REL 1.05 Religion and Gender
Are all religions sexist? How can we know? This course is about approaches to the study of religions from the perspective of gender. We will read foundational works of religious history and feminist and queer theology that shed light on questions such as how normative masculinity, femininity, and sexuality are defined across religions, what is the difference between religion and culture in constructing gender and gender roles, and how are religious ideas gendered. In asking these questions we will focus on scholars’ interpretive methods in order to understand how variant they are and how important they are in creating meaning out of religious texts and practices about gender and gender roles. Specific topics will include the body, embodiment of religious rituals, purity, menstruation, religious authority, marriage and divorce, sexuality and sexual ethics, and motherhood.