Oliver Freiberger

 Description: 

This course offers a survey of the major religious traditions of Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism in South and East Asia, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto). It focuses on the historical development of their beliefs, practices, rituals, and customs in social context. The course will combine lectures with class discussions on readings.

Course materials:

1. Willard G. Oxtoby, Roy C. Amore, eds. World Religions: Eastern Traditions. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
2. R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
3. Zhuangzi: Basic Writings, translated by Burton Watson. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003.
4. Readings provided as PDF files on CANVAS

Grading:

• Attendance/participation: 20%
• Two quizzes: 20% (10% each)
• Two short essays: 20% (10% each)
• Midterm exam: 20%
• Final exam: 20%

Please check back for updates.  Prerequisite: For Asian studies and Asian cultures and languages majors, twelve semester hours of upper-division coursework in Asian studies or Asian languages; for others, upper-division standing.

This course examines the history of Buddhism by tracing the development of its various schools, doctrines, and religious practices in Asia and beyond. We will explore the historical background against which it arose in India, and study traditional views of the life of the Buddha, the early teachings, and the structure of the Buddhist community of monastics and laypeople. We will examine the growth of Buddhism in India, the development of Theravāda Buddhism and its spread into South East Asia. The emergence of Mahāyāna Buddhism in India and its spread into Central Asia and East Asia will be covered as well as the development of Vajrayāna Buddhism in Tibet. We will then examine the 19th century movement of Buddhist modernism in Sri Lanka and its relations to the Western world. This will be the basis for eventually exploring the various ways Buddhism came to Europe and America and examining the new forms and ideas it developed here.

Textbooks

1. C.S. Prebish, D. Keown. Introducing Buddhism. 2 nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2009. [OR: C.S. Prebish, D. Keown. Buddhism – the eBook. 4 th ed. See www.jbeonlinebooks.org (or through PCL).]

2. J.S. Strong. The Experience of Buddhism. 3rd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2008.

Grading

• Attendance/participation: 20%
• Three quizzes: 30% (10% each)
• Oral presentation or site visit report: 20%
• Final exam: 30%

This course teaches students to analyze situations of interreligious encounter. There is a broad spectrum of such encounters, from interreligious dialogue, at one end, to religious persecution, at the other. The course will introduce students to relevant scholarly approaches in religious studies and provide them with a general theoretical framework for analyzing interreligious dynamics. We will take a close look at selected cases of religious encounters – in the U.S. and in Asia, past and present – and discuss the observed dynamics with the help of theoretical categories. In team fieldwork projects, students will then apply those interpretative tools to cases of interreligious dynamics in local organizations.

This course offers a survey of the major religious traditions of Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism in South and East Asia, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto). It focuses on the historical development of their beliefs, practices, rituals, and customs in social context. The course will combine lectures with class discussions on readings.

Grading:

• Attendance/participation: 20%
• Two quizzes: 20% (10% each)
• Two short essays: 20% (10% each)
• Midterm exam: 20%
• Final exam: 20%

Advanced seminar designed to introduce students to the profession of religious studies. Includes development and preparation of a dissertation proposal, placing scholarship within a broader theoretical context,and pedagogical issues in teaching religious studies at the undergraduate college level.

This graduate seminar examines the construction of religious identity in premodern South Asia. We will discuss how individuals and communities defined their identities as ‘Buddhists’, ‘Brahmins’, ‘Jains’, ‘Muslims’, etc. (or particular variants of such traditions) in certain moments in history. Key questions are: How do the actors handle the existence of truth-claims and religious practices that they perceive as different from their own? How do they draw boundaries between ‘us’ and ‘them’? What rhetorical methods do they employ in defining insider-outsider relations (rational arguments, polemics, negotiations, etc.)? Are categories such as ‘missionary activity’, ‘religious market’ or ‘conversion’ useful for the analysis of South Asian religions? Which types of motivation (religious, economic, political, etc.) for drawing religious boundaries exist in particular historical situations? How does a person’s (or group’s) religious identity relate to their other identities (class, gender, ethnic, linguistic, etc.)?

This course teaches students to analyze situations of interreligious encounter. There is a broad spectrum of such encounters, from interreligious dialogue, at one end, to religious persecution, at the other. The course will introduce students to relevant scholarly approaches in religious studies and provide them with a general theoretical framework for analyzing interreligious dynamics. We will take a close look at selected cases of religious encounters – in the U.S. and in Asia, past and present – and discuss the observed dynamics with the help of theoretical categories. In team fieldwork projects, students will then apply those interpretative tools to cases of interreligious dynamics in local organizations.

