Academic Year 2021 Course Offerings
As announced by the President of Columbia University in April 2020, the 2020-2021 academic year will be comprised of three semesters: Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Summer 2021. The Department of Religion will therefore offer courses for undergraduate and graduate students in each of these terms.
This page provides an overview of our course offerings for all three terms, to help students as they make decisions and plans for the academic year ahead. Please note that this schedule may be subject to change, and students are encouraged not only to revisit this page but also to confirm the course listings in the online Directory of Courses and Vergil, where course descriptions and class meeting times will be posted soon.
In addition to semester-long (14-week) course offerings, the Department of Religion will also offer 7-week “immersive courses.” These courses will cover a semester’s worth of material in a shorter period of time and will meet for twice as many hours per week, allowing more contact between faculty and students and more sustained focus on the class content. They will be offered in either the first half of a semester (e.g., Fall A, Spring A, Summer A) or in the second half of a semester (e.g., Fall B, Spring B, Summer B).
Please contact the following people with questions about the courses listed below or with questions about undergraduate or graduate programs of study:
- For undergraduate majors and concentrations, please contact Courtney Bender, Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, at cb337@columbia.edu
- For graduate programs, please contact Jack Hawley, Professor and Directory of Graduate Studies, at jsh3@columbia.edu
Fall 2020
- “Fall” term courses will run the full 14-week term: Tues., Sept. 8, 2020 – Wed., Dec. 23, 2020.
- “Fall A” courses will run during the first half of the term: Tues., Sept. 8, 2020 – Fri., Oct. 23, 2020.
- “Fall B” courses will run during the second half of the term: Mon., Oct. 26, 2020 – Wed., Dec. 23, 2020.
Course descriptions, as well as specific sections and meeting times, can be found in the online Directory of Courses.
Fall 2020 Course Offerings
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN1310
- Course Title
- God
- Instructor
- Gil Anidjar
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN2306
- Course Title
- Introduction to Judaism
- Instructor
- Beth Berkowitz
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN2205
- Course Title
- Buddhism: Indo-Tibetan
- Instructor
- Thomas Yarnall
- Term
- Fall A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN2305
- Course Title
- Islam
- Instructor
- Najam Haider
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN2506
- Course Title
- From Exodus to Coronavirus
- Instructor
- Clemence Boulouque
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN3199
- Course Title
- Theory
- Instructor
- Mark Taylor
- Term
- Fall B
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN3202
- Course Title
- Religion in America I
- Instructor
- Gale Kenny
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN3207
- Course Title
- In the Margins of the Middle Ages: Religious Minorities in the Medieval Latin West
- Instructor
- Yanchen Liu
- Term
- Fall A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN3321
- Course Title
- Religion and Climate Crisis: India
- Instructor
- John Hawley
- Term
- Fall A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4120
- Course Title
- Gender and Early Christianity
- Instructor
- Elizabeth Castelli
- Term
- Fall B
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4209
- Course Title
- Religion, Politics and Culture in Contemporary Black America
- Instructor
- Josef Sorett
- Term
- Fall B
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4304
- Course Title
- Krishna
- Instructor
- John Hawley
- Term
- Fall B
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4307
- Course Title
- Interactions of Buddhism and Daoism in China
- Instructor
- Zhaohua Yang
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4318
- Course Title
- Interpreting Buddhist Yoga
- Instructor
- David Kittay
- Term
- Fall A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4322
- Course Title
- Islamic Law
- Instructor
- Najam Haider
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4412
- Course Title
- Recovering Place
- Instructor
- Mark Taylor
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4999
- Course Title
- Global Indigenous Religious Histories
- Instructor
- Tiffany Hale
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GR6101
- Course Title
- Theory & Method
- Instructor
- Courtney Bender
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GR6615
- Course Title
- Religion and Media
- Instructor
- Matthew Engelke
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GR9330
- Course Title
- Theory-Transmission/Community Formation
- Instructor
- Rachel McDermott
- Term
- Fall B
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GR9355
- Course Title
- Readings in Chinese Religion
- Instructor
- Zhaohua Yang
Spring 2021
- “Spring” term courses will run the full 14-week term: Mon., Jan. 11, 2021 – Mon., Apr. 26, 2021.
- “Spring A” courses will run during the first half of the term: Mon., Jan. 11, 2021 – Fri., Feb. 26, 2021.
- “Spring B” courses will run during the second half of the term: Mon., Mar. 8, 2021 – Mon., Apr. 26, 2021.
- Course descriptions, as well as specific sections and meeting times, will be available in advance of the early registration period in November 2020.
