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2022 - 2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Descriptions
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Public Policy |
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PUBP 455 - Health Policy Lab
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): Permission of Instructor. For Public Policy majors, the pre-requisites are PUBP 201, ECON 303, and the second methods requirement (ECON 308, GOVT 301, GOVT 302 or SOCL 353). For Economics majors, the pre-requisites are ECON 303 and ECON 308.
College Curriculum: COLL 400
This is an experiential learning course in which students will work in teams to conduct research projects related to a pressing health policy issue for an actual external “client” - either a public-sector organization or a nonprofit entity. With guidance from the instructor, teams will research an issue, pose research questions, identify a problem and analyze possible solutions. Teams will present their results to the client in a formal briefing and submit a written report incorporating client feedback.
Cross-listed with: ECON 455
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PUBP 490 - Independent Study
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 400
Directed readings/research course conducted on individual or group basis on various topics in public policy. The course will count as the student’s Public Policy capstone and will fulfill the upper-level writing requirement. As a capstone, the final project must synthesize existing research and apply critical analysis to a public policy issue, conduct public policy research and analysis in an applied setting; or create original scholarship on a public policy issue. In addition, the student must demonstrate that he or she can communicate the results of his/her study effectively with diverse audiences. The course may not be taken more than twice.
The course may not be taken more than twice
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PUBP 491 - Advanced Topics in Public Policy
Credits: (3)
Seminar classes, normally 10-15 junior or senior public policy majors, focusing on specific topics in public policy. Topics vary by section and semester to semester.
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PUBP 495 - Honors
Credits: (3)
Students admitted to the Public Policy Honors program will be enrolled in this course during both semesters of their senior year. Students are responsible for (a) reading a selected bibliography; (b) satisfactory completion by April 15th of an original scholarly essay; and (c) satisfactory performance on a comprehensive oral examination. A student who completes the Honors essay but does not achieve Honors may be given credit for Public Policy 490.
Note: For College provisions governing the Admission to Honors, see catalog section titled Honors and Special Programs.
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PUBP 496 - Honors
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 400
Students admitted to the Public Policy Honors program will be enrolled in this course during both semesters of their senior year. Students are responsible for (a) reading a selected bibliography; (b) satisfactory completion by April 15th of an original scholarly essay or public policy analysis; and (c) satisfactory performance on a comprehensive oral examination. A student who completes the Honors essay but does not achieve Honors may be given credit for Public Policy 490 . Note: For College provisions governing the Admission to Honors, see catalog section titled Honors and Special Programs.
Note: For College provisions governing the Admission to Honors, see catalog section titled Honors and Special Programs.
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PUBP 498 - Internship
Credits: (3)
This course may be repeated for credit.
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Religious Studies |
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RELG 100 - Critical Questions in Religious Studies
Credits: (4)
College Curriculum: COLL 100
An exploration of significant questions and concepts, beliefs and creative visions, theories and discoveries in Religious Studies for first-year students. Although topics vary, the courses also seek to improve students’ communication skills beyond the written word.
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RELG 150 - First-Year Seminar
Credits: 4
College Curriculum: COLL 150
An exploration of a specific topic in Religious Studies. A grade of C- or better fulfills the COLL 150 requirement. Although topics vary, the courses emphasize academic writing skills, reading and analysis of texts, and discussion.
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RELG 201 - Religions of the World: The Human Religious Experience
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
An introduction to the comparative study of religion in human experience, intellectual thought, and social life in an array of different cultural and historical contexts. The course explores the role of religion in society, politics, and intellectual thought in an array of different contexts and from multiple methodological and theoretical perspectives used in the humanities and social sciences. By journeying together through seminal texts, ritual practices, art forms, myths, ethics, philosophies, and experiences of the sacred, we will arrive at a deepened understanding of religion in the world while also (re)-considering our own cultural assumptions and gaining a clearer understanding of our particular identities and histories. Specific religious traditions and themes may vary from semester to semester. No prerequisites.
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RELG 203 - History and Religion of Ancient Israel
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
An exploration of the origins and development of the ancient nations of Israel and Judah in their cultural and historical contexts. The course examines archaeological, epigraphic, and literary evidence from Mesopotamia, Canaan, and Egypt to understand both the history and worldview of the ancient Israelites. The Hebrew Bible is explored in depth as document in dialogue with but not identical to the religious beliefs and practices of ancient Israel.
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RELG 204 - Christian Origins
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
A study of the emergence of Christianity from its beginnings as a sect of Second Temple Judaism to its establishment in the Mediterranean world under Constantine I.
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RELG 205 - Reading the Bible in Hebrew I
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): HBRW 102
Review of grammar followed by readings in various genres of Biblical literature. Emphasis on syntax, vocabulary and style of the Hebrew Bible. This course introduces the student to methods of modern biblical interpretation.
