REL 295-04 - Special Topic: Religion in Modern China

4 credits (Spring)

The course surveys the main religious issues in China from the late imperial period to the present. It examines a number of topics, including the status of local and foreign religions, the political control of new religious movements, the relationship between religious institutions and the state, the impact of modernization, the rise of religious tourism, and the resurgence of traditional Chinese religions. Students explore the multifaceted religious life in modern China by reading the primary and secondary sources, analyzing films, and studying the extant religious artwork.

Prerequisite: REL 101, REL 102, REL 103, REL 104, REL 105, or second-year standing.
Instructor: Y. Chen