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Religions of the World

RELS 1020-07!!

T/Th 3:30-4:45 PM!!!!!!!!Lang 211!

Instructor: Dr. Cara Burnidge

Email: burnidge@uni.edu

Office Location: Bartlett Hall 1095

Twitter: @burnidge

Office Hours: T/Th 1:00-2:50 PM

This course is an introduction to religion in the world. It is designed to acquaint students

with the study of religion and familiarize students with the histories of Hinduism, Buddhism,
Confucianism, Daoism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Sikhism. Particular attention will
be given to the role of colonialism in shaping the study of religion and the role of religion in
global history and politics.
By the end of the course, students will:
differentiate between devotional practices and the academic study of religion
understand the historical contexts that have influenced eight traditions above
describe major beliefs, figures, and events of the eight traditions listed above
analyze the way that religion has changed over time
Assignments in this course will contribute to students ability to gain knowledge about
religions in the world and to apply that knowledge to their everyday lives. Through these
assignments students will develop skills to help them read, think, and write critically.

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Required Textbook: John L. Esposito, World Religions Today,

4th Ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012).
Other required readings are available via Blackboard and/or
email.
Attendance: Attendance will be taken at the beginning of
each class. This attendance sheet is for class records and is
not graded. However, attendance will factor into each
students participation grade. As a result, students may not
sign each other in or complete work on anothers behalf.

COURSE
REQUIREMENTS
Participation

200

Quizzes

300

Midterm Essay

200

Peer Review

100

Final

200

Total

1,000

All students are expected to come to class. From time to

time, however, we cannot meet what is expected of us. If a
student is absent, they are expected to report their absence
through the form provided on eLearning within 48 hours of
their absence. Students with reasonable absences will not be
penalized for missing class.
Reasonable Absences: Reasonable absences include a
students illness, injury, or hospitalization; the illness, injury,
or hospitalization of someone under the students care;
bereavement; military or civic duties; official participation in
a university event; or religious observance. If special
accommodations need to be made on assignments, students
should bring this to their professors attention immediately.
If students miss class or are late, they are responsible for
catching up on the discussions, readings, and any pertinent
announcements they may have missed. Students must receive
permission from the instructor prior to their absence in order to
receive alternative due dates for any assignment.

Participation: Participation will be graded according to the rubric posted on eLearning. A

students participation grade will be determined through self-assessments and evaluations by
Professor Burnidge that occur 5 times over the course of the semester. Students will remain
informed of their performance through eLearning, but may also inquire at any time.
Assigned Reading: Students are expected to do all assigned reading. This includes assigned
pages from the textbook and any documents posted on Blackboard or emailed to the class.
Readings for each day should be read before coming to class. If it appears that students are not
reading the assigned material, pop quizzes may become a regular part of class meetings and
will be factored into the participation grade.
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Quizzes: Students knowledge of course material will be assessed weekly eLearning quizzes.
The final quiz grade will be calculated according to the best 10 of 11 quizzes. Quizzes will
pertain to the reading material and lectures for a given week. Each quiz will be administered
through eLearning and must be completed by Saturday at 11:59PM. Since students have a full
week or more to complete the quiz, make-ups will only be administered in special
circumstances that involve a unexpected and/or prolonged absence.
Note on Technology: Blackboard quizzes should only be taken on a desktop or laptop
with a reliable internet connection. Students should not try to take their quizzes on an
iPad, iPhone, tablet, or other smart device. It will not work properly and you will not be
able to make-up the quiz.
From time to time technology can let us down. Wireless connections can be interrupted
or computers can crash. These are not emergency situations that warrant special
treatment, but issues can be expected to arise from using technology. So, back-up your
work, plan ahead, and dont be afraid to complete an assignment well in advance of the
deadline. If students run into technological difficulties, they should document the error
message they receive and inform Professor Burnidge immediately. Failed quizzes due to
technology issues will be handled on a case by case basis that depends on user error,
students responsible consideration of possible issues, and student accountability.
Midterm Essay: Students will complete a take-home midterm. The midterm consists of a 2page essay that answers the prompt below and peer reviews of 2 students essays. All essays
must rely upon David Chidesters essay Colonialism (Bb) and the textbook to answer the
question: Did religion produce colonialism OR did colonialism produce religion? Essays should be
uploaded to eLearning by 11:00AM on March 5.
Peer Review: After Midterm Essays have been submitted, students will review 2 of their peers
work. Each review is worth 50 points and will be completed on eLearning. Peer assessments
must be completed by March 7 at 11:59PM. Grading rubrics can be found on eLearning.
Final Exam: Comprehension and synthesis of course material will be assessed through a
cumulative final exam. More information about the final exam will be available after midterm.

