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Japanese Religions (October 8- November 12, 2024)

Session(s) date

Session(s) date: 
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 - 4:00pm

Join the new 5-week online seminar on Japanese Religions! Designed specifically for educators, this course runs from October to November 2024 and offers a deep dive into the historical, cultural, and socio-political significance of Buddhism and Shintō in East Asia. Equip yourself with insights to effectively integrate diverse perspectives into your curriculum and instructional practices. Don't miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding of East Asian religions!

Overview: 

Sessions meet on Tuesdays for the following dates: 10/8, 10/15, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12  

This 5-week online seminar will overview the content about Buddhism and its influence on Japanese religions. We'll start with the establishment of Buddhism in India and follow its spread to East Asia and Japan. Learn about the integration of Buddhist principles with Shintō, the aspects of monastic culture in early Japan, and the development of Heian Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, and Zen. We'll also discuss new religious movements and how traditional beliefs coexist with modern practices in Japan today. Connect with peer educators, engage in discussions, and access resources to bring these content knowledge to your classroom.

Content

  • readings
  • pre-recorded video presentations 
  • online forum participation
  • weekly live online Zoom discussion with (Tuesdays, 4-5pm PST).

Benefits (Must complete seminar requirements)

  • Resources and materials
  • 3 USC Rossier School of Education Continuing Education Units (processing fee $105 covered by the US-China Institute)
  • Certificate of completion

Lecturer

Lori Meeks is associate professor of religion and East Asian languages and cultures. Her current research is centered on the social and cultural history of Buddhism in Japanese history. Much of her work has focused on clarifying the roles of women as consumers and practitioners of Buddhism in the Heian and Kamakura periods (roughly ninth through early fourteenth centuries). She is editor, with James Benn and James Robson, of Buddhist Monasticism in East Asia: Places of Practice (Routledge, 2009). She is the author of Hokkeji and the Reemergence of Female Monastic Orders in Premodern Japan. Honolulu, HI: Kuroda Institute Studies in East Asian Buddhism (University of Hawaii Press, 2010).

 

 

Seminar Schedule (Online discussions via Zoom will be each Tuesday, 4-5pm Pacific Time.)

Session   

Date

Topics

1

Tue., 10/8

  • The Establishment of Buddhism in India and Early Buddhist Thought
  • The Rise of Mahayana Buddhism, and Its Spread to East Asia

2

Tue., 10/15

  • The Spread of Buddhism to Japan
  • What is "Shintō"?

3

Tue., 10/29

  • Monastic Culture in Early Japan
  • Heian Buddhism and Original Enlightenment Thought

4

Tue., 11/5

  • Pure Land Buddhism
  • Zen

5

Tue., 11/12

  • New Religious Movements
  • Religion in Contemporary Japan

 

Reading assignments and pre-recorded lectures for each week will be available in an online forum and are to be completed prior to the discussion sessions. Access and log-in information will be provided upon acceptance into the course. Please refer to the Seminar Requirements Document for details on assignments and course completion.

How to apply - Submit your application below. Please add uschina@usc.edu to your address book so the email does not end up in the spam folder. 

This program is sponsored by the USC U.S.-China Institute and the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia.

 
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