Religion 209 advert

Travel, Mythic and Modern

What is travel?  How does travel change people?  When can we call travelreligious?  And to understand travel, what questions should we ask?

We address these questions by learning theories about what happens to us when we travel,
and by reading some of the great adventures of mythic heroes (Odysseus, Moses, the Buddha, Rama of classical India, and the Chinese trickster called Monkey),
of shamans and pilgrims,
of modern travelers (Darwin, Nellie Bly, Marlow in Heart of Darkness, Bergman’s film “Wild Strawberries”),
and then of “new-age” travelers and religious tourism.

The readings challenge our usual definitions of both “religion” and “travel.”
Classes are conducted as discussions, with students introducing most of the readings. An experiential component takes the form of journal exercises.
Taught by Prof. R Marks