For help beyond your Instructor on these assignments, the Academic Learning Center
provides free assistance with writing, math, science, college reading, and learning
strategies. UNIs Academic Learning Center is located in 008 ITTC.
Visit the website at http://www.uni.edu/unialc/ or call 319-273-2361 for more
information and to set up an appointment.
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GRADING POLICY
All grades in the course are meant to evaluate student comprehension and development. A
students final grade is based on the number of points earned over the course of the semester.
Grades will be rounded to the nearest integer (.5 and above will be rounded up; .49 and
below will be rounded down). Students can keep track of their grade by following a running
tally of points earned divided by total possible points.
Your instructor is your mentor and guide as you navigate core concepts and development in
this course. If you do not understand why you received the grade you did, do not panic. Drop
by office hours or email Professor Burnidge and schedule an appointment to discuss why you
earned this grade.
Since all assignments are available electronically and can be completed in advance, late
assignments will not be accepted unless there are unexpected and extreme circumstances.
Extra credit, if offered, will be given to the entire class and will not be available on an
individual basis.

Grading Rubric
B+: 875-894

C+: 785-794

D+: 675-694

A: 925-1,000

B: 825-874

C: 725-784

D: 625-674

A-: 895-924

B-: 795-824

C-: 695-724

D-: 595-624

ACADEMIC ETHICS POLICY

Academic integrity will be upheld in this
course. UNIs Student Academic Ethics
Policy can be found at
http://www.uni.edu/policies/301.
Students who commit one of the outlined
violations will be dealt with on an individual
basis in accordance with the Ethics
Sanctioned listed at the link above.
Level 1: 0 on the assignment (opportunity to
make-up for half-credit)
Level 2: 0 on the assignment (no makeup)
Level 3: Failure of course
Level 4: Failure of course & written
reprimand

F: 594-0

ADA POILCY
Please address any special needs or special
accommodations with your instructor at the
beginning of the semester or as soon as you
become aware of your needs.
Those seeking accommodations based on
disabilities should obtain a Student
Academic Accommodation Request
(SAAR) form from Student Disability
Services (SDS) (phone 319-273-2677, for
deaf or hard of hearing, use Relay 711).
SDS is located on the top floor of the
Student Health Center, Room 103.
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COURSE COMMUNICATION
Blackboard: All information about this course is available on Blackboard. This should be the
first place students visit if they have a question about assignments, readings, course
expectations or office hours. Students are expected to check the course schedule and
Blackboard announcements regularly. It is the students responsibility to remain abreast of
announced changes to the schedule, including unexpected cancellations, and other unforeseen
changes to the course.
Email: Students are expected to check their UNI email address regularly. Announcements
about the class will be sent to this email address. If students prefer to use another email
address, it is their responsibility to edit their email settings accordingly. Students will be held
responsible for paying attention to electronic announcements.
All email communication between students and their professor should be professional. This
means all correspondence should begin with an appropriate greeting, include a message that
clearly indicates the students question or concern (written in a polite and courteous tone), and
end with a signature that includes the students full name and course section number. Students
should expect a response within 36 hours, but no sooner than 24 hours.
Any correspondence that does not follow the form outlined above, especially those that are
rude, discourteous, or inappropriate, will first receive a warning and, if continued, will not
receive a response. Duplicate emails sent in haste, sent the night before an assignment is due,
or discourteous in tone should expect a warning about tone and, if continued, will not receive a
response. Any email that contains an attachment but no message will not be opened.
Mobile Technology: Students may use their mobile technology to take electronic notes. Students
must receive permission from their instructor before taking photos in the classroom or
recording any portion of class. They must also ask permission before sharing the instructors
course materials outside of class.
If use of electronic devices is distracting to you or another student, your instructor reserves the
right to move students to a different seat, lower the students participation grade, prohibit the
use of electronic devices, or, if necessary, ask the student/students to leave the classroom.