Cross-listed with: HBRW 201
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RELG 210 - Introduction to the History of Christianity
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Additional Domain (if applicable): CSI
This course is designed to engage students with some of the key topics and seminal moments in the history of Christianity. We will begin with the life of Jesus and the competing stories that surrounded it. We will end with contemporary issues that involve Christianity and will discuss some of the grand theories of religion in the broad context of modern globalization. Thus, the course will move through two consecutive parts. In the first part, we will cover early forms of Christianity, major theological disputes that involved emperors, bishops, and monks throughout the Mediterranean and into the far East. In the following part, we will bring the story of Christianity to current times and will discuss the relevance of Christianity to such highly contested topics as the future of Europe, American political life and culture, progressive secularization, and unification of culture throughout the world.
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RELG 211 - Introduction to the History of Jewish Thought
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Additional Domain (if applicable): CSI
A study of the biblical origins of Judaism followed by an examination of representative literature from critical periods in the history of Jewish thought: rabbinic, medieval and modern.
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RELG 212 - Introduction to Islam
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Additional Domain (if applicable): CSI
A study of the origins, major ideas, practices, institutions and development of Islam within the context of Muslim history.
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RELG 213 - Introduction to Hinduism
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI
An introduction to the Hindu religious traditions, exploring the diversity of religious thought and practice among Hindus today and throughout history. The course will include topics such as: key historical developments; core teachings as found in major primary texts (the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, works of devotional poet-saints, etc.); the divine pantheon (mythology and imagery of Shiva, Vishnu, the Goddess, etc.); rituals, festivals, and practices of lived Hinduism; the role of Orientalism, colonialism, and Indian nationalism in modern Hinduism; and contemporary social and political issues relating to Hinduism in post-independence India (e.g., Hindu nationalism, communal violence, caste/untouchability).
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RELG 214 - Introduction to Buddhism
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI
A study of the history, doctrines, practices, and various manifestations of the Buddhist tradition. The course begins with the social and religious context out of which the Buddha emerged, progresses to an exploration of Buddhism’s philosophical basis, and traces the spread of Buddhism from India and its later developments in Nepal and Tibet, Southeast Asia, and China and Japan.
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RELG 215 - History of Religion in East Asia
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI
Introduction to the religious systems of China, Korea and Japan, including the literatures, histories, thought patterns and practices of the major schools of Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and Shintoism.
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RELG 221 - Religion and Ethics
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI
This is an introductory level, lecture-based, yet interactive, course that explores the complex, everyday intersections between religious beliefs and ideas on the one hand and ethical reasoning and behavior on the other, across a variety of religious traditions. The course examines ethical issues cross-culturally and from a variety of disciplinary approaches including philosophical, theological, anthropological, psychological, philological and others. While this is not a comparative religions class, we will try our best, given constraints of time, to familiarize ourselves with some of the core beliefs, practices and ethical foundations of some of the major (most widely followed) religious traditions of the world.
Throughout the course, we will examine texts, interpretations, arguments and cultural practices of various religious communities and reflect about what they offer us as resources, and challenges, for thinking about the best way to live a happy and meaningful human life. The ethical teachings of religious traditions will invite and challenge us to carefully, critically and emphatically examine the different ways in which religious traditions have shaped everyday human life across the globe in the past and continue to do so today. We shall also attend to the ways in which religious and ethical beliefs and practices compare with each other.
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RELG 222 - Religion in North America
Credits: (3)
This course covers a range of religious traditions, practices, and interactions in North America over a wide historical period.
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RELG 250 - Readings in Religious Texts
Credits: (1-3)
Prerequisite(s): Completion of 202-level language. Consent of the instructor is required
Reading and interpretive study of religious texts in their original languages. Among the languages are Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Latin and Sanskrit.
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RELG 278 - Deciphering Ancient Egypt
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
This course will explore the cultural history of ancient Egypt by reaching beyond kinglists and royal chronicles to gain insight into societal dynamics of class, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity from the rich visual repertoire of Egypt’s hieroglyphic writing system and art. Students will read Egyptian literary texts in translation but also develop the ability to read short statements and captions written in Egyptian hieroglyphs. Particular attention will be given to the Old and Middle Kingdoms, when the foundations of Egyptian art and literature were first established.
Cross-listed with: ANTH 343 and CLCV 209 and HIST 278
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RELG 279 - Deciphering Ancient Egypt, Part 2
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 343 or CLCV 209 or HIST 278 or RELG 278
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
This spring-semester course continues the survey of ancient Egyptian cultural history that we began during the fall semester in COLL 200 “Deciphering Ancient Egypt” (Part 1); completion of that course is therefore a prerequisite for enrollment in this one. Whereas the fall-semester course focused upon the foundational aspects of Egyptian cultural history during the Old and Middle Kingdoms, this spring-semester course will instead challenge the popular view of Egyptian culture as static by highlighting the innovations of the New Kingdom through the Late Period, when Egypt underwent rapid theological, demographic, and economic transformations that resulted in an increasingly cosmopolitan society and a crisis of collective identity. Students will continue to develop their basic understanding of Egypt’s hieroglyphic writing system in order to access the many layers of meaning conveyed in the art and literature of this era. So radical were the changes to the human condition during the first millennium BCE that a leading Egyptologist has even referred to Egypt’s New Kingdom as the ”threshold to the modern world!”
