12. Course Review + EXAM! What have we been teaching you? Don t cry because it s over, smile because it happened. Dr. Seuss. Last Class!

Transcription

1 What have we been teaching you? 12. Course Review + EXAM! 2 Last Class! Don t cry because it s over, smile because it happened. Dr. Seuss 3 4

2 Today Miscellaneous Further university studies Field Research Analysis What we have done Course evaluations Exam! 5 World Religions World religions approach (p. 9-14): The study of major traditions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism Separate, distinct Classifications: texts, ideas, founders, histories, rituals, etc. Useful starting point 6 World Religions Problems with world religions approach? 1. Treats traditions as singular, ignores huge diversity within each of them (Nye: we should refer to Buddhisms, Islams, Judaisms, etc.) 2. Treats traditions as entirely separate and distinct (ignores hybridity, effect of local cultures on traditions, etc.) 3. Ignores minority traditions (e.g., Indigenous religions) 7 World Religions Problems with world religions approach? 4. Focuses on big things (e.g., major rituals, founders, sacred texts, etc.) Men Marginalizes/ignores small things (e.g., personal experiences, regular participants, letters, etc.) Everyone! Privileges male participants, experiences, actions, creations, ideas, etc. 8

3 RLG101H Help RGASC: Wednesday, 2-4pm (library 3rd floor) Ian: Friday 12-2pm (ER208) Me: Thursday 11am-12:30pm (ER 208) FINAL office hours Can me to make appointment Reference Letters You may need some! Any post-university program Law, teacher s college, grad school, medicine, police, etc. Okay to ask your profs! BUT it s important that they know you 9 10 TA Awards UofT-wide award Deadline: end of February UTM-only award Deadline: end of May University Education Many challenges! Exciting? Scary? Find your path / voice Activities, friends, family, solitude, etc. Learning vs grades (why are you here??) 11 12

4 Other Historical Studies Courses? Classical Civilizations Diaspora and Transnational Studies History Latin American and Caribbean Studies South Asian Civilizations Women and Gender Studies Other RLG Courses? RLG201 Intro to Religion in the Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts RLG202 Intro to Judaism RLG203 Intro to Christianity RLG204 Intro to Islam RLG205 Intro to South Asian Religions Prof. Ian Brown! Other RLG Courses? RLG206 Intro to Buddhism RLG207 Intro to Sikhism RLG208 Intro to Zoroastrianism RLG209 Intro to Indigenous Traditions RLG 211 Introduction to Religion, Media, and Popular Culture RLG312 How to Study Religion 15 My Courses RLG101 Intro to the Study of Religion RLG316 Religion and Violence RLG332 Reel Religion RLG333 Biblical Themes in Modern Lit RLG401 Religion and the Arts RLG290 Religion in Hong Kong (Summer Abroad) Also: please visit or me any time! 16

5 WHERE IN THE WORLD IS YOUR CLASSROOM? Ecuador Hong Kong Guatemala 19 20

6 Complete full-year UofT courses in 3-6 weeks Info sessions (at STG): January 2018 Funding available! Applications available December 15 Deadline: February

7 More Information UTM International Education Centre Davis Building Me! Dept of Historical Studies 25 Assignment Deadlines Last Bb comment: December 5 Final Field Research Analysis December 1: receive detailed feedback December 2-4: no late penalty Final date to submit: December 19 Submit documentation with requests to remove or reduce late penalty After December 19 you MUST petition to have late term work accepted 26 Field Research Analysis Value: Experience!! Learn by doing Original research Critical analysis Difficulty Field Research Analysis 5 paragraphs: 1. Description of observations 1 2. Analysis of observations 1 3. Description of observations 2 4. Analysis of observations 2 5. Reflection 27 28

8 Field Research Analysis Patterns! One point is not a pattern Look at all observations, find links between some of them Many possibilities Linked to theory Pattern = topic sentence of your descriptive paragraph 29 Field Research Analysis Observations (pattern) + theory Description + analysis Both should relate to one another Collect data Re-read chapter Identify ideas that relate to data 30 Field Research Analysis Culture Clifford: hybridity Power Foucault: panopticon Gender Daly: gender and power What have we been teaching you? 31

9 Bloom s Taxonomy Knowledge Understanding Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation RLG101H STUDY of religion Theories, concepts, methods (=tools of analysis) Definitions / meanings (e.g., belief ) Focus on people, not god(s) Study of religion is study of what people do Avoid assumptions! (Prevent you from seeing what s really there) Last Song! Free Your Mind by En Vogue (1992) Free Your Mind I wear tight clothing and high heel shoes It doesn t mean that I m a prostitute I like rap music wear hip hop clothes That doesn t mean that I m sellin dope Why oh why must it be this way Before you can read me You gotta learn how to see me Free your mind and the rest will follow Be colour blind, don t be so shallow 35 36

10 RLG101H Writing skills Paragraph construction Citations and bibliography Expressing your ideas clearly Using theory to interpret data Using objective evidence (not subjective experience) to support arguments Following instructions 37 RLG101H Film analysis: Theories: belief, text, ritual Use religious theories to examine non-religious data Field research analysis: Theories: culture, power, gender Use non-religious theories to examine religious data 38 RLG101H 1. Definition / study of religion 2. Culture 3. Power 4. Gender 5. Belief 6. Ritual 7. Text 8. Contemporary religion 39

