Catalog
Religious Studies
Professors Baker (chair) and Bruce; Associate Professor Akhtar; Assistant Professor Melnick Dyer
Religious Studies is a humanistic and social-scientific discipline that provides windows onto a wide range of cultural phenomena and contemporary social questions. It explores religion as a foundational element in all cultures while drawing together – and providing opportunities to sharpen one’s skills in – multiple methods of study, including those associated with history, literature, ethnography, political science, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, psychology, natural sciences, cultural studies, and theology. Majors and minors are encouraged to explore how their studies in other fields intersect with religious studies questions, concerns, and methods.
Religious studies majors work closely with members of the department in designing their program of study and their thesis project. Although the Senior Research Seminar and Thesis are the only courses required of every major, all majors a) take courses at the introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels; b) gain breadth and depth in their understanding of a variety of religious traditions and practices; and c) develop skills in a wide array of theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of religion. The department strongly encourages study abroad, and students may petition to count up to two credits earned abroad toward the major or minor. More information on the religious studies curriculum is available on the website (bates.edu/religion).
Major Requirements
The religious studies major consists of ten courses (eleven for honors candidates).1) Two courses in theoretical and/or comparative studies of religion. The courses that satisfy this requirement provide an introduction to the study of religion within a particular disciplinary context (e.g., Greco-Roman religions, philosophy of religion, psychology of religion, sociology of religion, anthropological approaches to the study of religion, religion and civil rights), or provide comparative studies of multiple religious traditions and/or multiple approaches to the study of a single tradition. Courses that satisfy this requirement include all 100-level religious studies courses (preferably taken before the senior year), and the following:
FYS 445. The Nature of Spirituality.
RE/WS 207. Eve, Adam, and the Serpent.
CM/RE 218. Greek and Roman Myths.
INDS 221. Venice to Tokyo: Religion and Trade along the Spice and Silk Routes.
INDS 226. Blood, Birds, and Belief: Religions of Rome and the Empire.
RE/SO 231. Sociology of Religion.
AA/RE 233. Literary Representations of the Africana Religions.
PL/RE 260. Philosophy of Religion.
GS/RE 311. Buddhism and Gender.
ES/RE s25. Food and the Sacred.
PSYC 311. Psychology of Religion.
2) One course from each of four areas of study (for a total of four courses; courses that are listed in more than one area cannot be counted twice). By taking courses in a variety of religious traditions, time periods, and geographic locations, students begin to develop cultural literacy across a wide range of world religions, even as they hone their understanding of the methodologies and theories common to religious studies. Each faculty member highlights different methods and theories in the courses they offer; by studying with different faculty in the department, students develop breadth in their working knowledge of the field, as a whole, and intersectional understandings that complicate conventional definitions of "religion" and "religious" identities.
Area A: Judaism and Christianity. Courses in this area explore Jewish and/or Christian traditions within one or more historical contexts and in conversation with biblical or other sacred texts. Some courses are scripture-focused, such as Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and New Testament; others are more wide-ranging and thematic. Courses that satisfy this requirement include:
RE/WS 207. Eve, Adam, and the Serpent.
CM/RE 235. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible.
CMRE 236. Introduction to the New Testament.
CM/RE 238. Jews and Judaism in Antiquity.
AV/CM 251. The Age of the Cathedrals.
AV/CM 252. The Art of the Middle Ages.
INDS 301Y. The Spanish Inquisition.
REL 303. Seminar in Biblical Criticism.
GS/RE 310. Gender and Judaism.
REL 313. Human Suffering: Job, Genesis, and Revelation.
Area B: Islam. Courses in this area explore the history, social practices, and beliefs found among Muslim communities around the world. Some courses offer an introduction to sacred texts and cultural practices, while others are oriented around specific themes such as material culture and the arts, cultural exchange between medieval Catholic Christendom and Islam in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, and contemporary politics. Courses that satisfy this requirement include:
REL 112. Introduction to Islam: Religion, Practice, and Culture.
REL 120. Islam, Christianity, and Judaism of the Middle East: Texts, Institutions, and Law.
