religion and nature
TRANSCRIPT
RELIGIONANDNATURE(GraduateSeminar),FALL2021
SECTION,TIME,CLASSROOMREL6107:Mondays(3:00-6:00p.m.);ClassroomBuilding105,Room0216
INSTRUCTORProfessorBronTaylor(Ph.D.)Email:[email protected]:Anderson121;officetelephone:(352)273-2942Officehours:byZoom&appointment(duetothepandemic)
DESCRIPTION(fromUFCatalogue)Religiousdimensionsofrelationshipsbetweenwhathumanscall“nature”and“culture.”
PurposeandObjectivesThiscourseexplorestheoreticalapproachesandunderstandingsregardingthecomplexrelationshipsbetweenecosystems,religions,andcultures.Itwillpreparegraduatestudentsfromdiversedisciplinestomakeinformeddecisionsregardingtheuniquecontributionstheymightmaketothe“religionandnature”field.Itwillenableothergraduatestudentstoappreciatetheextenttowhichwhatpeoplevariouslyconstrueas“religion”isinvolvedinshapingnature-relatedbehaviors,andtointegratethestudyofreligionintotheirownchosenfields,whetherthesearemoretheoreticallyorpracticallyinclined.
Althoughthecoursewillexaminereligiousenvironmentalethicsthroughavarietyofcriticallensesandsuchsubjectswillcertainlybediscussedregularly,thecourseworkandfocusofclassroomdiscussionswillprimarilybehistoricalandscientificratherthannormative:theeffortwillbetounderstandwhathasbeenandisgoingonintherealmofreligionsandnature,andhowperceptionsofnatureandreligioninteractionsareunderstoodandcontestedbyscholars,ratherthanuponwhatwethinkoughttooccur.
Thiscoursewilldrawondiversesources.Itprovidesintroductionstoavarietyoftheoreticalapproaches,andbackgroundarticlesonawiderangeofnature-relatedreligiousphenomena,inreadingsfromTheEncyclopediaofReligionandNature(2005).Booksandarticleswillprovideanopportunityforin-depthexposuretosomeoftheapproachesdiscussedinthematerialsintroducedintheencyclopedia.Itisexpectedthatguestscholarswillserveasresourcepeopleduringthecourse.
Thiscourseisaseminar,whichmeansitwillinvolveactiveparticipationanddiscussionbyallparticipantsasweexploreitscentralquestionsandthemes.Thissyllabusistentative.ImayreviseitduringthecourseandifIdo,Iwillprovideandannouncetheupdatedversion.
Tofacilitatecommunication,studentsmustprovideavalidemailaddressanddownloadmessagesatleastevery48hours,soastonotmissimportantannouncementsorrequestsforhelpfromotherseminarparticipants.
Thissyllabusprovidestheseminaroutline,assignments,andinformationaboutevaluation.InitIalsoprovideextendedintroductionsandresourcestoexplorefurther,beyondwhatispossibleinthiscourse,theconundrumsandthemeswebegintoexplore.
Courseassignmentswillincludeintensivereadingandthepreparationofcriticalanalysesofthempriortoclass,writtenresponsestoperiodically-given,take-homeessayquestions,andamajorresearchpaper.Iwillprovidedetailsabouttheresearchpaperseparatelyfromthissyllabus.
CourseOutlineinFiveModules
Thecoursewillunfoldthroughfivemodules
1) NatureastheHabitatofReligionandCulture• EvolutionaryandCognitivetheoriesabouttherootsofreligious
perceptionsandpractices.• PrimateSpirituality,PaleolithicReligions,andthe“Worshipof
Nature”
2) WorldEnvironmentalHistory&Religion• AgricultureandTheBirthoftheGods• OccidentalHistory,Religions,andNature• AsianCivilizations,Religions,andNature
3) ScientificParadigmsandtheTransformationof“ReligionandNature”Discourse
• Cosmology,ecology,evolution,ethology,andtheemergenceofscientificnaturespiritualities
• Reactionaryresponsestoscientificworldviewsandspiritualities
4) “ReligionandNature”intwentiethcenturyscholarship(fromtheSacredandtheProfaneto“EcologicalAnthropology”and“ReligionandEcology”)
• MirceaEliade,culturalgeography,andtheoriesof'sacredspace'
• Religionsasadaptiveandmaladaptiveecologicalstrategies• EnvironmentalConcern,ReligiousStudies,the“ReligionandEcology”
field
5) Religion,Nature,andtheFutureofReligionandNature• Scientificresearchonreligionandenvironmentalbehavior.• ContemporaryConstructionofNatureReligionsandPagan
Spiritualities• SecularizationTheoriesand'SpiritualitiesofConnection'toNature• Religion’sroleintheenvironmental&socialcollapseand/orinthe
questforsustainablelifewaysandlivelihoods
READINGSNote:mostoftherequiredbooksareavailableinexpensivelyfromonlineandotherusedbooksellers.Whereveravailable,requiredbookreadingswillalsobeavailableonreserveatthelibrary.Additionalarticleswillbeavailableonlinevialinksfoundinthecourseschedule.
RequiredTexts
• Bellah,RobertN.ReligioninHumanEvolution:FromthePaleolithictotheAxialAge.HarvardUniversityPress,2011.
• Glacken,Clarence.TracesontheRhodianShore:NatureandCultureinWesternThought.UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1967.
• Norenzayan,Ara.BigGods:HowReligionTransformedCooperationandConflict.PrincetonUniversityPress,2013.
• Rappaport,RoyA.RitualandReligionintheMakingofHumanity.CambridgeUniversityPress,1999.
• Shepard,Paul.ComingHometothePleistocene.IslandPress,1998.• Taylor,Bron.DarkGreenReligion:NatureSpiritualityandthePlanetary
Future.UniversityofCaliforniaPress,2010.(AssignedchaptersavailableforfreeonreserveatUFLibraryandfromtheinstructor.)
• Wilson,DavidSloan.Darwin'sCathedral:Evolution,Religion,andtheNatureofSociety.UniversityofChicagoPress,2003.
• Worster,Donald.Nature'sEconomy:AHistoryofEcologicalIdeas.(CambridgeUniversityPress,1993)(secondedition).
REQUIREMENTSCourseAssignments
• Consistent,qualitypreparationforclassbyreading,takingnotes,andcompletingweeklyassignments(20%ofcoursegrade).
• Preparationandpresentationofthedesignated“SpecialAssignment”reading(5%).
• Twotake-homeessayexams(25%each).• Finalresearchpaperorreviewessay(asnegotiatedwithinstructor)(25%).
WeeklyReadingAssignmentsOneofthemostimportantskillsforascholartomasteristheabilitytounderstandthemostimportantaspectsofscholarlywritingandtocommunicateeffectivelythekeypointstoreadersandstudents.Ihavestructuredthiscoursetoenhanceyourskillsintheseways.
Nearlyeveryweekyouwillbeaskedtowriteapproximatelyaone-thousand-wordreviewofthatweek’smainreadingorreadings.Submittheseanalysesinsinglespacedwordorrichtextdocuments,andemailthemtomyuniversityemailaddressbynolaterthanSundayatnoonbeforethenextclass(aspertheschedule).
Asyouread,thesearethequestionsyoushouldbesureyoucananswerbeforemovingfromsectiontosectionandauthortoauthor:
• Whatarethemainquestionstheauthoristryingtoanswer?• Whatareauthor’smainargumentsinthisregard?• Whatsortsofevidencedoestheauthormusterinadvancingthisperspective?• Who(individuals,groups,schoolsofthought)arethemainproponentsof
viewstheauthorisdefendingorcontesting?Inotherwords,whoarehisorherintellectualalliesandadversaries?(Inthiscourse,morespecifically:Whatarethemainapproachestounderstandingtherelationshipsbetweenreligionandnaturethattheauthorisexplicitlyorimplicitlypromotingorcriticizing?)
• Whatarethechiefobjectionsthattheseotherswouldraiseabouttheauthor’sargumentandevidence?
