SyllabusSpring term 2013REL 310 Buddhism and Environmentalism [5 units]Instructor: David Komito, Ph.D. Prerequisites: None. Recommended: REL 321 Buddhism Format: Online and onsite all day May 11 in Portland Course Description: Buddhist views on the sources of environmental degradation and possible paths to environmental harmony and sustainability. This hybrid course includes required attendance at the May 11 “Environmental Summit” with the Dalai Lama in Portland, as well as asynchronous online readings, video recordings and discussions among students and faculty which will extend over the full term. Video recorded guest speakers will include EOU Professors Donald Wolff (on Buddhist environmental poetry and literature) and Steven Clements (on sustainable business practices). The course will be an online seminar oriented toward Buddhist ideas on environmentalism and the sources of our environmental problems as well as the individual actions that can be taken to address environmental problems -- both internal (mental) and external (physical) actions. Part of the course will be devoted to the roles of business and corporations in creating or resolving environmental problems. Because there are more problems and questions than there are solutions and answers, coursework will include collective student attempts to articulate some answers. A partial schedule of assignments is below. Additional assignments will be found on the course Blackboard site and will need to be completed on a week by week basis. Readings and Video Recordings will include, but will not be limited to, works by Thich Nhat Hanh, Stephanie Kaza, Joanna Macy, Alan Watts, Gary Snyder, Gregory Bateson, David Komito, Donald Wolff, and of course, the Dalai Lama. Note: Enrollment in the course will require a $26.25 fee for a reserved seat at the May 11 “Environmental Summit” at the Portland Memorial Coliseum. Checks in that amount will be collected by mail to the instructor (send to David Komito, 202E Ackerman Hall, EOU, 1 University Blvd., La Grande, OR 97850). The instructor mail tickets to students in advance of the May 11 event. Students and Prof. Komito will have a meeting in Portland on the afternoon of the 11th after the "Summit" concludes. Details for this meeting will be arranged during the first week of the course. ALSO, if you are not living in the Portland area, plan on spending the evening of the 10th in Portland as it will take several hours to park and clear security before the morning opener. The instructor will post a sign up for those traveling to Portland those who wish to carpool. Enrollment cap: 16 Grading and Assessment: Grading will be dependent upon the final project, which is to be submitted at the end of the 8th week of the course. Refer to the Schedule, below, for details. Class participation is required but not formally graded. However, if students find themselves on a borderline between grades, quality and frequency of participation on the course discussion board will determine whether or not their grade is raised to the next level. Lack of discussion board participation will not lower a grade. For more information, write to david.komito@eou.edu -------------------------------
ScheduleWeek 1 (April 1 - 6) Context:
Week 2 (April 7 - 13) The Ancestors and Elders
Week 3 (April 14 - 27) The Ancestors and Elders (continues)
Week 4 (April 21 - 27) Business and the Environment
Week 5 (April 28 - 4) The Dalai Lama, Mind and Life XXIII: Ecology, Ethics and Interdependence
Week 6 (April 5 - 11)
Weeks 7 - 8 (May 12 - 25) More Views on Environmentalism and
Weeks 9 - 10 (May 26 - June 8) Final projects will be presented
End of course
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