INDS 221. Venice to Tokyo: Religion and Trade along the Spice and Silk Routes.
CM/RE 264. Islamic Civilization: Politics, History, Arts.
AM/RE 272. Islam in the Americas.
HI/RE 320. Religion and Government in the Middle East: Colonialism to the Arab Spring.
Area C: Asian Religions. Courses in this area explore religious traditions that originally developed in Asia, including Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Hinduism, Jainism, Shinto, Sikhism, and others. These traditions are examined through their lived components, material culture, sacred texts, and doctrinal systems, both contemporary and historical. Some courses trace the historical developments of religious communities from their inception to the present day, including in global contexts. Courses that satisfy this requirement include:
REL 110. Death and the Afterlife: Bodies and Souls in Comparative Perspective.
AS/RE 155. Introduction to Asian Religions.
AS/RE 208. Religions in China.
AS/RE 209. Religions in Japan.
AS/RE 249. The Hindu Tradition.
AS/RE 250. The Buddhist Tradition.
AS/RE 251. Religions of Tibet.
AS/RE 348. Epics of Asia: Myth and Religion.
AS/RE s26. The Buddhist Himalaya: Religion in Ladakh.
AV/AS 243. Buddhist Arts and Visual Cultures.
AV/AS 247. The Art of Zen Buddhism.
AV/AS 248. The Art of Rock-Cut Architecture in Asia.
FYS 289. The Life of the Buddha.
GS/RE 311. Buddhism and Gender.
PHIL 310. Buddhist Philosophy.
AS/RE s28. From Shangri-la to Radical Dharma: Buddhism in North America.
Area D: American Religions/Religion in America. Courses in this area do one or both of the following: a) examine the wide range of specific religious traditions practiced in the United States of America (indigenous, Protestantism, Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and a host of new religious movements such as the Shakers, Mormons, Christian Scientists, Nation of Islam, Transcendental Meditation, and Scientology) and/or b) explore the social, political, and cultural factors, conditions, events, debates, and controversies that shape and influence the formation, practice, and experience of religion in the American context. Courses that satisfy this requirement include:
FYS 152. Religion and Civil Rights.
REL 216. American Religious History, 1550-1840.
REL 217. American Religious History, 1840-Present.
REL 247. City upon the Hill.
REL 255. African American Religious Traditions.
REL 270. Religion and American Visual Culture.
AM/RE 272. Islam in the Americas.
REL 306B. Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays.
3) Two 300-level seminars. Religious studies seminars are limited-enrollment, discussion and research-based courses that enable students to explore religion with greater depth and nuance than is often possible in lecture-format or introductory courses. Courses that satisfy this requirement include all 300-level religious studies courses.
4) REL 450. Senior Research Seminar. The Senior Research Seminar serves as a culminating course for students majoring in religious studies. It provides a small group setting in which students write and discuss a series of essays on a topic of their choice as a way of reviewing various methods, theories and approaches to the study of religion that they have learned over the course of their major. Through weekly meetings, discussions, written peer reviews of one another’s research, bibliographical work and writing, the seminar enables students to recognize themselves and each other as emerging scholars within the field of religious studies.
5) REL 457 or 458 (senior thesis) or both REL 457 and 458 (honors thesis). The thesis represents a capstone academic experience in a religious studies major’s scholarly career at Bates. Each student develops a thesis topic in consultation with one or more members of the religious studies faculty and, after completing preliminary research on that topic, determines the method(s) by which to explore and frame a thesis on the topic. Further information about the religious studies thesis requirement may be found under the Thesis menu on the religious studies homepage.
Pass/Fail Grading Option
Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the major.Minor
The minor in religious studies consists of six courses, which must normally be specified prior to the start of a student's senior year. These courses are to be selected according to the following guidelines and in consultation with a member of the department faculty who is chosen or appointed as the student's departmental minor advisor: a) one course from requirement 1, above (theoretical and/or comparative studies of religion); b) at least one 300-level seminar; c) four courses across at least two Areas of Study (A, B, C, and D, above), in religious studies.Pass/Fail Grading Option
Pass/fail grading may be elected for only one course applied toward the minor. CoursesREL 100. Religion and Film.
