RELG 231:

Religions and Cultures of India

 

Professor: Daniel Meckel

          Office: Anne Arundel 110C. Ext. 4464

          Email: djmeckel@smcm.edu

          Office hours: Fridays 11:00-12:00 PM

 

Course Summary

This course will provide an historical introduction to Indian Civilization in its major religious forms. We will study Hindu religions, Jainism, Buddhism, Islam and Sikhism, as these have developed, interacted, and given form to distinctive ways of life in India. We will trace the general outlines of India’s history, from pre-historical times up to the present, and learn about India’s religions and culture through historical studies, religious and philosophical texts, forms of devotion and ritual, stories of major religious figures (human and divine), and the arts.

 

Online Resource:

The Story of India:  http://www.pbs.org/thestoryofindia/timeline

 

Required Texts:

Embree,  Sourcebook of Indian Traditions, Volume 1
          Lopez,  Religions of India in Practice

Narayan, The Ramayana

 

 

Course Schedule

 

 

Topics
Videos in Green
Readings, Assignments
and Quizzes

 

 

 

Jan. 18: Introduction to the Course

 

Readings and Assignments are due for
the day on which they are listed unless otherwise indicated

 

 

Jan. 20:

HISTORY I: 60,000 BCE to 500 BCE

The Story of India: Beginnings

 

 

 

BEGINNINGS: INDUS VALLEY AND THE ARYANS

Week 2

Jan. 25 & 27: The Subcontinent its Earliest Peoples

 I.  Geography of India

II. The Indus Valley Civilization

 

·        RIP, pp.3-14

 

 

Week 3

Feb. 01: The Aryans and Vedic religion

 

·        SIT, Ch.1 “Cosmic and Ritual Order in Vedic Literature”

 

 

FOREST SAGES AND THE UPANISHADS

Feb. 03: Vedanta

          I.  Human suffering and the rounds of                       death and re-birth

          II. Sanyasa: The Path to Liberation

 

·        SIT, Ch. 2 “The Ultimate Reality in the Upanishads”

·        Klostermaier, “Karma, Vidya, Moksha” (Blackboard)

 

 

Week 4

 

 Feb. 08:  Modern India:

World Renunciation

 

·        Flood, “Yoga and Renunciation” (Blackboard): section on renunciation

 

Week 5

 

Feb. 15: (Feb 10 canceled because of snow)

HISTORY II: 500 BCE to 200 BCE

The Story of India: The Power of Ideas

 

QUIZ 1

 

 

         

JAINISM

 

Feb. 15 (cont.):  Introduction to Jainism

 

 

·        RIP, pp. 14-18, Ch. 42

·        SIT, pp. 49-75

 

Feb. 17:  Jain Doctrine and Practice

 

Modern India:

The Frontiers of peace: Jainism in India

 

·        SIT, pp. 76-89

·        RIP, Ch. 19, 26, 42

In-Class Video Worksheet



BUDDHISM

Week 6

Feb. 22: Class Canceled Because of Snow Flake

·        RIP, pp. 18-21 (top)

 

 

Feb. 24: Buddha and the

          Conditions of Suffering

 

Week 7

 Mar. 01: The Cessation of Suffering and the Path to Enlightenment

·        SIT, pp. 153-185

 

QUIZ 2

 

Mar. 03: Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism

 

·        SIT, pp. 93-104

 

Week 8

 

 

Mar. 08:  MIDTERM EXAM  (Bring Blue Books)

 

 

Mar. 10:

HISTORY III: 300 BCE to 1000 CE

The Story of India: Ages of Gold

 

 

 

 

DIVINE BEINGS AND DEVOTIONALISM

 

 

Week 9

Mar. 15 & 17: Spring Break

 

 

 

Hindu Gods and Devotionalism

Week 10

Mar. 22: Hindu Temple

 

·        Eck, Image, Temple and Pilgrimage (Blackboard)

