You Be the Specialist

In order to have you look at the various elements of religion that we are learning about in the Stein text and to give the class more information on world religions, this assignment is to be built and used throughout the course…as you become a specialist in TWO world religions.

You are being asked to choose one of the Abrahamic religions (not your own) and one of the religions of India or China (again, not your own). If there is another religion you would like to do, please contact me about it first. Some people today call atheism a religion. There is no doubt about the rise of atheism and agnosticism. Either of them would be much more difficult to use for this assignment; however, There will be an opportunity to look at them in the course.

REQUIREMENTS

You will be approaching the discussion and essay in week 12 in an anthropological way.

• Use a holistic approach
• Use cultural relativism. Avoid ethnocentrism.
• This is a comparative essay. Like other anthropologists, you will be interested in identifying the factors that shaped each of your religions. Did the differences have an impact early in the development of the religions? What factors have a major impact today? Were there similarities?

Look at the social and cultural contexts in which each religion arose. How did each religion relate to ongoing events? How did they function in their cultures? How did they relate to other aspects of the culture (e.g., family, technology, economics, politics, education)? You will also look at it in today’s context. especially in the last part of the course where we deal with religion and conflict.

By looking at aspects of each religion in its own cultural and social context, you are taking a cultural relativist’s approach. You will make no judgments about the beliefs or practices of the religions (ethnocentrism not allowed); the purpose is to understand them.

• The essay should be 4-5 pages and will be built on at least 5 solid outside sources which you will cite correctly in either MLA or APA style.

You might think of it in three major sections:

• Background material.
• The religions and their elements: include major beliefs (myths) and practices (rituals), key symbols and their meanings, use the Stein text as a guide.
• The religions today. Look at ways the religions are involved in conflicts or peace efforts. Relate it to their beliefs and circumstances.
• Summarize your findings. Look for similarities and differences in the factors shaping the religions in the past and today.