Cross-listed with: ANTH 344 and CLCV 210 and HIST 279
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RELG 301 - Reading the Bible in Hebrew II
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): HBRW 201 or RELG 205
Further readings and analyses of selected biblical passages.
Cross-listed with: HBRW 202
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RELG 302 - Torah
Credits: (3)
A study of the first five books of the Jewish and Christian Bibles, including questions of their composition, literary genres, historical setting, and their place in the communities that preserved them.
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RELG 303 - Poets and Prophets
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
Ancient Israel and Ancient Greece are two of the most influential ancient “places” for our understanding of the modern world. However, and even though they flourished at roughly the same time and not so very far away from each other, they are rarely studied together. This course examines what the study of both can help us see about each that might otherwise be harder to see. Our discussions will proceed more or less chronologically from the thirteenth century B.C.E. to the conquests of Alexander in the fourth century, dealing throughout with crucial issues in the study of history, memory, ethnic identity, and especially myth.
Cross-listed with: CLCV 303
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RELG 304 - The Biblical Prophetic Books
Credits: (3)
We will apply techniques of contemporary literary theory to the narratives and poetry of some of the prophetic books of the Hebrew Bible.A study of the function and message of the prophetic books of the Hebrew Bible.
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RELG 309 - The Holocaust
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
A study of religious and ethical aspects of the destruction of European Jews under Nazi rule. Readings include descriptions of these events and responses by Jews and Christians focusing on meaning, religious self-understanding, responsibility and divine and human justice. Open to juniors and seniors only (except during summer sessions).
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RELG 310 - Topics in Judaic Studies
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): There is often a prerequisite or consent of instructor required.
A study of selected topics in Jewish history, life and thought. Consult the bulletin for topic description in up-coming semesters.
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RELG 311 - Modern European Jewish History
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Additional Domain (if applicable): CSI
Blood Libels. Expulsion from Spain. The Inquisition. Pogroms. The Holocaust. It is easy to take a lachrymose view of Jewish history, highlighting persecution throughout the ages. This course seeks to overturn the stereotype of Jewish history as one reduced to a tale of oppression. Through rich primary sources such as diaries, letters, newspaper articles, and memoirs, this course introduces students to the major themes, actors, and movements of European Jewish history, from the eighteenth century through the fall of communism. We will explore political, social, economic and religious developments, as well as how these events impacted the personal and inner lives of ordinary and extraordinary Jews. This class assumes no previous knowledge of Judaism or Jewish history.
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RELG 313 - Paul, Pharisee & Apostle
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
In this course we explore the person, life, work, thought and legacy of the early Jewish and Christian figure known as Paul of Tarsus.
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RELG 314 - The Gospel of John
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI
An examination of the Fourth Gospel’s narrative in light of issues raised by the academic study of early Judaism and Christianity.
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RELG 315 - Judaism before the Rabbis
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
This course examines the religion of Judaism as it existed in Palestine and the Mediterranean world during the Hellenistic and early Roman periods (ca 331 BCE ñ 73 CD).
Cross-listed with: CLCV 221
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RELG 316 - Rabbis and Fathers
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
In this course we will trace the developments of rabbinic Judaism and catholic Christianity from the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 CE to the Muslim conquest of Caesarea in 640 CE, with a particular focus on the way each religion interpreted their scriptures. In the first half we track the rise of each group, as well as the posture of 2nd century catholic Christianity toward the Jews. In the second half, we make a detailed comparison of the ways in which each group interpreted their sacred literature, giving special attention to (a) talmudic and midrashic literature among the rabbis, (b) Old Testament commentary and hermeneutical treatises among the catholics, (c) the interpretive philosophies of four major figures of the period (Rabbi Ishmael, Rabbi Akiva, Origen and Augustine) and (d) each group’s views of the other, as espoused in the Babylonian Talmud (on Jesus) and Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History (on Jews of the apostolic age).
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RELG 317 - Women in Islam: Tradition and Change
Credits: (3)
Domain (Anchored): ALV
A study of the changing status and role of women in Muslim society. The course focuses on the relationship between religion and culture as they shape the lives and options of women in traditional society, in the modern period and in the contemporary Islamic experience.
Cross-listed with: GSWS 317
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RELG 318 - Islam in the Modern World
Credits: (3)
This course focuses on sociopolitical circumstances underlying the dynamism and diversity of modern Islamic thought. Special emphasis will be given to political aspects of modern Islamic thought.
