Religious Studies

This course begins by examining early Jewish religious responses to modernity in Western and Central Europe and then turns its attention to the national, secular, and haredi responses in Eastern Europe. It then follows the fortunes of these groups as they were expressed in the New World, most particularly the United States of America. The course then focuses on Zionist formulations of the “New Jew” and their later reconfiguration given the realities of Palestine. It concludes by asking if the fragmentation of Jewish identity has become so profound as to end shared contours.

This seminar approaches German refugee and migration politics through examining the role and the importance of various religious groups against the backdrop of a society based on the separation of state and religion, the right to religious freedom, and the European context. The class features discussions of current problems and conflicts (e.g. Does Islam belong to Germany?).

This course provides a historical introduction to Islam’s core beliefs, practices, and institutions as they have developed in diverse cultural and political contexts. The course considers a range of topics all approached historically, among them: Islam’s foundational texts, religious expressions, institutions and cultural forms, as well as the challenges posed by changing economic and social conditions for Muslim societies in the modern period. The objective is to provide an informed appreciation of the historical development, cultural diversity, and contemporary issues facing Muslim communities across the world.

A research project that assigns students to expert professors in their proposed research topic. The course takes the students' research capabilities to a more professional level. This can be most closely compared to what is called a supervised research project in the USA.

This course examines aspects of the cultural history of magic with a focus on the period of the witch-hunts in early modern Europe. The course explores how conceptions of magic, witchcraft, and trolldom changed over time; how they were put to use in philosophical reflections, demonological manuals, legislative texts, and oral traditions; and how these ideas became social realities. From the 1500s, combating witchcraft with legislation and judicial prosecution became an important concern for authorities all over Europe. Witchcraft trials consequently became a nexus between law, theology, and the culture of the common people. In this course, students address the cultural and social basis of this development, and review a selection of Norwegian witchcraft trials. The course also introduces later redefinitions of magic expressed in modern occultism and Neopaganism.

This course provides an introduction to the sociology of religion to shed light on current issues. After an historical review of the emergence of a sociology of religion and a presentation of the main works that structure the discipline, the course discusses various issues, including social integration and the religious phenomenon, religious identity, militancy, religion in the public sphere, individualization of beliefs, and the place of religion in the political sphere. Each theme is embodied by a topical issue (e.g. the notion of “radicalization”, church militancy in the United States), which is studied in the light of the work available to date. The theoretical dimension of the course are also supported by the presentation of empirical studies.

This course examines the impact of Zen thought and practice on Japanese culture. It covers proto-Zen from India to China; the transmission and development of Zen in Japan; and Zen’s influence on the aesthetics of everyday objects, experience, and judgments including architecture, landscaping, arts, literature, spirituality, and lifestyle.

This course looks at Buddhism in Japan through the actions of Buddhist priests and followers to confront the real life problems and suffering of people in Japan today. The course looks at issues such as human relationships in terms of dying and grieving, alienation, and suicide. It explores economic development in terms of social and economic gaps; aging society; community breakdown and depopulation of the countryside; alternatives to globalization and Buddhist economics, and alternative energy and the environment. The course also surveys politics in terms of nuclear power and peace, and Buddhist complicity with war and work for peace.