Credit Courses

• Hinduism
  01:840:322:B6 [91078]
  May 26, 2009 - July 2, 2009; TTH 6:00P - 9:40P
  Instructor: Myladil, T.
  Course Description: Historical development of religious beliefs and practices in the culture of India: syncretism, mysticism, devotion, and personal disciplines.
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• Hindu Philosophy
  01:840:368:H6 [92855]
  July 7, 2009 - August 12, 2009; TTH 6:00P - 9:45P
  Instructor: Das
  Course Description: This course will overview some of the main schools of ancient Indian philosophy prior to the medieval period. Beginning with the mystical speculations of the Upanisads, the course will trace the emergence of the six classical schools of orthodox Hindu thought Samkhya, Yoga, Vaisesika, Nyaya, Mimamsa and Vedanta, considering their most essential philosophical features, presuppositions and concerns. It will also direct attention to the challenges presented by the `heterodox` schools of Jainism and Buddhism, and consideration will be given to some of the prominent interconnections, cross-fertilizations and points of contestation amongst some of these schools. The course will also include a reading of the Bhagavad Gita. Selections from primary texts will be included wherever possible.
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• Topics in the Study of Religion: Ayurveda - The Traditional Healing System of Ancient India
  01:840:393:B6 [94541]
  May 26, 2009 - July 2, 2009; TTH 6:00P - 9:55P
  Course Description: This course will outline the origins and development of the traditional systems of healing in ancient India that culminated in the eight disciplines of Ayurveda, with attention paid to Sanskrit textual sources. The course will cover the basic biological and physiological principles of the system related to an individual's constitution, the role of preventive practices such as massage, yoga and diet and herbal dietary supplements, and consider basic Ayurvedic remedies for common ailments. Attention will be directed to the trajectory of Ayurveda in modern India, and recent Western interest in Ayurveda following its transplantation in the West.
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• Topics in the Study of Religion: Indian Dance and Hindu Cosmology
  01:840:394:E1 [94691]
  June 22, 2009 - July 31, 2009; TTH 1:10P - 4:50P
  Instructor: Navatar, M.
  Course Description: This course will trace the origins and development of the various dance forms of ancient India such as Bharata Natyam, Odissi and Kathak with attention paid to classical Sanskrit literary source material as well as regional expressions. The various aspects involved in these dances such as movement, gesture, and facial expression etc will be considered, along with some of the narrative sources that have provided the most popular thematic material for dance performances. Additionally, the role traditional Indian dance training plays in modern Indian visual culture such as those evidenced in Bollywood movies will be examined.