This is a required course in the new minor degree program “Global Interreligious Dynamics,” which is designed to help students develop a competency that they may be able to utilize in their future professional careers. For more on this minor, see the flyer here: https://utexas.box.com/v/GID-Information

*Attention*

Although this course is listed as "F 9-10am" in the course schedule, it is a 3-credit course.

It will be offered MWF 9:00-10:00am with a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous meeting times:

Synchronous

Fri - All students will meet online, at the scheduled time, for instruction.

Asynchronous 

Mon/Wed - Recordings will be made available to students by 9am. Small assignments will be due by the end of each class day (M/W/F).

______________________________________

Description

This course offers a survey of major religious traditions of Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism). It focuses on the historical development of their beliefs, practices, rituals, and customs in their social contexts. The course will combine lectures with class discussions on readings. At the end of the semester, students will have a basic knowledge of the beliefs and practices of those religious traditions, have read important religious texts and discussed issues pertinent to the religions’ adherents, and have a more refined sense of how the category “religion” may be applied. All this enables students to develop a greater awareness of global cultural diversity and will, hopefully, spark the desire to study some of those religions more deeply.

Readings:

TBD

Please check back for updates.  Prerequisite: For Asian studies and Asian cultures and languages majors, twelve semester hours of upper-division coursework in Asian studies or Asian languages; for others, upper-division standing.

This course examines the history of Buddhism by tracing the development of its various schools, doctrines, and religious practices in Asia and beyond. We will explore the historical background against which it arose in India, and study traditional views of the life of the Buddha, the early teachings, and the structure of the Buddhist community of monastics and laypeople. We will examine the growth of Buddhism in India, the development of Theravāda Buddhism and its spread into South East Asia. The emergence of Mahāyāna Buddhism in India and its spread into Central Asia and East Asia will be covered as well as the development of Vajrayāna Buddhism in Tibet. We will then examine the 19^th century movement of Buddhist modernism in Sri Lanka and its relations to the Western world. This will be the basis for eventually exploring the various ways Buddhismcame to Europe and America and examining the new forms and ideas it developed here.

This thematic graduate seminar explores the multiple facets of asceticism. Based on concrete cases from South Asia and Mediterranean late antiquity (and other areas, depending on the interest of participants), we will discuss the variety of ascetic bodily practices; ascetic ideology; relations between norms and practices; functions of asceticism within society; gender aspects; asceticism and politics; critics of asceticism; and more. The case studies also provide the material basis for more theoretical questions about the definition and delineation of the scholarly term ‘asceticism’; the role of asceticism in general theories of culture and evolution; and the risks and benefits of a cross-cultural, comparative approach.

All readings will be available in PDF format on Canvas. Some general works are:

Wimbush/Valantasis, Asceticism (2005)
Haripada Chakraborti, Asceticism in ancient India (1973)
Peter Brown, The Body and Society (1988)
Creel/ Narayan (eds.), Monastic Life in the Christian and Hindu Traditions (1990)

This course offers a survey of major religious traditions of Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism in South and East Asia, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto). It focuses on the historical development of their beliefs, practices, rituals, and customs in social context. The course will combine lectures with class discussions on readings. At the end of the semester, students will have a basic knowledge of the beliefs and practices of those religious traditions, have read important religious texts and discussed issues pertinent to the religions’ adherents, and have a more refined sense of how the category “religion” may be applied. All this enables students to develop a greater awareness of global cultural diversity and will, hopefully, spark the desire to study some of those religions more deeply.

Course materials:

1. Willard G. Oxtoby, Roy C. Amore, Amir Hussain, eds. World Religions: Eastern Traditions. 4^th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014.
2. R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
3. Zhuangzi: Basic Writings, translated by Burton Watson. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003.
4. Readings provided as PDF files on Canvas.

Radical Religion: Ascetics and Holy Persons

Asceticism, as a concept and a way of life, exists in many religious traditions. Ascetics commit to bodily restraints that can be manifold and are practiced at various levels of intensity. From specific food restraints (for example, vegetarianism) to fasting to death; from celibacy to self-castration; from wearing simple robes to going naked; from shaving one’s head to severe self-mutilation; from living in a monastic community to locking one-self in a cell to constant wandering. Using case studies from various religions, this course discusses the concepts, practices, and goals associated with this radical way of life. It also introduces students to scholarly approaches to asceticism, which includes theories of the body and of culture more generally. Other topics discussed in class are the social status of the ascetic; asceticism and gender; asceticism and devotion; and asceticism and violence. Historical examples will be taken primarily from South Asia (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism) and Mediterranean late antiquity (Greek/Roman religions, Christianity, Judaism).