This course introduces students to cinematic representations of religion in feature and documentary films. Films about religion are cultural documents in and through which individual artists, religious and nonreligious groups, and nations symbolically construct their conceptions of themselves and the world. They are also the occasion for political, social, and cultural debates about ethnic and national identities. This course adopts a cultural studies approach to the study of films about religion and invites students to investigate the public debate and interdisciplinary questions and issues raised by the release of films such as Jesus of Montreal (Canada), The Last Temptation of Christ (United States), The Mahabharata (England and India), Shoah (France), and The Color Purple (United States). Enrollment limited to 39 per section. Normally offered every year. M. Bruce.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
REL 110. Death and Afterlife: Bodies and Souls in Comparative Perspective.
An introduction to the comparative study of religion centering on the ways in which various traditions have addressed a basic question: What happens to humans when they die? Primary attention is given to the answers of at least three of the following religions: Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Chinese and Japanese religions. Ways of studying these answers in their many dimensions (ritual, doctrinal, mythological, sociological, psychological) are introduced; topics such as notions of heaven and hell, reincarnation, relics, burial patterns, ghosts, visionary journeys to the other world, quests for immortality, near-death experiences, and resurrections are addressed. Enrollment limited to 39. (Community-Engaged Learning.) [AC] [HS] A. Melnick Dyer.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 112. Introduction to Islam: Religion, Practice, and Culture.
This course provides an introduction to Islam as a religion, a set of practices, and a community of diverse cultures. Who is the Prophet Muhammad and what is the Quran? Why do Muslims pray, fast for Ramadan, and perform the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca? How do Muslims practice Islam in places like Europe? The course includes a study of the Prophet Muhammad's life, an introduction to the Quran and Hadith, and aspects of Muslim ritual life, especially the Hajj. Students also explore aspects of Muslim life in places like New York, London, and the Middle East. Enrollment limited to 39. Normally offered every year. A. Akhtar.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 120. Muslims, Christians, and Jews.
This course explores the historical interactions among Islam, Eastern Christianity, and Middle Eastern Judaism (Sephardi, Maghribi, and Mizrahi Judaism) from Morocco to Egypt and Turkey. Students consider the development of the three religions' traditions and customs, as well as their interaction during the rise of colonialism and modern nation-states. Enrollment limited to 39. A. Akhtar.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 133. Religion, Violence, and Nonviolence.
This course explores relationships between religion and violence and between religion and nonviolence in a variety of traditions and historical contexts. Among the topics considered are theories and practices of sacrifice and scapegoating, ordeal and retribution, crusade and jihad, religious pacifism, compassion, and nonviolent resistance movements. A community-engaged-learning component helps to ground the study throughout the course. Enrollment limited to 39. (Community-Engaged Learning.) [AC] [HS] C. Baker.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AN/RE 134. Myth, Folklore, and Popular Culture.
A variety of "texts," including ancient Greek myths, Grimms' folktales, Apache jokes, African proverbs, Barbie dolls, Walt Disney movies, and modern Greek folk dances, are examined in light of important theoretical approaches employed by anthropologists interested in understanding the role of expressive forms in cultures throughout the world. Major emphasis is placed on psychoanalytic, feminist, Marxist, structuralist, and cultural-studies approaches. Enrollment limited to 60. L. Danforth.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AS/RE 155. Introduction to Asian Religions.
An introduction to the major religious traditions of Asia, in both their classical and modern forms, with a focus on the lifestories of individual figures in the Hindu, Buddhist, Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese traditions. The course explores their basic teachings, examines their historical and social contexts, and seeks answers to questions such as: What is the nature of religious experience? What are the functions of myth and ritual? How do Asian world views differ from each other and from those in the West? Enrollment limited to 39. [AC] [HS] A. Melnick Dyer.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
INDC 200. Women's Movements and Religion across East Asia.
