Courses on Judaism
Hebrew 5602
The Bible as Literature: Selected Readings
TuTh 11:10 AM-12:30 PM| Daniel Frank | 3 credit units | Lecture 26689 (UG) or 5925 (GR)
Critical study of basic issues in the language and analysis of biblical texts. In Hebrew.
Prereq: 4201 (421) or 4202 (422). Repeatable to a maximum of 12 cr hrs.
History 2450
Ancient and Medieval Jewish History, 300 BCE-1100 CE
TuTh 9:35AM-10:55AM | Daniel Frank | 3 credit units | Lecture 6715
Introduction to the history of Jewish communities, religion, and culture in the Near East from the Greco-Roman period to the First Crusade.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx. Not open to students with credit for 330.01. GE cultures and ideas and historical study and diversity global studies course.
This course surveys nearly fourteen centuries of Jewish history, religion, and culture in the Near East from the days of the Maccabees (second century B.C.E.) to the death of Moses Maimonides (1204 C.E.). Focusing on key figures and representative subjects, the lectures will seek to offer a balanced picture of the Jewish experience in the ancient and early medieval periods. Special emphasis will be placed upon the evaluation and interpretation of primary sources (in translation). These texts will introduce students to the political, social, intellectual, and spiritual worlds of ancient and medieval Jewry.
Assigned Readings:
1. H.H. Ben-Sasson, A History of the Jewish People.
2. Lawrence H. Schiffman, Texts and Traditions: A Source Reader for the Study of
Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism.
Additional required readings will be posted on the CARMEN website for this course or will be found via the links provided on the course syllabus.
Assignments:
1. All assigned reading is required.
2. There will be five written assignments. Each will consist of a 250 word response to an assigned question (there will be a choice). The assignments will be discussed in class on the specified dates. Written assignments will be collected and checked, but not individually graded. All assignments must be completed on time.
3. There will be five quizzes. Quizzes will be drawn directly from the short-answer questions posted on CARMEN. The lowest grade will be dropped.
4. There will be a midterm examination and a final examination. Detailed study guides will be distributed in advance of each examination.
5. There will be one essay in the form of a book review (five pages).
Prerequisites and Special Comments:
This course fulfills Group Global, pre-1750 for history majors.
Philosophy 3111
Introduction to Jewish Philosophy
TuTh 2:20 PM-3:40 PM | Stewart David Shapiro | 3 credit units | Lecture 26003
A general introduction to major figures and trends in medieval, modern, and contemporary Jewish philosophy; emphasis on Philo, Saadia, Maimonides, Spinoza, Mendelssohn, and Buber.
A general introduction to major figures and movements in ancient, medieval, and contemporary Jewish philosophy. After a brief introduction to Judaism and philosophy, we will take up Philo, Maimonides, and Soloveitchik. Evaluation will be based on a series of short essays, other assignments, class participation, and a take home essay-type final examination.
Courses on Christianity
Greek 2110
The Greek New Testament
TuTh 9:35 AM-10:55 AM | J. Albert Harrill | 3 credit units | Lecture 14067
Studies the language of the Greek New Testament through selected reading passages.
Prereq: 1103 or equiv, or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 210.
English 2280
The English Bible
WeFr 11:10AM-12:30PM | Staff | 3 credit units | Lecture 11685
The Bible in English translation, with special attention to its literary qualities, conceptual content, and development within history.
Prereq: 1110.01 (110.01) or equiv. Not open to students with credit for 2280H (280H) or 280. GE lit course.
History of Art 4421
Medieval Art
TuTh 3:55PM-5:15PM | Karl Peter Whittington | 3 credit units | Lecture 21204
Art and architecture of Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean from the 5th to the 15th centuries; focuses on visual culture of monasteries, cathedrals, and castles.
Prereq: Soph standing. Not open to students with credit for 603, 625, 651, 525. GE VPA and diversity global studies course.
History of Art 4541
17th-Century Art of Italy and Spain
WeFr 2:20PM-3:40PM | Barbara Joan Haeger | 3 credit units | Lecture 21207
17th century Italian and Spanish art and architecture: focuses on major artists and various functions of art and architecture.
Prereq: 2001 (201), or 2002 (202), or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 523 or 631.
History of Art 5001
Topics: Western Art
TuTh 11:10AM-12:30PM | Byron Ellsworth Hamann | 3 credit units | Lecture 24232(UG) or 24231(G)
This course explores the visual culture of early modern Latin America through
studies of wide range of objects—from featherwork shields to beadwork “idols” to
paintings on paper and canvas—interpreted from a range of disciplinary (art history,
anthropology, history) and theoretical perspectives.
Repeatable to a maximum of 9 cr hrs.
Medieval and Renaissance Studies 2666
Magic and Witchcraft in the Middle Ages and Renaissance
MoWeFr 11:30AM-12:25PM | Sarah Iles Johnston | 3 credit units | Lecutre 16435
A study of the history of witchcraft and magic from 400 to 1700 C.E. within sociological, religious and intellectual contexts.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for Medieval 240. GE culture and ideas and diversity global studies course.
Courses on Islam
History 2350
Islam, Politics, and Society in History
TuTh 5:30PM-6:50PM | Stephanie Honchell | 3 credit units | Lecture 20588
Introduction to the manner in which Islam has interacted with politics in the Middle East and vicinity from the rise of Islam through the present.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx. Not open to students with credit for 340. GE historical study course.
