Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true Someday I'll wish upon a star And wake up where the clouds are far behind me Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly Birds fly over the rainbow Why then, oh why can't I? If happy little bluebirds fly Beyond the rainbow Why, oh why can't I?
This song really calms me :) makes me miss someone.
OK finally I've decided to go to T.R.Hamzah & Yeang International for my 3 months internship as I still cant get information about 61 Architects. Hopefully everything will be great. Hope to have an enjoyable internship.
After the internship has to quickly complete my log book and pass up as I'll be heading to ROME in 30/7 :S
I just cant believe that I am going to ROME soon! I have been accepted for the Global Leadership Program for 2 weeks intensive course in ROME,Italy!!!my dream place to visit! Thanks to Yunting my roommate for encouraging me to apply and thanks to arththi for telling me ,'' how long will it takes to complete the application???it's so simple and you can complete in 1 night.why are you so worry about?''
Then i applied for the ROME program as I wont be available for Prague program in July for 4 weeks.
But I wonder why do the selection committee offered me both program. with scholarship as well.FOR BOTH! Too bad I have internship in July.There are so many procedures to do. My dear Industrial Training Coordinator, Dr. Lyn was so nice that she debated during her committee meeting asking the committee to allow me to attend Prague program and reduce my internship period to 2 months. Unfortunately I've bought my airticket to ROME :S
Below is my course syllabus! exciting! I get to learn about religious and culture! and have cultural site visit to places like VATICAN CITY! I'm so gonna indulge in reading Angels and Demons as well as The Da Vinci Codeduring my internship.
F2721: THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RELIGION, CONFLICT, AND PEACE
Rome, Italy
August 1-15, 2011
Instructor:
Dr. Joseph Prud’homme
jprudhomme2@washcoll.edu
Contact Hours: 40 (3-5 additional hours outside of class for site visits)
Credits: 3 US Semester Credits/ 6 ECTS (European System)
Overview:
This course explores the vitally important question of the role of religion in contemporary world affairs. We shall place special focus on the comparative assessment of religion’s impact both on conflict creation and conflict resolution. In what ways has religious faith engendered economic, political, and military conflict; and in what ways has religion served a peace-making function in contemporary social and political affairs?
We live, as one noted commentator remarks, in a world awash with the claims of religious truth.We shall assess in an objective manner, free both from proselytizing and from a presumptive cynicism about religious faith, these critically important questions for our global community.
Assignments:
3 analytical probes
1 class presentation
Final paper
Active and informed class participation
Attendance:
This class is an interactive format for lively discussion and interaction.Therefore, regular attendance and participation are expected.You will be granted 1 absence to accommodate any unexpected emergencies, sickness, etc.Use your allowed absences very carefully; after 1 absence, your grade will be lowered by 5% per unexcused absence.
Late Papers:
Due to the short duration of the program, no late assignments will be accepted.
Plagiarism and Honor Code:
Any paper with your name on it signifies that you are the author—that the wording and ideas are yours, with the exceptions indicated by quotation marks and citations.Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of others’ materials (words and ideas).Any student who cheats on an exam or in the preparation and writing of a course assignment at minimum will fail the assignment in question, and may fail the course. Honor Code:it is expected that all members of the program will demonstrate honesty and integrity in their conduct. Lying, stealing, or cheating are violations of the Code that will result in sanctioning, including, but not limited to removal from the program and alumni status.
Course Schedule:
I. Europe
a. Prague and the History of Religious Conflict: Jan Hus and the Holy Inquisition Lecture—tour of city
Northern Ireland: Conflict and Resolution:
Brian Feeney, “Sein Fein and the Peace Process” in Reconciliation and Hope in Northern Ireland (O’Brien, 2006)
b. Russia: Religion and Soviet Communism; Eastern Orthodoxy and Democracy; Russia and her Neighbors:
Michael Bourdeaux, The Politics of Religion in Russia, the Baltics, and the New Eurasian States, pp. 108-190
c. The Balkans:History of Discord; Future of Peace?:
Gerlachlus Duijzings, Religion and the Politics of Identity in Kosovo (Hurst, 2000), chpts 4-7
d. Western Europe: Secularite and the Rise of Islam:
Jeffrey Haynes, Religion and Politics in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (Routledge), chpt 3
Video: Young, Muslim and French
II. Islamic Thought
a. Koranic Foundations:
Huston Smith, Islam: A Concise Introduction
b. Roots of Extremism:
Sayyid Qutb: Excerpts from Social Justice and In the Shade of the Qu’ran
c. Pluralism:
Milton-Edwards: ‘Past, Present, and Future of Political Islam’
Al-Sayyid, The Other Face of the Islamist Movement chpts 2-4
Roy, The Failure of Political Islam chpt 7
Langohr, ‘Of Islamists and Ballot Boxes: Rethinking the Relationship between Islamists and Electoral Politics’
III. Turkey and North Africa
a. Case Studies:
Jeffrey Haynes, Religion and Politics in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa(Routledge)
IV. Asia: South Asia
a. India: Hinduism, Caste, and Equality:
John Turner Smith, “Caste, Dalit, and Transformation” in Policy Studies and Perspectives
b. India and Pakistan:
Douglas Allen, Religion and Politics in Asia: South Asia: India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, chpts 2, 5,6
b. The Case of Indonesia: Pancasilia
Lecture on Reconciliation in Indonesia through State-sanctioned Deism
c. Buddhist Political Ethics:
Kevin Brien, "Buddhism and Marxism: Ironic Affinities" DIALOGUE AND UNIVERSALISM, 2004.
V. China
a. The Quest for Religious Freedom:
Hunter/Rimmington. "Religion and Social Change in Contemporary China." 11-37.
Stephan Feuchtwang. "The Old and the New: A Commentary on the Control of Popular Religion in the PRC. 45-54.
Kim-Kwong Chan. "A Chinese Perspective on the Interpretation of the Chinese Government's Religious Policy." 38-44.
VI. Latin America:
a. History of Absolutism:
Dussel, Enrique. The Church in Latin America: 1492- 1992 (Orbis, 1992), chpt 1,2.
b. Liberation Theology and Civil War:
Hennelly, Alfred T.Liberation Theology: A Documentary History (Orbis, 1995).
Pottenger, John. The Political Theory of Liberation Theology (SUNY, 1989).
“El Salvador: From Evangelization to Insurrection", in Religion and Political Conflictin Latin America
c. The Rise of Protestantism and Modes of Reconciliation
Martin, David. Tongues of Fire: The Explosion of Protestantism in Latin America (Blackwell, 1990).
VII. The United States
a.Constitutional Foundations:
John Witte, Religion and the American Constitutional Experiment (Westview, 2004), chpts 1-3
b.Historical Case Studies: Religion and the Civil War; Religion and the Civil Rights Movement
Mark Noll, Religion and the American Civil War (Oxford, 1999), chpt 6
Gayraud Wilmore, Black Religion and Black Radicalism: An Interpretation of the Religious History of African Americans (Orbis, 1998)
VIII. Religion and Reconciliation in Comparative Perspective
Rodney Stark, Religion as Social Capital (Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2003), pp.121-137
Concluding Lecture
Student Presentations
Well this is gonna be challenging as there is 3 US credit hours that is to complete in 2 weeks! lots of reading, thinking, analysing,critical thinking, sharing...etc
gonna travel for a while after the completion of course. Hopefully can meet up thong and sheng in London!
