REL155

An introduction to the major religious traditions of Asia, in both their classical and modern forms, with a focus on modern popular developments in Hindu, Buddhist, Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese traditions, and the ways in which racism has influenced perceptions of these religious traditions in the United States and Canada. The course explores the foundational teachings of each tradition, examines their historical and social contexts, and seeks answers to questions such as: What is the nature of religious experience? What are the functions of myth and ritual? How have these religious traditions been adapted, adopted, and appropriated in "the West"?