History 2375
Islamic Central Asia
WeFr 10:20AM-11:15AM | Scott Cameron Levi | 3 credit units | Lecture 6701
Recitation Options:
Tu 9:10 AM–10:05 AM (6702)
Th 9:10 AM–10:05 AM (6703)
Th 12:40 PM-1:35PM (6704)
Introductory survey of the political, cultural, religious, and economic history of Islamic central Asia from the eighth-century Arab conquests to the nineteenth-century Russian colonial era.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx. Not open to students with credit for 343. GE historical study course.
This course is an introductory survey of the political, cultural, religious and economic history of Islamic Central Asia from the eighth-century Arab conquests to the nineteenth-century Russian colonial era. As there are no prerequisites for the course, we will begin the semester with a brief survey of the historical, anthropological and religious background necessary to navigate this period of Central Asian history. Students will learn about such major social transformations as the gradual association of Central Asian peoples with the Islamic faith and the concomitant “Turkicization” of Central Asia as wave upon wave of Turkic nomads migrated from the northern steppe to the southern sedentary areas. Other topics to be addressed include: the Mongol Empire, the rise and rule of Tamerlane; the early modern transformation of the transcontinental Silk Road caravan trade; and Russian and Chinese colonial expansion into Central Asia during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Assigned Reading: Four books.
Assignments: Coursework includes a map quiz, mid-term, research paper and final exam.
Prerequisites and Special Comments: This course fulfills Group Central Asia, pre-1750 for history majors.
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures 3501
Introduction to Islam
TuTh 4:10PM-5:30PM | Staff | 3 credit untis | Lecture 14401
Examination of Islam as a world religion, enabling an understanding of its major tenets and beliefs as they are envisioned by insiders and outsiders.
Prereq: English 1110 (110). Not open to students with credit for 351. GE cultures and ideas and diversity global studies course.
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures 4597
Islamic Revival and Social Justice: Utopian Ideals and Lived Realities
TuTh 9:35AM-10:55AM | Morgan Yih-Yang Liu | 3 credit units | Lecture 28586
Examination of modern Islamic revival movements in selected contemporary Muslim-majority societies.
Prereq: 4th year standing, or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 597.01. GE cross-disciplinary seminar course.
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures 5578
Islamic Law and Society
Mo 12:10PM-2:55PM | Snjezana Buzov | 3 credit units | Lecture 5251(UG) or 5250(G)
Examination of the relationship between Islamic law and society; the concept of justice in Islam.
Prereq: Permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 678.
Courses on the Religions of South and East Asia
Comparative Studies 5871
The Japanese Religious Tradition
WeFr 12:45PM-2:05PM | Thomas Patrick Kasulis | 3 credit units| Lecture 13089(UG) or 13895(G)
A survey of the Japanese tradition, including Shinto, Buddhism, Taoism, New-Confucianism, and folk religion from the 6th century B.C.E. to the present.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 641 or Japanse 5271 (641). Cross-listed in Japanse 5271.
History of Art 4701
An Introduction to Buddhist Art and Iconography
WeFr 12:45PM-2:05PM | John Cooper Huntington | 3 credit units | Lecture 21241
Examines how Buddhist art conveys the ideal of human perfection as the ultimate attainment of Buddhist practice.
History of Art 5821
Japanese Art: Proto-Historic and Buddhist
TuTh 3:55PM-5:15PM | John Cooper Huntington | 3 credit units| Lecture 24310(UG) or 24306(G)
Examines how Buddhist art conveys the ideal of human perfection as the ultimate attainment of Buddhist practice.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 570. GE cultures and ideas course.
History 2375
Islamic Central Asia
WeFr 10:20AM-11:15AM | Scott Cameron Levi | 3 credit units| Lecture 6701
Recitation options:
Tu 9:10AM-10:05AM (6702)
Th 9:10AM-10:05AM (6703)
Th 12:40PM-1:35PM (6704)
Introductory survey of the political, cultural, religious, and economic history of Islamic central Asia from the eighth-century Arab conquests to the nineteenth-century Russian colonial era.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx. Not open to students with credit for 343. GE historical study course.
This course is an introductory survey of the political, cultural, religious and economic history of Islamic Central Asia from the eighth-century Arab conquests to the nineteenth-century Russian colonial era. As there are no prerequisites for the course, we will begin the semester with a brief survey of the historical, anthropological and religious background necessary to navigate this period of Central Asian history. Students will learn about such major social transformations as the gradual association of Central Asian peoples with the Islamic faith and the concomitant “Turkicization” of Central Asia as wave upon wave of Turkic nomads migrated from the northern steppe to the southern sedentary areas. Other topics to be addressed include: the Mongol Empire, the rise and rule of Tamerlane; the early modern transformation of the transcontinental Silk Road caravan trade; and Russian and Chinese colonial expansion into Central Asia during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Assigned Reading: Four books.
Assignments: Coursework includes a map quiz, mid-term, research paper and final exam.
Prerequisites and Special Comments: This course fulfills Group Central Asia, pre-1750 for history majors.
Philosophy 2120
Asian Philosophies
MoWeFr 12:40 PM-1:35 PM | Wesley D Cray | 3 credit units | Lectures 18637
This course is an introduction to Asian philosophies, looked at from both historical and contemporary viewpoints. Throughout the semester, we will address many topics, ranging from questions of how to run the ideal state to questions about the nature of reality itself. Specific philosophical systems discussed include Confucianism, Mohism, Legalism, Daoism, and Buddhism.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 215. GE lit and diversity global studies course.