ON THE ACADEMIC STUDY OF RELIGION:

This class is intended to teach students content related to the academic study of religion. It is
concerned with learning about religion, not practicing religious beliefs or customs. The
academic study of religion does not seek to persuade people to join or leave religious groups.
Students may not use class as a forum to persuade their peers to leave or join their religious
group. Such circumstances may be used as a learning opportunity so that the class may gain a
greater understanding of the academic study of religion and learn how to reframe their
contributions in ways that align with the precedents for public classrooms. !

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COURSE SCHEDULE
Week 1: Introductions
T 1.13
Introduction to the Course
TH 1.15
Mapping World Religions, Why Harper Collins Wiped Israel Off the Map,
RELcats: Religions in the World magazine
Week 2: Discovering Religion
T 1.20
I Spy Religion, Find/bring 1 definition of religion and its (print) source
TH 1.22
Origins of Religion, Before Religion chapter and podcast (Bb)
Week 3: Ancient Origins
T 1.27
in South Asia, Esposito 304-323
TH 1.29
in South Asia, Esposito 398-407
SAT 1.31
Quiz 1 Due at 11:59PM
Week 4: Ancient Origins
T 2.3
in South Asia, Esposito 408-412; 328-332
TH 2.5
in Southwest Asia, Esposito 83-101
SAT 2.7
Quiz 2 Due at 11:59PM
Week 5: Ancient Origins
T 2.10
in Southwest Asia, Esposito 157-174
TH 2.12
in Southwest Asia, Esposito 224-238
SAT 2.14
Quiz 3 Due at 11:59PM
Week 6: Ancient Identities
T 2.17
Christians, Jews, and Muslims, Esposito, 180-181, 106-109
TH 2.19
No class
SAT 2.21
Quiz 4 Due at 11:59PM
Week 7: Religion, Religions, Religious
T 2.24
Empire of Religion, Esposito 182-189
TH 2.26
They Have No Religion, Chidesters Colonialism (Bb)
SAT 2.28
Quiz 5 Due at 11:59PM
Week 8: Religion in the New World
T 3.3
Religion and the American colonies, De Las Casas An Account (Bb)
TH 3.5
No Class; Midterm Essay Due at 11:00AM
SAT 3.7
Peer Review of 2 Midterm Essays due at 11:59 PM
Week 9: Religion and Colonialism
T 3.10
Christians meet Confucians, Esposito 518-524
TH 3.12
Christians meet Buddhists, Esposito 441-443

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3.16-20: SPRING BREAK

Week 10: Religion and Colonialism
T 3.24
Christians meet Hindus, Esposito 332-335
TH 3.26
Hindu Nationalism, Esposito 335-343
SAT 3.28
Quiz 7 Due at 11:59PM
Week 11: Religion and Colonialism
T 3.31
Muslims and Colonialism, Esposito 240-245; 253-259
TH 4.2
Colonialism and Islam, Esposito 221-224; 259-265
SAT 4.4
Quiz 8 Due at 11:59PM
Week 12: Religion and Nationalism
T 4.7
Zionism, Esposito 115-128
TH 4.9
Zion, Zionism, Zionisms, Esposito 128-142, 79-83
Sat 4.11
Quiz 9 Due at 11:59PM
Week 13: Religion and Nationalism
T 4.14
Buddhist Nationalists, Esposito 443-447
TH 4.16
Sikh Nationalism, TBA (Bb)
SAT 4.18
Quiz 10 Due at 11:59PM
Week 14: Religion and Nationalism
T 4.21
Islam, Islams, Islamic States, Esposito 226-273; 278-285
TH 4.23
Islamic Revolution(s), TBA (Bb)
SAT 4.25
Quiz 11 Due at 11:59PM
Week 15: Religion in the World Today
T 4.28
Legal Challenges, Sections on Doniger Affair (Bb)
TH 4.30
Security Challenges, TBA (Bb)
5.4-8 FINAL EXAM WEEK
RELS 1020-07 Tuesday, May 5, 3:00-4:50 PM
RELS 1020-08 Thursday, May 7 10:00-11:50AM
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This course schedule may be subject to change. If there are changes to the schedule students
will be informed via eLearning and a revised schedule will be posted.

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