can be used and abused in attempts to understand the Bible better. The
specific topic of the course will change with each offering, and students may
therefore take this class more than once.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR. Class of
2008 and later: Dist: TMV. WCult: Varies.
In 06F, The Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israelite Archaeology. This
course considers the relationship between the Hebrew Bible and archaeological
remains from ancient Israel. We will particlarly focus on some of the
"hottest" debates that concern scholars today: the historicity of the
Exodus; Israel's emergence in the land of Canaan in the late thirteenth and
early twelfth centuries BCE; the existence of an Israelite state in the tenth
century BCE; and the nature of ancient Israelite religion in the ninth through
seventh centuries BCE.
Although students might find that previous study of the Hebrew Bible or the
world of ancient Israel will be helpful in this course, prior work in biblical
studies and/or ancient Israelite history is neither expected nor required.
Ackerman.
For courses at the Introductory level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern
religions, see courses numbered 4-5.
60. Classical and Medieval Judaism (Identical to Jewish Studies
60)
08W: 2A
A survey of the mind and culture of the Jews from the destruction of the
Temple in 70 C.E. through the Golden Age in Spain. Development of the Old
Testament into rabbinic law and legend. Beginnings of mysticism, magic, and the
world of Kabbala. Representative medieval religious philosophies.
Influences of Zoroastrianism, Islam, and the Papacy.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Benor.
For courses at the Introductory level in Judaism, see course numbered 6.
61. Modern Judaism
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
This course will concentrate on modern Jewish thought in the period
beginning with Spinoza's challenge to the Bible. In turn, a figure of the
Enlightenment (Moses Mendelssohn), then a founder of neo-Orthodoxy (S. R.
Hirsch), then the central figure of Reform (Abraham Geiger), and such later
figures as Martin Buber, Ahad Ha'am, and Franz Rosenzweig will be read and
discussed.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Introductory level in Judaism, see course numbered 6.
62. Jewish Mysticism (Identical to Jewish Studies 62)
07W: 10
The course examines the nature of claims to mystical experience or knowledge
as they appear in various aspects of the Jewish tradition with primary focus on
the enchanted and demonic worlds of the Kabbala. Forms of ecstasy,
theurgy, and magic will be studied along with their theoretical and social
backgrounds and their impact on elitist and popular Jewish practice. One class
meeting every week will be devoted to readings in the Zohar, a classic
work of the medieval Kabbala. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist:
PHR; WCult: EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
Benor.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses
numbered 2 and 3. For courses at the Introductory level in Judaism, see course
numbered 6.
63. From Spinoza to Levinas: Varieties of Modern Jewish Thought
(Identical to Jewish Studies 63)
07F: 10
The course examines several ways in which Jewish thought became modern,
responding positively or critically to modernization or taking the lead in the
process. Issues discussed will include: the challenge of modern science, the
post-feudal state, "election" and citizenship, centrality of the self
and its religious experience, mysticism and charismatic community,
transcendence of the self in relations, the challenge of existentialism and
pragmatism, and the revolt against autonomy.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Benor.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses
numbered 2 and 3. For courses at the Introductory level in Judaism, see course
numbered 6.
65. The Theology of Augustine
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
An analysis of the chief points of the doctrinal work of Augustine. Writings
to be examined include his autobiography The Confessions, the
historical panorama of The City of God, and several of his major
theological, scriptural, and polemical books, as well as a selection from his
popular sermons. An attempt will be made to place Augustine within the
religious and cultural context of the fourth and fifth century Roman Empire as
well as to survey his influence in later Western Christian thought.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see course
numbered 15.
66. The Theology of Aquinas
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
An examination of the doctrinal system of Thomas Aquinas in its principal
parts: the concepts of Revelation, God, the Trinity, Creation, Christ, the
Church, and Sacraments and Eschatology. At certain major points Aquinas'
theories will be compared critically with those of other leading medieval
theologians: Bonaventura, Duns Scotus, and Ockham.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see course
numbered 15.
67. The Protestant Reformation: Origins, Legacies, and Modern
Appropriations
08S: 9L
This course will consider the origins of the Protestant Reformation, its
legacy in connection to the emergence of the modern world, and its
appropriation by Christian thinkers in the modern period. We will explore in
particular how Protestant Reformers linked their conception of human nature to
debates about how persons should relate to the church, the state, and the
larger world. This course will also consider how the Reformation contributed to
the rise of secularization and the market and how Christian thinkers of later
centuries appropriated reformers' ideas for their social and political
worlds.
