Death, Spirituality, and Society in India (SWMS 227gp)

*Undergraduate applicants only, graduate students are not eligible*

Syllabus

Program Information

This experiential GE course examines how beliefs about mortality are produced by history, gender, culture, and context. Accompanied by English-speaking guides, students will visit sites central to a number of India’s major religions, considering the intersections between the world of the gods and the world of mortals; between disparate cultures; and between self and other. Topics will include bodily disposal, beliefs about the afterlife, and how death impacts urban environments. We will stay in pre-arranged hotels at each location and share several group meals together. Course fulfills GE B and H.

Contact Information 

Faculty Director: Diana Blaine

Email: dblaine@usc.edu

Department Administrator: Rebecca Zobeck

Email: rebeccad@usc.edu