The three-day workshop on Humanities and Religious Studies: Research Methods, Critical Thinking, and Academic Writing will take an integrated approach to the study of world cultures by investigating the beliefs and practices of the world’s religions in their historical and cultural contexts. Attendees will engage in conversations about the following topics: (1) research methods, approaches, and challenges in humanities and religious studies; (2) academic study of religion; and (3) history, beliefs, and practices of the world’s major religions. The ultimate goal of this workshop will be to learn about world cultures with empathy while avoiding assumptions or judgements about religious truth claims.
Indian General Online: Rs. 2360/-
Indian General Offline without Food and Accommodation: Rs. 3334/-
Indian General Offline with Food and Accommodation: Rs. 4278/-
Indian Students Online: Rs. 1770/-
Indian Students Offline without Food and Accommodation: Rs. 2272/-
Indian Students Offline with Food and Accommodation: Rs. 2980/-
Last Date for Registration: 1 July 2022
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Dr. Mugdha Yeolekar
Assistant Professor, Religious Studies, California State University, Fullerton
Dr. Mugdha Yeolekar is an assistant professor of Religious Studies at California State University at Fullerton. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Sanskrit and Indology from Tilak Maharashtra University, Pune and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Pune. She earned a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Pune and a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of British Columbia. She pursued her doctoral studies at Arizona State University and completed her PhD in Religious Studies. Her dissertation entitled “Gurucaritra Pārāyaṇ: Social Praxis of Religious Reading” considers the practices of ritual readings of the Gurucaritra, an important medieval Hindu text, by contemporary devotees of the god Dattātreya.
She teaches the following courses: Introduction to the Religions of the World, Introduction to Scientific Study of Religion, Religion and (non) Violence, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Women and Religion. Her research interests include agency, gender, materiality, and technology in Indian religions. Dr. Mugdha Yeolekar has published articles on sex and gender, devotional reading practices, teaching about diversity, and ecologies in Hinduism. She is currently preparing a monograph on devotional reading practices.
The workshop will consist of six (two-hour each) interactive meetings. Each meeting will consist of an overview lecture by the professor, followed by well-designed exercises in research methods in humanities. Each session will end with an academic writing exercise.
Session I
Scope of Research in Humanities and Religious Studies
Topics: What is the subject matter of Humanities and Religious Studies? How do we study religion? What are the challenges, approaches, and methods for studying religion?
Session II
Research Methods in Humanities and Religious Studies
Topics: What are various research methods for studying religion and humanities? What is the history of the discipline of Religious Studies? What is religious literacy? Why is it important to study religion in a scientific manner?
Session III
Research about Indian Religions
Topics: Overview of Hinduism and Jainism using Ninian Smart’s framework (ritual, narrative, experiential, social, ethical, doctrinal, and material dimensions); How to conduct a close-reading of an academic article?
Session IV
Research about Indian Religions
Topics: Overview of Buddhism and Sikhism using Ninian Smart’s framework (ritual, narrative, experiential, social, ethical, doctrinal, and material dimensions); How to conduct ethnographic research about Indian religions?
Session IV
Research about Abrahamic Religions
Topics: Overview of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam using Ninian Smart’s framework (ritual, narrative, experiential, social, ethical, doctrinal, and material dimensions).
Session V
Conclusions
Topics: What is the concept of religion and divine in each of the religious traditions that we studied? Compare and contrast concepts of community, worship, and scriptures in each of the religious traditions that we studied. What are some challenges in studying religion? Why do we need to study religion in a systematic manner?
For More Details, Please Contact
Dr. Tanashree Redij
Convener of the Workshop
Assistant Professor
Amrita Darshanam (ICSS), Bengaluru
Email: r_tanashree@blr.amrita.edu
Phone: +91 9545955182
Ms. Yogita Chhatre
Co-Convener of the Workshop
Assistant Professor
Amrita Darshanam (ICSS), Bengaluru
Email: c_yogita@blr.amrita.edu
Phone: +91 9620609504
