RE 2727: Topics in Religion and Storytelling

Program/Department
Category
Category II (offered at least every other Year)
Units 1/3

This topics course explores religious beliefs and practices through the lens of narrative, including sacred texts, hagiographies, folk tales, epic poems, graphic novels, popular songs, and film. Key questions may include: How do these narratives produce and/or influence gender roles, personal and political identities, power structures, and aesthetic norms? How do they function as pedagogical tools and sources of enjoyment? How are they adapted to fit different times, places, and cultural contexts? Through close readings of primary sources in a variety of genres, students will view religious narratives not as literal historical accounts but as media for conveying and propagating values, ethics, and beliefs. The focus will vary across course offerings to cover different religious traditions, geographic areas, identities, and genres. This course may be repeated for different topics. No prior background is required.