Global Arc

This course surveys the development of Buddhism from its beginnings in India through some of its later forms in East Asia, Tibet, and the West. Attention will be given to continuity and diversity within Buddhism, its modes of self-definition as a religious tradition, the interplay of its practical and trans-worldly concerns, and its transformations in specific historical and cultural settings. Two lectures, one preceptorial.

Throughout Chinese history, how have people navigated the spirit world, cultivated supernatural abilities, sought to stabilize (or destabilize) worldly power, and approached the mysteries of death? We'll use a wide array of media, from oracle bones to TikToks, to explore the extreme diversity of Chinese religious cultures, spanning ancient ancestral cults, Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist traditions, Islam and Christianity, and new religious movements. We conclude by considering the future of religion in China. Two lectures, one preceptorial.

This course is a survey of the Buddhist traditions of Tibet, focusing on the doctrines and practices associated with the main schools of tantric ritual and meditation. Topics covered will include: the origins of the distinct forms of Buddhism in Tibet; Buddhist responses to historical challenges; the special relationship between politics and religion in Tibet; the role of Tibetan Buddhist scholars and scholasticism; Tibet through the lenses of the Chinese and the West; and Tibetan Buddhist art. Two 90-minute classes

What does religion mean for a culture in which the majority of people identify as nonbelievers but still regularly engage in seemingly religious acts? By looking at Japanese religions within their cultural contexts, we will question the supposed binary between religious and secular spheres. The course examines Buddhist, Shinto, and Christian traditions, as well as topics such as myth and politics; indigeneity and identity; and secularism and law from ancient to modern times. We also consider groups that have historically been marginalized, such as Ainu, Ryukyuan, and immigrant communities in Japan. Two lectures, one preceptorial.

How do we know what the Buddha said? What brings the Buddha's words to life, 2500 years after his nirvana? Through close readings of four great works of Buddhist literature, we'll critically consider "the Buddha's word," its powers, how it came to be written down, and the rich worlds of ritual, artistry, and debate that it's embedded in. We want to figure out how media such as books, storytelling, and performance influence how we experience the Buddha's message. Two lectures, one preceptorial.

This course introduces the Hebrew Bible, a complex anthology written by many people over nearly a thousand years. In this class, we will ask questions about the Hebrew Bible's historical context and ancient meaning, as well as its literary profile and early reception. Who wrote the Bible? When and how was it written? What sources did its authors draw on to write these stories? And to what circumstances were they responding? Students will develop the skills to critically analyze written sources, and to understand, contextualize, and critique the assumptions inherent in modern treatments of the Bible. Two lectures, one preceptorial

This course offers students philosophical and historical foundations for participating in contemporary debates about higher education. The first half of the course surveys the history of thought about learning, education, and scholarship as well as the emergence of academic institutions in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States; the second half examines a series of contemporary issues and debates in and on higher education. Throughout the course, we will pay special attention to Princeton's past, present, and future.

Western stereotypes often equate Islam with violence, in contrast to Christianity and secular Western modernity. This course dismantles stereotypes. We explore the ethics of war and peace in Islamic scripture, jurisprudence and historical narratives. What is jihad? How did Medieval Islamic jihad theory differ from Medieval Christian just war theory? Do heroic narratives reflect the realities of war? Has Western just war ever been just? What has been the cost of the "war on terror" against Muslims? We explore these questions and others through primary sources in translation (including poetry and fiction), modern scholarship, and films.

This course is a survey of Islamic civilization and culture in both historical and in contemporary times. We cover major themes of Islamic religious thought including the Quran and its interpretation, the intellectual history of Islam, Sufism, Islamic law, and Muslim reform. Through the utilization of both secondary and primary sources (religious and literary texts, films), we examine Islam as an ongoing discursive tradition. In addition to gaining an understanding of the problems associated with the study of Islam, this course should equip you with the tools required to analyze broader theoretical issues pertinent to the study of religion.

This course examines Sufism or what is often called the mystical tradition in Islam. Sufism represents one of the most important intellectual, social, and political traditions in Muslim thought and practice. This course engages multiple aspects of Sufism including its institutional and intellectual history, metaphysics and cosmology, meditation and disciplinary practices, poetry and literature, modern debates over the limits of normative Sufism, and orientalist and neo-imperialist representations of Sufism. A major focus of this course will be on close readings of primary texts, all in translation.