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RELG 320 - Pagans and Christians in the Roman World
Credits: (3)
This course considers the encounter between Roman religious and political institutions and the rise of Christianity, from the first through the fourth centuries A.D. Primary emphasis on Roman response to Christianity, from persecution to conversion, through Roman and Christian sources.
Cross-listed with: CLCV 320
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RELG 324 - Religion and Social Criticism
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Additional Domain (if applicable): CSI
In this course, we explore how religious beliefs and practices both shape, and offer grounds for critiquing, society and the sensibilities, moral choices and commitments of its people. In this course, divided into two parts, we shall study i) how religiously-informed theories and forms of reasoning, critically evaluate cultural norms and moral practices and ii) how lived experiences and cultural practices offer grounds for critical assessments of religiously informed ethical ideals and practices.
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RELG 325 - Understanding Muslim Ethics
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
This course is designed to help students understand the ethical lives of Muslims qua religious beings: their views about the good life, their understanding of God and the varied ethical implications they have drawn by taking seriously God’s existence and the existence of revelations and prophets. In short, this class is a window onto the range of ways in which Muslims in different cultural and social settings have reasoned about a good life. We will read a wide range of primary and scholarly sources to examine how Muslims justify particular moral positions, the values they hold dear and the variety of ways in which, and methods by which, they conceptualize a flourishing human life at the personal, social, cultural and political levels. We will try to understand how Muslims argue about things that matter to them as religious and moral beings. We shall learn about the legal, philosophical, moral, political and exegetical dimensions of their individual and communal lives. We will do this by focusing on a limited range of important ethical topics such as war and conflict, political governance, the environment, gender, sex and marriage, biomedical issues, inter-faith relations and others. Throughout, we will think comparatively about how Muslim understandings and behaviors about such issues challenge, contradict or deepen other ways of reasoning about the good life.
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RELG 326 - Judaism in America
Credits: (3)
A study of the arrival of the Jews in America, the development of the religion in the new world, and the contemporary Jewish experience in America.
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RELG 327 - Dating, Sex, Love, and Marriage: Gender and Judaism Throughout History
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Additional Domain (if applicable): CSI
Early readings will ground us in what Jewish law, as detailed in the Torah, Mishnah, and Talmud have to say about sex, sexuality, marriage, and family. Thereafter, we will study how Jews of all genders interact with the legacies of these laws in their modern lives. Primarily organized thematically, we will be skimming the surface of the vast field that is gender and Judaism. The course readings will introduce us to major themes and issues within Jewish communities; individual projects will enable students to delve into more narrow topics that reflect their interests.
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RELG 331 - What is Love? Reflections from the Islamic Tradition
Credits: (3)
Domain (Anchored): ALV
This seminar will examine some of the most profound and influential writings about love from the Islamic intellectual and poetic traditions. Perhaps more than any other civilization, the literary and philosophical traditions of Islamic civilization have been “love-centric.” In this course we will closely read and discuss various philosophies and theories of love from the mundane to the mystical.
Through readings and discussions of the works of Ibn Hazm, ‘Attar, al-Ghazali, Ibn al-Farid, Rumi, Amir Khusro, Ibn ‘Arabi, Hafez and more, students will become familiar with the various “schools of love” of the Islamic tradition, the role of love in Islamic philosophy, theology, and mysticism, as well as the various social practices and norms surrounding love and its expression in the various Muslim societies. We will also cover the prominent belles-lettres tradition of “love literature” in Arabic and Persian and the influence of this literature on Western literature from the Medieval period to the present day.
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RELG 332 - Religion and Society in the Middle Ages
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): RELG 210 or consent of instructor
A study of Christianity from 600-1500 C.E., with special attention to the eastern and western European cultural and social settings of medieval Christian thought, belief, life and institutions. The course emphasizes primary sources, discussion, writing and qualifies for Med-Ren major.
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RELG 334 - The Protestant and Catholic Reformations
Credits: (3)
A study of personalities, institutional changes and theological movements in European and British Christianity from the Reformation through the 18th century. Includes Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anabaptism, Protestant Radicalism, the Roman Catholic Reformation, the English Reformation and Methodism and the Evangelical Revival.
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RELG 335 - Modern Jewish and Christian Thought
Credits: (3)
Domain (Anchored): ALV
A critical examination of important texts in modern Jewish and Christian thought concerning the nature, origin, interpretation, and justification of religion. Texts selected from the writings of Moses Mendelssohn, Abraham Geiger, Mordecai Kaplan, Rudolf Bultmann, John A. T. Robinson, Joseph Fletcher, Rosemary Radford Ruether, Gustavo Gutierrez, and John Spong.
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RELG 337 - African Ritual and Religious Practice
Credits: (3)
Domain (Anchored): CSI
This course focuses on the diverse forms of religious practice and experience in various social and cultural contexts in Africa. The symbolic, aesthetic, and political implications of ritual, as well as the transforming significance of religious practice, will be explored.
