Religions of Korea and Japan (Syllabus 2015)

한국의 종교 THE RELIGIONS OF KOREA AND JAPAN 日本の宗教 RELI 238-01 (RG, C) Spring 2015 Class Meetings: M W F 12:30-1:35, Admin 206 Dr. Erik Hammerstrom, Instructor Office Hours: M 3:00-4:30, F 9:30-11:30, and by appointment Office: Hauge Admin 222 F (253) 535-7225 [email protected] (My usual e-mail hours will be 8am-7pm, M-Sa) The religious cultures of Korea and Japan have grown from similar roots, but each has developed in its own way. These two Pacific Rim nations have become important economic and cultural forces in Asia and the West. This is especially true for those of us who live in the Puget Sound region, which has long had strong links with both of these countries. In this course we shall explore the historical development of religion in these two nations. We begin by critically examining the question of what “religion” is, and what ideas we might be able to use when comparing non-Western religions to one another. These questions are especially important when discussing East Asia where “religion” often means something different than what it means in the West. Together we will explore the building blocks of Korean and Japanese religiosity, which include elements of Buddhism, Confucianism, Shamanism, and now Christianity. And as our understanding deepens, we shall return again and again to this question of what the idea of “religion” means in these countries, and what this might tell us about our own assumptions. This course is also structured around critical reading skills, and we begin with a focus on developing and honing the essential skills of reading and note taking. Asking critical questions of texts is essential not only in religious studies, but in many areas of life, and this course should help you improve your skills. You will demonstrate your increasing mastery of critical reading in a final paper in which you will analyze one chapter of your choosing from our textbooks. Overall, this course has been designed to help you meet the following course objectives: Course Objectives: • Gain knowledge about the history and key doctrinal concepts of religions in Korea and Japan • Develop your ability to read and critically analyze primary religious texts and secondary scholarship • Learn how to compare religions across cultures • Hone your sense of empathy for people of other cultures, and your ability to engage in constructive dialog about beliefs that differ from your own R E Q UIRE ME NT S No previous knowledge of religious studies, Asian languages, or Asian religions is required for this course. There is not always an easy way to translate important terms from Asian religion into English, however, so you should be prepared to memorize a number of words from other languages, including Sanskrit, Korean, and Japanese. In order to make the most of your time in this course, students should complete each day’s assigned readings prior to class. Assignments due in hard copy (Reading Exercises and Text Day Questions) can only be turned in by students present at the start of class. Late work submitted within 24 hours of when it was due will be reduced one letter grade; work that is turned in within 48 hours will be reduced two letter grades; work turned in more than 48 hours after it was initially due will receive a 0. 1 of 6 CLASSROOM ATMOSPHERE In order to create the best possible atmosphere for learning, we must all show each other respect. To this end there are a few things I would like you to keep in mind: • I will do my utmost to begin and end every class on time. This is my responsibility. Please do your best to be in your seat by the scheduled start time, and please do not begin packing up your things until class is finished. Students who are chronically late to class may be asked to leave. • Ask questions and make comments about ideas you have that might be helpful to your classmates and your instructor. Please try your best to keep all questions and comments relevant to the topics we are discussing. • Listen with respect to what others in the class have to say. “[The university] is committed to protecting the rights of community members to engage in dialogue and express ideas in an environment that is free from harassment, discrimination, and exploitation. This freedom of expression does not, however, entail the freedom to threaten, stalk, intimidate, harass, or abuse. Students are therefore expected to treat every individual with respect and civility.” (Student Code of Conduct) • The internet is wonderful, but it is also very distracting. I ask you to not use any devices with screens (laptops, smart phones, tablet computers) in class. If this presents a special hardship for you, please see me outside of class. The exception to this policy is that you are encouraged to use such devices when we discuss readings posted on Sakai. • It is OK if you need to eat something in class, but out of consideration for your classmates, please avoid eating anything that is noisy or noisome (smelly). ATTENDANCE The material we cover in class is cumulative and difficult, so missing too many days will make it hard for you to understand what is happening as the course progresses. Thus, it is important that you come to all class meetings. As noted in the PLU catalog, by registering for this class you accept the adult responsibility to come to all classes. I will not take attendance, but assignments due in hard copy (Reading Exercises & Text Day Questions) can only be turned in by students present at the start of class. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY You are expected to maintain the high standards for academic integrity set forth at Pacific Lutheran University. Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. Specifically, using any work that is not your own without acknowledging that it is not yours is plagiarism. This includes any cutting and pasting from the internet or from other sources without properly citing them. For more information on avoiding academic dishonesty, please see the relevant section of the PLU Student Code of Conduct: http://www.plu.edu/srr/code-of-conduct/academic-integrity/ SUCCEEDING IN CLASS In order to succeed in this class, you must understand and remember the material presented. Despite what you may have heard elsewhere, trying is not enough. You can try as hard as you want, but if you do not understand what is being taught, you have not learned. It is my responsibility to do my best to help you learn, but you are equally responsible for your own education. If you do not understand something, be it something said in class or something you read, think about it again. If you still have questions, ask me about it in class, after class, or come see me during my office hours. I am here to help you. Success in this course is measured by your successful engagement with the ideas presented both in readings and in lectures. You should read each assignment carefully. Do not simply pass your eyes over it while watching TV or YouTube. Reading is a skill that must be cultivated. Read slowly and take notes over what you think the main points of each reading might be. If you find something odd or surprising, make a note of it, then try and figure out how it fits into the bigger picture of what you have learned in class so far. This need for detail and care goes for class lectures and discussions, and the same study habits should apply there as well. 2 of 6 GRADING AND ASSIGNMENTS Total points for this course 300 points • Reading Notes 15 points total (5 at 3 points each) During the first three weeks of class we will work through a series of exercises designed to help you improve your reading and note taking skills. For each exercise, there will be a brief write-up that you must bring to class. These will be graded loosely, and with the help of your peers. A + is 3 points, a – is 2 points, and a O is 0 points (which you will only get if you turn in nothing or come unprepared). • Text Questions 60 points total (3 at 20 points each) A set of preparation questions will be posted on Sakai during the weekend before any week in which there is a Text Day. On Text Days we will spend at least half an hour discussing scriptural selections from the religions we are studying. In order to properly prepare for these discussions, students will answer and then print each of these sets of questions. You will prepare the questions for all five Text Days, but I will only collect three of the sets of questions. These will be graded according to the following standards. An A assignment displays a thorough understanding of the main point of the text, and its relevance for the larger issues we are studying in the course. Questions are answered completely with quotations from the original text provided. A thorough explanation is provided in the student’s own words for each portion of cited text. A B assignment includes both citations and student explanations, but does not necessarily display a thorough understanding of the text. Analysis is done only at the surface level. A C assignment includes citations and explanation, but the citations are not completely relevant, and explanations lack a clear sense of the meaning of the reading. A D assignment contains basic attempts to address the questions but lacks either explanations or citations, and does not show any clear understanding of the major points of the reading. Students who wish may revise one of their text day questions based on the feedback they receive from the instructor. That student’s grade for revised questions will be increased if these revisions demonstrate a deepening of their understanding of the material. • Tests and a Quiz 110 points total (2 at 50 points each, 1 10-point quiz) There will be two tests this