Note that this Course is conducted in English as are course assessments 1

Transcription

1 Course Title CURE 3377 Fieldwork in Indian Religions and Culture First Term 2017/2018: Tuesday SC 139 Lecture: 2:30 am- 4:15 pm Tutorial: 4:30-5:15 pm Mr Steven Matthews (Chandra) Course Description This course aims to introduce students to some of the major religions, traditions and cultures of India. It offers students a lively and effective learning experience through fieldwork in both Hong Kong and India. We will be (1) visiting Hindu and Jain temples in Hong Kong, and the home of a Hindu family to interact with Hindu women on 4 to 5 Saturdays during the term. (2) Will go on a 10-day visit to India that includes visiting both religious and historical sites over the Christmas holiday. In both cases, students will learn through first-hand exposure to religious relics, sites, material culture and personal interactions with Indian practitioners of different faiths. Sites to be visited in Hong Kong and India will include mainstream traditions within the broad framework of Hinduism, such as the Vaishnava Bhakti movement and the Shaiva tradition. We will also visit sites related to Jainism, which originally arose as a challenge to mainstream Hinduism. All visits will be led by teaching staff. Course Content and Schedule There will be 9 class lectures and 7 tutorials right after lectures conducted on campus. The lectures and tutorials will offer students an overview of the geographical, philosophical and historical background of the sites that will be visited during the field work and the traditions we will interact with. All students should, as a course requirement, join the ten-day trip to India during the Christmas holiday (from Dec 25, 2017 to Jan 4, 2018). It should be noted that each student will need to pay for their expenses for the India trip, although a subsidy is available (courtesy of the ISKCON temple in H.K. via the scheme of Professorship in Indian Religions and Culture of CUHK). Class enrolment is limited to 20. Course Requirements To register in this course, students must be able to join all four local fieldtrips in H.K. and the trip to India over the Christmas holiday. Students have to (1) hand in an individual book report based upon a theme/topic chosen for the group presentation/report before the trip to India; (2) perform a group presentation in H.K. with power-point (progress report of their research on the chosen topic), and (3) the final group presentation on the chosen topic in India. Failure to do so will result in losing all or substantial marks from the final grade. Note that this Course is conducted in English as are course assessments 1

2 Tentative Class Schedule I. Lectures (1) Sept 5 Course Introduction: Overview of India, its religions and cultures (2) Sept 12 Introduction to Hindu Traditions part 1 (3) Sept 19 Introduction to Hindu Traditions part 2 (4) Sept 26 Introduction to Shaivism (worshippers of Lord Shiva) by Mr Vinoda + small group discussion with groups of faithful (5) Oct 10 Women in Hinduism: Guest speaker + interaction with group of Hindu ladies (6) Oct 17 Social issues (environment & poverty) in India & Mumbai (7) Oct 24 Jainism: Its history and teachings: Guest speakers Jain Practitioners + interaction with group of faithful (8) Oct 31 Basic Hindi & Introduction to Mumbai by guest speaker (9) Nov 7 Student presentations (progress report on presentation in India) (10)Dec 17 Logistics and briefing on Fieldwork visit to India at ISKCON Temple in 6/F, Ocean View Court, 27 Chatham Rd. South, Tsim Sha Tsui. Phone Number: (11) Jan Final Student presentations in Mumbai II. Tutorials (right after lectures) (1) Sept 19 Basic concepts of Hinduism (2) Oct 3 Methods of group/verbal presentations (3) Oct 17 Discussion and interview with Hindu Women (4) Oct 24 Documentary: the world's biggest slum, Dharavi in Mumbai (5) Oct 31 Small group interaction with the followers of the Jain tradition (6) Nov 7 Documentary film: The New India and discussion All tutorials will be conducted in English. III. Fieldwork in Hong Kong (9:00 am 1:00 pm Saturday; tentative dates to be confirmed) (1) Oct 7 (Sat) - Visiting the Vaishnava/Hindu ISKCON Temple in Tsim Sha Tsui (2) Oct 14 (Sat) Visiting the Jain Temple in Tsim Sha Tsui. (3) Oct 21 (Sat) Visiting a 2 nd Hindu Temple - TBC (4) Nov 5 (Sat) Meeting with an Indian family in H.K. 2

3 IV. Fieldwork in India (2017 Dec 25 th Jan 4 th ) (arrival in H.K. on Jan 5 th morning) (Note: Second term starts on Monday Jan, 2018) Learning Outcomes Knowledge Outcomes (1) To be able to understand Indian religion in its historical settings and contemporary contexts of modern living; globally and locally (2) To be able to understand Indian religion in its many facets. (3) To be able to engage in a critical analysis of religions by the methods of the humanities and social sciences, especially through fieldwork studies. (4) To have basic knowledge of the central themes and issues in the Indian subcontinental context, especially with respect to cultural and religious dimensions. Skills Outcomes (1) Communication and presentation (oral and written) skill. (2) Ability to gather, organize, deploy, synthesize and evaluate different types of evidence and information. (3) Language skill: bilingual proficiency in reading and writing with accurate referencing and clarity of expression. (4) Skills in cross-cultural understanding and intercultural literacy. Attitude Outcomes (1) Awareness of plurality within religious traditions, multi-faceted complexity of religions and of the issues of multiple and conflicting interpretations of language and symbols, texts and traditions. (2) Recognition of the contested and provisional nature of knowledge and understanding. (3) Tolerance of diverse positions and having respect for other s views. (4) Ability to have a critical and yet sympathetic understanding and appreciation of religious traditions, especially to those one does not belong. Learning Activities Lecture Interactive Lab Discussion Field-trip Projects Web-based Other tutorial of case teaching Indian trip 3