At the end of the semester, students (1) will have gained historical knowledge about the discussed ascetic traditions; (2) will have learned to critically analyze historical cases of ascetics and holy persons and sort out soteriological, performative, devotional, social, and other dimensions; (3) will have developed an awareness of how categories like asceticism are defined, constructed, and employed in the study of religion, including the risks and benefits; and (4) will be able to relate the gained insights to our contemporary world.

Flags

This course carries three flags: Global Cultures, Writing, and Independent Inquiry.

This course examines the history of Buddhism by tracing the development of its various schools, doctrines, and religious practices in Asia and beyond. We will explore the historical background against which it arose in India, and study traditional views of the life of the Buddha, the early teachings, and the structure of the Buddhist community of monastics and laypeople. We will examine the growth of Buddhism in India, the development of Theravada Buddhism, and its spread into South East Asia. The emergence of Mahayana Buddhism in India and its spread into Central Asia and East Asia will be covered as well as the development of Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet. We will then examine the 19^th century movement of Buddhist modernism in Sri Lanka and its relations to the Western world. This will be the basis for eventually exploring the various ways Buddhism came to Europe and America and examining the new forms and ideas it developed here.

Textbooks
C.S. Prebish, D. Keown. Introducing Buddhism. 
J.S. Strong. The Experience of Buddhism.

Grading
Attendance/participation: 20% 
Three quizzes: 30% (10% each)
Oral presentation: 20%
Final exam: 30%

What happens when religions come in contact with each other? This course discusses the ways in which religious actors respond to challenges posed by the encounter with people, beliefs, or practices which, for them, do not belong to their own religion. Such responses range from curiosity, dialog, or acceptance to apologetics, hostile polemic, or persecution. Examining case studies from several geographical regions and time periods, we will discuss various forms of rhetorical and practical responses to the “religious other.” Part of this discussion is an analysis of the respective motives, which are sometimes related not only to religious conviction but also to competition over economic resources, social status, and political power.

The course will introduce students to relevant theories and scholarly categories, such as religious othering, conversion, reinterpretation, appropriation, subordination, eclecticism, syncretism, intersection, tolerance and intolerance, dialogue, inclusivism, pluralism, and more. These will be critically discussed and tested on the case studies. The goal of the course is to gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which religious actors grapple with religious plurality, draw boundaries – or ignore them –, and form religious identities.

Readings
Course packet

Grading
Attendance/participation: 25%
Reading journal: 20% (10 at 2% each)
Oral presentation and moderation of class discussion: 20%
Individual case analysis: 25% (essay 15%, presentation 10%)
Response to two case analyses: 10%

Comparing religions is nothing new. Religious people have always compared their beliefs and practices with those of their neighbors, sometimes with a sincere religious interest, sometimes only to claim the superiority of their own religion. When the academic discipline of Religious Studies was established in the late 19th century, scholars sought to compare without favoring a particular religious tradition. They were struck by the fact that the religions of the world seemed to have similar – or completely different – answers to the same existential questions. Some religious expressions (beliefs, practices, literature, art, institutions, etc.) appeared drastically different and others strikingly similar. Some scholars wondered if comparing religions would reveal a common sacred truth that underlay all the diverse forms of religious phenomena, while others warned that assuming such a religious essence was not an analytical but rather a religious assertion. Critics of comparison say that by alleging analogies in other cultures Western scholars impose their own concepts on those cultures, while comparativists insist that because all scholarly categories are comparative, comparison is indispensable. Analyzing those debates, this course will explore the risks and benefits of comparison in the study of religion. We will discuss and evaluate potential goals of a comparative study and develop ways in which it may be conducted both responsibly and productively. Numerous examples from Asian and other religions will enrich the discussions. During the course of the semester, students will also develop individual comparative projects.

Readings: Course packet

Grading:
Attendance/participation: 25%
Reading responses: 20%
Oral presentation: 10%
Research project: 45%

Religions in Contact

What happens when religions come in contact with each other? This course discusses the ways in which religious actors respond to challenges posed by the encounter with people, beliefs, or practices which, for them, do not belong to their own religion. Such responses range from curiosity, dialog, or acceptance to apologetics, hostile polemic, or persecution. Examining case studies from several geographical regions and time periods, we will discuss various forms of rhetorical and practical responses to the “religious other.” Part of this discussion is an analysis of the respective motives, which are sometimes related not only to religious conviction but also to competition over economic resources, social status, and political power.

