Religious Studies

The class explores various ideas from humanities and social sciences and engages scholars around the world. Topics include public religion, economics, and politics; religion and state; religion and political parties; religion and democratization; religion and civil society; religion, peace and politics; religion, politics, and conflict; the interplay between science, philosophy, and the world religions and implications for the flourishing of life in the post-covid19 era; and religion and foreign policy.     

This course introduces Buddhist philosophy by directly reading the original texts, by selecting the classics from the “Madhyamika” school and late stages of Indian Buddhist philosophy, in particular, the three modules of Indian Buddhist philosophy in the middle and late periods —— Madhyamika, Mind-Only and Logic schools.

This course is different from the general selection of Buddhist Sutras. The Buddhist scriptures are divided into three parts: Sutra, Vinaya and Abhidharma. The Abhidharma part is the most important medium of Indian Buddhist philosophy. In the middle and late period of Buddhist philosophy, there are many theories which have not been translated into Chinese, or the Chinese translation is not perfect. We will use the combination of English translation and the original to teach. The problems discussed in these theories are closely related to the general problems of philosophy, so this course is also suitable for philosophy majors to take.

This course explores religious education and the different approaches to religious education in general. It evaluates religious education in Israel and the different approaches held in diverse school systems. The course exposes how the religion of the “other” is presented in various educational systems and how it impacts the view of the “other.” It provides insight to the connection between religious education and multidimensional conflicts (political, social, religious). Moreover, it illuminates the link between religious education and peace building and provides an intersectional and critical lens to religious education in Israel and beyond.

This course explores the relationship between theater and religion in Antiquity, from the Pharaonic era to the early Middle Ages. It examines the spaces and forms of possible interactions between dramatic performances and cultural practices, the identity of the actors involved, and the effectiveness of drama in the process of emotional and cognitive arousal, both individual and collective, within the religious experience.