This
course focuses on cross-cultural encounters through the lens of religion,
primarily Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. We will discuss some texts that
have become central to defining these traditions – such as the Bible and
the Koran, but also texts that have become major vehicles for generating images
of “others”, such as Arabian Nights or Nathan the Wise. To know some of these works will help you
understand the relationship between the three monotheistic religions, and their
common claim to the “
One
of the major themes we will encounter in our readings on religion and crossing
cultural boundaries is
sexuality and how it is lived and expressed, or imagined and written about in
different cultures and throughout different time periods. Did Odysseus actually
love Penelope as we expect spouses to do in the contemporary US? Did men and
women of the Old Testament share contemporary Christian notions of chastity?
Were women and men more or less sexually liberated in the Antiquity than they
are today? Does the Koran say that women have to wear a headscarf? Was
sexuality always and everywhere reserved for women and men married to each
other? Is there a universal sense of manhood and womanhood, of male and female,
or do those categories change over time and space? Whose sexuality is
considered deviant? How is sexuality linked to religion?
The
main objectives of this course is to help you develop:
·
critical and analytical thinking skills (comprehend and
synthesize complex ideas, recognize fallacies, biases, etc.)
·
reading skills (read on various levels, content, intent,
structure, etc.)
·
writing skills
(express your thoughts in an organized and convincing way)
·
communication
skills (talk about your thoughts in public)
These
skills are central to any major, whether in science, engineering, business, or
elsewhere. Frequent writing assignments (homework, in-class writing, formal papers), peer review and revising will help you in
this endeavor. Be assured that for many people, writing does not come naturally
and is a skill that needs to be honed. This class will give you the opportunity
to do just that.