Religious Studies

How do religious and literary texts interact and influence each other? What is the place of the sacred in literary writing? How do ideas about the divine operate in a secular framework? These are some of the themes that are explored in this course. Students trace a large narrative arc going from ancient religion to contemporary world literature to investigate the myriad ways in which the two discourses affect each other, and map the spaces wherein these effects are most legible. Although the focus is largely on the Abrahamic monotheisms, students will be encouraged to explore other traditions in their essays.

This course traces the historical development of Buddhism on the Korean peninsula, and explores how it changed over time. Topics include popular beliefs and practices, Buddhism’s place in society, and its organization and functioning.

For centuries, the Jewish mystical tradition was a highly guarded, orally transmitted body of knowledge. Today, Kabbalah is everywhere, from the internet, to Hollywood, to popular charms and amulets. This course presents both an introduction to the basic principles of Jewish mysticism, as well as the way in which Kabbalah and Jewish spirituality has entered diverse forms of contemporary spirituality, new-age thought, religious cross-fertilization, art, cinema, and even politics. It explores the nature of mystical experience and the unique approach of Kabbalah and Hasidism; studies Jewish texts, both ancient and modern, that seek to understand the nature of spirituality; and introduces living teachers of the Jewish esoteric tradition who are developing new philosophies and practices. The course examines how thinkers across the entire range of Jewish experience have drawn upon Kabbalistic ideas to enrich the spirituality of their adherents. Primary texts are read and discussed and guest speakers are invited regularly, providing a unique opportunity to meet leading spirituality thinkers in Israel and around the world.

The course provides an introduction to Islam, exploring key aspects of its thought and practice and early history. The course content is built on the structure of the Hadith of Gabriel, which presents the religion as comprising Islam, or submission (action), iman, or belief (understanding), ihsan, or doing what is beautiful (sincerity), and proper understanding of human history. Topics covered typically include the social and cultural setting in which Islam emerged, religious and political developments during and after the Prophet's life, internal divisions within the Muslim community, the authoritative texts, law, and major schools of Islamic thought.

This course takes a comparative perspective and highlights the theoretical and practical problems related to this field of study. The course explores several themes: 1) concepts and conceptualization 2) state, modernity and secularism, 3) Gender equality and plurality in religion and 4) capitalism and commercialization in religion. More than just faith, personal beliefs and practice, religion is also a site for many of these dynamics involving the power of the modern nation-state, gender relations and economic systems. The course also examines case studies of diverse religious and spiritual traditions in Southeast Asia. 

This course traces the development of both Theravāda and Mahāyāna Buddhism in Southeast Asia. Major topics include the spread of Buddhism, the rise of Buddhist kingdoms, the development of popular traditions, the impact of European colonialism, the relationship between Buddhism and nationalism, the emergence of modern reformist movements, and Buddhist minorities in maritime Southeast Asia.