History of Religions
In this course, the students will deal with the discourse of the history of religions, notably, though not exclusively, in the Indonesian context. The history discourse is presumed necessary, if not essential, for any religious and inter-religious research and elaboration. It may give a diachronic perspective in dealing with religious issues. A historical perspective helps frame the religious discourse in terms of understanding the genealogical and larger patterns of present-day religious expression. Furthermore, religions have always been part of Indonesia's historical, social, political, and cultural development; hence, in this course, the students will investigate the role of religions in shaping those processes in some selected historical phases and places.
The course offers fresh insights into seeing the history of religions in Indonesia within cosmopolitanism. More specifically, the historical formation of the Indonesian religious community and identity is understood as a dynamic process of flowing and closure within networked societies. The participants will engage with topics related to the Indonesian religious landscape, such as Inter-Asia Cosmopolitanism, Women as Cosmopolitan Agents, Missionary as Cosmopolitan Moment, Cosmopolitan Tragedy, and Redemptive Reading of the Past through modern media. They are encouraged to explore those topics through the frame of thinking of religious interactivity and encounter, human dignity, global citizenship, cosmopolitan acclaim, and its trepidation and vulnerability.
RELIGION, STATE AND SOCIETY: A SOCIAL JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE
As scholars observed the resurgence of religion and the fact of deep diversity in many parts of the world, there has been a renewed interest to understand the relation between religion and politics, and the governance of religion/religious diversity. While secularism was a popular perspective to see the relationship between religion and politics, there is now a growing literature on “rethinking secularism”, appearing in diverse disciplines such as political science, international relations, sociology, anthropology, and religious studies. This course takes up such current theoretical debates as on (1), governance of religion, and (2). religion and state (liberalism, multiculturalism, and ‘agonistic pluralism’), (3). the rethinking of secularism and its relation to pluralist democracy, and the meaning of citizenship from the perspective of social justice.
Case studies from Indonesia as well as other countries will be discussed throughout the course.