Mar 24: Hindu Worship - Puja
 

Puja: Expressions of Hindu Devotion

 

·        Fuller, “Gods and Goddesses” (Blackboard)

  

Week 11

Mar. 29: No Class: All Day Advising

 

 

Mar. 31: God(s) - Visnu

 

·        Fuller, “Gods and Goddesses” (Blackboard)

 

Week 12

 

Apr. 05: God(s) - Siva

 

·        RIP, Chs. 7 & 17

 

Apr. 07: Goddess(es) - Devi

 

          Varna and Jati

 

Modern India: CASTE

 

·        RIP, Chs. 21 & 24

·         Kinsley, “Hindu Social Structure

 

Week 13

Apr. 12:

HISTORY IV: 1100 CE to 1700 CE

The Story of India: The Meeting of Two Oceans


QUIZ 3

 

 

 

ISLAM IN INDIA

 

Apr. 14: The Coming of Islam to India

 

The Sword and the Flute

·        RIP, pp. 31-35

·        RIP, Chs. 8, 39, 44

 

                       

            Week 14

Apr. 19: Sufism

 

I am a Sufi, I am a Muslim

·        RIP, pp. 35-38, Ch. 35

·        SIT, pp.447- 459, 483-489

 

In-Class Video Worksheet

 

 

THE SIKHS

 

Apr. 21: Sants and Sikhs

·        SIT, pp. 371-378, 491-500

·        RIP, ch. 2: Kabir

·        Vaudeville, Sant Mat: Santism as the Universal Path to Sanctity

  

                                    Week 15

Apr. 26: Sikh Doctrine and Practice

 

·        SIT, pp. 500-510

·        RIP, chs. 5 & 30

 

Apr. 28: Review

 

QUIZ 4

                  

 

May 1st: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Trip to Siva-Visnu Temple

Lanham, MD

Depart from Campus Center Parking Lot

9:30 Sharp

 

Field Paper due by 5:00 PM on Wednesday, May 4th.

Please leave a hard copy in the tray outside of my office (AA110C)

 

 

                                                              FINAL EXAM

Friday, May  06, 9:00 AM -11:15 AM

 

Bring Blue Books
Available in the bookstore (and they’re actually green)

 

 


GRADING

 

Midterm Exam

200

Final Exam

250

Map Exercises

60

Reaction Papers

100 (5 at 20 pts. ea.)

Video Worksheets

40 (4 at 10 pts ea.)

In-Class Writing

60 (3 pts ea.)

Quizzes

150 (top 3 at 50 pts ea.)

Field Essays

100

Active Participation

40 (defined below)

 

 

Final Grade Values
1000 Points Possible


  920 to 1000 = A

  900 to 919 = A-

  880 to 899 = B+

  820 to 879 = B

  800 to 819 = B-

  780 to 799 = C+

 


720 to 779 = C

700 to 719 = C-

680 to 699 = D+

620 to 679 = D

600 to 619 = D-

599 and below = F

 

Track your progress in the class on Blackboard

  

Descriptions of Assignments:
In Class Writing: these are in-class writing exercises for the purpose of anchoring your knowledge through active use of the information that you get from lectures, films and readings.  They will always receive full credit so long as they show that you are taking advantage of the opportunity and using them to learn.  I use these exercises and the graded quizzes (see below) because of research that shows convincingly that frequent quizzes are very effective in helping with recall. Also, they give me a chance to see how and whether each student is grasping the material.  Each student begins the semester with full points for the in-class exercises and I deduct two points if the assignment is either not done or dramatically incomplete. 

Graded Quizzes: There will be four 20-minute graded quizzes.  At the end of the semester I will count only the top 3 quiz grades at 50 points each.  Questions on a quiz can cover anything from the reading assignments, video, discussion, and lectures that followed the previous quiz, and from the readings for the day of the quiz.  Graded quizzes will usually consist of short answers and definitions.  Several quizzes will include image identification. My own lecture notes and lists of terms will be posted on the “study aids” page of the web site to help you stay prepared for class discussions, quizzes and exams.  Missed quizzes receive no points. A quiz cannot be made up at any other time, regardless of the reasons for missing it.