• Whatdothepeopleonthevarioussidesoftheseargumentsthinkisatstake?Putsimply,whydoesitmatter,ifitdoes,andifitdoesnot,whydotheythinkitdoes?
Studentstypicallyhaveopinionsaboutthecoursereadings.Whenitcomestoyourweekly,writtenwork,however,Iamnotveryinterestedinthem,especiallyifexpressingthemdistractsyoufromlucidandfair-mindedexpositioninresponsetotheprecedingquestions.Mystrongadviceistorefrainfromexpressingyourownviewswhenworkingupthoseassignments,andifyoucannotdoso,firstmakesureyou’vedonejusticetheabove-mentionedquestions.
Thepremiuminthisclasswillbetounderstandtheargumentsinthereadings,thefault-linesbetweenthem,andwhattheauthorsthinkisatstakeinthedebates.
Therewillbeampletimeforustoexpressourownviewsinclass,possiblyaswellinyourfinalresearchpaper,andwhenaskedforthemduringtheessayexams.
Discussioninclasswillbe,firstandforemost,aprocessofwrestlingwiththesixquestionsstatedabove.Comewellpreparedtodoso.Bringyourreadingnotesandsummaries.
WritingQualityItisnotpossibletoseparatethequalityofone'sthinkingfromthequalityofone’swriting.Evaluationofwrittenworkwillreflectthis,therefore,allstudentsshouldreviewandconsultregularlythecourse’swritingwellprimer.
"SpecialAssignment"Readings&ExamsEverystudentwillreadatleastoneextrabookthatisimportanttothequestionsengagedinthisclass,andcarefullypresenttotheclasswhattheylearnedinit,bothorallyandinwriting.Studentswillnegotiatewiththeinstructorandjointlyselectthebooksandtimefortheirpresentations.Studentsmaydomorethanoneofthesepresentationsforextracredit.
ResearchPaperYouwillwritearesearchpaper(orinsome,negotiatedcases,areviewessay).Throughthisresearchyouwillidentifyandanalyzeoneormorescholarlyapproachestounderstandtherelationshipsamongwhatpeoplevariousconstrueas“religion,”“culture”,and“nature.”Giventheextensivereadinglistofthecourseitself,theexpectationisnotthatyouwillwritealongpaper,butrather,thatyouwillselectanareayouareinterestedinandreadasdeeplyintoitastimeallows,writinga5,000-10,000wordpaperinwhichyouexplaintheapproach(es)exploredandwhetherandwhyyoufindit/themcompelling.Thisprojectwilltypicallynotbetheareayouenvisionasthesubjectmatterforyourthesisordissertation.Iseekwiththiscoursetohelpyoubroadenyourareasofcompetenceandexpertise.
Duringoneofthefinalclasssessions,youwillmakea15-20minutepresentationbasedonyourresearchpaperandthenmustbepreparedtoanswerquestionsafterward.
EVALUATION
PointsPossibleforRequiredAssignmentsThischartshowsthepointsitispossibletoearnforeachassignment:
Courseinstructorreservestherighttolowerorraisecoursegradesbasedonclassroomcontributionsoruponabsences.Instructoralsoreservestherighttochangecourserequirements.
ForfurtherinformationseeUF'sgradeandgradingpolicies.
Communication,Canvas,andHelpDesk.StudentsshouldcontacttheirinstructorthroughtheCanvasemaillink.Fortechnicalassistance,includingwithCanvas,contacttheUFhelpdesk,orwithyourUFIDhandy,calltheHelpdesk’sstaffat(352)392-4357.
Attendance,lateorMissingAssignments,andMakeupExamsStudentswhodonotturninstudyguidesorreadinganalysesonthedaystheyareduewillnotreceivepoints.Thetotalnumberofpointspossibleforthereviewessaywillbereducedby20%foreachdayitislate.
Apartfromcertainexceptions,whichareexplainedinUF'sAttendancePolicies,studentsareexpectedtoattendeveryscheduledclassperiod.
Exceptinthecaseofadocumentedemergency,studentsmustinformtheinstructoroftheirimpendingabsencebeforetheclasstheywillmiss.Inmostcases,writtenworkmuststillbeturnedinaccordingtotheclassschedule.Ifanauthorizedabsencepreventsastudentfromtakinganexam,theywillbeabletomakeuptheexamduringfinalsweek.Theformatwilltypicallychangeinsuchacase.
Assignment PointsperAssignment
TotalPossiblePoints
WeeklyAssignments&Participation
(Collected12times,mathematicallyadjustedfrom10pointseachto80possiblepointstotal)
80
SpecialAssignmentReading&Presentation 20points 20
Take-homeEssayExams(two) 100pointseach 200
FinalResearchPaperorReviewEssay 100points 100
TotalPoints/Course= 400
ReturnedAssignmentsAssignmentsaretypicallyreturnedtostudentswithinoneweekoftheirduedate.
DisabilityAccommodationStudentswithdisabilitieswhoexperiencelearningbarrierswhowishtolearnaboutandpossiblyrequestspecialaccommodationsshouldbeginbycontactingtheDisabilityResourceCenter.Studentsshoulddiscusssuchneedswithinthefirsttwoweeksofthesemester,andshareanyletterrequestingaccommodations,withProfessorTaylor.
AcademicDishonestyStudentsengagedinanyformofacademicdishonesty,asdefinedunderthe“AcademicMisconduct”sectionoftheStudentHonorCode,willbesubjecttootherdisciplinarymeasures.Studentsshouldknowwhatconstitutesplagiarismandavoidinadvertentformsofitthatcanoccur,asforexample,bycuttingandpastingquotationsfromvariousdigitaltextsandfailingtoputtheminquotationmarkswithappropriatecreditingofthesource.
CourseEvaluationStudentsandinstructorsallhavemuchtolearnandroomforimprovement.Yourfeedbackonyourcoursesiscriticaltotheirquality.Studentswillbenotifiedwhenthewindowforprovidingfeedbackonthecourseopens,andwillbeabletodosoundertheGatorEvalslinkintheCanvascoursemenuorhere.AftertheendofthesemesterstudentscanalsoreviewaSummaryofStudentEvaluations.
In-ClassRecordingStudentsareallowedtorecordvideooraudioofclasslectures.However,thepurposesforwhichtheserecordingsmaybeusedarestrictlycontrolled.Theonlyallowablepurposesare(1)forpersonaleducanonaluse,(2)inconnecnonwithacomplainttotheuniversity,or(3)asevidencein,orinpreparanonfor,acriminalorcivilproceeding.Allotherpurposesareprohibited.Specifically,studentsmaynotpublishrecordedlectureswithoutthewripenconsentoftheinstructor.
A“classlecture”isaneducanonalpresentanonintendedtoinformorteachenrolledstudentsaboutaparncularsubject,includinganyinstructor-leddiscussionsthatformpartofthepresentanon,anddeliveredbyanyinstructorhiredorappointedbytheUniversity,orbyaguestinstructor,aspartofaUniversityofFloridacourse.Aclasslecturedoesnotincludelabsessions,studentpresentanons,clinicalpresentanonssuchaspanenthistory,academicexercisesinvolvingsolelystudentparncipanon,assessments(quizzes,tests,exams),fieldtrips,privateconversanonsbetweenstudentsintheclassorbetweenastudentandthefacultyorlecturerduringaclasssession.
Publicanonwithoutpermissionoftheinstructorisprohibited.To“publish”meanstoshare,transmit,circulate,distribute,orprovideaccesstoarecording,regardlessofformatormedium,toanotherperson(orpersons),includingbutnotlimitedtoanotherstudentwithinthesameclasssecnon.Addinonally,arecording,ortranscriptofarecording,isconsideredpublishedifitispostedonoruploadedto,inwholeorinpart,anymediaplaqorm,includingbutnotlimitedtosocialmedia,
book,magazine,newspaper,leaflet,orthirdpartynote/tutoringservices.Astudentwhopublishesarecordingwithoutwripenconsentmaybesubjecttoacivilcauseofacnoninsntutedbyapersoninjuredbythepublicanonand/ordisciplineunderUFRegulanon4.040StudentHonorCodeandStudentConductCode.