Open to juniors and seniors, and to sophomores by permission. Class of 2007
and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult: EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist:
TMV; WCult: W. Hardy.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see course
numbered 15.
68. Martin Luther King, Black Religion, and the Civil Rights Movement
07S: 2
With special emphasis on the speeches and public work of Martin King, this
course will consider how black religious culture, practices, and institutions
helped to shape the black freedom movement of the 1950s and 60s. We will
explore other figures including Fannie Lou Hamer, James Baldwin, and Malcolm X
and consider how they shaped and challenged the role Afro-Protestant culture
had in determining the moral language and political strategies associated with
the Civil Rights Movement.
Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and to first-year students by
permission. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: SOC. Class of 2007 and
earlier; WCult: NA. Class of 2008 and later: WCult: CI.
Hardy.
69. Contemporary Christianity
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
A survey of Christianity from World War I to the 1980s. The emphasis will be
placed on intellectual and social developments in the Christian Church as it
adjusted itself to the social and cultural effects of the World Wars and the
Depression, changes in historical and scientific outlooks, the civil rights
struggles of minorities, the end of the colonial era, and the rise of mass
urbanism and high technology in Euro-America.
Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult:
EU. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see course
numbered 15.
70. Islamic Mysticism (Sufism)
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
This course will first trace the development of Sufism, including its
Christian and Hindu heritage. Then, using a Sufi manual of instruction,
students will work their way through the metaphysic of Sufism. Finally, using
films and recordings, the class will consider the rituals, practices, and role
of the Sufi orders of Islam in recent Islamic history.
Prerequisite: Religion 1, 8, or History 5.2, 70, or some familiarity with
the Islamic world, or permission of the instructor. Class of 2007 and earlier:
Dist: PHR; WCult: NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult:
NW.
For courses at the Introductory level in Islam, see courses numbered 8 and
16.
71. Islam in North America: A Regional Variety of Islam
07W: 12
Muslims and Islamicists alike speak of Islam as if it were an
undifferentiated item, the same in its essence whether in the Philippines or in
Philadelphia. In this course we will consider North American Islam as a
particular example of a regional variety of Islam. By looking at Islam on this
continent we can examine the ways in which Islam is both a trans-local and
local phenomenon and examine the ways in which it has spread. We will
particularly examine Humphrey Fisher's paradigm of Islamic conversion, and we
will briefly compare it to other areas in which Islam has become a local
religion. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR; WCult: NA. Class of
2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Reinhart.
For courses at the Introductory level in Islam, see courses numbered 8 and
16.
72. The Qur'an and the Prophet
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
The Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad are the source and center of Islam. In
this course we will consider the form and content of the Qur'an and the form
and content of various accounts of the Prophet's life: the hadith or
anecdotes of the Prophet's life, the sirah or biography of Muhammad,
and the maghazi, or accounts of the Prophet's battles and campaigns.
We will be particularly interested in the ways in which the Prophet and the
Qur'an become principles and sources of knowledge, rather than a religious hero
and a text.
Prerequisite: A College course on Islamic history, culture, or society, such
as Religion 8, Religion 16, History 5.2, etc. Class of 2007 and earlier:
Dist: PHR; WCult: NW. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV; WCult:
NW.
For courses at the Introductory level in Islam, see courses numbered 8 and
16.
73. Advanced Topics in the Study of Islam
Not offered in the period from 06F through 08S
This course will focus on a particular topic in Islamic studies, with an
emphasis on the most recent research in that field. The topic will vary with
each offering, so the course may be taken more than once. Sample topics
include: "The Islam of Morocco," "Shi'ism," and
"Problems in Popular Islam." Prerequisites: A previous course on
Islamic religion or Islamicate history and culture, or permission of the
instructor. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist: PHR. Class of 2008 and
later: Dist: TMV. WCult: Varies.
For courses at the Introductory level in Islam, see courses numbered 8 and
16.
76. Foreign Study in Religion I
06F, 07F: D.F.S.P.
Credit for this course is awarded to students who have successfully
completed a religion course at the University of Edinburgh while a member of
the Dartmouth Foreign Study Program in Religion.
Prerequisite: two courses in Religion. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist:
PHR. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV.
77. Foreign Study in Religion II
06F, 07F: D.F.S.P.
Credit for this course is awarded to students who have successfully
completed a religion course at the University of Edinburgh while a member of
the Dartmouth Foreign Study Program in Religion.