Cross-listed with: AFST 341 , ANTH 337
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RELG 339 - Spiritual But Not Religious
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI
This course examines the historical development of modern-day conceptions of “spirituality” and investigates spirituality’s complex relationships with “religion,” secularism, neoliberalism, and consumerism. In particular, we seek to understand the phenomenon of a rapidly increasing number of Americans who identify as “spiritual, but not religious.” In exploring the rise and meaning of “spirituality,” the class will give special emphasis to the historical influences of consumer capitalism, the liberal political tradition, colonialism, orientalism and, relatedly, the modern reform of Asian religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. To see the ways in which modern-day “spirituality” is intertwined with secularism, scientism, race, class, neoliberalism, and consumerism, we will examine how “spirituality” is differently constructed and understood by evangelical Christians, atheists/non-believers, and contemporary practitioners of yoga, meditation, mindfulness, transhumanism, indigenous traditions, and nature (eco-) spiritualities.
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RELG 340 - Spiritual But Not Religious
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI
This course examines the historical development of modern-day conceptions of “spirituality” and investigates spirituality’s complex relationships with “religion,” secularism, neoliberalism, and consumerism. In particular, we seek to understand the phenomenon of a rapidly increasing number of Americans who identify as “spiritual, but not religious.” In exploring the rise and meaning of “spirituality,” the class will give special emphasis to the historical influences of consumer capitalism, the liberal political tradition, colonialism, orientalism and, relatedly, the modern reform of Asian religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. To see the ways in which modern-day “spirituality” is intertwined with secularism, scientism, race, class, neoliberalism, and consumerism, we will examine how “spirituality” is differently constructed and understood by evangelical Christians, atheists/non-believers, and contemporary practitioners of yoga, meditation, mindfulness, transhumanism, indigenous traditions, and nature (eco-) spiritualities.
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RELG 344 - Religion and Sports in the U.S.
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL200, COLL 350
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
Religions and sports are both indications of cultural values. When we look at the place of religions, sports, and their intersections in our lives and history, we can learn about the priorities of our culture. Some of those priorities might make us proud; others might make us uncomfortable. This course treats religions and sports as intertwined cultural phenomena that deserve our attention because, through this, we can learn much about our cultural context, social systems, and underlying values. We will start with the question of whether sport is in itself a religion, and then we will then turn to religious traditions and social issues. We will examine religion’s role in patterns of belonging and marginalization by exploring race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and immigration status. Throughout, we will look at the historical and cultural factors that bring religion and sport together. In order to deepen your understanding of justice, equity, and the value-laden processes of social inclusion and exclusion through institutional, cultural, and normative practices that are both historical and ongoing, we will explore historical, anthropological, and ethical approaches to multiple intersections of religion and sport in the U.S. At the end of this course, you will be able to describe religions and sports as disciplinary systems and show how these systems create and sustain cultural values.
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RELG 345 - Religion, Colonialism, and Nationalism in North America
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 350
Domain (Anchored): CSI
An investigation of the role of religion in colonial and national identity in the New World. Emphasis on a diversity of perspectives including Native Americans, slaves, and women.
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RELG 346 - Religion & Politics in the United States
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200, COLL 350
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
A critical investigation of the relationship between religion, politics, and social identities in the United States, historically and today. Course topics may include: the contested meaning of, and diversity of appeals to, “religious freedom” (the “free exercise” of religion) in America; the separation of church and state (“disestablishment,” its history, and challenges to it); key Supreme Court cases impacting the place and shifting meaning of “religion” in American society; the influence of white Christian nationalism and the Religious Right in American politics; effects of settler colonialism and U.S. state actions upon Native American and African-American cultural and religious life; the relationship between race and religion; Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and challenges faced by religious minorities in the U.S.; and American discourses of multiculturalism, tolerance, and religious pluralism.
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RELG 347 - New Religious Movements in America
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
A study of new and alternative religions, past and present, with an emphasis on cultural context, historical development, and tensions with political and religious authorities.
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RELG 348 - African American Religions
Credits: (3)
An historical, thematic, and theoretical overview of African American religions from enslavement through contemporary Caribbean and African migrations.
Cross-listed with: AFST 348
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RELG 350 - Eastern Christianity
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI
This course surveys the history of the major Christian churches and communities in the East. We will explore topics like East/West ecclesiastical divisions and controversies, mysticism, the theological and social role of pillar saints, holy warriors, holy fools, vampires, and witches. The discussion of Orthodox communities and their theologies will throw light on the formation of secular culture and the role of the Orthodox churches in contemporary politics and society.
