Recent decades have been marked by the unexpected revitalisation of religion throughout the world: the global expansion of Pentecostal Christianity; transnational currents of Islamic reform; the rise of Hindu nationalism and the revival of religion in post-socialist and market-oriented socialist countries. These developments make a nonsense of the previously popular view among western social thinkers that the spread of modernity would lead to a universally secular world and the ‘disenchantment’ of human affairs. Instead, religion is assuming a new relevance under conditions of uncertainty and change linked to globalisation --- not just responding to modernity but actively shaping it in specific social and cultural settings, even as traditional forms of religion themselves undergo change. The course will draw on ethnographic field studies in order to examine the remarkable diversity and dynamism of religious phenomena across a range of locations in Asia and Oceania, including Aboriginal Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, China and India.

This course is designed primarily as a Masters level course. However, Honours and qualified advanced undergraduates in CAP and/or CASS with strong backgrounds in Anthropology or its sister disciplines of the social sciences and humanities can enroll in the course for honours and undergraduate credit with the written permission of the course convenor.

THIS IS A 2 WEEK INTENSIVE COURSE WITH LONGER FOR ASSESSMENT PIECES. See WORKLOAD and INDICATIVE ASSESSMENT for details

Students should emerge from the course with a greatly enhanced understanding of the character of religious transformation and its relationships with other sectors of contemporary social life in the Asia Pacific region including Aboriginal Australia. In this way, students will be guided toward a less ethnocentric world view of neighbouring peoples.

Lecture and tutorial/seminar class participation 10% - Lectures and tutorial/seminar discussions of daily assigned readings provide the core learning format for this course. It is assumed that students who attend daily meetings will come prepared, ready to contribute to discussions of that day’s readings with questions and comments, and it is on this basis their participation will be assessed (i.e. mere attendance will earn minimal credit). Students who fail to attend seven or more tutorial/seminar meetings will not be eligible to pass this course. If at the beginning of course students are aware that they will be missing significant numbers of class meetings, they must discuss this during the first meeting with the convenor and consider withdrawing. 

Short Essay 20% A short essay of 1000-1250 words will be set on material covered during the first three days of the course.  It will be due by 5:00pm on Sunday, July 4.

Final exam 30% The final exam will be a take-home one consisting of a series of short essay questions concerning materials covered in readings and discussions over the entire course. Students will have one week to respond electronically in essay format using Word, 1250-1500 word length. The questions will be distributed at our last regular class meeting of the course (July 9). Completed exams must be returned no later that 5:00pm on July 16 for full credit.

Research essay 40% - students' research essays will involve the description and analysis of the changes undergone by one religious system from the extant ethnography and history of Asia and Oceania. Students will be asked to declare the religious system they wish to analyse at the close of Day 6 of the course for approval and feedback from the Convenor. Essays will be assessed on the extent to which students have successfully employed materials presented in course readings and discussions in their treatments of Asian, Pacific and Aboriginal Australian religion. The completed essay, 3000-3500 words in length, will be due on 30 July at 5:00pm. Students are strongly encouraged to begin work on their essays as early in the course as possible.

Delivery Mode:

COURSE WILL RUN FROM MONDAY 28 JUNE TO FRIDAY 9 JULY 2010. IT WILL CONSIST OF 3 CONTACT HOURS PER DAY (2 HOUR LECTURE AND 1 HOUR DISCUSSION GROUP)

Readings for this course will involve a mix of ethnographies describing the religious systems of various Asian and Pacific Island religions and societies, excerpts from books on the topic, and a number of journal articles. As many of these sources as possible have been deposited for student access on Wattle (further information will be presented on the first class meeting). Other materials which cannot be posted on Wattle because of copyright restrictions will be placed on reserve in Chifley Library.

The details of this syllabus may be subject to change as the course proceeds, given sufficient opportunity to consult with students during daily seminar meetings. It is each student's responsibility to familiarise themselves with the contents of this syllabus, to keep abreast of announcements made in class and/or through WebCT and email, to come to seminar meetings fully prepared, and to meet assignment deadlines.