Prerequisite: two courses in Religion. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist:
PHR. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV.
78. Foreign Study in Religion III
06F, 07F: D.F.S.P.
Credit for this course is awarded to students who have successfully
completed a religion course at the University of Edinburgh while a member of
the Dartmouth Foreign Study Program in Religion.
Prerequisite: two courses in Religion. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist:
PHR. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV.
79. Experimental Curriculum Course
06F: D.F.S.P. 07W: 2A 07F: D.F.S.P.
The contents of this course will vary from term to term. Class of 2007 and
earlier: Dist: PHR. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV (unless
otherwise indicated). WCult: Varies.
In 06F D.F.S.P., Language, Truth, and Religious Belief.
Frankenberry.
in 07W, A History of Christian Devotional Life, from the Desert Fathers
to the Dissolution. Yearl.
In 07F D.F.S.P., Ritual and Religion in the Post-Modern United
Kingdom. Reinhart.
ADVANCED COURSES
80-81. Seminars
80. Seminars
06F: 2A 07F: 10A
In 06F, The Bible, Sex, and Sexuality. In our society, when
controversial issues about sex and sexuality arise (e.g., the nature of
marriage; homosexuality), participants in the debate often refer to the Bible
and claim it mandates certain points of view. But the Bible's position is not
necessarily so clear-cut. This course will take a close look at representative
biblical texts and relevant scholarly literature in order to examine the
Bible's complex perspectives on topics such as marriage, homosexuality,
adultery, prostitution, incest, and celibacy. Permission of the Instructor is
required. Ackerman.
In 07F, Ancient Egyptian Religion. Ackerman
81. Dickinson Distinguished Scholar Seminars
07S, 08S: 10A
In 07S, The Jew in the Protestant Imagination: The Merchant of
Venice (Identical to Jewish Studies 70 and English 65). This
course will offer a close examination of Shakespeare's construction of
"Jewishness," in the context of a larger review of Jewish history in
medieval and early modern Europe. Dist: LIT. Class of 2007 and
earlier: WCult: EU. Class of 2008 and later: WCult: W.
Permission of the Instructor is required. Heschel, McKee.
In 08S, Topic to be announced. Ohnuma.
82. Joint Research in Religious Studies
All terms: Arrange.
Two or more students may enroll in this course to pursue through independent
reading and research a topic mutually agreed upon between themselves and the
instructor. This course may be used in satisfaction of the seminar
requirement.
Permission of the Chair is required.
83. Research in Religious Studies (Independent Study)
All terms: Arrange.
84. Advanced Research in Religious Studies (Independent Study)
All terms: Arrange.
Serves in fulfillment of the Culminating Experience requirement. Open to
senior majors only; by permission only. Majors electing this option must submit
a research proposal for Departmental approval no later than the end of the
Spring term of the Junior year. Students who choose to enroll in Religion 84 as
their Culminating Experience are normally expected to participate in the Senior
Colloquium but are excused from the writing component of the Colloquium. For
more information, consult with the Chair.
85. Senior Colloquium
07W, 08W: 10A
As a culminating activity for senior majors, this colloquium serves as a
forum for researching and writing the Senior Essay. Two faculty members convene
the colloquia and guide the selection of essay topics. Other faculty and guest
speakers may visit during the first five weeks of the term for discussion of
common readings. The 25-page Senior Essay is expected (1) to display expertise
in at least one cultural area, historical period, methodological approach, or
body of literature, (2) to build upon previous course preparation, and (3) to
engage with one of several approaches or readings discussed in the colloquium.
Students who choose to enroll in Religion 84 or Religion 86 and 87 as their
Culminating Experience are normally expected to participate in the Senior
Colloquium but are excused from the writing component.
Prerequisite: Religion 1. Open only to senior majors. Class of 2007 and
earlier: Dist: PHR. Class of 2008 and later: Dist: TMV.
In 07W, Sacred Space. Benor and Raz.
In 08W, Explaining Religion. Benor and MacEvitt.
86. Honors I (Research)
All terms: Arrange
Open to seniors only; by permission only. Students who choose to enroll in
Religion 86 and 87 as their Culminating Experience are normally expected to
participate in the Senior Colloquium but are excused from the writing component
of the Colloquium.
87. Honors II (Writing)
All terms: Arrange
Open to seniors only; by permission only. Students who choose to enroll in
Religion 86 and 87 as their Culminating Experience are normally expected to
participate in the Senior Colloquium but are excused from the writing component
of the Colloquium.
|
