This course explores the sources, beliefs and practices of the major religions in Asia in their specific regional and historical contexts. Religions to be covered include Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, but attention will also be paid to indigenous traditions (such as Bön in Tibet, Shinto in Japan, and shamanism in Mongolia, Siberia, and Korea) and the advent of Islam. Topics of interest range from philosophy to doctrine, from cosmology to mythology. Readings of key primary texts (in translation) will lay a foundational understanding for the different traditions, which can then be followed over time and across cultures, leading to present-day issues and events. In this way, the course’s primary goal of providing an overview of the wide range of traditions in Asia is informed by a diachronic, historical lens. Also necessary is critical analysis of how Asian religions have been misinterpreted and represented in academic discourses in the past, after which discussion can turn to a contemporary perspective of their practice and status today.
- Teacher: Albion Butters