Spring 2021 Course Offerings
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- Course Title
- Doctrine of Discovery
- Instructor
- Timothy Vasko
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN
- Course Title
- Religion and Human Rights
- Instructor
- Timothy Vasko
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN1320
- Course Title
- Losing My Religion
- Instructor
- Yannik Thiem
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- AHUM
- Course Number
- UN1400
- Course Title
- Colloquium on Major Texts
- Instructor
- Max Moerman
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- MDES
- Course Number
- UN2004
- Course Title
- Regions and Religions
- Instructor
- Gil Anidjar
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN2405
- Course Title
- Chinese Religious Traditions
- Instructor
- Daniel Tuzzeo
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN2309
- Course Title
- Hinduism
- Instructor
- Jack Hawley
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN2335
- Course Title
- Religion in Black America: An Introduction
- Instructor
- Josef Sorett
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN2779
- Course Title
- Introduction to Native American Religious Traditions
- Instructor
- Tiffany Hale
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- ASRL
- Course Number
- UN3115
- Course Title
- Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People? Perspectives on Evil and Suffering in World Religions
- Instructor
- Rachel McDermott
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN3203
- Course Title
- Religion in America II
- Instructor
- Gale Kenny
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN3208
- Course Title
- Aaahh Real Monsters!- Critical Monster Studies
- Instructor
- Michael Hammet
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN3230
- Course Title
- Philosophy of Religion
- Instructor
- Mark Taylor
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN3232
- Course Title
- Museums and Sacred Things
- Instructor
- Courtney Bender
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN3500
- Course Title
- Buddhist Ethics
- Instructor
- Thomas Yarnall
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- EARL
- Course Number
- GU4022
- Course Title
- Japanese Buddhist Visual Culture
- Instructor
- Max Moerman
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4205
- Course Title
- Love, Translated
- Instructor
- Jack Hawley
- Term
- Spring A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4213
- Course Title
- Islam and the Secular: Rethinking Religion, Anthropology and Philosophy in North-Western Africa and the Middle East
- Instructor
- Mohamad Meziane
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4305
- Course Title
- Secular & Spiritual America
- Instructor
- Courtney Bender
- Term
- Spring A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4326
- Course Title
- Sufism in South Asia
- Instructor
- Katherine Ewing
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4355
- Course Title
- African American Prophetic Political Traditions
- Instructor
- Obery Hendricks
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4517
- Course Title
- After the Human
- Instructor
- Mark Taylor
- Term
- Spring A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4528
- Course Title
- Religion and the Sexed Body
- Instructor
- Katherine Ewing
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4616
- Course Title
- Technology, Religion, Future
- Instructor
- David Kittay
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4619
- Course Title
- Islam in Popular Culture
- Instructor
- Najam Haider
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4998
- Course Title
- Religion and the Indian Wars
- Instructor
- Tiffany Hale
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GR6340
- Course Title
- Topics in Chinese Buddhist Studies
- Instructor
- Zhaohua Yang
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GR6420
- Course Title
- Religion & Public Life
- Instructor
- Clemence Boulouque
- Term
- Spring
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GR9300
- Course Title
- Readings in Japanese Religion
- Instructor
- Michael Como
Summer 2021
- “Summer X” courses will run the full 14-week term: Mon., May 3, 2021 – Mon., August 16, 2021
- “Summer A” courses will run during the first half of the term: Mon., May 3, 2021 – Fri., June 18, 2021.
- “Summer B” courses will run during the second half of the term: Mon., June 28, 2021 – Mon., Aug. 16, 2021.
- Course descriptions, as well as specific sections and meeting times, will be available in advance of Summer registration in April 2021.
Summer 2021 Course Offerings
- Term
- Summer A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN2305
- Course Title
- Islam
- Instructor
- Najam Haider
- Term
- Summer B
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN3321
- Course Title
- Religion and Climate Crisis: India
- Instructor
- Jack Hawley
- Term
- Summer A
- Subject Code
- AHUM
- Course Number
- UN3400
- Course Title
- Colloquium on Major Texts East Asia
- Instructor
- David Moerman
- Term
- Summer A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- UN3517
- Course Title
- Queer Theory, Religion and their Discontents
- Instructor
- Yannik Thiem
- Term
- Summer A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4xxx
- Course Title
- African and North African Philosophy: An Introduction
- Instructor
- Mohamed Meziane
- Term
- Summer B
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4xxx
- Course Title
- Confession
- Instructor
- Elizabeth Castelli
- Term
- Summer A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4407
- Course Title
- Living Together
- Instructor
- Courtney Bender
- Term
- Summer A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4509
- Course Title
- Crime and Punishment in Jewish Culture
- Instructor
- Beth Berkowitz
- Term
- Summer A
- Subject Code
- RELI
- Course Number
- GU4626
- Course Title
- Reading (In Theory)
- Instructor
- Gil Anidjar