Animals and Religion
| Module title | Animals and Religion |
|---|---|
| Module code | ANTM112 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Alexander Badman-King (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MODULE IS ONLY AVAILABLE VIA DISTANCE-LEARNING.
In this module you will examine a wide range of human and non-human interactions that occur within the context of what we call 'religion'. We will review a wide range of traditions and their perspectives and practices as they relate to non-human animals. We will discuss evidence for pre-historic practices in archaeology and anthropology; the belief systems of early and classical civilisations; the place of non-humans in the rise of the Abrahamic traditions; the central presence of non-human animals in subcontinental traditions; and the varied status of many animals in contemporary systems around the world.
There are no pre-requisites, and the module would be particularly suitable for students on other programmes, particularly religious and political studies, psychology, and studies exploring ecology, conservation, and sustainability.
Module aims - intentions of the module
- To enable the student to engage with the range of human, animal, and environmental encounters according to the religious, mystical, and supernatural contexts that continue to have significance in the contemporary world.
- To engage critically with the concept of religion and its manifestations in different times and places, and to appreciate the complex categorical distinctions and uses of language which shape the way we can and do talk about religion and the place of animals within religion.
- To critically evaluate the position of human-animal encounters within the context of religion and in diverse sociocultural schemes globally and historically, and how this shapes the ethical treatment of either specific animal species, or non-human animals generally.
To consider how contemporary representations of animals through religious doctrine and ceremony can inform wider theoretical/philosophical debates such as ecology and conservation, approaches to ethics and animal welfare, and of non-human animal entities as participants in the wider religious and political landscapes.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Develop an understanding of the diversity of human interactions with animals in the context of religion with particular reference to the many dimensions that religiosity might take (ritual, belief, texts, narrative, ethics etc);
- 2. Identify and evaluate the place of animals within the cultural history of religion and draw common themes using cross cultural analysis.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the extent and limitation of social and cultural categories (e.g. religion) and their application within an academic context;
- 4. Demonstrate an ability to evaluate ethically relevant behaviour within a wide range of cultural contexts with clarity and well justified arguments.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. identify a research problem and conduct independent research to test the research problem;
- 6. clearly and concisely convey complicated ideas to academic and non-academic audiences; and
- 7. prepare for writing papers suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed academic journal.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
– What is Religion? What’s it got to do with animals? (module description, assignment description, the problem of using ‘religion’ as a concept and the peculiar role of Protestantism).
– Prehistoric and Oral Traditions (archaeology and anthropology, shamanism, animism, totemism, appeasement, Australian dream time, shifting boundaries).
- Early History and ‘civilisation’ (mythology, farming, structural origins, economics, domestication, classical literature).
- The Indian Subcontinent (The variety of ‘Hindu’ traditions, reincarnation and animal sacredness, asceticism, Jainism and Buddhism).
- East Asia (Dao vs social order, pre-Han traditions, Shinto and syncretism).
- Abraham (The origins of Jewish traditions and the emergence of Christianity and Islam, world order and hierarchy, biblical vegetarianism, stewardship).
- A Bad Rap (Christianity in the middle ages, was it all bad? Inhuman daemons and witches, angels, St Francis, Protestant purity and property).
- Enlightenment, Science and Machines (Descartes’ legacy, Human as an animal, a return to philosophy, big economics, global mixing).
- New Age, Vegetarians and Animal Rights (full circle – world religions and neo-shamanism, animals as sentient, anthropomorphism).
- Death, burial and other themes (drawing it together, picking out common themes from disparate traditions).
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 10 | 10 x 1 hour podcast audio lectures with accompanying PowerPoint presentations |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 10 | 10 x 1 hour discussion/seminar participation |
| Guided Independent Study | 30 | Preparation for formative assessments |
| Guided Independent Study | 100 | Research and writing of summative assessments |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research paper plan | 250 word plan for research paper submitted via email to module lead. | 1-7 | Written feedback from module lead via email. |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical analysis of key concepts | 25 | 1,000 | 3, 4, 6 | Written feedback |
| Academic Research Paper | 75 | 2,500 words | 1-7 | Written feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical analysis of key concepts | Critical analysis of key concepts (1,000 words) | 3, 4, 6 | August/September reassessment period |
| Academic Research Paper | Academic Research Paper (2,500 words) | 1-7 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Waldau, Paul, & Patton, Kimberly C. (Eds.). 2006. A Communion of Subjects: Animals in Religion, Science, and Ethics. Columbia University Press (available as an ebook through the library) this is a key text throughout the module.
Allen, Barbara. 2016. Animals in Religion: Devotion Symbol and Ritual, Reaktion Books (available as an ebook through the library). This is also a very useful text for most of the topics in the module.
Kemmerer, Lisa. 2011. Introduction. Animals and World Religions. New York: Oxford University Press (available as an ebook through the library).
Smith, C. 2017, ‘Chapter 1 – What is Religion?’, Religion: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Matters, Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Ingold, T. 2002. From Trust to Domination: An Alternative History of Human-Animal Relations. In: Manning, A. and Serpell, J. (eds.) Animals and Human Society: Changing Perspectives, 1-22. Taylor and Francis.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | Yes |
| Origin date | 16/09/2021 |
| Last revision date | 22/03/2022 |
