Carolyn
Jones Medine
Associate
Professor of Religion and African American Studies
medine@uga.edu
Office: 19 Peabody Hall Telephone: 542-5356 (messages)
Office
Hours:
11-12 Tuesday and Thursday and by appointment
This
course is designed to introduce entering MA students to the approaches to the
study of religion that scholars have developed since the discipline was
conceived. It is a time for assembling of your ÒtoolkitÓ for the study of
religion. We will do a (much too
fast) survey of major theorists, from the traditional voices like Otto, Eliade
and Wach, to the postmodern voices, like Said, Lyotard, and Derrida. All these have brought a method (an
application for analysis) or a theory (an analytical idea) to the study of
religion.
Diana
L. Eck, Encountering God: A Spiritual
Journey from Bozeman to Banaras
Seth
D. Kunin, Religion: The Modern Theories
Carl
Olson, Theory and Method in the Study of Religion: Theoretical and Critical
Additional
readings: I will send attachments or leave copies in the mailroom.
Requirements:
1.
5 of 6 Question Cards or Concept Maps 20%
Due
dates are indicated on the syllabus. You should analyze the designated reading
for the day. Use the format
attached. We want to know what the readings SAY so that we can
understand and discuss them. The question card is a way to get at what the
major points of a work are.
2.
Two Short (5-7 page) papers (40%=15%
and 25%)
The
paper should be an analysis of one or more readings or one aspect of the body
of readings. It may include one or
two of the following:
a.
An
identification of one or two themes that have emerged as significant to you
b.
An
ÒechoÓ (something that ties readings to each other)
c.
An
exploration of a significant quotation or idea or the interpretation of a
confusing passage in a single reading or two.
d. An application of the theories/methods
to a myth, ritual, or creed.
Finally,
the paper should explore the consequences and implications of an important point
suggested by the reading.
3.
Final examination on key terms 20%
4.
Attendance and Engagement 20%
All
academic work must meet the standards contained in the University of Georgia
student handbook, ÒA Culture of Honesty.Ó Each student is responsible to inform
himself or herself about those standards before performing any academic work.
Brief
Outline of the Course: Details and changes will be announced in class. The course syllabus is a
general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the
instructor may be necessary.
August
16: Introduction
to the Course and Thinking about the Study of Religion: Reading as a
Professional
August
21: Introduction, continued.: The
Enlightenment and the Invention of the Study of Religion
August
23: Olson
15-48 **Question card/Concept map for the article of your choice**
August
28: Olson
54-99
August
30: NO
CLASS
September
4: Phenomenology of Religion: Olson 100-156, Kunin 62-68
September
6: Phenomenology, contÕd: Eliade.
Olson161-171, Kunin 116-136
**Question
Card/Concept Map: Eliade**
Septembper
11: Eliade, contÕd
September
13: Olson: 177-191: Jonathan Z. Smith
September
18: Smith, continued (Olson 177-191)
September
20: Sociology of Religion: Olson 212-224, 229-235. Kunin 16-34, 35-43 and
73-99
September
25: Sociology, contÕd.: Wach (handout): **Question Card/Concept Map**
September
27: Anthropology of Religion
Skim: Douglas (307-316)
October
2: Levi-Strauss
(Olson 325-332); Kunin 165-167.
October
4: NO
CLASS
October
9: Levi-Strauss,
continued
Catch-up
October
11: First paper due.
October
16: Psychology
of Religion: Kunin 44-61, 100-115
October
18: NO
CLASS
October
23: Psychological
Theories, continued
October
25: Fall
Break
Postmodernism,
Feminism, and Postcolonialism
October
30: The Postmodern and the Postcolonial: Introduction
November
1: The postmodern: Introduction
Derrida and Foucault
(Olson 573-595) **Question Card or Concept Map**
November
6: Postcolonial
Said
and Orientalism
Spivak,
ÒCan the Subaltern Speak?Ó (handout)
November
8: Postcolonial and Postmodern, catch-up
November 13, 16: Diana Eck
November
27, 29: Eck/Defining Religion
Second
paper due this week!!!
December
6: Final things and Celebrations: you survived!!!