 

Map Exercises: These assignments require you to get familiar with the geography of the Indian sub-continent, including its especially sacred locations and features.  It will be graded for accuracy.  Elements of the exercise will show up on exams.

 

Video Worksheets: You fill these out in class, after a video.  Again, I am looking here for you to use the opportunity to watch/listen actively and anchor your knowledge through writing.  Worksheets gain full points so long as the student gives a much as s/he can in responding to the question(s).

Midterm and Final Exams: The content of these exams and my criteria in grading them are described on pages linked to the “Assignments” page of the course website.

 

A Few Things to Note:

v About Quizzes: The combined scores for quizzes will be worth 150 points.  Thus your final grade will be influenced by how faithful you are to the reading assignments and to the review of your readings and notes from class

v About Grading: If ever I find that a particular question on a test or quiz is missed by almost everyone, I will assume that it was unfair or too difficult and throw it out.  If ever you disagree with a grade, you can always come to me and protest, complain, persuade, etc.  I may or may not be convinced, but I will always listen.

v About Participation: “Participation” means (1) present, (2) alert, (3) prepared with assignments, (4) punctual arrival.  Lack of any of these will affect the grade, excessive lack (e.g., more than 3 undocumented absences) is reason for dismissal from the class.

                   “Active Participation”: This refers to participation above and beyond presence; for example when a student asks questions, makes                        comments, seeks clarification, brings outside material (like news articles, books, experiences, etc.) to share in class.

 

Very Important Info:

My Attendance Policy: Attendance is required.  Without regular attendance, students do not tend to do well in the class.  I allow two free days.  As a courtesy, please let me know when you will be taking a free day; there is no need to say why.  After the two free days, each undocumented absence results in a 20 point reduction.  If a student acquires more than three undocumented absences, s/he must withdraw from the class.  After the deadline for withdrawal, the student will receive an F for the course.  A note from a doctor, dentist, coach, or funeral director -- with contact information -- is acceptable documentation.  The student must present the note on the day that he or she returns to class, otherwise the absence will be counted as undocumented.  Without such a note, or in the case of a late note, the absence will not be counted as documented.  Please note that a phone call or email message saying that you are ill is not sufficient, nor is a note from the health center confirming an appointment.

 

Office Hours:  My office number and hours are listed above.  Please make an appointment if you can, but feel completely free to drop by with your concerns, ideas, questions, etc.  I will always make time if I can.  If need be, we can certainly communicate by email, but in-person is always best.


Online Syllabus: This online syllabus can be accessed through the Blackboard course page but I recommend that you bookmark it so as to bypass BB when it goes down.  I might well alter the assignment schedule as seems appropriate or necessary; but I will not change the grading policies.

 

Email:

Email Communications: Students are responsible for checking the online syllabus and their email every day. I will announce any and all changes via email -- e.g., a changed deadline or altered reading assignment.

Emailed Assignments: I cannot accept them unless you clear it with me in advance and only under unusual circumstances.  While I appreciate that print costs are considerable, I consider them a legitimate part of college expenses.  Running out of pay for print is not a valid reason for submitting an assignment by email.

 

Computer Failure: It is not a valid excuse for a late assignment.  Be sure to back up.  Broken or unreliable computer?  Use the computers at the college computer labs.


Academic dishonesty in any form -- including plagiarism of self or others, falsified documentation of a doctor’s note, etc. -- will not be tolerated.  Cheating of any kind results, without exception, in an “F” for the course without the option of withdrawal.


Food in class: Drinks and snacks of the very quiet variety are allowed in class (e.g., poi, rasgula, duck pate), nothing else.

No activated cell phones in the classroom (so please turn them off).