Health&Wellness• UMaAer,WeCare:Ifyouorsomeoneyouknowisindistress,pleasecontact
[email protected],352-392-1575,orvisitUMaper,WeCarewebsitetoreferorreportaconcernandateammemberwillreachouttothestudentindistress.
• CounselingandWellnessCenter:VisittheCounselingandWellnessCenterwebsiteorcall352-392-1575forinformanononcrisisservicesaswellasnon-crisisservices.
• StudentHealthCareCenter:Call352-392-1161for24/7informanontohelpyoufindthecareyouneed,orvisittheStudentHealthCareCenterwebsite.
• UniversityPoliceDepartment:VisitUFPoliceDepartmentwebsiteorcall352-392-1111(or9-1-1foremergencies).
• UFHealthShandsEmergencyRoom/TraumaCenter:Forimmediatemedicalcarecall352-733-0111orgototheemergencyroomat1515SWArcherRoad,Gainesville,FL32608;VisittheUFHealthEmergencyRoomandTraumaCenterwebsite.
AcademicResources• E-learningtechnicalsupport:ContacttheUFCompunngHelpDeskat352-392-4357orviae-
[email protected].• CareerConnecLonsCenter:ReitzUnionSuite1300,352-392-1601.Careerassistanceand
counselingservices.• LibrarySupport:Variouswaystoreceiveassistancewithrespecttousingthelibrariesor
findingresources.• TeachingCenter:BrowardHall,352-392-2010ortomakeanappointment352-392-6420.
Generalstudyskillsandtutoring.• WriLngStudio:2215TurlingtonHall,352-846-1138.Helpbrainstorming,formatng,and
wrinngpapers.• StudentComplaintsOn-Campus:VisittheStudentHonorCodeandStudentConductCode
webpageformoreinformanon.• On-LineStudentsComplaints:ViewtheDistanceLearningStudentComplaintProcess.
SCHEDULENote:Withtheexceptionofthefirstmeetingoftheclass,whichwilltakeplaceonthefirstdayofthesemester,readingsaretobecompletedbynoonontheSundaybeforetheclassdate/weekunderwhichtheyarelisted.
(IntroducnontotheCourse)23AugustReligion&NatureinanEvolunonaryContext
ModuleI:NatureastheHabitatofReligionandCulture• “ReligionandNature”asafield• BiologyandtheRootsofReligion;andEcologicalApproachestotheStudyof
Religion• PrimateSpirituality,PaleolithicReligions,andthe"WorshipofNature
Introduction:Webeginthiscoursebyintroducingthe“ReligionandNature”field.
Thismodulecontinuesbyintroducingevolutionary/ecologicalapproachestothecomplexrelationshipsbetweenHomosapiensandtheirhabitats.Thismodule,althoughbrief,iscriticallyimportant,forwewillreturntosuchthemesduringanumberofthesubsequentmodules.
AssignmentBeforeourfirstmeeting,readandreviewthecoursesyllabusandbepreparedtocometoclasswithanyquestionsyoumayhaveaboutthecourse.Alsoreadthetwoarticleslistedunder‘readings.’Inallsubsequentweeks,studentsmustreadandbereadytodiscussallofthereadingassignmentsinclass.
Readings• BronTaylor,“Introduction,”EncyclopediaofReligionandNature(ERN).This
providesabroadoverviewofthereligionandnaturefield.Recommendedalso:theProjectHistory,andReadersGuide
• BronTaylor,ExploringReligion,NatureandCulture:IntroducingtheJournalfortheStudyofReligion,NatureandCulture,JSRNC1.1(2007):5-14.
(Week1)30AugustReligion&NatureinanEvolunonaryContext
Assignment1)Bynoon,29August,emailfirstassignment,analyzingthecoursereadingssofar.Cometoclassreadytodiscussallthereadingsfromthisandthepreviousweek,indepth.
Initialreadings• RaymondWilliams,"IdeasofNature"inProblemsinMaterialismandCulture
(London:Verso,1980).• LarrySullivan,“WorshipofNature”fromintheEncyclopediaofReligion(2nd
ed.,2005)
RequiredCoreReading(corereadingsarethecourse’smajorbooksnotthesupplementary,shorter,articles,thatextendstudent’srangeandcomplementthecorereadings).
• Norenzayan,BigGods,PrincetonUniversityPress,chapters1-9.
BackgroundandComparativeReading(boldarethemostimportant)
• FromtheERN:Animism;Animism:AContemporaryPerspective;Anthropologists;Goodall,Jane;PrimateSpirituality.
SpecialAssignmentReading(possibilities)• Schaefer,Donovan.ReligiousAffects:Animality,Evolution,andPower.Duke
UniversityPress,2011• Turner,JonathanH.,AlexandraMaryanski,AndersKlostergaardPetersen,andArminW.
Geertz.TheEmergenceandEvoluLonofReligionbyMeansofNaturalSelecLon.NewYork:Routledge,2018.
(Week2)6September(noclassmeenngthisweekduetoLaborDay)Religion&Evolunon(partII)
Assignment1)DuetotheLaborDayholiday,thisweeknoassignmentwillbedue,soyoucanfocusonthebooksbyNorenzayanandBellah(assignedweek3).Nextweek,cometoclassreadytodiscusstheNorenzayanbook,andevolutionary/cognitiveapproachestounderstandingreligions.2)Bepreparedtopresentideasforspecialreadingsassignments;andallassignedreadings,below.
BackgroundandComparativeReadings• FromtheERN:HuntingandtheOriginsofReligion;Magic;PaleolithicReligions
andPaleolithicArt;“RockArt”;WondertowardNature.
RequiredCoreReadings• Bellah,ReligioninHumanEvolution,RobertBellah,ReligioninHuman
Evolution,Preface,and1-264,265-606.• IMPORTANT:SEEALSOReadingGuidetoBellahBook
SpecialAssignmentReading• Frazer,SirJamesGeorge.TheGoldenBough:AHistoryofMythandReligion.
ChancellorPress,1994.
WebResources• PascalBoyer’swebsite(greattoperuse)
(Week3)13September(ReligionasEvolunonaryAdaptanon?)
Assignments1) Bynoon,12Septembersendyourreadinganalyses,summarizingthekey
argumentsandapproachesfoundinNorenzayanandWilson(IwillholdoffaskingyoutowrestlewithBellah’sbookuntilthenextmodule.)Sincethisassignmentwrestleswithmorethantwoweeksofreading,youmaytakeupto2,000words,andthepossiblepointswillbedoubledto20.ThearticlesbyBulbuliaandBurhennshouldhelporientyoutothesetheorists.
2) InclassthisweekbeespeciallywellpreparedtodiscussthebooksbyNorenzayanandWilson.
3) Bepreparedtopresentideasforspecialreadingsassignmentsinclass(orotherwisethisweek)
BackgroundandComparativeReadings• JosephBulbulia,“Thecognitiveandevolutionarypsychologyofreligion”
BiologyandPhilosophy19:655-86,2004.• Burhenn,Herbert.“EcologicalApproachestotheStudyofReligion.”Method
andTheoryintheStudyofReligion9,no.2(1997):111-26(optionalreading,handoutoremaileddocument).
RequiredCoreReading• BronTaylor,“EcologyandNatureReligions"fromtheEncyclopediaof
Religion(2nded.,2005)• DavidSloanWilson'sDarwin'sCathedral.HarvardUniv.Press,2002
SpecialAssignmentReading• Boyer’sReligionExplained,Basic,2002
ModuleI:FurtherandFutureReading
EvolutionandReligion(focusonoriginsandtheemergenceofthescholarlydiscussion)
• Atran,Scott.InGodsWeTrust:TheEvolutionaryLandscapeofReligion.OxfordUniversityPress,2002
• Bloch,Maurice.PreyIntoHunter:ThePoliticsofReligiousExperience.CambridgeUniversityPress,1992.
