RELS 258 Magic, Morality, and Modernity in China
This course explores the role of religion in contemporary Chinese society and culture. The last century has seen extraordinary changes in China, with the fall of the imperial system in 1911 and the beginning of a series of experiments with modernity that included the rise of the Communist Party, the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution, and the liberalization and openness of the Reform Period which has led China to become one of the most economically and politically powerful nations on earth. This course will provide students with the opportunity to think about a myriad of questions related to the relationship between religion, modernity, and secularism, as well as the functions of religion in one of the world’s largest, most diverse, and misunderstood nations.