The course will introduce students to relevant theories and scholarly categories, such as religious othering, conversion, reinterpretation, appropriation, subordination, eclecticism, syncretism, intersection, tolerance and intolerance, dialogue, inclusivism, pluralism, and more. These will be critically discussed and tested on the case studies. The goal of the course is to gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which religious actors grapple with religious plurality, draw boundaries – or ignore them –, and form religious identities.

At the end of the semester, students (1) will have gained insights about important features of the religions discussed in the case studies (especially Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity, Greek and Roman religion); (2) will have learned to analyze various aspects and dimensions of religious encounter in a systematic way; and (3) will be able to suggest alternative perspectives that may help to resolve conflicts related to religious encounter.

Readings:
Course packet.

Grading:
Attendance/participation: 25% 
Reading journal: 20%
Oral presentation and moderation of class discussion: 20%
Individual case analysis: 25% (essay 15%, presentation 10%)
Response to two case analyses: 10%

Radical Religion: Ascetics and Holy Persons

Asceticism, as a concept and a way of life, exists in many religious traditions. Ascetics commit to bodily restraints that can be manifold and are practiced at various levels of intensity. From specific food restraints (for example, vegetarianism) to fasting to death; from celibacy to self-castration; from wearing simple robes to going naked; from shaving one’s head to severe self-mutilation; from living in a monastic community to locking one-self in a cell to constant wandering. Using case studies from various religions, this course discusses the concepts, practices, and goals associated with this radical way of life. It also introduces students to scholarly approaches to asceticism, which includes theories of the body and of culture more generally. Other topics discussed in class are the social status of the ascetic; asceticism and gender; asceticism and devotion; and asceticism and violence. Historical examples will be taken primarily from India (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism) and Mediterranean late antiquity (Greek/Roman religions, Christianity, Judaism).

Readings:
Course packet

Grading:
Attendance/participation: 20%
Reading responses: 20%
Partner project: 15%
Research essay: 45%

Description:

What happens when religions come in contact with each other? This course discusses the ways in which religious actors respond to challenges posed by the encounter with people, beliefs, or practices which, for them, do not belong to their own religion. Such responses range from curiosity, dialog, or acceptance to apologetics, hostile polemics, or persecution. By examining case studies, primarily taken from premodern South Asia (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Islam), we will discuss various forms of rhetorical and practical responses to the “religious other.” Part of this discussion is an analysis of the respective motives, which, in addition to religious conviction, can also be related to competition over economic resources, social status, and political power.   The course will introduce students to related theories and scholarly categories, such as religious othering; appropriation and influence; syncretism and synthesis; hybridity; mission; religious tolerance and intolerance; inclusivism, exclusivism, and pluralism, and more. These will be critically discussed and tested on the case studies. The goal of the course is to gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which religions grapple with religious plurality, draw boundaries – or ignore them –, and form religious identities.

Readings:

Dundas, Conversion to Jainism (2003);

Granoff, My Rituals, My Gods (2001);

Holt, The Buddhist Visnu (2004);

Lorenzen, Kabir Panth: Heretics to Hindus (1981);

Mohammed, Following the Pir (2012);

Talbot, Inscribing the Other, Inscribing the Self (1995);

Ulrich, Food Fights (2007);

Grading:

Attendance/participation;

in-class presentation;

reading responses;

research essay

Study of various aspects and periods of South Asian culture and society.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

Description: 

This course offers a survey of the major religious traditions of Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism in South and East Asia, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto). It focuses on the historical development of their beliefs, practices, rituals, and customs in social context. The course will combine lectures with class discussions on readings.

Course materials:

1. Willard G. Oxtoby, Roy C. Amore, eds. World Religions: Eastern Traditions. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
2. R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
3. Zhuangzi: Basic Writings, translated by Burton Watson. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003.
4. Readings provided as PDF files on CANVAS

Grading:

• Attendance/participation: 20%
• Two quizzes: 20% (10% each)
• Two short essays: 20% (10% each)
• Midterm exam: 20%
• Final exam: 20%

Religions have emerged and developed in different cultural settings. Each individual religious expression – beliefs, practices, literature, artwork, institutions, etc. – is shaped by its historical, cultural, political, and economic context and much more. Also, most religious actors would insist that at least some aspects of their own beliefs or practices are entirely unique. On the other hand, some religious expressions in historically unrelated cultures seem strikingly similar to the observer – in their conceptual presentation, in their performance, in their social functions, or in other ways. Carefully considering both differences and similarities, this course introduces students to comparative approaches in the study of religion. Drawing on classical and contemporary studies we will critically discuss various motivations for comparing religions; techniques of comparison; risks such as decontextualizing and essentializing certain religious phenomena; and benefits such as finding blind spots through comparison and being able to classify religious expressions in insightful ways. Numerous examples from Asian and other religions will enrich the discussions. During the course of the semester, students will also develop individual comparative projects.