What are the key challenges faced by women’s movements across East Asia? What roles do religious ethics and cultural norms play in creating either obstacles or opportunities for women activists who seek to counter gender disparity in the pursuit of economic development? Do religious traditions offer challenges or resources for socio-economic reform? From Islam among Malay and Hui Chinese communities to Confucian-influenced Christianity among South Korean communities, this course provides an opportunity to explore how women’s movements in East Asia engage with religious and cultural traditions in their struggles for human rights and civil liberties, as well as equal access to education, labor markets, affordable childcare, and other development opportunities. Recommended background: one introductory course in anthropology, economics, history, sociology, or politics. New course beginning winter 2020. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. Normally offered every year. A. Akhtar.Interdisciplinary Programs
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
GS/RE 207. Eve, Adam, and the Serpent.
This course examines the historical formation of Genesis 1–3 against the background of its literary, cultural, and historical context and its subsequent interpretation and use in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Special attention is given to the ways in which the biblical texts have been interpreted and used to imagine, promote, and justify social orders — both hierarchical and egalitarian — as well as how the construction of gender relations links to the ways in which other social institutions are articulated and justified. Topics include the creation of the cosmos, characterizations of the Creator, the origins and perfection of humanity, the origins of evil, and the nature of the garden. Not open to students who have received credit for RE/WS 207. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. C. Baker.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AS/RE 208. Religions in China.
A study of the various religious traditions of China in their independence and interaction. The course focuses on the history, doctrines, and practices of Daoism, Confucianism, and various schools of Mahayana Buddhism. Readings include basic texts and secondary sources. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. A. Melnick Dyer.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AS/RE 209. Religions in Japan.
A study of the various religious traditions of Japan in their independence and interaction. The course focuses on the doctrines and practices of Shinto, folk religion, and various schools of Buddhism. These are considered in the context of Japanese history and culture and set against their Korean and Chinese backgrounds. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. B. Ruppert, A. Melnick Dyer.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 216. American Religious History, 1550–1840.
This course introduces students to the major themes and movements in American religious history from the colonial period to the end of Jacksonian reform. Among the topics discussed are Reformation "churches" and "sects," Puritanism and secularism in seventeenth-century America, ethnic diversity and religious pluralism in the Middle Colonies, slavery and slave religion, revivalism, religion and the American Revolution, and social reform. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. [AC] [HS] M. Bruce.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
REL 217. American Religious History, 1840–Present.
The course seeks to understand the importance of religion in the evolution of a sense of national identity and of national destiny for the United States. Consideration is given to the importance of religious traditions both in the development and sanctioning of national mythologies, and in the critique or criticism of these mythologies. The historical background of such considerations begins with Native American religions. The course concludes with a study of "religious freedom" in a multicultural nation again uncertain of its grounds for unity. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. M. Bruce.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
CM/RE 218. Greek and Roman Myths.
Did the Greeks and Romans believe their myths about winged horses, goddesses, and golden apples? How are myths related to the religious, political, and social world of Greece and Rome? This course examines Greek and Roman myths from a variety of theoretical perspectives in order to understand their meaning in the ancient world and their enduring influence in Western literature and art. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 45. [AC] [HS] L. Maurizio.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
INDC 221. Venice to Tokyo: Religion and Trade along the Spice and Silk Routes.
This course examines the intersection of religion and trade along the silk and spice routes that linked Venice and Istanbul with Isfahan, Malacca, Nanjing, and Tokyo in the medieval and early modern periods (800-1800 C.E.). Adherents of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and other spiritual traditions traversed these trade routes as merchants, diplomats, and pilgrims. As cultural brokers connecting Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia, these merchants transmitted objects as diverse as silk textiles, relics, and texts on philosophy and ethics. This course follows the transfer of culture and commerce along these trade routes, focusing on a key thematic question: How are urban economies impacted by religion and culture? Cross-listed in Asian studies, classical and medieval studies, and religious studies. Not open to students who have received credit for CM/RE 221. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. A. Akhtar.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
AF/RE 233. Literary Representations of the Africana Religions.