semester, each consisting solely of essay questions. The questions for these exams will be made available at least one week prior to the tests. The test questions are cumulative. These tests are meant to help you demonstrate the intellectual growth you are achieving in this class as you progress from early basic knowledge to a broader, more comprehensive view of religious life in Korean and Japan. There will also be a quiz on the content of this syllabus during the second week of class. • Chapter Analysis 100 points total For this course, you will write an analysis of one chapter from of the two textbooks that is not being covered in class. This paper will be completed in four stages. The final paper will be a minimum of 1500 words in length, not including notes and bibliography, and will include outside research. Full instructions begin on the following page. • Lecture Attendance and Write-up 15 points The Religion Department organizes several lectures each year. The topics of these talks vary, but they are designed for student audiences. Students in this course should plan to attend either of these two lectures: 1. “Much Ado About Nothing: Connections about Creation in New Atheism, Quantum Physics and Theology,” Dr. Marit Trelstad (PLU), Tuesday March 10, at 7 p.m. in the Scandinavian Cultural Center (UC) 2. “Film as Sutra: Re-Visioning a Raced and Gendered Buddhism,” Dr. Sharon Suh (Seattle University), Tuesday April 14, at 7:00 p.m. in Chris Knutzen Hall (UC) Students will check in with me before and after the talk they attend, and will type and submit a 400-word summary due the Monday following the talk. Students who are unable to attend the talk due to prior commitments should see me during the first two weeks of the semester for an alternate assignment. 3 of 6 INSTRUCTIONS: RELI 238 CHAPTER ANALYSIS PAPER Spring 2015 Hammerstrom For this course, each student will write an analysis of one chapter from either Religions of Korea or Religions of Japan that we will not be covering in class. The final paper will be a minimum of 1500 words in length, not including notes and bibliography, and will include outside research. To write their paper, students will create two research questions, which should be similar to the reading questions they are given each week by the instructor. The answer to these questions will serve as the thesis, or the basic argument, for the paper. These questions need to be stated as precisely as possible, and they should be fairly substantial. Asking when something was written or who wrote it would not be considered substantial, but asking how a group’s view of their place in the world would have been influenced by a particular myth would be. These papers will be completed in the following stages so that the instructor can give each student feedback along the way. The instructor will try to return each section of the project to the students promptly so that they can incorporate comments and suggestions into their work. Students are strongly encouraged to see the instructor during office hours at least once in order to discuss their progress. All assignments are to be turned in electronically on Sakai under the “Assignments” tab by the start of class time on the day they are due. March 2 10 points 1. STATEMENT OF PAPER TOPIC For the proposal, students will submit a brief statement including: 1) which chapter they intend to focus on, and 2) the two research questions that they will answer about this chapter. 2. BIBLIOGRAPHY March 16 20 points Students should briefly discuss their research to date on the topic, and include a bibliography of at least three scholarly sources they plan to use beyond class textbooks. These must be secondary sources, not primary sources. These can be books or articles from scholarly journals. Although they do not have to have read these sources at the time they submit their list, students must list only those sources that they are relatively confident they will be able to access, either at PLU’s library or through InterLibrary Loan. For help in figuring out if something is a SCHOLARLY source, use this guide from our library: http://lgdata.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/docs/403/1311462/scholarly_source-.pdf For help in figuring out if something is a PRIMARY or a SECONDARY source, use this guide from the University of California, Santa Cruz: http://guides.library.ucsc.edu/primarysecondary 3. DRAFT OF FIRST HALF OF PAPER April 27 25 points Students will turn in a 750-word section draft of their paper. This section can come from the beginning or end of the final paper. In it, students must substantially cite two of their outside sources. As with all other sections of the assignment, this paper should be free of grammatical errors and typos, and contain full citations. Students must explain what the other sections of the paper will be (bullet points or brief notes are fine for this). This draft will be graded on completeness, and not on content. 