11 Definition Culture Power Gender Belief Ritual Text Contemporary Religion 41 Charlottesville D: Religion (meaning, etc.) vs religions (specific traditions) C: (White, male) American clothing; tiki torches P: Feeling oppressed; use of violence; shouting; fire G: Almost all men! (links b/t racism and patriarchy) White supremacy; oppression of white people R: Marching, chanting, fire, etc. T: Blood and soil CR: Religion and politics; religion and violence; relevance (and diversity) of Christianity 42 Course Evaluations Your feedback matters! Used to improve teaching ALSO affects instructors employment Important: COMMENTS! Write your TA s name Complete your course evaluations Check your for a link to your evaluations, or log-in to and click the Course Evals tab! 43

12 ! December

13 49 50 UTM Academic Calendar Petitions, appeals, deferrals Term work extension past exam period Deferred exams: w/i 72 hours of exam current-students/petitions UTM Academic Calendar Exam conflicts (same time +/or 3 in a row) May arrive up to 30 minutes late (if more than 30 minutes late, go to Registrar s office) No phones, ipods, etc. Water is allowed (no other food or drink) 51 52

14 Past exams: Only look at ones with my name Note that I often change the course material RG Academic Skills Centre: Drop in for help Exam Jam session on studying and exam strategies: 10-11:30am (IB370) Wednesday, Dec. 13, 9am-12pm in IB110 Check schedule! (Do not trust me!) Read instructions!!! Read all questions Calculate approx. time per section This exam has three parts each worth the same amount (= 1 hour / section) Crib Sheet! Must use template I will provide Limit: 100 words each side of the page Will send you full rules later (e.g., use of colour, highlighting) IMPORTANT!! Make your own sheet! Lectures Tutorials Lion King Indigenous Traditions Malory Nye, Religion: The Basics 55 56

15 Readings: Focus on material from lectures + tutorials Lecture slide questions Tutorial homework Key ideas + examples UNDERSTANDING Explain why a decline in attendance at formal religious services may NOT indicate that people are less religious. What is ideology? Explain using examples from today s cartoon (Futurama) and song ( Everything is Everything ) Malory Nye, Religion: The Basics Theories listed in theory documents provided for writing assignments Make sure you understand all of the summary points at the end of each chapter I will create a document that provides further details on what to study What is Nye s perspective? 59 60

16 Which of the following statements would Nye agree with? a. The academic study of religion can t tell us the truth about god(s). b. The academic study of religion can prove that religion is entirely made by humans. c. There is no essence of religion. d. A person s intentions, not their actions, reveals their true religious beliefs. Indigenous Traditions (Re-)read all IT texts posted on the course site (under Readings ) Familiarize yourself with ideas and examples I will NOT ask something like: Which Indigenous community tells a story about a man finding a tunnel and meeting his dead kinsmen in the underworld? According to the course texts, which of the following statements about Indigenous religions are true? a. Stories of the afterlife may tell us more about how we should live than about what happens when we die. b. If a mask clearly represents an animal, it almost always means that the community who uses the mask worships that animal. c. Navajo sand paintings are traditionally used in rituals that preserve the paintings for many years. d. Typically we are meant to imitate a trickster s behaviour if that behaviour is driven primarily by self-interest. e. In all African cultures, dung is a spiritual symbol representing fertility. 63 According to the course texts, which of the following statements about Indigenous religions are true? a. Stories of the afterlife may tell us more about how we should live than about what happens when we die. b. If a mask clearly represents an animal, it almost always means that the community who uses the mask worships that animal. c. Navajo sand paintings are traditionally used in rituals that preserve the paintings for many years. d. Typically we are meant to imitate a trickster s behaviour if that behaviour is driven primarily by self-interest. e. In all African cultures, dung is a spiritual symbol representing fertility. 64

17 Part 1 (20 Marks) - Multiple choice Answer on Scantron Possible to get 21/20 (#BonusQuestion!) Part 2 (20 Marks) - Short answers Answer in booklet Part 3 (20 Marks) - Film analysis Answer in booklet 65 Scantron: fill in NAME and STUDENT # Multiple versions of exam: indicate FORM Part 2 Short answers (20 marks) Answer five questions total (4 marks each) Five subsections with two questions each 1A/1B 2A/2B 3A/3B 4A/4B 5A/5B Answer ONE question from EACH subsection (e.g., 1B, 2B, 3A, 4A, 5B) Part 2 Sample question: What is syncretism and why is it a problem for the world religions approach to studying religion? In your answer give two specific examples of religious syncretism. 1 mark: define syncretism 1 mark: why is it a problem for WR approach? 2 marks: examples 67 68

18 Part 3 Film analysis (20 marks) Four paragraphs (5 marks each) Pick four theories from choices given (Okay to use other theories if you like) Each theory must be from different chapter Use one theory for each paragraph Each paragraph: 1. Explain theory 2. Identify theorist Part 3 3. Analyze video using theory 4. Use analysis to show that video promotes a particular message Part 3 Suggested theories: 1. Culture: hybridity (51-4) 2. Power: ideology (58-60) 3. Gender: sex, gender, and sexuality (82-4) 4. Belief: habitus (124-6) 5. Ritual: rites of passage (Nye 144-8) 6. Text: language and reality (Nye ) Study Exercise! 71

19 How easy is it to visualize the following sentences? 5 = very easy 1 = very difficult The thief was glad to find the back door of the house unlocked. 73 The alarm went off, and the nurse rushed into the hospital room. At dawn, the soldier attacked the compound.

20 The security guard looked up when the tuba player hit the wrong note. The store manager cried when he dropped his phone in the toilet. Questions Ideology 1. Why was the thief glad? 2. Why did the store manager cry? 3. When did the soldier attack? 4. What happened when the alarm went off? 5. Who looked up when the tuba player hit the wrong note? 79 80

21 Reductionist Theories Gender as Construct Thanks for a great term! Good luck on all your exams! 83 84

22 And have a wonderful 85