Readings:
Course packet

Grading/Requirements:
Attendance/participation: 25%
Oral presentation: 20%
Response papers: 25%
Research project: 30%

This course examines the history of Buddhism by tracing the development of its various schools, doctrines, and religious practices in Asia and beyond. We will explore the historical background against which it arose in India, and study traditional views of the life of the Buddha, the early teachings, and the structure of the Buddhist community of monastics and laypeople. We will examine the growth of Buddhism in India, the development of Therav?da Buddhism, and its spread into South East Asia. The emergence of Mah?y?na Buddhism in India and its spread into Central Asia and East Asia will be covered as well as the development of Vajray?na Buddhism in Tibet. We will then examine the 19^th century movement of Buddhist modernism in Sri Lanka and its relations to the Western world. This will be the basis for eventually exploring the various ways Buddhism came to Europe and America and examining the new forms and ideas it developed here.

Textbooks
C.S. Prebish, D. Keown. Introducing Buddhism.
J.S. Strong. The Experience of Buddhism.

Grading
Attendance/participation: 20%
Three quizzes: 30% (10% each)
Oral presentation: 20%
Final exam: 30%

 This graduate seminar addresses multiple aspects of asceticism, a concept and practice found in many religious traditions. Drawing on original sources and on relevant scholarship, we will discuss a variety of issues: The scope and definition of the term “asceticism,” including the distinction between religious and non-religious asceticism; the motivations for pursuing an ascetic life, including religious, economic, social, and political motives; the relations between ascetic beliefs and ascetic practices; the ascetic’s status in society; critical views towards asceticism in the history of religions; scholarly theories of asceticism; and the risks and benefits of a comparative approach. While the suggested material stems primarily from pre-modern South Asia and, to a lesser degree, from the Greco-Roman world, students are encouraged to suggest cases studies from other areas as well, particularly for their own research essay.

Texts/Readings:
Wimbush/Valantasis, Asceticism
Gavin Flood, The Ascetic Self
Haripada Chakraborti, Asceticism in ancient India
Patrick Olivelle, Samnyasa Upanisads
Vincent L. Wimbush, Ascetic Behavior in Greco-Roman Antiquity
Peter Brown, The Body and Society
Course packet

Grading/Requirements:
Attendance/participation 40%
Oral presentation 20%
Research essay 40%

FLAGS:   GC

Description:

This course offers a survey of the major religious traditions of Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism in South and East Asia, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto). It focuses on the historical development of their beliefs, practices, rituals, and customs in social context. The course will combine lectures with class discussions on readings.

Course materials:

1. Willard G. Oxtoby, Roy C. Amore, eds. World Religions: Eastern Traditions. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
2. R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
3. Zhuangzi: Basic Writings, translated by Burton Watson. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003.
4. Readings provided as PDF files on CANVAS

Grading:

Attendance/participation: 20%

Two quizzes: 20% (10% each)

Two short essays: 20% (10% each)

Midterm exam: 20%

Final exam: 20%

Radical Religion: Ascetics and Holy Persons

Asceticism, as a concept and a way of life, exists in many religious traditions. Ascetics commit to bodily restraints that can be manifold and are practiced at various levels of intensity. From specific food restraints (for example, vegetarianism) to fasting to death; from celibacy to self-castration; from wearing simple robes to going naked; from shaving one’s head to severe self-mutilation; from living in a monastic community to locking one-self in a cell to constant wandering. Using case studies from various religions, this course discusses the concepts, practices, and goals associated with this radical way of life. It also introduces students to scholarly approaches to asceticism, which includes theories of the body and of culture more generally. Other topics discussed in class are the social status of the ascetic; asceticism and gender; asceticism and devotion; and asceticism and violence. Historical examples will be taken primarily from India (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism) and Mediterranean late antiquity (Greek/Roman religions, Christianity, Judaism).

Readings: Course packet

Grading:

20% Attendance/participation

20% Reading responses

15% Partner project

45% Research essay

This course offers a survey of the major religious traditions of Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism in South and East Asia, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto). It focuses on the historical development of their beliefs, practices, rituals, and customs in social context. The course will combine lectures with class discussions on readings.

