Department of Religions and Philosophies

Undergraduate Modules in the Study of Religions

This list presents the regular module offering in the BA Study of Religions as single or combined degree. Modules are sorted by categories and may appear more than once.

For modules in the BA World Philosophies, please see Undergraduate Courses in World Philosophies. Note: In order to provide a broad offer, many second and third year modules run in alternating years. Modules not running in a given year, therefore normally run in the next. Students may also contact the module conveners for details on when a module will run again.

I) First Year Courses

Core Course

Introduction to the Study of Religions 158000096 1 UnitFull Year

Foundation Courses

Buddhism: Foundation 158000110 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Hinduism: Foundation 158000118 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Islam: Foundations 158000189 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Judaism: Foundation 158000148 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Religions of Africa: Foundation 158000119 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Religions of East and Central Asia 158000100 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 World Christianities Foundation 158000117 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Zoroastrianism: Foundation 158000187 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018

II) Languages offered by the Department

(Language courses from other departments at SOAS can also be taken as part of a Study of Religions Degree.)

Avestan 158000182 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018 Basic Pali 158000200 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018 Middle Persian 158000183 30 credits (1 unit) Syriac Texts on Christians and Muslims 158000034 1 UnitFull Year Vedic Sanskrit 158000128 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018

III) Comparative and Theory Courses (second & third year)

Anglo-European Philosophies and Critical Dialogue: Hermeneutics and Beyond 158000135 1 UnitFull Year Comparative Ethics 158000199 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Death and the Meaning of Life 158000172 1 UnitFull Year Metaphysics in Comparative Perspective 158000198 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Mysticism in the Great Traditions 158000022 1 UnitFull Year The Holocaust and the Problem of Evil 158000156 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 'The Margins of Philosophy': Postcolonial, Gender, and Queer Epistemologies 158000116 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018 Theories of the Self 158000202 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018

IV) Courses by Religious Tradition (second & third year)

African Religions

Limited offer in 2016/17 due to research leave.

Islamic Reform Movements in Modern Africa 158000190 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity in Africa: Past and Present 158000185 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Religion, Power and Society in Modern Africa 158000005 1 UnitFull Year

Buddhism

Limited offer in 2016/17 due to research leave.

Buddhism in Central Asia 158000121 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Buddhism in Pre-Modern China 158000201 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Buddhist Monasticism 158000097 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 Buddhist Philosophy 158000195 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018 Imag(in)ing Buddhas in South Asia (1) 154900182 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Imag(in)ing Buddhas in South Asia (2) 158000191 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Japanese Religion: A Historical Overview 158000044 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 Representing Religion in Japanese Films 158000184 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Themes in Japanese Religions 158000043 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Tibetan Buddhism 158000050 0.5 UnitsTerm 1

Christianity

Eastern Christianity 158000132 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Martyrs & Monks in Eastern Christian Writings 158000130 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018 Minority Religions in the Contemporary Middle East 158000163 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 Orthodox Christianity 158000131 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity in Africa: Past and Present 158000185 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Religion, Power and Society in Modern Africa 158000005 1 UnitFull Year

Hinduism

Textual Sources of Classical Hinduism 158000023 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018

Islam

Developments in Muslim Religious Thought 158000188 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Islamic Reform Movements in Modern Africa 158000190 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Islam in Britain 158000169 1 UnitFull Year Messianic Movements in Muslim History 158000149 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Minority Religions in the Contemporary Middle East 158000163 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 Religion, Power and Society in Modern Africa 158000005 1 UnitFull Year Shi'a Islam: Religious Authority and Community Identity 158000147 1 UnitFull Year

Jainism

Introduction to Jainism 158000053 1 UnitFull Year Non-Violence in Jain Literature, Philosophy and Law 158000054 1 UnitFull Year

Japanese Religions

Japanese Religion: A Historical Overview 158000044 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 Representing Religion in Japanese Films 158000184 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Themes in Japanese Religions 158000043 0.5 UnitsTerm 2

Judaism

Daily Life of Jews in Antiquity 158000155 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Jewish Identity 15800O168 0.5 - Not Running 2017/18 Modern Jewish Thought 158000178 1 UnitFull Year Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism 158000151 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018 The Bible and its Interpretation in Ancient Judaism 158000160 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 The Holocaust and the Problem of Evil 158000156 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 The Representation of Jews and Judaism in Film 158000186 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 The Role and Representation of Women in Judaism 158000154 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018

Taoism

Taoism and Chinese Religions 158000150 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018 Taoism: the Great Tradition 158000181 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018

Zoroastrianism

Limited offer in 2016/17 due to research leave. Students interested in Zoroastrianism are advised to select Middle Persian, which also has a cultural component and introduces students to the religion as well as the language.

Middle Persian 158000183 30 credits (1 unit) Minority Religions in the Contemporary Middle East 158000163 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 Zoroastrian Literature in Translation 158000095 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018 Zoroastrianism in the Ancient and Modern Worlds 158000029 1 UnitFull Year

V) Courses by Geographical Region (second & third year)

Africa

East and Inner Asia

Buddhism in Pre-Modern China 158000201 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Buddhist Monasticism 158000097 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 Japanese Religion: A Historical Overview 158000044 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 Religions of East and Central Asia 158000100 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 Representing Religion in Japanese Films 158000184 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Taoism and Chinese Religions 158000150 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018 Taoism: the Great Tradition 158000181 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Themes in Japanese Religions 158000043 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Tibetan Buddhism 158000050 0.5 UnitsTerm 1

Iran and Central Asia

Buddhism in Central Asia 158000121 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Eastern Christianity 158000132 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Religions of East and Central Asia 158000100 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 Shi'a Islam: Religious Authority and Community Identity 158000147 1 UnitFull Year Zoroastrian Literature in Translation 158000095 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018 Zoroastrianism in the Ancient and Modern Worlds 158000029 1 UnitFull Year

Near and Middle East

Daily Life of Jews in Antiquity 158000155 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Not Running 2017/2018 Eastern Christianity 158000132 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Jewish Identity 15800O168 0.5 - Not Running 2017/18 Martyrs & Monks in Eastern Christian Writings 158000130 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018 Minority Religions in the Contemporary Middle East 158000163 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism 158000151 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018 Shi'a Islam: Religious Authority and Community Identity 158000147 1 UnitFull Year The Bible and its Interpretation in Ancient Judaism 158000160 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018

South Asia

Buddhist Monasticism 158000097 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Not Running 2017/2018 Eastern Christianity 158000132 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Imag(in)ing Buddhas in South Asia (1) 154900182 0.5 UnitsTerm 1 Imag(in)ing Buddhas in South Asia (2) 158000191 0.5 UnitsTerm 2 Introduction to Jainism 158000053 1 UnitFull Year Non-Violence in Jain Literature, Philosophy and Law 158000054 1 UnitFull Year Textual Sources of Classical Hinduism 158000023 1 UnitFull Year Not Running 2017/2018