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RELG 361 - Modern Hinduism
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200, COLL 300
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
An introduction to the study of Hinduism in modern India, exploring the way in which Hindu religiosity has both influenced and been influenced by political, social, economic, and environmental issues specific to the modern age (circa 1800 to the present-day). Our study of modern Hinduism will emphasize: (1) the impacts of British colonialism, (2) the social realities of caste, untouchability, and gender, (3) Hindu nationalism (and Hindu-Muslim relations) in Indian social and political life, and (4) effects of and responses to climate change and environmental exploitation. Other topics may include: patriarchy, gender roles, and feminism in modern India; the shared freedom struggles of African Americans and colonized South Asians; key figures in colonial-era Hindu reform efforts; Partition and its impacts; diaspora Hinduism (e.g., Hindus in modern America); transnational neo-Hindu guru-led movements; ethnographic studies of lived Hinduism in modern India; and impacts upon traditional Hindu religiosity of globalization, neoliberalism, and rapid urbanization.
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RELG 362 - Magic, Science, and Religion
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV, NQR
This interdisciplinary course explores different understandings of and interactions between the realms of “magic,” “science” and “religion” across a range of historical and cultural contexts. Drawing together materials from the fields of religious studies, anthropology, history of science, philosophy, science studies, and the natural sciences, the course will examine and problematize standard narratives of modernity by (a) interrogating modern understandings of religion, science, rationality, and disenchantment, (b) exploring the historical origins and development of our dominant (science-based) modern Western episteme, and (c) examining unconventional ways of knowing and alternative understandings of the sacred, rationality, and enchantment. Topics may also include: classic theories of magic, science, and religion; experiences of the extraordinary, uncanny, and non-rational; the roles of magic, science, and religion in practices and discourses of colonialism; the modern-day authority of science and the marginalization of other ways of knowing; debates regarding the nature and varieties of human consciousness; issues surrounding the method, practice, and ideology of science; and intersections of religion, magic, and science in neuroscience, quantum physics, paranormal phenomenon, and popular culture.
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RELG 363 - Sociology of Religion
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV
This course explores systems of belief, rituals, organizations and movements. It examines factors that influence religiosity, as well as the ways religion affects (and is affected by) other social institutions, such as the economy, politics and the educational system.
Cross-listed with: SOCL 363
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RELG 364 - Yoga and Tantra
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI
This course traces the historical development of the traditions of Yoga and Tantra in South Asia and examines modern-day understandings and practices of Yoga and Tantra in the West. We will discuss contemporary debates and controversies surrounding Yoga and Tantra, while also investigating the origins of these traditions and how they came to be perceived and practiced in the way they are today. Special attention will be given to: key primary texts of the Hindu yogic traditions; the different historical forms of yogic and tantric meditation, asceticism, and “magic;” colonial/orientalist perceptions of these traditions; and the intertwined roles of consumer culture, scientism, and “spirituality” in modern yoga. The course is anchored in an investigation of larger theoretical questions regarding the (ritual) use of the body and altered forms of consciousness in religious-spiritual practices of disciplining and transforming the self. Additional topics may include: traditional Buddhist and modern-day secular practices of mindfulness; sexuality and transgression in yogic-tantric practice; the role of the guru in South Asian yogic and tantric traditions; the influence of Yoga and Tantra in modern occultism and the Human Potential Movement; psychedelic drugs and mystical experience; and the links between yoga and Hindu nationalism in modern-day India.
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RELG 365 - Feminine Power and Female Voices in Hindu Traditions
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Additional Domain (if applicable): CSI
This course critically engages notions of feminine power and agency as it is conceived in Hindu metaphysics and theologies while simultaneously engaging the voices of empowered Hindu women across time-from the ancient Upanishads, to the medieval poet-saints, to contemporary female gurus.
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RELG 367 - Himalayan Religion
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI
This course examines the variety of religious orientations in Tibet and the histories and signature practices of Tibet’s four Buddhist orders. It investigates the religious-political rule of the Dalai Lamas historically and in current-day China, India, and the west.
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RELG 369 - Hindu Sacred Texts
Credits: (3)
An intensive study of selected significant writings from the Hindu traditions, focusing on the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads. This course will explore key philosophical concepts and their impact in both India and the West.
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RELG 378 - Psychology of Religion
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 201 and PSYC 202
Examines the works of William James, Freud, Jung and Gordon Allport in light of current psychological theory and research, emphasizing religious development and the nature, modes and consequences of individual religious experience.
Cross-listed with: PSYC 450
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RELG 380 - Buddhist Philosophy
Credits: (3)
Domain (Anchored): ALV
This course examines Indian and Tibetan Buddhist analyses of personal identity, the nature of the world, and how we come to have knowledge of both. It additionally explores Buddhist ethical responses to selfless persons and an empty world.
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RELG 382 - Buddhism and Science
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): NQR
This course will examine modern Buddhists’ claims on cosmology, the individual, and the nature of consciousness, investigating the strategies Buddhists utilize to construct and negotiate the boundaries between Religion and Science. We will draw material from across the Asian Buddhist world, analyzing debates between Śri Lankan monks and Christian missionaries on the structure of the universe, Tibetan and western efforts to demonstrate the compatibility between the Buddhist doctrine of emptiness and quantum physics, and the contemporary attempt to map Buddhist meditators’ brains. The course assumes no prior knowledge of Buddhism; we will study classical Buddhist perspectives at every turn.
