World Religions

This course seeks to introduce students to a variety of religious traditions, texts, and practices through the lenses provided by the academic study of religion. The traditions studied include Islam, Taoism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Rastafari(ism). Topics studied include liminal states and rites of passage, symbols and social belonging, the sacred and the profane, music and trance, and religion and politics. While this course exposes students to some of the most important figures, texts, beliefs, and practices of these traditions, students also develop analytical frameworks of inquiry through which to contemplate and experience religious concepts and practices provided by the various theorists of the academic study of religion along with comparative insider frameworks of analysis.