Religious Studies

This course provides a detailed understanding of the European jihadi phenomenon, from its inception during the war in Afghanistan (1979) to the fall of ISIS (2019) and its current reconfigurations on the Old Continent (2020-2023). It is the results of a decade of on-the-ground research, it explores the way jihadi groups and organizations spread their ideas throughout the Old Continent, from the French “banlieues” to the British and Belgian inner cities, and from the German countryside to the Scandinavian metropolitan area. The course also covers female activism, online activism, and the way jihadism functions behind bars. It points out the poorly understood centrality of prisons in the making of European Jihadism and its current reconfigurations since the fall of ISIS. The course introduces jihadism and its key concepts, including pre-modern Islamic theology and jurisprudence to demonstrate how these references were appropriated and repurposed by jihadi ideologues for political ends. It concludes on the current debates in Europe surrounding jihadism and Islamism in the wake of the killing of Samuel Paty in France and subsequent attack in Vienna, Austria.

This courses offers a survey of the history, doctrines and practices of Buddhism, with particular focus on Indian, Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism. The course seeks to gain an understanding of what Buddhists believe and practice; how Buddhism has changed and adapted itself to different eras and cultural contexts, as well as the characteristics of the various schools of Buddhism and the differences among them. 

This course explores the philosophical, cultural, and political aspects of the growing polarization between secular and religious communities in Israel and other Western democracies, and examines prospects for a constructive dialogue between seemingly opposed worldviews. The course includes visits to religious and secular communities and organizations in Israel.

This course studies and examines Chinese Buddhist art from historical and cultural perspectives to explore its origin, evolution and influence. The course also studies the transmission of Buddhism as well as its transformations through the investigation of the various art treasures found along the Silk Road. A study of these archaeological artifacts, religious monuments, and art and sculpture from the area reveals the fascinating story of the development of Buddhism from India to Central Asia and eventually to China, Korea and Japan. Assessment: short essay with 2,500-3,000 words (50%), 2 short quizzes (10%), presentation (25%), attendance and participation (15%)