• Boyer,Pascal.TheNaturalnessofReligiousIdeas:ACognitiveTheoryofReligion.TheUniversityofCaliforniaPress,1994.
• Boyer,Pascal.ReligionExplained:TheEvolutionaryOriginsofReligiousThought.NewYork:Basic,2002.
• Burhenn,Herbert."EcologicalApproachestotheStudyofReligion."MethodandTheoryintheStudyofReligion9,no.2(1997):111-26.
• Burkert,Walter.CreationoftheSacred:TracksofBiologyinEarlyReligions.HarvardUniversityPress,1996.
• Cauvin,Jacques.TheBirthoftheGodsandtheOriginsofAgriculture.TranslatedbyTrevorWatkins.CambridgeUniversityPress,2000.
• Dennett,DanielC.BreakingtheSpell:ReligionasaNaturalPhenomenon.Viking,2006.
• Frazer,SirJamesGeorge.TheGoldenBough:AHistoryofMythandReligion.ChancellorPress,1994.
• ________.TheWorshipofNature.MacMillian,1926.• Guthrie,Stewart.FacesintheClouds:ANewTheoryofReligion.Oxford
UniversityPress,1993.• Hultkrantz,Ake."EcologyofReligion:ItsScopeandMethodology."InScience
ofReligionStudiesinMethodology,ed.LauriHonko,221-36.Berlin:Mouton,1979.
• Kellert,StephenR.andEdwardO.Wilson,eds.TheBiophiliaHypothesis.Press,1993.
• Lewis-Williams,David.ConceivingGod:thecognitiveoriginandevolutionofreligion.London:Thames&Hudson,2010.
• Norenzayan,Ara.BigGods:HowReligionTransformedCooperationandConflict.PrincetonUniversityPress,2013.
• Olson,Carl."Chapter3:TheQuestfortheOriginsofReligion."InTheoryandMethodintheStudyofReligion,ed.CarlOlson,49-99.Wadsworth,2003.
• ________.Chapter9:"Ecological/BiologicalApproaches."InTheoryandMethodintheStudyofReligion,ed.CarlOlson,439-75.Wadsworth,2003.
• Taves,Ann.Religiousexperiencereconsidered:abuilding-blockapproachtothestudyofreligionandotherspecialthings.PrincetonUniversityPress,2011.
• Turner,JonathanH.,AlexandraMaryanski,AndersKlostergaardPetersen,andArminW.Geertz.TheEmergenceandEvoluLonofReligionbyMeansofNaturalSelecLon.NewYork:Routledge,2018.
• Wilson,DavidSloan.Darwin'sCathedral:Evolution,Religion,andtheNatureofSociety.Chicago&London:ChicagoUniversityPress,2002.
• Wilson,EdwardOsborne.Biophilia.HarvardUniversityPress,1984.• ________.Sociobiology:TheNewSynthesis.HarvardUniversityPress,2000.
ModuleII:OccidentalHistory,Religion,&NatureIntroduction:Wehavethusfarseensomewaysinwhichscholarsdeployevolutionarylensestotheorizeabouttheoriginsofreligionandtoconsidertheimportanceofnatureasthehabitatinwhichhumanswonderabout,makesenseof,andcopewith,theirwide,wildworld.Anexaminationwithecologicallensesoftheemergenceandevolutionof“Occidental”and“Oriental”civilizations,suggeststhat,asreligionsemerged,split,fought,lived,died,splintered,andfused,naturewasmorethanaphysicalresourceforthecombatants;naturewasawellspringforreflection,aubiquitoussymbolicresource,theveryhumusoutofwhichreligiouslifeemergedandgrew.Thisdidnotlead,however,toanethicalvaluingofnature.Indeed,acasecanbemadethatwhilereligionswereinevitablyandinexorablyrootedinnature,themore“civilized”theybecame,thelessintrinsicallyvaluablenaturebecame.Instead,theworldbecameaplaceofreligioustrialinabroadnarrativeinwhichtheclimaxofthestorywas,inonewayoranother,divinerescuefromthisworld.
(Week4)20SeptemberAncientOccidentalReligions
Assignment1)Bynoon,19SeptembersendbymailyouranalysisofGlacken’streatmentofthe‘TheAncientWorld,’,whilenotingcontinuitiesanddiscontinuitieswithBellah’sbookandotherreadingsabouttheperiod).
BackgroundandComparativeReadings
• FromtheERN,essentialreadingsinbold:EdenandotherGardens;Eden’sEcology;HebrewBible;JewishIntertestamentalLiterature;*Judaism;Christianity-mainentries;*BookofNature;*NaturalLawandNaturalRights;Islam;Muhammad;TheQur’an;GardensinIslam.
RequiredCoreReading• Glacken,Clarence.TracesontheRhodianShore:NatureandCultureinWestern
Thought.UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1967.PartI,“TheAncientWorld”(1-168).
FurtherandFutureReading• Foltz,RichardC.,FrederickM.DennyandAzizanBaharuddin,eds.Islamand
ecology:abestowedtrust.HarvardUniversityPress,2003.• Hessel,DieterT.andRosemaryReuther.ChristianityandEcology:Seekingthe
Well-BeingofEarthandHumans.HarvardUniversityPress.• Tirosh-Samuelson,Hava,ed.JudaismandEcology:CreatedWorldandRevealed
World.ReligionsoftheWorldandEcology.HarvardUniversityPress,2002.
(Week5)27SeptemberOccidentalReligionsthroughtheMiddleAges
Assignment1)Bynoon,26September,sendyouranalysisoftheGlacken’streatmentoftheChristianMiddleAges(notingcontinuitiesanddiscontinuitieswithotherpertinentreadingsabouttheperiod).
RequiredCoreReading• Glacken,Clarence.TracesontheRhodianShore:NatureandCultureinWestern
Thought.UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1967.PartII,“TheChristianMiddleAges”171-351.
SpecialAssignmentReading• Guthrie’sFacesintheClouds
FurtherandFutureReading• Bernard,Rosemarie.Shinto.HarvardUniversityPress,2004.• Chapple,ChristopherKey,ed.JainismandEcology.HarvardUniversityPress,
2002.• Chapple,ChristopherKeyandMaryEvelynTucker.HinduismandEcology:The
IntersectionofEarth,Sky,andWater.HarvardUniversityPress,2000.• Girardot,N.J.,JamesMillerandXiaoganLiu.DaoismandEcology:Wayswithin
aCosmicLandscape.HarvardUniversityPress,2001.• Tucker,MaryEvelynandDuncanRyukenWilliams,eds.BuddhismandEcology:
TheInterconnectionofDharmaandDeeds.HarvardUniversityPress,1997.
(Week6)4OctoberEmergingCivilizanons
Assignment1) Studytosynthesizeandmasterthepreviousreadings,identifyingthemain
approaches,arguments,faultlines,andrelevancetocontemporaryreligionandnatureentanglementsandcontroversies.Bepreparedwithnotestothiseffecttoenhanceyourabilitytodiscussyourviewsinclass.SendthesenotestoProfessorTaylornolaterthan11:59p.m.on3October.Theyneednotbelongtobeexcellent.Thisexerciseshouldwellprepareyouforthetakehomeexam.
2) Bepreparedtodiscussandscheduleyourspecialreadingassignmentandyourresearchpapertopic.
3) ReadaheadintoModuleIIIifpossible.Note:Noadditionalreadingsassignedduringtakehomeweek.
4) Thetakehomeexamwillbedistributedon4October.
RequiredCoreReading• Glacken,Clarence.TracesontheRhodianShore,partIII“EarlyModernTimes”
(readcarefully:355-497,thenreadquicklyand/orperusetherestofthevolumetodiscernitsmainargument).
SpecialAssignmentReading• EisenbergorLansing(below)• RobertPogueHarrison,Forests:TheShadowofCivilization,Universityof
ChicagoPress,1992.
