Program Overview

Global Buddhism

Course Description

Global Buddhism is a course that explores the aspects of a concrete religion in its modern and contemporary configurations. The course delves into various topics such as spirituality, diversity, (de)colonization, (identity) politics, 'Easternization', and materiality. It examines empirical cases from East, West, and across the globe, with a main theoretical framework focusing on the intersections of globalization, migration, and transnational networks.

Course Details

• ECTS: 10
• Forms of instruction: Lecture
• Form of examination: Take-home assignment (Assign)
• Language of instruction: English
• Level: Bachelor
• Location: Aarhus

Course Content

The course content includes:

• Zen, mindfulness, enlightened lamas, and militant monks
• Migrants and diaspora communities, queer Buddhists, spiritual and secular Buddhists, colonial Protestant Buddhism, and decolonial post-global Buddhists
• Globalization and its impact on Buddhism, including transnational and cross-cultural networks of circulating Buddhists and dynamic flows of Buddhist ideas and practices

Description of Qualifications

The purpose of the internationalization electives is to provide students with the opportunity to use a foreign language in an academic setting and work with an academic theme within the humanities. The course aims to teach students to operate in a cross-disciplinary teaching context, gaining a cross-disciplinary perspective on their own subject area.

Academic Objectives

The academic objectives of the course include:

• Knowledge: Demonstrate knowledge of theories and methods related to the study of global Buddhism, apply key theoretical and methodological approaches, and critically reflect on oral and written products
• Skills: Identify and analyze aspects of modern and contemporary Buddhism, discuss the theme of the course in a foreign language, and participate constructively in learning collaboration
• Competences: Discuss the topic in a broader area of humanistic research, gain perspective on and compare the academic profile of the degree program, and participate constructively in learning collaboration

Teaching

The course employs varied forms of instruction, including classroom instruction, lectures, independent study, and supervision. The lectures and classroom instruction present theories, discuss methodologies, and engage with different case material from various traditions and discourses from global Buddhism.

Examination

The examination consists of a portfolio that contains 3-8 assignments. The number of assignments, their form, and length are announced in writing and orally by the teacher at the beginning of the semester. The portfolio can be completed individually or in groups of up to 6 students.

Re-examination

The re-examination consists of a portfolio that contains 3-8 assignments of the same type and number as in the ordinary exam. The number of assignments, their form, and length are announced in writing in Brightspace at the end of the teaching period.

Information about Courses at Aarhus University

The course is part of the Bachelor's Degree Programme in the Study of Religion at Aarhus University. Related programs include Bachelor's Degree Programmes in English, German Language, Literature and Culture, Information Studies, History of Ideas, Aesthetics and Culture, Anthropology, Latin, Spanish and Spanish American Language, Literature and Culture, Scandinavian Language and Literature, French Language, Literature and Culture, Comparative Literature, Media Studies, Linguistics, Greek Studies, Arab and Islamic Studies, Brazilian Studies, Art History, History, Digital Design - IT, Aesthetics and Interaction, Classical Philology, Dramaturgy, Philosophy, Musicology, Archaeology, India and South Asia Studies, Cognitive Science, Japan Studies, International Business Communication in English, International Business Communication in German, International Business Communication in Spanish, International Business Communication in French, Classical Philology, Russian Studies, and Classical Archaeology.

Department and Faculty

The course is offered by the Department of Culture and Society, Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University.

Location and STADS UVA Code

The course is located in Aarhus, and the STADS UVA code is U001.