REL 248 - Myanmar: History, Religion, Politics

In this course, we will develop a complex picture of Myanmar’s religious and political cultures over time. Readings and videos will draw from the disciplines/fields of history, religious studies, political science, and anthropology and sociology. Attention will be given to the early and pre-colonial foundations of the country; life during British colonial expansion and rule; the cultural and political affects of long-term closure under modern military rule; the global interest and involvement, especially on the part of China and the West, in the recent political transformations and the “re-turn” to democratic rule; the continuing problems of centralization; and the conundrums of religious and ethnic violence and tension that have racked the country from time to time. Throughout, we will investigate social, political and economic roles of the country’s religious cultures, especially but not limited to Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. Students will also learn about the interactive feedback between the local and global forces that have produced Myanmar’s religious and political cultures over time.

3 credits