REL202
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From Buddhist Texts to Anime
Course Level
200 - Sophomore
Minimum Credits
4
This course fulfills:
-
Course Requisites or Registration Restrictions
Course Description
This course examines religious themes in and the religious function of various narrative forms in Japan. The course will examine primary scriptures and commentaries from the Buddhist tradition as well as ghost stories, poems, plays (No and Kabuki), novels, manga, and anime. These literary forms are a product of various interactions among the Japanese, Chinese, and American cultures. Analyzing these kinds of cultural and religious expressions, the course examines the role of religious ritual and sacred texts in pre-modern as well as contemporary Japan. The course deepens the skills in textual and literary criticism introduced in the courses fulfilling the Bible requirement. It will also introduce students to critical theory (including gender and queer studies), and intercultural analysis. This course exposes students equally to the study of Japanese culture and various methods of textual interpretation. (Same as IDS 202)