What do religions say about women? What do women say about religions? This class will examine women’s lives in a variety of religious traditions around the world.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students: Graduate students will draw up individual agreements regarding their reading and assignment schedule. In accordance with the Graduate School guidelines, readings for graduate students will be more extensive and more advanced in nature. Graduate students will be expected to complete a research assignment that is more substantial than undergraduate assignments in both length and critical engagement with the literature.
Athena Title
Women in World Religions
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students should be able to identify and explain key terms and topics related to women's roles and ideas about women in a variety of religious traditions around the world, such as Indigenous traditions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, African diaspora religions, Goddess spirituality, and new religious movements.
By the end of this course, students should be able to compare and analyze similarities and differences between women in different religious traditions - such as differences in ideas and roles related to religious rituals, children and family, marriage, authority, spirituality, or creativity - and how such differences are justified.
By the end of this course, students should be able to evaluate and thoughtfully respond to women's own stories of their roles and relationships in religious traditions, including thoughtfully evaluating the complexity of competing ethical stories - especially those from communities beyond the student's own.
By the end of this course, students should be able to conduct conversations about issues related to women and religion one-on-one and in a small group with respect, demonstrating a mature awareness of - and empathy for - different perspectives among and on women in religious traditions, and expressing their own perspective with nuance.
Topical Outline
i. Studying women and religion
ii. Readings, films, and class discussions on women in Indigenous traditions
iii. Readings, films, and class discussions on women in Hinduism and Buddhism
iv. Readings, films, and class discussions on women in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
v. Readings, films, and class discussions on women in African diaspora religions, modern Goddess spirituality, and new religious movements
vi. Final project
Institutional Competencies Learning Outcomes
Critical Thinking
The ability to pursue and comprehensively evaluate information before accepting or establishing a conclusion, decision, or action.
Social Awareness & Responsibility
The capacity to understand the interdependence of people, communities, and self in a global society.