ModuleII:FurtherandFutureReading
EvolutionandReligion(focusonoriginsandtheemergenceofthescholarlydiscussion)
• Carrasco,Davíd,ed.TheImaginationofMatter:ReligionandEcologyinMesoamericanTraditions.BARInternationalSeries,1989.
• Eisenberg,Evan.TheEcologyofEden.RandomHouse,1998.• Harris,Marvin."TheMythoftheSacredCow."InMan,Culture,andAnimals,
eds.AnthonyLeedsandAndrewP.Vaya,217-28.AmericanAssociationfortheAdvancementofScience,1965.
• ________.Cows,Pigs,WarsandWitches:TheRiddlesofCulture.RandomHouse,1974.
• ________.CannibalsandKings:TheOriginsofCultures.RandomHouse,1977.• ________."TheCulturalEcologyofIndia'sSacredCattle."Current
Anthropology7(1966):51-66.• Lansing,J.Stephen.PriestsandProgrammers:TechnologiesofPowerinthe
EngineeredLandscapeofBali.PrincetonUniversityPress,1991.• Lansing,J.StephenandJamesN.Kremer."ASocioecologicalAnalysisof
BalineseWaterTemples."InTheCulturalDimensionofDevelopment:IndigenousKnowledgeSystems,eds.D.M.Warren,L.JanSlikkerveerandDavidBrokensha,258-68.IntermediateTechnologyPublications,1995.
• Lodrick,DeryckO.SacredCows,SacredPlaces:OriginsandSurvivalsofAnimalHomesinIndia.UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1981.
• Oelschlaeger,Max.TheIdeaofWilderness:FromPrehistorytotheAgeofEcology.YaleUniversityPress,1991.
• Simoons,FrederickJ."QuestionsintheSacredCowControversy."CurrentAnthropology20(1979):467-93.
ModuleIII:ScientificParadigmsandtheTransformationof"ReligionandNature"Discourses
Introduction:Theadventofnaturalsciencethroughamonkeywrenchintothemainstreamsofreligiousperceptionandidentityby,asmuchasanythingelse,challenginghumanunderstandingofnatureitself.Thescientificworldview,whereittookroot,erodedearlierreligiousunderstandingsandcertainties,transformingbothreligionsthemselves,andkindlinganentire,new,discussionoftherelationshipsbetweennatureandreligion.Broadlyunderstood,theencounterbetween“ReligionandScience”hashadfarreachingimpactsthathaveonlyjustbegun,andwhoseimpactsareonlyintheirinfancy.Amongthemostdramaticresultsisthegraftingofscientificunderstandingsontoalreadyexistingreligiousforms,andtheinventionofentirelynewreligiousformsbasedonthesenewunderstandings.
Thisandthesubsequenttwomodulesexploretheculturalearthquakebroughtonbythetransformationofscientificparadigms,andwrestleswithquestionsregardingthepossiblelong-termimpacts,includingenvironmentalimpacts,ofthesedevelopments.
(Week7)11OctoberScience,Religion,and"ParadigmShi|s"
Assignment1)TheTakeHomeExamisduebeforeclass11October2)Bepreparedtodiscussallreadingstodateandyourtakehomeexam.3)Bepreparedtoexplaintotheassignedreadings,below,aswellashowyousynthesizedwhatyouhavelearnedsofarwhenwritingupyourmid-termexam.BackgroundandComparativeReadings
• FromtheERN:PhilosophyofNature;WesternEsotericism;(physics):Bateson,Gregory;Berman,Morris;Bohm,David;Burroughs,John;Capra,Fritjof;Chaos;ComplexityTheory;Einstein,Albert;Linnaeus,Carl;Pauli,Wolfgang;Peat,F.David;Prigogine,Ilya;Sheldrake,Rupert(biosphereandecosystemscience):Darwin,Charles;Haeckel,Ernst;Holism;Leopold,Aldo;Carson,Rachael;Gaia;GaianPilgrimage;Ouspensky,PyotrDemianovich;Pantheism;Panentheism;Smuts,JanChristiaan;Thoreau,HenryDavid;Wilson,EdwardO.(reactionaryresponses):CreationismandCreationScience;WiseUseMovements.
RequiredCoreReading• Worster,Donald.Nature’sEconomy:AHistoryofEcologicalIdeas.Cambridge
UniversityPress.Readtheentirebook,butespeciallycarefullyPartsI,andIII-VI.Ifyouhavethefirstedition,borrowthesecondeditionandreadpartVI(pp.340-433),whichisanexpansionoftheEpilogueinthefirstedition.
SpecialAssignmentReading• Midgley,Mary.EvolutionasaReligion• Gunderson,LanceandC.S.Holling.Panarchy:UnderstandingTransformations
inSystemsofHumansandNature• JamesGleich,Chaos:MakingaNewScience.Penguin,1987
ModuleIII:FurtherandFutureReading
ScientificParadigms,Religion,andNature• Bateson,Gregory.StepstoanEcologyofMind.Ballantine,1972.• Berman,Morris.TheReenchantmentoftheWorld.CornellUniversityPress,
1981.• Berry,Thomas.TheDreamoftheEarth.SierraClubBooks,1988.• Bramwell,Anna.Ecologyinthe20thCentury:AHistory.YaleUniversityPress,
1989.• Capra,Fritjof.TheTaoofPhysics.thirded.Boston:1975;reprint,Shambhala,
1991.• Capra,Fritojf.TheTurningPoint:Science,Society,andtheRisingCulture.Simon
andSchuster,1982.• Fortey,Richard.Life:ANaturalHistoryoftheFirstFourBillionYearsofLifeon
Earth.Knopf,1998.• Gleick,James.Chaos:MakingaNewScience.Penguin,1987.• Golley,FrankBenjamin.AHistoryoftheEcosystemConceptinEcology.Yale
UniversityPress,1993• Gunderson,LanceH.andC.S.Holling.Panarchy:Understanding
TransformationsinSystemsofHumansandNature.IslandPress,2002.• Heisenberg,Werner.PhysicsandPhilosophy.HarperandRow,1962.• Lovelock,James.Gaia:ANewLookAtLifeonEarth.reviseded.Oxford:1979;
reprint,OxfordUniversityPress,1995.• Macy,Joanna.WorldAsLover,WorldAsSelf.ParallaxPress,1991.• Midgley,Mary.EvolutionasaReligion.London:Routledge(1985,revisedwith
newintroduction,2002).• McGrath,AlisterE.ScienceandReligion:AnIntroduction.Blackwell,1999.• Odum,HowardT.Environment,Power,andSociety.Wiley-Interscience,1971.• Primavesi,Anne.Gaia'sGift,2003.• Real,L.A.andJ.H.Brown,eds.FoundationsofEcology.UniversityofChicago
Press.• Ruse,Michael.DarwinismasReligion:WhatLiteratureTellsUsAboutEvoluLon.Oxford
UniversityPress,2017.• Sagan,Carl.CarlSagan'stheCosmicConnection.seconded.Cambridge
UniversityPress,2000[1974].• Swimme,BrianandThomasBerry.TheUniverseStory:FromthePrimordial
FlaringForthtotheEcozoicEra:ACelebrationoftheUnfoldingoftheCosmos.HarperCollins,1992.
ModuleIV:"ReligionandNature"intwentieth-centuryscholarship(fromtheSacredandtheProfaneand"EcologicalAnthropology"to"ReligionandEcology")
• Religionsasadaptiveandmaladaptiveecologicalstrategies(withspecialreferencetotheindigenoussocietiesand"traditionalecologicalknowledge.")
• MirceaEliade,culturalgeography,andtheoriesof'sacredspace'• EnvironmentalConcern,ReligiousStudies,the"ReligionandEcology"field,and
debatesabouttheenvironmentaltendenciesofthe"worldreligions"oftheeastandwest.
• Religion'sroleintheenvironmental&socialcollapse;andenvironmentalreform.