Using the literatures of African and African-descended peoples, this course examines the religions—traditional/indigenous, Christian, Islamic, and so-called "syncretic"—from the continent and the diaspora. The selected works may represent the religious traditions, rituals, and practices of the Yoruba, Shona, Asante, Tswana, as well as African Independent Churches, Rastafari, and followers of Vodun, Santería, Candomblé, and related religions. Students approach texts—novels, short stories, dramas, films and poems—as literary productions and not just media to convey information about the religions they represent. This course is also attentive to contexts; students examine the religious symbol systems represented as well as the historical era depicted and the literary traditions and cultures that produce them. Recommended background: course work in Africana or religious studies. Not open to students who have received credit for AA/RE 233. (Africana: Diaspora.) S. Houchins.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
CM/RE 235. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible.
What is the Hebrew Bible (Christianity's "Old Testament" and Judaism's "Tanakh")? How and by whom did it come to be written and compiled? This course employs a range of scholarly tools and methods for exploring the content and genres of twelve books of the Hebrew Bible — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Kings—with brief forays into selected Prophets and Wisdom literature. Topics include theories about the composition and sociopolitical contexts of the writings, the events and ideas they narrate, and the use of scripture in contemporary public discourse. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. C. Baker.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
CM/RE 236. Introduction to the New Testament.
Readings in the New Testament and related Greek and early Christian literature. Studies of the gospels include investigation into Jesus' place in the Judaism of his day, the interpretation of Jesus' teaching in the context of the Roman Mediterranean, and the shaping of the Jesus tradition in the early Church. Topics such as the diversity of ideas about salvation, influence of Greco-Roman religious thought, the place of women in the early Church, and the formation of the early Church in its first century are covered in the study of the New Testament epistles (emphasis on the apostle Paul's epistles) and the book of Revelation. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. C. Baker.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
CM/RE 238. Jews and Judaism in Antiquity.
The millennium between 500 B.C.E. and 500 C.E. saw the gradual invention of a culture that has come to be known as Judaism. This course introduces the significant historical events and texts that were part of this cultural process, as well as the daily practices, institutions, ideologies, and movements associated with it. The approach is both historical and thematic with close reading of archaeological and written sources including texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls, New Testament (substantially authored by Jews), later Hebrew Bible and Apocrypha, Philo, Josephus, and the early rabbinic corpus. Topics include biblical interpretation; creation, adaptation, and transmission of traditions; identity and self-definition; accommodation and resistance; sectarianism and the invention of Jewish and Christian orthodoxies; theories about messiahs, afterlife, and a world-to-come. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. C. Baker.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 247. City upon the Hill.
From John Winthrop to Ronald Reagan, Americans imagined themselves as a chosen people, a righteous empire, and a city upon a hill. The course examines this religious view of America and its role in shaping American ideas regarding politics, education, work, women, ethnic groups, and other countries. Assigned readings include works by Edmund Morgan, Sacvan Bercovitch, R. W. B. Lewis, and William Clebsch. Prerequisite(s): one course in religion. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. M. Bruce.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
AS/RE 249. The Hindu Tradition.
This course examines Hindu rituals, practices, and doctrine with some consideration of their relation to Jainism and Indian Buddhism. Special attention is paid to the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad-Gita, as well as to the classical myths of Hinduism embodied in the Puranas, and to ritual and devotional practices. Students make use of primary and secondary texts as well as film and music. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. A. Melnick Dyer.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AS/RE 250. Buddhist Traditions.
The course focuses on the Buddha's life and teachings from early Buddhism in India and the rise of various Buddhist schools of thought up to modern American Buddhist traditions; the development of Mahayana philosophies; and rituals, meditation, and other forms of religious expression across the Buddhist world. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. [AC] [HS] A. Melnick Dyer.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AS/RE 251. Religions of Tibet.
Tibetan religions are a complex mixture of Indian, Chinese, and indigenous elements. This course focuses on the history, doctrines, practices, literatures, major personalities, and communities of the different religious traditions that are expressions of this mixture including monastic and tantric forms of Buddhism as well as Bön and "folk" traditions. The relationship between the political and the religion also is explored. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. [AC] [HS] A. Melnick Dyer.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 255. African American Religious Traditions.
