CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
COLLEGE OF EXTENDED LEARNING
COURSE OUTLINE 2002
"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. . . Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." —Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
XREL 0920: Religion and Contemporary Film
Engineering Building 2111
Tuesdays, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Ticket No. 00355
To register for this course click here.
Professor:
Amir Hussain
Office: Faculty Office Building, Room 234
Phone: (818) 677-2741 (or Religious Studies Dept. at 677-3392)
Fax: (818) 677-3985
Email: amir.hussain@csun.edu
Web Page: http://www.csun.edu/~ah34999/
Course Description:
This course is as much about the use of film to study religion as it is about the use of religion to study film. In other words, we will use different films to facilitate discussion about various dimensions of and issues in religion. And conversely, we will use images, metaphors, and teachings found in religion to discuss the layers and elements visually and audibly portrayed on screen. Through different critical approaches, this course will examine how religion, as variously defined, pervades the modern cinema and how one may engage in dialogue with this phenomenon. Possible films to be screened include Blade Runner; The Matrix; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; The Apostle and The Sixth Sense. Goals for students enrolled in this course include:- To think and discuss critically about film from a religious studies perspective;
- To broaden understanding of the term "religious" and then to realize its significant role in film plot, narrative, and imagery;
- To foster insight into other perspectives through a careful examination of one's own thinking.
WARNING: Some of the films viewed in this course contain scenes of explicit violence, sexual brutality, and offensive language. It is not my intent to de-sensitize students, but rather to enable them to discuss the relevant issues that these films introduce.
Recommended Text:
John L. Esposito, Darrell Fasching and Todd Lewis, World Religions Today (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002).
Relevant Web Sites:
Proposed Schedule of Films:
Feb. 12: Introductory meeting: What are we doing in this course and why? Methodological and other issues in this course. Love and compassion. Kundun.
Feb. 19: Discussion about Kundun. Judaism and Christian origins: The lighter side. Monty Python's Life of Brian.
Feb. 26: Discussion about Monty Python's Life of Brian. Gnostic myths of origin. Blade Runner.
March 5: Discussion about Blade Runner. Taoist and Buddhist elements. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
March 12: Discussion about Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Apocalypse and religious pluralism. The Matrix.
March 19: Discussion about The Matrix. American religious leaders. The Apostle.
March 26: No class due to Spring Recess.
April 2: Discussion about The Apostle. Religion, violence and colonialism. Once Were Warriors.
April 9: Discussion about Once Were Warriors. Death and dying in America. The Sixth Sense.
April 16: Discussion about The Sixth Sense. Religion in Los Angeles. Santitos.
April 23: Discussion about Santitos. Review and conclusions about religion and film.