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RELG 391 - Theory and Method in the Study of Religion
Credits: (4)
Prerequisite(s): 6 credits of any RELG course
College Curriculum: COLL 400
This course surveys the dominant methods of studying religion and the theories on which they are based. The perspectives may include the anthropological, feminist, historical, literary, philosophical, phenomenological, political, psychological and sociological.
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RELG 481 - Independent Study in Religion
Credits: (1-3)
Prerequisite(s): Consent of chairperson
A program of extensive reading, writing and discussion in a special area of religion for the advanced student. Students accepted for either course will arrange their program of study with appropriate members of the department.
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RELG 482 - Independent Study in Religion
Credits: (1-3)
Prerequisite(s): Consent of chairperson
A program of extensive reading, writing and discussion in a special area of religion for the advanced student. Students accepted for either course will arrange their program of study with appropriate members of the department.
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RELG 495 - Honors
Credits: (3)
Students admitted to senior Honors in Religion will be responsible for (a) reading and research supervised by a faculty member designated by the chair, (b) presentation of an Honors essay acceptable to the examining committee and submitted two weeks before the last day of classes of the student’s graduating semester, and (c) satisfactory performance in an oral examination based on the Honors essay and related background. Consult the chair for eligibility, admission and continuance requirements.
Note: For College provisions governing the Admission to Honors, see catalog section titled Honors and Special Programs.
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RELG 496 - Honors
Credits: (3)
Students admitted to senior Honors in Religion will be responsible for (a) reading and research supervised by a faculty member designated by the chair, (b) presentation of an Honors essay acceptable to the examining committee and submitted two weeks before the last day of classes of the student’s graduating semester, and (c) satisfactory performance in an oral examination based on the Honors essay and related background. Consult the chair for eligibility, admission and continuance requirements.
Note: For College provisions governing the Admission to Honors, see catalog section titled Honors and Special Programs.
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Russian and Post-Soviet Studies |
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RPSS 200 - Transfer Elective Credit
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RPSS 201 - Introduction to Russian and Post-Soviet Studies
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI
This course serves as a “gateway” to the Russian and Post-Soviet Studies major and provides an empirical, conceptual and methodological foundation for the more advanced courses. It introduces students to some of the key facts, debates and myths in and about the region; discusses the concept of “Russia” as it has been conceived of by various disciplines; and demonstrates the interdisciplinary approach through a case study. Topics may vary: consumption and everyday life; Russia and the West, etc.
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RPSS 290 - Topics in Russian and Post-Soviet Studies
Credits: (1-4)
Selected topics in RPSS are offered occasionally. The topic to be considered will be announced prior to the beginning of the semester.
These courses may be repeated for credit if the topic varies.
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RPSS 300 - Transfer Elective Credit
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RPSS 390 - Topics in Russian and Post-Soviet Studies
Credits: (1-4)
Selected topics in RPSS are offered occasionally. The topic to be considered will be announced prior to the beginning of the semester. These courses may be repeated for credit if the topic varies.
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RPSS 480 - Independent Study in Russian and Post-Soviet Studies.
Credits: (1-3)
For majors and minors who have completed most of their requirements and who have secured approval from a supervising instructor. RPSS 480 may be repeated for credit, if the topic varies.
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RPSS 490 - Senior Research Seminar
Credits: (4)
College Curriculum: COLL 400
This course is designed as a capstone experience for Russian and Post-Soviet Studies concentrators to guide them in synthesizing their course work and field experiences. It is a variable topics course which brings together critical thinking, research, and communication skills. Fulfills the Major Writing Requirement. Open to juniors and seniors only.
May be repeated for credit if topics differ.
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RPSS 495 - Senior Honors in Russian and Post-Soviet Studies
Credits: (3)
Please see the detailed description of the honors process in the opening of the Global Studies catalog section.
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RPSS 496 - Senior Honors in Russian and Post-Soviet Studies
Credits: (3)
Please see the detailed description of the honors process in the opening of the Global Studies catalog section.
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Russian Studies |
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RUSN 100 - Critical Questions in Russian
Credits: (4)
College Curriculum: COLL 100
An exploration of significant questions and concepts, beliefs and creative visions, theories and discoveries in Russian for first-year students. Although topics vary, the courses also seek to improve students’ communication skills beyond the written word.
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RUSN 101 - Elementary Russian I
Credits: (4)
An introduction to Russian, with emphasis on oral skills. Cyrillic alphabet, case structure, verbal usage, building of basic vocabulary and conversational skills, ability to read simplified passages in Russian. For additional placement information, please see the Modern Languages and Literatures website.
Five class hours.
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RUSN 102 - Elementary Russian II
Credits: (4)
Prerequisite(s): RUSN 101
An introduction to Russian, with emphasis on oral skills. Cyrillic alphabet, case structure, verbal usage, building of basic vocabulary and conversational skills, ability to read simplified passages in Russian. For additional placement information, please see the Modern Languages and Literatures website.
Five class hours.
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RUSN 150 - First Year Seminar
Credits: (4)
College Curriculum: COLL 150
An exploration of a specific topic in Russian Cultural Studies. A grade of C- or better fulfills the COLL 150 requirement. Although topics vary, the courses emphasize academic writing skills, reading and analysis of texts, and discussion.
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RUSN 201 - Intermediate Russian I
Credits: (4)
Prerequisite(s): RUSN 102 or three years of high school Russian
Review of Russian grammar, more detailed study of grammatical issues, vocabulary building and word-formation, reading of more complicated, unedited Russian prose texts, elementary composition. Includes significant language lab component, audio and audio- visual materials. For additional placement information, please see the Modern Languages and Literatures website.
Five class hours.
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RUSN 202 - Intermediate Russian II
Credits: (4)
Prerequisite(s): RUSN 201 or three years of high school Russian
Review of Russian grammar, more detailed study of grammatical issues, vocabulary building and word-formation, reading of more complicated, unedited Russian prose texts, elementary composition. Includes significant language lab component, audio and audio- visual materials. For additional placement information, please see the Modern Languages and Literatures website.
Five class hours.
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RUSN 250 - Russian Myths and Legends
Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI
Taught in English. An introduction to Russian culture from Russia’s beginnings to the present. Multimedia lectures and class discussion will focus on the most significant genres and aspects of Russian folk culture (fairy tales, songs, dances, folk art, etc.) Students with advanced language skills, with the consent of instructor, may take a 4th credit for reading and discussions (one additional hour per week) in the original language.
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RUSN 300 - Russian Study Abroad
Credits: (1-4)
This number is intended for courses completed in Russia.
May be repeated for credit
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RUSN 303 - Advanced Russian: Conversation, Composition, Reading I
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): RUSN 202 or consent of instructor
Continued study of Russian grammar, weekly writing assignments, readings and conversational drills aim to increase student’s fluency and creativity in using and understanding spoken and written Russian. Significant audio-visual component. This course is taught in Russian. Fulfills computing requirement for Russian and Post-Soviet Studies major.
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RUSN 304 - Advanced Russian: Conversation, Composition, Reading II
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): RUSN 303 or consent of instructor
Continued study of Russian grammar, weekly writing assignments, readings and conversational drills aim to increase student’s fluency and creativity in using and understanding spoken and written Russian. Significant audio-visual component. Conducted in Russian. Fulfills computing requirement for Russian and Post Soviet Studies major.
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RUSN 305 - Directed Readings in Russian Literature
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): RUSN 330 or consent of instructor
This course is designed to permit an in-depth study in an area of literature not covered in regularly offered courses.
May be repeated if topic varies
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RUSN 306 - Directed Readings in Russian Literature
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): RUSN 330 or consent of instructor
This course is designed to permit an in-depth study in an area of literature not covered in regularly offered courses.
May be repeated if topic varies
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RUSN 308 - Topics in Russian Literature and Culture (Taught in English)
Credits: (1-4)
Taught in English. Exploration of a particular topic in Russian literature and culture.
May be repeated for credit if topic changes
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RUSN 309 - Topics in Russian Cinema (Taught in English)
Credits: (3)
Taught in English. An in-depth study of a major director, genre, period, or theme in Russian cinema. Lecture and discussion.
May be repeated for credit if topic varies
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RUSN 310 - Advanced Conversation (Taught in Russian)
Credits: (3)
Prereq/Corequisite(s): RUSN 303 or consent of instructor
Intensive oral-aural training for students who have completed at least three years of college-level Russian study. Especially recommended for students returning to William and Mary after a semester or summer of language study abroad.
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RUSN 320 - Russian Cultural History (Taught in Russian)
Credits: (3)
Prereq/Corequisite(s): RUSN 303 or consent of instructor
A survey of Russian Civilization from pre-Christian traditions to the present. Emphasis on the most important historical and artistic elements in Russian Culture. This course is taught in Russian. It includes illustrated lectures, readings, and film.
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RUSN 330 - Survey of Russian Literature (Taught in Russian)
Credits: (3)
Prereq/Corequisite(s): RUSN 304 or consent of instructor
An introduction to the study of literature in Russia through readings and discussions of representative texts in prose and poetry from the 19th and 20th centuries. Writers studied to include Pushkin, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Bulgakov, Dovlatov.
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RUSN 340 - Russian Media Culture (Taught in Russian)
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): RUSN 303 or consent of instructor
The course introduces students to the language of Russian cinema, television, print and the new media. The course consists of three modules: transition to market economy, national identity, and gender relations.
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