Check out our Summer Classes!

Spring/Summer 2016

Maymester 2016 (May 16- May 31)

RELS 105-001: Introduction to World Religions

Prof. Todd LeVasseur No Prerequisites Section 001 (MTWRF 1:00– 4:30) ECTR 103

This course is designed to introduce CofC students to the more popular religions (in terms of adherents) of the globe. By utilizing a comparative and historical approach, the course investigates the origin and flourishing of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The course also briefly covers some of the key theorists in religious studies, and ends by looking at religion in today’s globalized world. The class consists of lectures, reading and discussing sacred texts, videos, and discussing how and why religion is a driving force behind contemporary social and political issues.

RELS 280-001: Religion & Film: Saint Joan Goes to Hollywood Prof. Louise Doire No Prerequisites Section 001 (MTWRF 8:30- 12:00) ECTR 219

In this course students will explore the pervasive presence of religious themes in film including representations of female saints and sinners, and interpretations of redemption, God, self-sacrifice and the human condition. We will view and discuss films that are obvious in their portrayal of religious subjects such as Joan of Arc, The Mission, The Last Temptation of Christ and films that are not so obvious (The Fisher King). Other themes include Latin American Liberation Theology, Mary Magdalene in early Christianity and the medieval legend of Percival, the Green Knight and the quest for the Holy Grail. 6

SUMMER I 2016 (June 3- July 2)

RELS 298-001: Special Topics: Nature Spirituality, Ecotopia, and Applied Ecovillage Living Prof. Todd LeVasseur No Prerequisites Section 001 (MTWRF 10:00 – 11:45) ECTR 103

Ever wondered what an “Ecovillage” is, or what it is like to create and live in one? This course explores how ecovillages help human communities live more sustainably by incorporating ecocentric values, ecological design, and environmentally friendly technologies. This Summer I course will meet on campus for the first week, and then will spend one week living in residency at Earthaven Ecovillage in Black Mountain, NC, outside of Asheville. Students will live on-site for 1 week, participating in hands-on learning modules about permaculture, organic farming, alternative building construction, nature spirituality, alternative energy, and other aspects of sustainable homesteading in the Appalachian mountains

Study Abroad Trip to North India (June 1 – June 28) This study abroad program immerses students in the Himalayan culture of North India, and students will learn about environmental change, local and refugee political communities, and the religious diversity of Ladakh and Dharamsala. Although Ladakh’s rugged high desert landscape is so sparsely populated that it is often described in travel literature as “isolated,” it has actually been a crossroads for the transmission of goods and religions (including Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Christianity) for at least a thousand years. Today Ladakh is undergoing rapid social change and a “renaissance” of sorts, due in part to the rapid influx of western adventure and spiritual tourists. The first part of the program will take place in Leh, the political, religious, and tourist hub of Ladakh, which is an exciting laboratory for examining the cross-cultural encounter of western travelers, Indian tourists, Tibetan exiles, and local Ladakhis. We then travel to Dharamsala, the current home of the Dalai Lama and the seat of the Tibetan government in exile, where we will meet with Tibetan refugees and community leaders. Finally, we spend the last few days in India’s capital of Delhi, where we will visit some of India’s largest modern religious institutions, including the Bahai Lotus Temple, the Hare Krishna Temple, and the Jama Masjid.

RELS 298-002: Special Topics: Encountering Religions and Globalization in the Indian Himalaya Prof. Zeff Bjerken No Prerequisites Section 001 India

This course introduces students to the religious diversity present in Ladakh and Dharamsala, where Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Chritians, and Jews all encounter each other. We will examine how globalization affects this encounter, and explore various responses to globalization including the clash of civilizations, interreligious dialogue, and how religious institutions have responded to global tourism and cosmopolitanism. We will learn how various agents—tourists, missionaries, immigrants—carry religious ideas and practices, and how macro-processes such as economic development, militarization, and religious modernization, impact the local religious landscape in the Himalayas. The class will include site visits in Ladakh to Buddhist monasteries and schools, Hindu temples, Islamic mosques, a Sikh gurudwara, a Moravian Missionary Church, Yoga and Ayurvedic healing centers, and in Delhi we will visit a Bahai temple and Hindu Hare Krishna temple.

AND INTL 290/ENVT 352: International Development & Environmental Justice in the Himalaya Prof. Amberjade Taylor No Prerequisites Section 001 India This course provides an overview of the key concepts, major drivers, and practical workings of international development, and introduces students to specific environmental rights issues in the Himalaya region. We’ll investigate how globalization, volontourism, and infrastructure projects impact local communities, including refugees and marginalized groups. We’ll examine responses to natural disasters and ongoing water and land use issues, and develop strategies to analyse and critique the systems and power relationships of “international development.” This course is built around two case studies: in Ladakh (post-2010 cloudburst and resulting humanitarian response), and in Dharamsala (daily life water and land for Tibetan refugees, Indian residents, and Western tourists). Students will participate in unique experiential learning activities related to these case studies, including narrative power analyses, field observation and ethnographic reflection, and digital media-making. Students will also discover how advocacy for environmental justice is shaped by class, caste, gender, and religious identities.

SUMMER II 2016 (July 7- August 5)

RELS 105-002: Introduction to World Religions Prof. Todd LeVasseur No Prerequisites Section 001 (MTWRF 8:30- 12:00) ECTR 103

This course is designed to introduce CofC students to the more popular religions (in terms of adherents) of the globe. By utilizing a comparative and historical approach, the course investigates the origin and flourishing of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The course also briefly covers some of the key theorists in religious studies, and ends by looking at religion in today’s globalized world. The class consists of lectures, reading and discussing sacred texts, videos, and discussing how and why religion is a driving force behind contemporary social and political issues.