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Academic Year 2003/2004

Religions Resist Modernity
RELI 381 FA

Why did the Taliban forbid television? Why do Creationists reject evolution? Why did Gandhi insist that Indian nationalists spin their own thread? Throughout the last century, resistance has been rising to modernity and religion has been playing an increasingly important role in challenging the globalization of modern Western values. This seminar will explore how Europe transformed itself into a "modern" society with worldwide influence. Then it will investigate how the Lakota Sioux, Christian Creationists, Mohandas Gandhi, Malcolm X, the Branch Davidians, and the Taliban each have used religion in an attempt to resist some aspect of modernity either outside the Western world and within it.

MAJOR READINGS

Nationalism & Capitalism: Lakota vs. US Govt -- John Neihardt, BLACK ELK SPEAKS
Rationalism: Creationism vs. evolution -- Robert Lee, INHERIT THE WIND
European domination: Mohandas Gandhi, MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH
Westernization: the Taliban -- Peter Marsden, THE TALIBAN
Racism -- Malcolm X, AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Secularism: the Branch Davidians -- Stuart Wright, ed. ARMAGEDDON IN WACO, FBI Report

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Three exams, 12-page research paper. Attendance and participation is mandatory.

COURSE FORMAT: Seminar

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS RELI    Grading Mode: Graded   

Prerequisites: NONE Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-19-2004

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