RELST-271 Mother Nature—Climate Crisis—Jainism

Is religion good or bad for the natural world? How do we conceptualize ecosystems, environments, and the relationship of humans to other forms of life? How do the attitudes and practices that emerge from such ideas protect or imperil the physical environments in which we live? Using Jain religious sources, the course will consider the relationship between religion and the environment. It will also examine how Jains ascribe divinity to the natural world and have responded to ecological disasters that threaten the inviolability of the environment as sacred space. The course further aims to understand Jain attitudes towards the environment in the context of other religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism.

Maximum Enrollment

Standard Course (40)

Credits

1

Cross Listed Courses

ASNST-271

Notes

No prior coursework on Jainism or any other South Asian religion is required.