RELGST 0525 - RELIGION AND CULTURE IN EAST ASIA

Minimum Credits: 3
Maximum Credits: 3
As East Asia becomes more and more central to the world's modern commodity culture, some have predicted a decline in traditional religious values and practices. In fact, the reverse is true: from Taiwan and Hong Kong through mainland China to Korea and Japan, increasing prosperity is resulting in an increased "investment" in religion. This course presents a thematic survey of popular religion in contemporary East Asia, informed by religious, cultural, and political history, and takes a look at how religion participates in shaping the respective worldviews, behaviors, and practices of modern East Asian societies. It further reviews the various responses to the dilemma of self-identity and self-representation suggested by the changing role religion sees for itself in contemporary East Asia and explores the relationship between religion and politics, class, and gender. The course treats the changes we see within East Asian cultures not so much as breaks with tradition but as responses to older themes and behaviors that have been reinterpreted to make themselves relevant to the needs of modern society. We approach this course through lectures, discussions, readings, and films.
Academic Career: Undergraduate
Course Component: Lecture
Grade Component: LG/SNC Elective Basis

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