4. FINAL PAPER May 18 by noon The final paper should be 1500 words in length, not including bibliography. 4 of 6 45 points FORMAT All sources must be cited (even class textbooks) using either A) MLA in-text citations or B) Chicago Style footnotes (see links below for explanations of these two styles). APA is not acceptable in Religious Studies. Style guides: Chicago Quick Guide: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html MLA Quick Guide: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/lls/students/mla_citation.html It is highly recommend that students make an appointment to have someone from the Writing Center look over their drafts before turning in their final papers (http://www.plu.edu/writingcenter/). A representative from the Writing Center will come to class to discuss the helpful services they offer. GRADING This paper will be evaluated on a number of factors. In part, the instructor will be looking for improvement in students’ papers, in both content and form, from the draft to the final product. Thus, students must respond to the comments made by the instructor on their drafts. In addition to overall improvement, papers will be graded on the following criteria: • • • • Research questions and answers: The student makes a clear statement of two well-defined questions, and answers them both in the course of the paper. The student should not make references to monotheistic religions unless such references are present in the sources being used. Sources: The student makes substantial use of at least three reputable and up-to-date (after 1970) scholarly sources besides the chapter under discussion. Structure: The paper is structured well and leads the reader according to a clear progression. Format and editing: Students follow one of the accepted styles listed above. When writing Chinese or Korean words, students must consistently use only one system of Romanization. CHANGES TO THE COURSE SCHEDULE Any changes to the schedule will be announced in class at least one week prior to the change. It is the student’s responsibility to find out if there have been any changes if they are absent from class. ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. If you have questions concerning the services available for students with disabilities at PLU, please contact the Office of Disability Support Services, x7206. EMERGENCY AND WEATHER POLICIES In the event of an emergency requiring the early ending of the semester, students will be graded based on the work done to that point. In case of inclement weather please consult the PLU homepage, or call the University’s hotline after 6 a.m. at x7100 to find out if school will be open. IMPORTANT DEADLINES February 10: Add without fee. February 18: Drop with full refund. March 27: Pass/fail filing. May 1: Withdraw from class. 5 of 6 • CLASS SCHEDULE • Week Day Unit 2/4 2/6 Introduction 1 2 2/9 The Supernatural: The Sacred 2/11 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Final 2/13 2/16 2/18 2/20 2/23 2/25 2/27 3/2 3/4 3/6 3/9 3/11 3/13 3/16 3/18 3/20 3/30 4/1 4/3 4/6 4/8 4/10 4/13 4/15 4/17 4/20 4/22 4/24 4/27 4/29 5/1 5/4 5/6 5/8 5/11 5/13 5/15 Purity Daily Topics / Activities Readings Assignments / Tests What does it mean to be “religious”? Americans and the supernatural RK pp. 1-4, 12-15 Reading Exercise 1 (not graded) Reading Exercise 2 PEW Survey (Sakai) Eliade (Sakai) The supernatural in Korea and RJ pp. 8-10, ch. 13 Japan RK ch. 17 The goals of life RJ ch. 34, RK pp. 4-8 President’s Day: No Class Shamanism Douglas (Sakai) Film Korean Shamanism RK pp. 15-18, ch. 16 Shintō 神道 Comparison Day Ghosts and the powerful dead; Film: Onmyōji Pollution: Death Practices Social Obligations Introducing Buddhism Karma, debts, crimes Cosmology and the political order New Religious Movements Closing Text Day 1 Paper: Topic and ?s Text Day 2 Paper: Bibliography Text Day 3 Reading Exercise 6 Text Day 4 RJ ch. 19, RK ch. 6 Confucianism (Sakai) RK pp. 21-23, chs. 10, 13 RJ ch. 28 Comparison Day Introduction RK pp. 24-28, ch. 21 Comparison Day Christianity in Korea Now RK chs. 23, 24 How to talk about NRMs NRMs (Sakai) NRMs in Korea RK pp. 28-30, ch. 28 NRMs in Japan RJ ch. 37 Final Reflections FINAL EXAM: Wednesday, May 20, 2:00 – 3:50 pm FINAL PAPERS: Due electronically by noon of Monday, May 18 6 of 6 Reading Exercise 5 Keown, pp. 15-56 (Sakai) Keown, pp. 57-69 (Sakai) RK pp. 18-21 Buddhist death rituals RJ ch. 15, RK ch. 7 Spring Break Comparison Day RJ ch. 6 Mid-Term Exam Easter Break: No Class Temple visits, pilgrimage RJ ch. 34 RJ ch. 27 Sǒn / Zen 禪 and Pure Land Film: Search for Self Film: Departures Suh (Sakai) Confucianism Christianity RJ ch. 9 RJ ch. 12 RJ ch. 31, RK ch. 14 RK ch. 19 Reading Exercise 3 Syllabus Quiz Reading Exercise 4 Paper: Draft Text Day 5