This course examines the origins, historical development, and diversity of African American religious traditions from the colonial era to the present. Throughout American history, African Americans have used religion not only as a means of expressing complex views of themselves and their world, but also as a form of cultural critique, social reform, economic independence, and political activism. Among the movements and topics discussed are African and Caribbean religious influences, slave religion, the rise of African American denominations, the Nation of Islam, the importance of spirituals and gospel music, Afrocentricity, and the civil rights movement. Given the complex nature of African American religious experience, this course adopts an interdisciplinary approach and draws upon scholarship on religion in sociology, politics, history, art, literature, and music. Prerequisite: any 100-level religious studies course. Enrollment limited to 39. M. Bruce.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PL/RE 260. Philosophy of Religion.
A consideration of major issues that arise in philosophical reflection upon religion. Particular issues are selected from among such topics as the nature of faith, the possibility of justifying religious beliefs, the nature and validity of religious experience, the relation of religion and science, and the problem of evil. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
CM/RE 264. Islamic Civilization: Politics, History, Arts.
This course explores the medieval and modern history of Islam from Spain and Morocco to Russia and China. Topics include the music of Morocco, art of the Quran, Sunni and Shi'i cultural practices in Iran, women's mosques in China, and postcolonial debates in Egyptian politics. What does Islam mean to different Muslim communities around the world? What has made Islam one of the most influential religious traditions in the history of Europe, Africa, and Asia? Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. A. Akhtar.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AM/RE 270. Religion and American Visual Culture.
A study of the constitutive role of visual culture in the formation of American religious traditions and the influence of religious experience on American art and mass culture. Moving from the colonial period to the present, this course examines the symbiotic relationship between American visual culture and religion in painting, photography, illustrated media, mass-produced objects, memorials, architecture, and decorative items. Not open to students who have received credit for REL 270. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. M. Bruce.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AM/RE 272. Islam in the Americas.
This course traces the history and sociology of Islam in North and South America, from West African traditions in Brazil and Syrian immigration via Ellis Island and Buenos Aires, to the story of Malcolm X during the civil rights era, to the 2000s and the rise of millennial pop culture. Students explore the stories of Muslims in the Americas as a lens for understanding larger research questions in American cultural studies, political science, sociology, and comparative law. Not open to students who have received credit for AC/RE 272. Enrollment limited to 39. (Africana: Diaspora.) (Africana: Historical Perspective.) Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
INDC 301Y. The Spanish Inquisition.
Were witches and heretics really tortured in the Spanish Inquisition's infamous jails? This course examines both the institution of the Spanish Inquisition and the lives of those who came before it. The sins that concerned the Inquisition depended on the time and place, and the crimes prosecuted in sixteenth-century Spain or eighteenth-century New Spain reveal a great deal about early modern (ca. 1500–1800) culture and society. Students read and analyze original Inquisition cases from Spain and New Spain as well as consider the ways historians have used cases to investigate topics such as sexuality and marriage, witchcraft, and the persecution of Jews and Muslims. Cross-listed in history, Latin American studies, and religious studies. Enrollment limited to 15. (History: Early Modern.) (History: European.) (History: Latin American.) [W2] K. Melvin.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
REL 303. Seminar in Biblical Criticism.
Each time it is taught, this seminar focuses on a particular biblical book (e.g., Song of Songs), story cycle (e.g., the Joseph stories), or theme (e.g., apocalypse). It employs a variety of ancient and modern techniques of reading and analysis to explore its subject from a broad range of scholarly perspectives. Enrollment limited to 15.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 306. Seminar on American Religious Thought and History.
The seminar focuses on a different figure, movement, or issue of significance for the development of American religious thought and history. Recommended background: a course in American studies or philosophy. Enrollment limited to 15. [AC] [HS] Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AM/RE 306B. Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays.
