RELG239

This course examines religion as a social determinant of public health and introduces students to meditation and other mind-body practices, which have been successfully applied in medical settings. Using an innovative methodology called Reacting to the Past, students delve into key historical moments that shaped modern approaches to biology, public health, and epidemiology, participating in extended role-playing games informed by influential texts in the history of ideas. Students also analyze selected practices of ordinary people in Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, and Christianity that shape health behaviors; assess the role of religious organizations in ongoing epidemic threats (COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, and Alzheimer's); and study connections between religion and public health (e.g., legacy of the social gospel movement in US Public Health Reform, impact of religious views on reproductive health, and application of meditation techniques in health care). Assessments include a sequence of verbal and written assignments, including in-character speeches, culminating in a final oral presentation. No prerequisites.