ELEMENTARY COURSE
1. Patterns of Religious Experience
07F, 08W, 08F, 09W: 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. Dist: TMV or INT. The staff.
INTRODUCTORY COURSES
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. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Frankenberry.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses numbered 22, 23, 29, 32, 35, 36, 77.
4. Religion of Israel: The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) (Identical to Jewish Studies 4)
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Intermediate level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern religions, see courses numbered 56-58, 78.
5. Early Christianity: The New Testament
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Intermediate level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern religions, see courses numbered 56-58, 78.
6. Introduction to Judaism (Identical to Jewish Studies 6)
07F, 08F: 10
This course offers an introduction to Judaism by examining three of its central spiritual manifestations: (1) development, observance, and study of the Halaka (religious law); (2) philosophical contemplation; and (3) mystical experience and theosophical speculation. Ancient and modern challenges to the tradition will be studied in some detail, and an attempt will be made to determine what might constitute a unity of such a diverse tradition.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Benor.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Judaism, see courses numbered 20-23.
7. First-Year Seminars in Religion
Consult special listings
8. Introduction to Islam (Identical to Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 8)
08X: 10
This course will provide students with useful tools for reading about, thinking about, or otherwise engaging with Islam and Muslims. It is first a survey of important topics in the study of the religion of Islam, including the Qur’an and the Prophet, the role of Islamic mysticism, Islam and the state, Islamic law, and Islamic theories of family and person. We also discuss Orientalism and the western study of Islam, so that we can understand ourselves as students of the Islamic tradition.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Reinhart.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Islam, see courses numbered 25-28.
10. The Religions of China (Identical to Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 10)
09S: 11
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. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Raz.
For courses at the Intermediate level in East Asian Religions, see courses numbered 46-49.
11. Religion and Morality
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. Dist: TMV. Green.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Ethics, see course numbered 29.
12. Religion and Society in America
08W: 10A 09W: 10
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. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Balmer (08W), Hardy (09W).
For courses at the Intermediate level in Religion in America, see course numbered 61.
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. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Frankenberry.
15. The Christian Tradition
08W: 2 09S: 10
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. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. MacEvitt.
For courses at the Intermediate level in the Christian tradition, see courses numbered 31-34, 60-62.
16. Modern Islam (Identical to Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 15)
08S: 10 09S: 12
In all the attention focused on Islam at present, a newspaper reader could be forgiven for supposing that between Muhammad and Usamah bin Laden, there has been no change in Islam. This course surveys developments in Islamic religious history, 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. Readings will be mostly from primary texts written by contemporary Muslims, both modernists and Islamists.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Reinhart.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Islam, see courses numbered 25-28.
17. Introduction to Black Religion in the United States (Identical to African and African American Studies 37)
08S, 09W: 12
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. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Hardy.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Black Religion, see course numbered 61.
18. Indian Buddhism
08W: 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. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Ohnuma.
For courses at the Intermediate level in the Religions of India, see courses numbered 40-42.
19. Special Topics in Religion—Introductory Level
07F: 12 08S: 2A
The contents of this course will vary from term to term. Dist: TMV (except when otherwise noted). WCult: Varies.
In 07F, Introduction to Japanese Religions. This course will trace the development of Japan’s diverse religious traditions, including Buddhism, Shinto, Christianity, Neo-Confucianism, and so-called “New Religious Movements.” We will also examine the role of religion in modern Japan, how Japanese religious values inform contemporary debates on social issues, and the introduction of Japanese religions to North America. Dist: TMV: WCult: NW. Drott.
In 08S, Religion, Politics, and the Presidency. Balmer.
INTERMEDIATE COURSES
21. Modern Judaism (Identical to Jewish Studies 61, pending faculty approval)
09W: 12
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. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Heschel.
For courses at the Introductory level in Judaism, see course numbered 6.