Benjamin Elijah Mays, Class of 1920, is remembered for his eulogy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his presidency of Morehouse College, and his famous declaration, "Bates College did not emancipate me; it did the far greater service of making it possible for me to emancipate myself." Seldom mentioned are his multiple roles as a minister, educator, social activist, journalist, advisor to three American presidents, leader in international organizations, and scholar of American religion. This course examines the life, career, and writings of Dr. Mays as lenses through which to view American religious thought and history. Prerequisite(s): FYS 152 or one course in religious studies. Not open to students who have received credit for REL 306B. Enrollment limited to 15. M. Bruce.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AS/RE 308. Buddhist Texts in Translation.
This seminar involves the close reading and discussion of a number of texts representing a variety of Buddhist traditions. Emphasis is placed on several different genres including canonical sutras, commentarial exegeses, philosophical treatises, and popular legends. Prerequisite(s): one course in religious studies. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] [AC] [HS] A. Melnick Dyer.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
GS/RE 310. Gender and Judaism.
In this course, students explore aspects of Jewish culture and images of Jews and Judaism through the lenses of gender and sexuality. They examine ideologies, images, and practices from Jewish traditions with an eye to the ways in which gender and sexuality are constructed, maintained, contested, and/or transformed through them. Feminist Jews and Judaism serve as sources for insight and critique as well as constructive resources for religious reflection, ritual, and visions of Judaism's future. Not open to students who have received credit for RE/WS 310. Enrollment limited to 15. C. Baker.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
GS/RE 311. Buddhism and Gender.
This course examines the role of gender in Buddhist communities from the inception of the religious tradition to the modern day. How has gender identity influenced the development of this tradition? Where do we see gender in Buddhist literature, doctrine, and art? How do modern ideas of what "Buddhism" is affect change in the North American context, and how is this different from the Buddhist past? The course draws on a variety of sources, including literary, cinematic, and visual materials, to answer these questions. Special attention is given to how gender is presented in doctrinal texts, and the (dis)connection between these documents and the lived experiences of Buddhist people, as presented in interviews and autobiographies by Buddhist practitioners from a variety of moments and communities. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] A. Melnick Dyer.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PY/RL 312. Psychology of Religion.
This course examines religion from a social-psychological perspective, focusing on current psychological science to understand why some humans find religion compelling and the implications of religious faith (or lack thereof). Topics include the psychological benefits of religious faith, negative outcomes of religious faith, the role of religion in inter-group conflict, how thoughts of the divine affect perceptions of physical space, and how mental systems make sense of information about religion. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 218. Not open to students who have received credit for PSYC 311. Enrollment limited to 19. A. Douglass.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 313. Human Suffering: Job, Genesis, and Revelation.
This course explores questions about suffering through the lens of the biblical books of Job and Revelation, with subsidiary attention to the first three chapters of Genesis. Students consider issues of justice, belief, morality, meaning, and response in relation to human suffering and bring together personal knowledge and reflections; community-based learning; and close, critical readings of texts in wrestling with these issues. In addition to the biblical books and scholarship on them, readings include works by Archibald MacLeish, Bill McKibben, Stephen Mitchell, and Catherine Keller. Prerequisite(s): one course in religious studies. Enrollment limited to 15. (Community-Engaged Learning.) [AC] [HS] C. Baker.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
HI/RE 320. Religion and Government in the Middle East: Colonialism to the Arab Spring.
This seminar examines the place of religion in Middle Eastern politics between the rise of European colonialism and the start of the Arab Spring. Religion in the early modern Middle East encompasses not only the communal values of the region's local Muslims, Christians, and Jews, but also the complex relationship between religious ethics and notions of government. Students read a range of texts highlighting the history of governments throughout the Middle East, from Algeria and Egypt to Iraq and Iran, focusing on ways religious ethics and identities intersect with political theory between the nineteenth and the twenty-first centuries. Prerequisite(s): one course on European colonialism, nationalism, Islam, or Middle Eastern history. Enrollment limited to 15. (History: Modern.) A. Akhtar.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
GS/RE 322. Gender and Power in Christianity.
This course explores relationships among constructions of gender, sexuality, and religious power in Christian cultures from antiquity through modernity. Recommended background: at least one course in gender and sexuality studies or religious studies. Enrollment limited to 15. C. Baker.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AS/RE 348. Epics of Asia: Myth and Religion.
