This course will familiarize students with basic concepts in the archaeology of religion. Theoretical and methodological readings will include ritual studies, symbols and semiotics, and the archaeology of sacred space and landscapes. The course will emphasize the archaeology of Middle Eastern, African, Pacific Island, and New World religions alongside Mediterranean, European, East Asian, and contemporary American evidence by means of case studies ranging from prehistoric practices through religiously-charged twentieth century sites.
- Teacher: Dixon
This course will familiarize students with basic concepts in the archaeology of religion. Theoretical and methodological readings will include ritual studies, symbols and semiotics, and the archaeology of sacred space and landscapes. The course will emphasize the archaeology of Middle Eastern, African, Pacific Island, and New World religions alongside Mediterranean, European, East Asian, and contemporary American evidence by means of case studies ranging from prehistoric practices through religiously-charged twentieth century sites.”
- Teacher: Dixon
The purpose of this course is to guide you through the planning, research, writing, and editing of a significant piece of scholarly writing, both within a topic of your choosing, and informed by previous generations of research, theory, and methodological approaches within the academic discipline of Religion and Religious Studies.
This course will involve three products:
1. A writing portfolio (set up in Pathbrite) for assessment of your years of work within the Religion major. This will include writing samples you chose (one for each of our major’s five learning outcomes; see below) from your previous work in Religion Department classes, or in combination with your thesis project. You will also provide a paragraph description of each writing sample choice and how it relates to the learning objective in question (a total of five one-paragraph descriptions).
2. A thesis project on a topic of your choice, resulting in a paper of approximately 20 pages. Students will be given a rubric to help them visualize a successful thesis project, and will achieve this goal through solo work at home, in-class writing and reflection as part of their cohort, and in one-on-one meetings with the instructor. A faculty second reader will also be chosen to provide subject guidance and feedback on bibliography, as well as the second and third (final) thesis drafts.
3. An oral presentation of your thesis project for an audience of religion faculty and the general public. This will provide students the chance to summarize their thesis project trajectory and results for those who have not read the work, express new research ideas that came out of the thesis project, and field questions from specialists through real-time oral communication.
This course will involve three products:
1. A writing portfolio (set up in Pathbrite) for assessment of your years of work within the Religion major. This will include writing samples you chose (one for each of our major’s five learning outcomes; see below) from your previous work in Religion Department classes, or in combination with your thesis project. You will also provide a paragraph description of each writing sample choice and how it relates to the learning objective in question (a total of five one-paragraph descriptions).
2. A thesis project on a topic of your choice, resulting in a paper of approximately 20 pages. Students will be given a rubric to help them visualize a successful thesis project, and will achieve this goal through solo work at home, in-class writing and reflection as part of their cohort, and in one-on-one meetings with the instructor. A faculty second reader will also be chosen to provide subject guidance and feedback on bibliography, as well as the second and third (final) thesis drafts.
3. An oral presentation of your thesis project for an audience of religion faculty and the general public. This will provide students the chance to summarize their thesis project trajectory and results for those who have not read the work, express new research ideas that came out of the thesis project, and field questions from specialists through real-time oral communication.
- Teacher: Dixon
- Teacher: Trina Jones
- Teacher: Ron Robinson