Introduction:Therewerenotonlyupheavalsinthenaturalsciencesduringthe20thcentury,culturalanthropologyandreligiousstudieswentthroughtheirowndramatictransformations.Amongthemostsignificantthatweredirectlynature-relevantwereanalysesoftheimportanceofhumanperceptionsofsacredspace,andtheroleofsuchperceptionsinreligiousandenvironmentalpractices.Inthelatterpartofthe20thcentury,someanthropologistsandreligiousstudiesscholarsbegannotonlytoanalyzetherelationshipsbetweenreligions,cultures,andenvironments,buttheybeganto,insomecasesexplicitly,inothersimplicitly,promotewhattheyhadcometobelievewereenvironmentallybeneficentformsofreligion.Thismoduleexploresthesedevelopments,correlatingthemwiththechangingscientificparadigmsencounteredinthepreviousone,whichsetsthestageforaskinginthenextmoduleaboutthefutureofnature-relatedreligionanditslikelyimpactsonnonhumannature.
(Week8)18OctoberReligion,RitualandEcologicalAdaptanon
Assignment1)Bynoon17October,presentananalysishighlightingespeciallythebookbyDonaldWorster(whooverlappedabitbutmostlypickedupwhereGlackenleftoff).AlthoughyouhavestartedreadingRappaportandaboutenvironmentalanthropology,planonfocusingonthatmaterialnextweek.2)BepreparedtosummarizeupfrontinclassthereadingsfromtheERNandRappaport’sreading,thusfar.
BackgroundandComparativeReadingsFromtheERN:
• *EcologyandReligion;*EcologicalAnthropology;Ethnobotany;EvolutionaryBiology,Religion,andStewardship;Harris,Marvin;Rappaport,Roy;AReligio-EcologicalPerspectiveonReligionandNature;Sky.
RequiredCoreReading• Rappaport,RoyA.RitualandReligionintheMakingofHumanity(chs.1-5,pp.
1-168)
SpecialAssignmentReading• JaredDiamond’sCollapse,esp,prologue,ch6-9,andpartIV.
(Week9)25OctoberIndigenousPeoplesand"TradinonalEcological
Knowledge"
Assignment1)Bynoon,24October,submityourreadinganalysis,focusingonRappaportandthevariousreadingsaboutenvironmentalanthropologyandtraditionalecologicalknowledge.2)BepreparedtodiscussRappaport’sbookandthefollowingreadings.BackgroundandComparativeReadings
FromtheERN:• MotherEarth;NativeAmericanLanguages;NobleSavage
(various);*TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge;TraditionalEnvironmentalKnowledgeamongAboriginalPeoplesinCanada
RequiredCoreReading• Rappaport,RoyA.RitualandReligionintheMakingofHumanity(chs6-9,pp.
169-312).
SpecialAssignmentReading• Berkes,Fikret.SacredEcology:TraditionalEcologicalKnowledgeandResource
Management.TaylorandFrancis,1999[or2ndor3rdedition].Pages1-55areespeciallyimportant.
(Week10)1November"SacredEcology"andSacredGeography
Assignment1)Bynoon,31October,sendinyourreadinganalysis,providingapithysummaryofRappaport’sviewsandagenda,whilenotingthefaultlinesbetweentheideaofAmericanIndiansas“FirstEcologists”andother,relevant,ERNentriesyouhaveread.
BackgroundandComparativeReadings• FromtheERN:AmericanIndiansas"FirstEcologists";NobelSavage;Sacred
GeographyinNativeNorthAmerica;SacredMountains;SacredGrovesinAfrica;SacredSitesinEngland;SacredSpace/Place;Savages.
RequiredCoreReading• Rappaport,RoyA.RitualandReligionintheMakingofHumanity(chs10-14,
pp.313-461).
RecommendedReadings• JohnSears,SacredPlaces,re.natureappreciationandpilgrimage,first1⁄2
19thcentury,pp.1-71• RalphWaldoEmerson,"Nature"andotherselections.• HenryDavidThoreau,SelectionsfromBronTaylor'sThoreauCollection(Dr.
Taylorwillprovidethisviaemail).• Nash,Wilderness...,"PreservetheWilderness"and"WildernessPreserved,"
pp.96-121,chs.6&7(readquickly).
SpecialAssignmentReading• Nelson,Melissa.K.andDan.Shilling(eds).TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge.
CambridgeUniversityPress,2019.
FurtherReading• Bender,BarbaraandMargotWiner,eds.ContestedLandscapes:Movement,
ExileandPlace.,2001.• Carmichael,DavidL.,JaneHubert,BrianReevesandAudhildSchanche.Sacred
Sites,SacredPlaces.Routledge,1994.• Chidester,DavidandDavidLinenthal,eds.AmericanSacredSpace.Indiana
UniversityPress,1995.• Gregory,Derek.GeographicalImaginations.Blackwell,1994.
• Hirsh,EricandMichaelO'Hanlon.TheAnthropologyofLandscape:PerspectivesonPlaceandSpace.ClarendonPress,1995.
• Ivakhiv,Adrian.ClaimingSacredGround:PilgrimsandPoliticsatGlastonburyandSedona.IndianaUniversityPress,2001.
• Jones,Lindsay.TheHermeneuticsofSacredArchitecture:Experience,Interpretation,Comparison--MonumentalOccasions:ReflectionsontheEventfulnessofReligiousArchitecture(V.1of2).HarvardUniversityPress,2000.
• Lane,Beldon.LandscapesoftheSacred:GeographyandNarrativeinAmericanSpirituality.Paulist,1988.
• Nelson,Melissa.K.andDan.Shilling(eds).TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge.CambridgeUniversityPress,2019.
• Schultes,R.E.andS.Reis.Ethnobotany:EvolutionofaDiscipline.TimberPress,1995.
• Schultes,R.E."ReasonsforEthnobotanicalConservation."InTraditionalEcologicalKnowledge:ACollectionofEssays,ed.R.E.Johannes.Geneva:InternationalUnionfortheConservationofNature,1989.
• Sears,John.SacredPlaces:AmericanTouristAttractionsintheNineteenthCentury.OxfordUniversityPress,1989.
• Shepard,Paul.ManintheLandscape:AHistoricViewoftheEstheticsofNature.seconded.1967;reprint,TexasA&MUniversityPress,1991.
• Tuan,Yi-Fu."DiscrepanciesBetweenEnvironmentalAttitudeandBehaviour:ExamplesFromEuropeandChina."TheCanadianGeographer12(1968):176-91.
• ________.LandscapesofFear.Blackwell,1980.• ________.SpaceandPlace:ThePerspectiveofExperience.Universityof
MinnesotaPress,1977.• ________.Topophilia:AStudyofEnvironmentalPerception,Attitudes,and
Values.Prentice-Hall,1974.• Turner,Victor."PilgrimagesasSocialProcesses,"166-230,inDramas,fields,
andmetaphors:symbolicactioninhumansociety.CornellUniversityPress,1974).
• Williams,Raymond.TheCountryandtheCity.OxfordUniversityPress,1975.
(Week11)8November"SacredSpace"Theories,andEnvironmental
Conservanon(Recognizing/Construcnng/ContesnngNaturalPlacesasSacredSpaces)
Assignment1)Bynoon7Novembersendyourreadinganalysis.Thisweekdothisintwoparts:(a)discussthefaultlinesbetweenEliadeandhisprogeny,religionscholarsinterestedinpromotinggreenreligionandtheircritics.(b)SummarizethefaultlinesbetweenChidesterandLinenthalintheirIntroductiontoAmericanSacredSpaceandothertheoristsonsacredspace,includingEliadeandthosediscussedbyAnttonen.
BackgroundandComparativeReadings• FromtheERN:EarthMysteries;Eliade,Mircea;*ReligiousStudiesand
EnvironmentalConcern(andadjacententry):CriticalPerspectiveson“ReligionsoftheWorldandEcology”;ReligiousEnvironmentalistParadigm.