Course materials:

1. Willard G. Oxtoby, Roy C. Amore, eds. World Religions: Eastern Traditions. 3^rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
2. R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
3. Zhuangzi: Basic Writings, translated by Burton Watson. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003.
4. Readings provided as PDF files on CANVAS

Grading
Attendance/participation: 20%
Two quizzes: 20% (10% each)
Two short essays: 20% (10% each)
Midterm exam: 20%
Final exam: 20%

This course introduces and discusses major comparative approaches in the study of religion. Note that it is NOT an introduction to world religions but rather an advanced seminar on method and theory of comparison in Religious Studies. - The act of comparison is as old as religion is. Religious individuals and groups have often compared their beliefs and practices with those of their neighbors, sometimes with a sincere religious interest, sometimes merely to demonstrate the superiority of their own religion. Since the end of the 19th century, scholars of religion have sought to develop methods of comparison that were not religiously biased. They asked: What are the differences and the similarities in the religions of the world? Why do religions have the same – or completely different – answers to the same existential questions? Why do they express their beliefs by developing very different – or strikingly similar – practices? This course surveys classical and current approaches to the comparison of religions. The guiding questions are: What are the respective goals of the comparative enterprises? What specific methods are advocated and actually carried out? Should we adopt those goals and methods for our own reflections on religion? The introduction to these issues will be illustrated by numerous examples from the history of religions. Many examples will be taken from Asian religions, but depending on the interests of students in class, we may extend our scope into any direction.

Readings:
Course Packet

Grading:
Attendance/participation: 25%
Oral presentation: 20%
Response papers: 20%
Research project: 35% (two essay drafts, presentation, final essay)

This course is designed to provide the student with a structural and historical overview of Buddhism through the examination of various schools, doctrines, and religious practices. We will begin our study in India and look at the ways in which the contexts of post-Vedic civilization and orthodox Hinduism made Buddhism possible, and ask the following questions about Buddhism's founder: Who was the "historical Buddha?" What were the factors that led to his enlightenment? What did the Buddha teach, and what didn't he? How was the early Buddhist community structured? We will examine the developments in Theravada (also termed Orthodox or Southern) and Mahayana (Greater Vehicle) Buddhism and the spread of these two distinctive schools into Southeast and East Asia respectively. We will also study Vajrayana (Diamond Vehicle) Buddhism as it manifested in Tibet. Finally, we will examine the peculiar relationship that Buddhism has had with the West and explore the various ways in which European and American societies have embraced Buddhism and made it their own.

Grading:

Attendance/participation: 20% Three quizzes: 10% ea.Oral presentation: 20%Final exam: 30%

Texts:

C. S. Prebish / D. Keown, Introducing Buddhism (or: Buddhism - the eBook)J. Strong, The Experience of Buddhism, 3rd ed.

Asceticism, as a concept and a way of life, exists in many religious traditions. Ascetics commit to bodily restraints that can be manifold and are practiced at various levels of intensity. From specific food restraints (for example, vegetarianism) to fasting to death; from celibacy to self-castration; from wearing simple robes to going naked; from shaving one’s head to severe self-mutilation; from living in a monastic community to locking one-self in a cell to constant wandering. Using case studies from various religions, this course discusses the concepts, practices, and goals associated with this radical way of life. It also introduces students to scholarly approaches to asceticism, which includes theories of the body and of culture more generally. Other topics discussed in class are the social status of the ascetic; asceticism and gender; asceticism and devotion; and asceticism and violence. Historical examples will be taken primarily from India (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism) and Mediterranean late antiquity (Greek/Roman religions, Christianity, Judaism).

Texts:

TBD

Grading:

TBD

This course offers a survey of the major religious traditions of Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism in South and East Asia, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto). It focuses on the historical development of their beliefs, practices, rituals, and customs in social context. The course will combine lectures with class discussions on readings.

This course introduces students to the institutional, social, economic, and doctrinal history of Buddhism in India. Emerging in the 5th century B.C.E., Buddhism spread quickly across South Asia. For more than 1500 years it had a significant impact on Indian culture, philosophy, art, architecture, and politics. The course discusses Buddhist teachings, from their earliest formulations to later developments, the spread of Buddhist institutions, and resulting social, political, and economic issues. Finally, we will take a look at the revival of Buddhism in India in the 20th century and its impact on society.