22. Jewish Mysticism (Identical to Jewish Studies 62)
08F: 12
The course examines the nature of claims to mystical experience and knowledge as they appear in various aspects of the Jewish tradition, with primary focus on the enchanted and demonic worlds of medieval Kabbala. Forms of ecstasy and magic will be studied, along with their theoretical and social backgrounds and their impact on elitist and popular Jewish practice.
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.
23. Jewish Philosophers of Religion (Identical to Jewish Studies 63)
07F: 12
The course is conducted through close reading and discussion of works by Spinoza, Buber, and Levinas that translate insights from the Jewish experience to the idiom of modern European culture and, in so doing, make unique contributions to such subjects of modern religious thought as: God and infinity; religion, morality, and politics; autonomy and transcendence; and the role of Jewish intellectuals in the modern era.
Open to all classes. 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.
25. Islamic Mysticism (Sufism)
09S: 10
An introduction to Sufism, using primary texts, films, and recordings. The 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 one influential approach to Sufi metaphysics. Finally, using films and recordings, the class will consider the rituals, practices, and role of the Sufi orders of Islam in Islamic history.
Desirable background: Religion 1, 8, or another College course on Islam or Islamicate culture, or permission of the instructor. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Reinhart.
For courses at the Introductory level in Islam, see courses numbered 8 and 16.
26. Islam in America
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Introductory level in Islam, see courses numbered 8 and 16.
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. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Green.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses numbered 2 and 3.
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 09S: 12
Late Antiquity (c. 300-500 C.E.) 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. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. MacEvitt.
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
09W: 2A
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. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. MacEvitt.
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. Dist: TMV. Frankenberry.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses numbered 2 and 3.
36. New Directions in American Religious Thought
09W: 11
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. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Frankenberry.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses numbered 2 and 3.
40. Topics in the Religions of India
09W: 12
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: “Gods, Demons, and Monkeys: The Ramayana Epic of India,” “Women In Indian Religions,” and “Modern Hinduism.”
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Ohnuma.
In 09W, Gods, Demons, and Monkeys: The Ramayana Epic of India. Ohnuma.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Religions of India, see courses numbered 9 and 18.
41. Readings in Buddhist Literature
09W: 10
This course will focus in some depth on a particular body of Buddhist literature from a specific region of the Buddhist world, such as sacred scriptures, philosophical treatises, narrative texts, ritual texts, and sacred biographies. Special attention will be paid to a close and careful reading of the texts, as well as to placing them within their proper historical, social, and cultural contexts. The topic will change with each offering, and students may take the course more than once. Sample topics include: “Indian Buddhist Narratives,” “Mahayana Buddhist Texts,” “Chan/Zen Tradition,” and “Tantra in East Asia.”
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
In 09W, Mahayana Buddhist Texts. Ohnuma.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Religions of India, see courses numbered 9 and 18.
42. Goddesses of India (Identical to Women’s and Gender Studies 43.4)
08F: 2
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.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Ohnuma.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Religions of India, see courses numbered 9 and 18.
46. Daoism: Transformations of Tradition
09W: 2
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. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Raz.
For courses at the Introductory level in Chinese Religions, see course numbered 10.
47. Buddhism in China
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
For courses at the Introductory level in Chinese Religions, see course numbered 10.
48. Body and Sex in Chinese Religions
08W: 11
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 B.C.E. 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. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Raz.
For courses at the Introductory level in Chinese Religions, see course numbered 10.
49. Topics in East Asian Religions
08W: 12 08S: 11
In this course students will read and discuss the latest research on one of the religions of East Asia, or a particular sect, movement, or time period in the history of East Asian 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 “The Body in Japanese Religion.”
Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
In 08W, Japanese Buddhism and the Arts. Can art be a religious pursuit? In Japanese traditional arts, the production of beautiful objects is commonly understood to be of less concern than the spiritual transformation of the artist. This course explores how religion, particularly Buddhism, has influenced the development of Japanese arts, aesthetics, and theories of artistry. It will examine Japanese literary, visual, and dramatic arts—including “practical arts” such as tea and ikebana—within the context Japanese of religious thought and practice. Drott.
