JSIS 596 Field Seminar in Religions, Cultures, and Civilizations

This seminar will expose graduate students from across the University to a selection of key works across the social sciences and critical humanities in the general areas of “religions, cultures, and civilizations” or RCC. The RCC field engages the diversity of cultural and religious life throughout the world, anchored by concrete studies of world areas, histories, cultural and political movements, and religious institutions and practices.  This field exposes students to theoretical and international debates about religions, cultures, and power. Through a survey of the major concepts, theories, and controversies in these debates, the seminar will help both masters and doctoral students gain a solid appreciation of the fundamental approaches to RCC-related works. This syllabus is the work of a collective of faculty who serve the Religions, Cultures, and Civilizations (RCC) field of the JSIS PhD Program, though each iteration is unique to the instructor’s interests.  This seminar is open to any interested graduate student at the University of Washington.