Readings:
Paul Williams, Buddhist Thought
Rupert Gethin, Sayings of the Buddha
Course Packet

Grading
Attendance/participation: 20%
Weekly reading responses: 20%
Oral presentation: 15%
Article for class encyclopedia: 15%
Midterm exam: 15%
Final exam: 15%

This course discusses key scholarly works on and major approaches to religion in Asia. Its main focus is on pre-modern South Asia and contemporary Japan, but other regions will be considered too. By discussing major groundbreaking works the seminar will familiarize students with the current scholarly discourse, its most pressing questions, a selection of commonly studied areas and topics, and major theoretical and methodological challenges of the field.

This course is designed to provide the student with a structural and historical overview of Buddhism through the examination of various schools, doctrines, and religious practices. We will begin our study in India and look at the ways in which the contexts of post-Vedic civilization and orthodox Hinduism made Buddhism possible, and ask the following questions about Buddhism's founder: Who was the "historical Buddha?" What were the factors that led to his enlightenment? What did the Buddha teach, and what didn't he? How was the early Buddhist community structured? We will examine the developments in Theravada and Mahayana (Greater Vehicle) Buddhism and the spread of these two distinctive schools into Southeast and East Asia respectively. We will also study Vajrayana (Diamond Vehicle) Buddhism as it manifested in Tibet. Finally, we will examine the peculiar relationship that Buddhism has had with the West and explore the various ways in which European and American societies have embraced Buddhism and made it their own.

Texts

C. S. Prebish / D. Keown, Introducing Buddhism (or: Buddhism - the eBook)
J. Strong, The Experience of Buddhism, 3rd ed.

Grading

Attendance/participation: 20% Three quizzes: 10% ea.Oral presentation: 20%Final exam: 30%

This course introduces and discusses major comparative approaches in the study of religion. The act of comparison is as old as religion is. Religious individuals and groups have often compared their beliefs and practices with those of their neighbors, sometimes with a sincere religious interest, sometimes merely to demonstrate the superiority of their own religion. Since the end of the 19th century, scholars of religion sought to develop methods of comparison that were not religiously biased. They asked: What are the differences and the similarities in the religions of the world? Why do religions have the same - or completely different - answers to the same existential questions? Why do they express their beliefs by developing very different - or strikingly similar - practices? This course surveys classical and current approaches to the comparison of religions. The guiding questions are: What are the respective goals of the comparative enterprises? What specific methods are advocated and actually carried out? Should we adopt those goals and methods for our own reflections on religion? The introduction to these issues will be illustrated by numerous examples from the history of religions. Many examples will be taken from Asian religions, but depending on the interests of students in class, we may extend our scope into any direction. In the course of the semester, students will develop individual comparative projects in study groups.

Texts

Course packet

Grading

Attendance/participation: 20%, oral presentation: 20%,  project development: 30%, and a final exam: 30%.

This course introduces students to the institutional, social, economic, and doctrinal history of Buddhism in India. Emerging in the 5^th century B.C.E. Buddhism spread quickly across South Asia. For more than 1500 years it had a significant impact on Indian culture, philosophy, art, architecture, and politics. The course discusses Buddhist teachings, from their earliest formulations to later developments, the spread of Buddhist institutions, and resulting social, political, and economic issues. Finally, we will take a look at the revival of Buddhism in India in the 20^th century and its impact on society.

TEXTS

1. Paul Williams, Anthony Tribe. Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition. London: Routledge, 2000.
2. Sayings of the Buddha: A Selection of Suttas from the Pali Nik?yas. Transl. by Rupert Gethin. Oxford World’s Classics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
3. Course packet. 
4. Optional: ??ntideva, The Bodhic?ry?vat?ra. A New Translation by Kate Crosby and Andrew Skilton. Oxford World’s Classics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.

GRADING

Attendance/participation 20%
Reading responses 20%
Oral presentation 15%
Article for class encyclopedia 15%
Midterm exam 15%
Final exam 15%

This graduate seminar examines the construction of religious identity in premodern South Asia. We will discuss how individuals and communities defined their identities as ‘Buddhists’, ‘Brahmins’, ‘Jains’, ‘Muslims’, etc. (or particular variants of such traditions) in certain moments in history. Key questions are: How do the actors cope with the existence of truth-claims and religious practices different from their own? How do they draw boundaries between ‘us’ and ‘them’? What rhetorical methods do they employ in defining insider-outsider relations (rational arguments, polemics, negotiations, etc.)? Are categories such as ‘missionary activity’, ‘religious market’ or ‘conversion’ useful for the analysis of South Asian religions? What types of motivation (religious, economical, political, etc.) for drawing boundaries exist in one particular situation? How does a person’s (or group’s) religious identity relate to their other identities (class, gender, ethnic, linguistic, etc.)? Class readings include primary and secondary texts related to case studies and theoretical works on (religious) identity and alterity.

