REL 59.01 Compassion: Religion, Giving, and Care
What inspires care for others? Is it possible to give, expecting nothing in return? This intermediate-level course explores how people approach care across global contexts. We particularly examine how religions influence virtues of compassion, generosity, and altruism. In defining these virtues, we also investigate how religions inform cultural understandings of suffering, happiness, power, responsibility, self and other. Our course materials include philosophical and anthropological texts intersecting Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Santeria, and indigenous traditions.
Instructor
Swenson