RELI 355 - The Politics of Sacred Space

1 unit(s)

(Same as ASIA 355) Are places inherently sacred or are they made that way through human action? In this seminar we examine the relationship between spatial and temporal orientation and connect this to the fundamental importance of sacrality in human action and existence. We explore comparatively how space is produced, maintained, and made sacred. We also investigate how social groups and nation-states work to produce spaces of control within which their citizens must reside. Some of our questions include: What is the relationship between power and sacrality, between nation-state and a state of being? How are places made sacred through human action? To what extent is sacrality a process of emplacement? What role does sacredness play in local and global geopolitical environments? Michael Walsh.

One 2-hour period.

Not offered in 2023/24.

Course Format: CLS