This course is designed to provide the student with a structural and historical overview of Buddhism through the examination of various schools, doctrines, and religious practices. We will begin our study in India and look at the ways in which the contexts of post-Vedic civilization and orthodox Hinduism made Buddhism possible, and ask the following questions about Buddhism’s founder: Who was the “historical Buddha?” What were the factors that led to his “enlightenment”? What did the Buddha teach, and what didn’t he? How was the early Buddhist community structured? We will examine the developments in Theravada (also termed “Orthodox” or “Southern”) and Mahayana (“Greater Vehicle”) Buddhism and the spread of these two distinctive schools into Southeast and East Asia respectively. We will also study Vajrayana (“Diamond Vehicle”) Buddhism as it manifested in Tibet. Finally, we will examine the peculiar relationship that Buddhism has had with the West and explore the various ways in which European and American societies have embraced Buddhism and made it their own.

TEXTS:

C. S. Prebish / D. Keown, Introducing Buddhism (or: Buddhism – the eBook)
J. Strong, The Experience of Buddhism, 3rd ed.

GRADING:

Attendance/participation: 20%
Three quizzes: 10% ea.
Oral presentation: 20%
Final exam: 30%

The Signature Course (UGS 302 and 303) introduces first-year students to the university’s academic community through the exploration of new interests. The Signature Course is your opportunity to engage in college-level thinking and learning.

 Description: 

This course offers a survey of the major religious traditions of Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism in South and East Asia, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto). It focuses on the historical development of their beliefs, practices, rituals, and customs in social context. The course will combine lectures with class discussions on readings.

Course materials:

1. Willard G. Oxtoby, Roy C. Amore, eds. World Religions: Eastern Traditions. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
2. R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
3. Zhuangzi: Basic Writings, translated by Burton Watson. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003.
4. Readings provided as PDF files on CANVAS

Grading:

• Attendance/participation: 20%
• Two quizzes: 20% (10% each)
• Two short essays: 20% (10% each)
• Midterm exam: 20%
• Final exam: 20%

Please check back for updates.

The Signature Course (UGS 302 and 303) introduces first-year students to the university’s academic community through the exploration of new interests. The Signature Course is your opportunity to engage in college-level thinking and learning.

Please check back for updates.

Study of various aspects and periods of South Asian culture and society.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Study of various aspects and periods of South Asian culture and society.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

 Description: 

This course offers a survey of the major religious traditions of Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism in South and East Asia, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto). It focuses on the historical development of their beliefs, practices, rituals, and customs in social context. The course will combine lectures with class discussions on readings.

Course materials:

1. Willard G. Oxtoby, Roy C. Amore, eds. World Religions: Eastern Traditions. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
2. R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
3. Zhuangzi: Basic Writings, translated by Burton Watson. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003.
4. Readings provided as PDF files on CANVAS

Grading:

• Attendance/participation: 20%
• Two quizzes: 20% (10% each)
• Two short essays: 20% (10% each)
• Midterm exam: 20%
• Final exam: 20%

Please check back for updates.

 Description: 

This course offers a survey of the major religious traditions of Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism in South and East Asia, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto). It focuses on the historical development of their beliefs, practices, rituals, and customs in social context. The course will combine lectures with class discussions on readings.

Course materials:

1. Willard G. Oxtoby, Roy C. Amore, eds. World Religions: Eastern Traditions. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
2. R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
3. Zhuangzi: Basic Writings, translated by Burton Watson. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003.
4. Readings provided as PDF files on CANVAS

Grading:

• Attendance/participation: 20%
• Two quizzes: 20% (10% each)
• Two short essays: 20% (10% each)
• Midterm exam: 20%
• Final exam: 20%

Study of various aspects and periods of South Asian culture and society.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

Please check back for updates.

 Description: 

This course offers a survey of the major religious traditions of Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism in South and East Asia, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto). It focuses on the historical development of their beliefs, practices, rituals, and customs in social context. The course will combine lectures with class discussions on readings.

Course materials:

1. Willard G. Oxtoby, Roy C. Amore, eds. World Religions: Eastern Traditions. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
2. R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
3. Zhuangzi: Basic Writings, translated by Burton Watson. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003.
4. Readings provided as PDF files on CANVAS

Grading:

• Attendance/participation: 20%
• Two quizzes: 20% (10% each)
• Two short essays: 20% (10% each)
• Midterm exam: 20%
• Final exam: 20%

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Study of various aspects and periods of South Asian culture and society.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

Please check back for updates.