This course considers the intersection of religion and society in Asia through the lens of popular Asian myths. Students examine how religious doctrine, ideals, and art have influenced the creation and interpretation of this unique narrative form, while also learning about specific Asian traditions. Close study of several tales, including narratives from India, Thailand, China, Tibet, and Japan, include reading texts in translation as well as viewing cinematic and theatrical representations of myths intended for popular audiences. Students explore the dialogic process of myth by creating their own modern versions of one text. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] A. Melnick Dyer.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AS/RE 351. Religion and International Development across South Asia.
How do politicians and communities balance commitments to religious traditions with diverse conceptions of modernization? How will the participation of women—whose lives and liberties are often defined by religious and cultural norms—change in the world of business and technology over the next fifty years? What kinds of cultural literacy do international organizations like the World Bank and the Unite Nations Development Programme need to work effectively together with local communities? This course offers an introduction to the sociology of religion as a component of international development across South Asia (Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh) since the 1980s with an emphasis on these often-overlooked but vital issues and questions. Recommended background: one course on Islam or Asian religions or one introductory course in economics, politics, or sociology. New course beginning winter 2020. Enrollment limited to 15. Normally offered every other year. A. Akhtar.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 360. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 365. Special Topics.
Offered from time to time on topics of special interest.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 450. Senior Research Seminar.
A course designed to give senior majors a common core experience in research in religion. Through writing, presenting, and discussing several papers, students explore topics of their own choosing from different theoretical and comparative perspectives. Required of all majors. Enrollment is limited to junior and senior majors and, by written permission of instructor, to interdisciplinary majors. Enrollment limited to 19. Instructor permission is required. [W2] Normally offered every year. [AC] [HS] Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 457. Senior Thesis.
Research for and writing of the senior thesis, under the direction of a member of the department. Majors writing a regular thesis register for REL 457 in the fall semester or REL 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both REL 457 in the fall semester and 458 in the winter semester. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL 458. Senior Thesis.
Research for and writing of the senior thesis, under the direction of a member of the department. Majors writing a regular thesis register for REL 457 in the fall semester or REL 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both REL 457 in the fall semester and 458 in the winter semester. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
ES/RE s25. Food and the Sacred.
This course provides an opportunity to explore food through ideas and practices considered sacred by Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, indigenous peoples, and neo-pagans. Topics include feasting, fasting, farming, foraging, feeding the hungry, the five senses, and the fascinating fundamentals of dirt and water. There is a community-based learning component to this course undertaken outside of class as well as hands-on individual and group projects. Prerequisite(s): one course in environmental studies or religious studies. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 15. (Community-Engaged Learning.) C. Baker.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AS/RE s26. The Buddhist Himalaya: Religion in Ladakh.
In this course, students learn about religious practice through firsthand interaction with traditionally Buddhist communities in rural and urban Ladakh, India. Students conduct ethnographic fieldwork relating to modern Buddhist practice, and examine these practices from historical, archeological, and literary perspectives. They observe rituals, interview practitioners, and participate in the daily life of the Buddhist community. This course includes a significant community-engaged learning component. Prerequisite(s): one course focused on Buddhism. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. A. Melnick Dyer.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AS/RE s28. From Shangri-la to Radical Dharma: Buddhism in North America.
How did Buddhism first come to North America? How has it changed since its arrival? This course examines the development of Buddhism in the Americas since the nineteenth century. Students discuss different paths of Buddhist traditions from Asia to North America, and the ways that newly arrived Buddhists, and adopters of the tradition, have changed the face of what it means to be "Buddhist" in the "West." They consider shifting self-identification with the tradition, both among convert groups and in historically Buddhist communities, and the role of race and gender in the religion's development in the twenty-first century. The course includes brief trips to Dharma centers in New England as well as a "digital religion" component and several film screenings. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: REL 110, GS/RE 311, AS/RE 208, 248, 249, 250, 251, 308, or s26. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 18. A. Melnick Dyer.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
REL s50. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term. Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations