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).