4 in /out class in /out class in /out in /out in /out class in /out class in /out class in /out class class class M,O, NA M,O, NA M,O, NA M,O, NA M,O, NA M,O, NA M,O, NA M,O, NA M: Mandatory activity in the course O: Optional activity NA: Not applicable Assessment scheme In addition to the fieldwork trip to India, fieldwork visits in Hong Kong will add up to approximately 15 hours of off campus learning. This will include on-site lectures, on-the-spot investigations and tutorial discussions during the trips/visits. Book report 35% Each student is required to hand in an individual book report based upon the theme/topic chosen for the group report (Jainism, Gender in Hinduism, Vishnu/Krishna Bhakti, Shiva & Ganesha, Environmental/poverty issues in India, or another chosen topic related to the course ) before the trip to India. Students may choose one book related to the chosen theme of their group from the reading list below and produce a book report to be handed in on or before November 30. Students must submit their report via the Webpage of the Chinese University Plagiarism Identification Engine (VeriGuide) at the link: ; post a copy separately onto the Blackboard Learn with a scanned receipt and signed Academic Honesty Declaration Statement from VeriGuide (received via after you have submitted your assignment) attached to your report. Presentation (& response to others presentations) 40% Each student has to give two presentations: (1) a group presentation with power-point in H.K. on the progress of their research on the chosen topic (10%) (2) a group presentation with power-point on the chosen topic whilst in India (30%). Students will break into 5 groups with each group consisting of not more than 5 students. Each group should choose one theme to present (Jainism, Gender in Hinduism, Vishnu Bhakti, Hindu deities: Shiva & Ganesha, and Environmental/poverty issue in India). The presentation will be arranged towards the end of the trip in India and each presentation should last for 45 minutes. Each group should also submit their PowerPoint via the Blackboard Learn. Note that on November 21, each group has to give an oral progress report in class on the plan of 4

5 their presentation in India. Participation 15% Your participation in class, tutorials, presentations and the fieldtrips in Hong Kong and India will count as 15 % of the course grade. Written and verbal presentation-english competency 10% English competency and presentation for the written book report, and verbal presentations will also count towards the overall grade. Essay test or exam Short answer test or exam Selected response test or exam Essays Presentation Lab reports Other participation (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) Learning resources for students Bose, Mandakranta. Women in the Hindu Tradition: Rules, Roles and Exceptions. London, New York: Routledge, 2010 Choudhuri, Indra Nath & Choudhuri, Usha. Hinduism: A Way of Life and Mode of Thought. New Delhi: Niyogi Books Dundas, Paul. The Jains. London, New York: Routledge, 2002 Gupta, Vijay Kumar. Roles and Rituals of Indian Women. New Delhi: MD Publications, Glucklich, Ariel. The Footsteps of Vishnu: A Historical Introduction to Hinduism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007 Klostermaier, K.K. A Survey of Hinduism. Albany: State University of New York Press (also as electronic resource) Kohli, Atul. Poverty Amid Plenty in the New India. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

6 Long, Jeffery D. Jainism: An Introduction. London: I.B.Tauris (also as electronic resource) Mittal, Sushil & Thursby, Gene. The Hindu Worlds. New York: Routledge, 2004 Pintchman, Tracy & Sherma, Rita D. Woman and Goddess in Hinduism: Reinterpretation and Re-envisionings. Basingstoke: Plagrave Macmillan, 2011 Rosen, Steven. Essential Hinduism. Westport, Conn: Praeger, Weinstein, Liza. The Durable Slum: Dharavi and the Right to Stay Put in the Globalizing Economy. Minneapolis. University of Minneapolis Press, 2014 Feedback for evaluation An end-of-term faculty wide course evaluation will be conducted in class. Students comments and feedback on the course through the Discussion Forum within Blackboard or personal meeting with instructor and/ or research assistant are always welcomed. Teacher s & TAs Contact Details Mr. Steven Matthews: KKL 216 chandra08@hotmail.com Facility for Posting Course Announcements Details for fieldtrips, assignment and feedback for written assignment will be given through the Blackboard in due course. All questions with regard to the course could be posted on the discussion forum within the Blackboard. Academic Honesty and Plagiarism Students must submit their papers via VeriGuide and hand in a print out of receipt and a signed Academic Honesty Declaration Statement. Relevant information on academic honesty and plagiarism can be allocated via: Tentative Itinerary To be provided in due course 6