Religion 204 - Colloquium: Blasphemy!

Commonly associated with pre-modern societies, the term "blasphemy" has taken on new life in today’s technologically-connected world. This course examines the notion of blasphemy--its meanings, the invisible boundaries it presupposes both in some of the world’s major religious traditions and in secular contexts, and the different ways of seeing it often signifies. Based on case studies, it explores contemporary public uses of the term, the competing understandings of the "sacred" it often assumes, and the cultural and political challenges the term presents in a globalized society. The course considers the implications of the public charge of blasphemy in light of issues such as: the religious and the secular; humor and satire; commodification and consumerism; "insiders," "outsiders, and cultural appropriation; art, film and the sacred; museum conservation and display; and free speech and human rights. Enrollment limited to 20.