In 08S, The Body in Japanese Religion. An examination of the role of the body in Japanese religion and the ways in which religion has shaped somatic experience in Japan. Topics will include the relationship of religious knowledge and medical knowledge prior to the introduction of European medicine, asceticism and philosophies of cultivation in Japanese religious thought, the influence of religion on the construction of gender roles and life-stages, and how traditional religio-cultural attitudes have influenced bio-ethical debates in contemporary Japan. Drott.
For courses at the Introductory level in East Asian Religions, see course numbered 10.
50. Indigenous African Religions (Identical to African and African American Studies 43)
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
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. 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)
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
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.
Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Amadiume.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Religions of Africa, see course numbered 14.
57. Readings in the Biblical Tradition
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV. WCult: Varies.
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
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV. WCult: Varies.
For courses at the Introductory level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern religions, see courses numbered 4-5.
60. The Protestant Reformation: Origins, Legacies, and Modern Appropriations
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
Open to juniors and seniors, and to sophomores by permission. Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see course numbered 15.
61. Martin Luther King, Black Religion, and the Civil Rights Movement (Identical to African and African American Studies 82)
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
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. Dist: SOC; WCult: CI.
62. Contemporary Christianity
09S: 10A
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. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Hardy.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see course numbered 15.
70. Foreign Study in Religion I
07F, 08F: 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. Dist: TMV.
71. Foreign Study in Religion II
07F, 08F: 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. Dist: TMV.
72. Foreign Study in Religion III
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
Prerequisite: two courses in Religion. Dist: TMV.
74. Special Topics in Religion—Intermediate Level
07F: D.F.S.P. 08W: 2A 08S: 10A 08F: D.F.S.P.
The contents of this course will vary from term to term.
Dist: TMV (unless otherwise indicated). WCult: Varies.
In 07F D.F.S.P., Ritual and Religion in the Post-Modern United Kingdom. Reinhart.
In 08W, Evangelicalism. Balmer.
In 08S, Mormonism. Balmer.
In 08F, to be announced.
APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF RELIGION COURSES
75. Foundational Figures in the Study of Religion
08S: 12 08X: 2
In this course we will read the works of a number of the “greats”—Tylor, Durkheim, Freud, Weber, among others—who shaped the modern, scholarly study of religion. We will also read critical literature on their work. The course is designed to give students a grounding in the methods and approaches taken for granted in the field of the study of religion.
Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Dist: TMV. Reinhart.
76. Magic, Science, and Religion
09W: 2
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.
77. Reason and Religious Belief
08W: 10 08F: 12
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. Dist: TMV. Frankenberry.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses numbered 2 and 3.
ADVANCED COURSES
80-81. Seminars
80. Seminars
07F, 09S: 10A
In 07F, Ancient Egyptian Religion. The great civilization of ancient Egypt, which spanned a period of almost 3000 years, has left us a wealth of literary, artistic, architectural, and funerary religious remains. This course will focus on three major aspects of Egypt’s religious heritage: (1) the pantheon and the myths and stories about Egypt’s gods; (2) temple complexes; and (3) tombs, especially the tombs of royalty and other nobles.
Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Ackerman.
In 09S, Exploring the Dao. Raz.
81. Dickinson Distinguished Scholar Seminars
08S, 08F: 10A
In 08S, The Creation of “Buddhism.” This seminar will focus on “Buddhism” not as a living religious tradition, but as an academic object created, solidified, and defined by the West. How was “Buddhism” created in the libraries and academies of the West, and how does this creation continue to define what “Buddhism” is today? This seminar will highlight the work of Professor Donald S. Lopez, Jr., of the University of Michigan, who will visit Dartmouth toward the end of the term. Ohnuma.
In 08F, Richard Dawkins and His Critics. Frankenberry.
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
08W, 09W: 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 colloquium 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. Dist: TMV.
In 08W, Explaining Religion. Benor and MacEvitt.
In 09W, The Invention of Religion. Frankenberry and Heschel.
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.