RequiredCoreReading• Ingold,Tim.ThePerceptionoftheEnvironment:EssaysinLivelihood,Dwelling
andSkill.London:Routledge,2000.Tim.Peruse:Introduction&Chapter1;Chapter2;Chapter4;andreadcarefullyChapter8,Chapter21.
• DavidChidesterandEdwardLinenthal,“Introduction”inAmericanSacredSpace(ed.Chidester&Linenthal);VeikkoAnttonen,“Sacred”inW.BraunandR.T.McCutcheon,eds.,GuidetotheStudyofReligion.
SpecialAssignmentReadings(twooptions)• Animism&Conservation,specialissue,JournalfortheStudyofReligion,
NatureandCulture1/4(December2007)• Krech,Shepard(3rd).TheEcologicalIndian:MythandHistory.Norton,1999
RecommendedReadings• MirceaEliade,TheSacredandtheProfane• J.Z.Smith,ToTakePlace• Lane,Beldon.LandscapesoftheSacred:GeographyandNarrativeinAmerican
Spirituality
FurtherandFutureReadings~EvolutionandReligion(focusonindigenoussocietiesandtraditionalecologicalknowledge")
• Anderson,EugeneN.EcologiesoftheHeart:Emotion,Belief,andtheEnvironment.OxfordUniversityPress,1996.
• Berkes,Fikret.SacredEcology:TraditionalEcologicalKnowledgeandResourceManagement.TaylorandFrancis,1999.
• Berkes,Fikret,JohanColdingandCarlFolke.NavigatingSocial-EcologicalSystems:BuildingResilienceforComplexityandChange.CambridgeUniversityPress,2003.
• Berkes,FikretandCarlFolke.LinkingSocialandEcologicalSystems.CambridgeUniversityPress,2002.
• Bloch,Maurice."PeopleIntoPlaces:ZafimaniryConceptsofClarity."InTheAnthropologyofLandscape:PerspectivesonPlaceandSpace,eds.EricHirshandMichaelO'Hanlon,63-77.ClarendonPress,1995
• ________.PreyIntoHunter:ThePoliticsofReligiousExperience.CambridgeUniversityPress,1992.
• Carrasco,Davíd,ed.TheImaginationofMatter:ReligionandEcologyinMesoamericanTraditions.BARInternationalSeries,1989.
• Eisenberg,Evan.TheEcologyofEden.NewYork:RandomHouse,1998.• Grim,JohnA.IndigenousTraditionsandEcology:TheInterbeingofCosmology
andCommunity.HarvardUniversityPress,2001.• Harris,Marvin."TheMythoftheSacredCow."InMan,Culture,andAnimals,
eds.AnthonyLeedsandAndrewP.Vaya,217-28.AmericanAssociationfortheAdvancementofScience,1965.
• ________.Cows,Pigs,WarsandWitches:TheRiddlesofCulture.RandomHouse,1974.
• ________.CannibalsandKings:TheOriginsofCultures.RandomHouse,1977.• ________."TheCulturalEcologyofIndia'sSacredCattle."Current
Anthropology7(1966):51-66.• Hughes,J.Donald.Pan'sTravail:EnvironmentalProblemsoftheAncientGreeks
andRomans.JohnHopkinsUniversityPress,1994.• Ingold,Tim.ThePerceptionoftheEnvironment:EssaysinLivelihood,Dwelling
andSkill.Routledge,2000.• Krech,Shepard(3rd).TheEcologicalIndian:MythandHistory.NewYork:
Norton,1999.• Lansing,J.Stephen.PriestsandProgrammers:TechnologiesofPowerinthe
EngineeredLandscapeofBali.PrincetonUniversityPress,1991.• Lansing,J.StephenandJamesN.Kremer."ASocioecologicalAnalysisof
BalineseWaterTemples."InTheCulturalDimensionofDevelopment:IndigenousKnowledgeSystems,eds.D.M.Warren,L.JanSlikkerveerandDavidBrokensha,258-68.IntermediateTechnologyPublications,1995.
• Lawson,E.ThomasandRobertM.McCauley.Rethinkingreligion:connectingcognitionandculture.CambridgeUniversityPress,1993.
• Lodrick,DeryckO.SacredCows,SacredPlaces:OriginsandSurvivalsofAnimalHomesinIndia.UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1981.
• Messer,EllenandMichaelLambek.EcologyandtheSacred:EngagingtheAnthropologyofRoyA.Rappaport.UniversityofMichiganPress,2001.
• Moran,Emilio,ed.TheEcosystemApproachinAnthropology.UniversityofMichiganPress,1990.
• Oelschlaeger,Max.TheIdeaofWilderness:FromPrehistorytotheAgeofEcology.YaleUniversityPress,1991.
• Rappaport,RoyA.Ecology,MeaningandReligion.NorthAtlantic,1979.• ________.RitualandReligionintheMakingofHumanity.Cambridge
UniversityPress,1999.• Simoons,FrederickJ."QuestionsintheSacredCowControversy."Current
Anthropology20(1979):467-93.
ModuleV:Religion,Nature,andtheFutureofReligionandNature• SocialScientificPerspectivesonEnvironmentalism,Nature,andReligion,from
QuantitativeDatatoColinCampbell's"CulticMilieu"Theory.• GreenNazisandtheShadowSideofNatureReligions.• ContemporaryConstructionofNatureReligionsandPaganSpiritualities.• SecularizationTheoriesand'SpiritualitiesofConnection'toNature.
Introduction:Clearly,duringthesecondhalfofthe20thcenturysomelayobserversandscholarlyanalystswerehopingfor,andinsomecasesromanticallyexpecting,arevitalizationorinventionofreligiousformsthatwouldleadhumanculturestowardenvironmentallysustainablelifeways.Duringthesameperiod,morecautiousvoicesarosequestioningwhetherreligioncouldevolveintoanenvironmentallyprogressivesocialforce,orevenwonderingwhetherreligionisanimportantvariableinculture-natureinteractions.Othervoicesexpressedalarmattheapparentgrowthofnature-relatedspiritualities,notingthatsuchreligionhassometimesbeencloselyconnectedtoperniciouspoliticalideologiessuchasNazism.Stillotherswonderedwhethersecularization,fueledbytheslowifsteadyadvanceofscientificunderstandingsoftheuniverse,woulderodereligiousbeliefaltogether,andthustheinfluenceofnature-relatedreligion.Andyetothersassertedthatthefutureofreligion,ifthereistobeanymillenniafromnow,wouldandmustbefusedtosuchscientificunderstandings.Allofthisraisesanewquestionsaboutthefutureofreligion.
Thereisalreadysomeevidenceofscientificunderstandingsoftheuniversebeingconsecratedincontemporaryreligion.Insomecasessacralizedscientificnarrativesaregraftedontopre-existingreligiousformswhileinothercasestheyareemergingandevolvingwithlittleexplicitreferencetopreviousforms.Thequestionwithwhichweleavethiscourseiswhethersuchformsof“religion”or“spirituality”arelikelytobemainstreamsinthefutureofreligion,orrather,dryupquicklyleavingmostofhumanity,iftheyarereligiousatall,devoteesoftoday’spredominantreligions.Theanswertothatquestionisonethatmaywellpreoccupymuchfuturescholarshipinquiringintothenatureoftherelationshipsbetweenhumancultures,religions,andenvironments.Theanswermayalsoplayaroleinwhether,andtowhatextent,humanscontinuetosimplifyanddegradetheearth’slivingsystems.
(Week12&13)15&22November(Therewillbenoclassmeenngon22Novemberduetoprofessionalmeenngs)
SocialScience,ReligionandNature(andconsideringNatureReligionsandtheir"ShadowSide")
Assignment1)Bynoon14NovembersendyourreadinganalysisfocusinginthiscaseonPaulShepard'sbook;by23Novemberwriteananalysis/reactiontothearticlesbyTaylorandothersaboutLynnWhiteandtheGreeningofReligionHypothesis.
