Description

This independent study course examines a sampling of contemporary Continental philosophers -- along with writers who can be understood as part of this tradition -- who have been influential of scholars of religion.

Books


Using William Deal and Tim Beal's recent book, Theory for Religious Studies, as the entry point, the course will focus on the following writers/books:



Louis Althusser, author of Lenin and Philosophy and Other Essays

Jean Baudrillard, author of Simulacra and Simulation

Pierre Bourdieu, author of Practical Reason

Michel Foucault, author of This is Not a Pipe

Morny Joy et al., editors of French Feminists on Religion: A Reader

Edward Said, author of Covering Islam

Slavoj Zizek, author of On Belief

Schedule

We will read the introductions, for each of the following authors, that are provided in William Deal and Tim Beal's book, Theory for Religious Studies, followed by a book/essays written by the author in question.

Although they are not scheduled in the course, you are encouraged to read all of the introductions in Theory for Religious Studies.

Following the schedule below, this class will meet each Monday from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. in Manly 200-A, the Department library.

1. Sept 12: BackgroundL Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx, and Ferdinand de Saussure

2. Sept 19: Louis Althusser

3. Sept 26: Jean Baudrillard

4. Oct 10: Pierre Bourdieu

5. Oct 17: Hélène Cixous

6. Oct 24: Michel Foucault

7. Oct 31: Luce Irigary

8. Nov. 7: Julia Kristeva

9. Nov 14: Edward Said

10. Nov 28: Slavoj Zizek