BackgroundandComparativeReadings• FromtheERN:ATWA,Corrington,Robert;ElvesandLandSpiritsinPaganNorse
Religion;*Fascism;Heathenry(Ásatrú);Odinism;Paganism;Neo-paganismandEthnicNationalisminEasternEurope;ProtestantEthic;Savitri,Devi;*SocialScienceonReligionandNature;*White,Lynn–Thesisof;Wicca;Unitarianism.
RequiredCoreReading• BronTaylor,TheGreeningofReligionHypothesis(PartOne):FromLynnWhite,
Jr.andclaimsthatreligionscanpromoteenvironmentallydestructiveattitudesandbehaviorstoassertionstheyarebecomingenvironmentallyfriendly,JournalfortheStudyofReligion,NatureandCulture,10(3)2016.
• BronTaylor,GretelVanWieren&BernardZaleha,TheGreeningofReligionHypothesis(PartTwo):AssessingtheDatafromLynnWhite,Jr.toPopeFrancis,JournalfortheStudyofReligion,NatureandCulture,10(3)2016.
• Shepard,Paul,ComingHometothePleistocene,read1,skim2-5;read6,skim7,andread8,9
RecommendedReadings• Tuan,YiFu.“Discrepanciesbetweenenvironmentalattitudeandbehavior:
examplesfromEuropeandChina”fromtheCanadianGeographer12(3):176-91,1968.
• DavidHaberman(ed.)UnderstandingClimateChangethroughReligiousLifeworlds.IndianaUniversityPress,2021.
• Veldman,RobinGlobus.TheGospelofClimateSkepticism:WhyEvangelicalChristiansOpposeActiononClimateChange.UniversityofCaliforniaPress,2019.
• Veldman,RobinGlobus,AndrewSzasz,andRandolphHaluza-Delay(eds.)HowtheWorld'sReligionsAreRespondingtoClimateChange.Routledge,2014.
SpecialAssignmentReading• CarolynMerchant,ReinventingEden:TheFateofNatureinWesternCulture.
Routledge,2003.• MichaelYork,PaganTheology.NewYorkUniversityPress,2004.
FurtherReading• Corrington,RobertS.Nature'sReligion.Rowman&Littlefield,1997.• Crosby,DonaldA.AReligionofNature.SUNYPress,2002• Pike,Sarah.NewAgeandNeopaganReligionsinAmerica.ColumbiaUniversity
Press,2004.• Gregory,Derek.GeographicalImaginations.Blackwell,1994.• York,Michael.PaganTheology.NewYorkUniversityPress,2004.
FurtherReading~Right-WingIdeologyandReligionsofNature• Bramwell,Anna.Ecologyinthe20thCentury:AHistory.YaleUnivPress,1989.• ________.BloodandSoil:WalterDarréandHitlersGreenParty.Kensal,1985.• Ferry,Luc.TheNewEcologicalOrder.UniversityofChicagoPress,1995.• Gardell,Mattias.GodsoftheBlood:ThePaganRevivalandWhiteSeparatism.
DukeUniversityPress,2003.• Goodrick-Clarke,Nicholas.Hitler'sPriestess:SavitriDevi,theHindu-AryanMyth
andNeo-Nazism.NewYorkUniversityPress,1998.• Goodrick-Clarke,Nicholas.TheOccultRootsofNazism:SecretAryanCultsand
TheirInfluenceonNaziIdeology.NewYorkUniversityPress,1994.• Goodrich-Clarke,Nicholas.BlackSun:AryanCults,EsotericNazismandthe
PoliticsofIdentity.NewYorkUniversityPress,2002• Kaplan,Jeffrey."SavitriDeviandtheNationalSocialistReligionofNature."The
Pomegranate,no.7(February1999):4-12• Zimmerman,MichaelE.ContestingEarth'sFuture:RadicalEcologyand
Postmodernity.UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1994.
(Week14)29NovemberReligion,Nature,andtheFuture
Assignment1)Bynoon28NovembersendyouranalysistheargumentinB.Taylor'sDarkGreenReligionandintheconclusionsofAraNorenzayanbook,identifyingothercoursereadingsthatappeartohaveaffinitywiththedescribedphenomena,aswellasthereligiousformsthatdonot,andbesuretonoteconnectionswiththeviewsofPaulShepard.2)Studentpresentationsmaybegininclassthisweekandcontinuenextweek.
BackgroundandComparativeReadings• FromtheERN:RadicalEnvironmentalism;Berry,Thomas;BiosphereReserves
andWorldHeritageSites;*Christianity(9)—Christianity'sEcologicalReformation;*EpicofEvolution;EvolutionaryEvangelism;ReligiousNaturalism;NaturalHistoryasNaturalReligion;RestorationEcologyandRitual;ProcessPhilosophy(andTheologycross-reference);Sagan,Carl;SpaceExploration.
RequiredCoreReadings• Taylor,Bron,DarkGreenReligion,chs1-9(ThoreauAppendixstrongly
recommended)[chapterswillbemadeavailableforfreefrominstructor.]• Norenzayan,BigGods,PrincetonUniversityPress,chapter10.
OptionalReadings• fromwww.earthcharter.org,www.ethologicalethics.org,andseeTheGreat
Storyforthewebsiteof‘evolutionaryevangelist’MichaelDowd.• ThomasBerry,"Thehumanpresence"pp.13-23(ch.3),"Thenewstory"pp.
194-215(ch.15),inDreamoftheEarth.(Alternatively,readtheselectionsfromTheGreatWork,immediatelybelow.)
SpecialAssignmentReading• Atlee,Tom.TheTaoofDemocracy:UsingCo-IntelligencetoCreateaWorld
ThatWorksforAll.Cranston,TheWriter'sCollective,2003.
DVDs• 'JourneyoftheUniverse'documentary
FurtherReading• Bruce,Steve,ed.ReligionandModernization:SociologistsandHistorians
DebatetheSecularizationThesis.OxfordUniversityPress,2001.• ________.Godisdead:secularizationinthewest.Blackwell,2002.• Campbell,Colin."TheCult,theCulticMilieuandSecularization."ASociological
YearbookofReligioninBritain5(1972):119-36.• Stark,RodneyandWilliamBainesBainbridge.TheFutureofReligion:
Secularization,Revival,andCultFormation.Univ.ofCaliforniaPress,1985.• Warner,R.Stephen."WorkinProgressTowardaNewParadigmforthe
SociologicalStudyofReligionintheUnitedStates."AmericanJournalofSociology98(1993):1044-93.
FurtherReading~Right-WingIdeologyandReligionsofNature• Bramwell,Anna.Ecologyinthe20thCentury:AHistory.YaleUniversityPress,
1989.• ________.BloodandSoil:WalterDarréandHitlersGreenParty.
Buckinghamshire,Kensal,1985.• Ferry,Luc.TheNewEcologicalOrder.Paris:1992;reprint,UniversityofChicago
Press,1995.• Gardell,Mattias.GodsoftheBlood:ThePaganRevivalandWhiteSeparatism.
UniversityPress,2003.• Goodrick-Clarke,Nicholas.Hitler'sPriestess:SavitriDevi,theHindu-AryanMyth
andNeo-Nazism.NewYorkUniversityPress,1998.• Goodrich-Clarke,Nicholas.BlackSun:AryanCults,EsotericNazismandthe
PoliticsofIdentity.NewYorkUniversityPress,2002.• Kaplan,Jeffrey."SavitriDeviandtheNationalSocialistReligionofNature."The
Pomegranate,no.7(February1999):4-12.• Zimmerman,MichaelE.ContestingEarth'sFuture:RadicalEcologyand
Postmodernity.UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1994.
(Week15)6December[Lastdayofclass]StudentPresentanons
Assignment1)Studentpresentationswillbecompletedduringthisweek’sfinalclass.2)Non-attendanceincursonegradedeductiononresearchpaperandfinaltakehomeexam.3)ResearchPapersDue5Decemberat11:59p.m.4)Takehomefinalessayexamwilldistributedon6December.Itisdueby11:59p.m.,Tuesday,13December,andmustbesubmittedbyemail.