Florida International University
Department of Religious Studies
Professor Nathan Katz
REL 3140 – Contemporary Global Spirituality
Spring 2012 Tuesdays, 11-1345 PC-428
SYLLABUS
Objectives:
According to a recent Pew study, 24.1% of Americans describe themselves as “spiritual,
but not religious,” a category that did not exist a decade ago. This course will try to make
sense of this emerging, global trend.
1. We will develop a working definition of “spirituality” and learn to distinguish it from
both religion and values, and then distinguish between traditional and contemporary,
“secularized” forms of spirituality. For this, we will use Yoga, Sufism, Mindfulness and
Kabbalah as our case studies.
2. The course will survey the interactions between spirituality as we have come to
understand it and (a) business (entrepreneurship, leadership and management), (b) health
care (meditation and health, empathy of the health care provider, the impact of illness on
social support networks) and “alternate” therapies (Ayurveda, acupuncture and TCM,
ritual healing), and (c) warriorship (Bushido, USMC honor code, non-violent activisms of
Gandhi and King).
Learning outcomes:
(1) Students will learn key concepts – spirituality, globalization and secularization, and
learn to distinguish between spirituality and religion/values, as well as between
traditional and applied/ secular forms of spirituality. This learning will assessed by two
objective tests.
(2) Students will learn how spiritual principles are applied to a profession of their
choosing through a paper on the application of spirituality (as we have “defined” it) or
via “shadowing” and interviewing, depending on the student’s abilities and the
availability of resources. This learning will be presented in a written report, which will be
assessed.
Textbook:
Dean Hamer, The God Gene (Anchor Books, 2005)
Readings (Blackboard 9):
“More have dropped dogma for spirituality in U.S.,”
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-06-23-pew-religions_N.htm
John Mackey, “Conscious Capitalism: Creating a New Paradigm for Business”
Modesto A. Maidique, “Are You a Level-Six Leader?”
Steven Heine, from White Collar Zen
“Religion and Health: a dose of spirituality can be good for your body” file://localhost/Users/FIU/Desktop/CGS%20course/health%20care/realhealth.htm
W. Smith, “Beyond the Drop Zone” –
http://worlddefensereview.com/wts012207.shtml
True Bushido Code - http://bushidohistory.net/index.php/log-in.html
USMC Core Values - http://www.usmcpress.com/heritage/corp_values.htm
The Concept: Satyagraha –
http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/grimsley1/h380/satyagraha.htm
Martin Luther King, Jr., “Commitment Card” teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=1130
DATE
TOPIC
SPEAKER
READINGS
1/10
Introduction
to course
--
1/17
“Definition”
-
“More have
dropped
dogma…”
God Gene,
esp. pp. 1-87
1/24
Spirituality,
globalization
and
secularization
1/31
Conscious
Capitalism
The Zen of
business
Spirituality
and
leadership
Spirituality
and health
2/7
2/14
2/21
2/28
Yoga,
MISC .
Yoga,
Sufism,
Mindfulness
and
Kabbalah
-
Mackey
Dr. Steven
Heine
Dr. Modesto
Maidique
White Collar
Zen
“Are You a
Level-Six
Leader?”
“Religion and
Health”
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Robert
Dollinger,
M.D.
Dr. Ram P.
3/6
3/13
3/20
3/27
4/3
4/10
4/17
acupuncture
and
“alternative”
medicine
MIDTERM
Agarwal
-
-
-
SPRING
BREAK
Clinical
issues
-
-
-
Multiple
choice
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Rev.
Guillermo
Escalona
Bushido, the Dr. Eric
“Beyond the
path of the
Messersmith Drop Zone”;
warrior
“True
Bushido
Code”
Marine Corps Maj. Gen.
“USMC Core
Juan G.
Values”
Ayala,
USMC
Chief of
Staff
U.S.
Southern
Command
Non-violent
“Satyagraha”;
warriors:
“Commitment
Gandhi and
Card”
King
REVIEW
CLASS
Course requirements:
1. A mid-term on March 6, 2012 and a final during exam week. Objectivedefinitions, matching, multiple choice, fill-in. 25% of final grade each.
2. Research or internship project. 50% of final grade, 1,500 word essay. Must be
submitted on Turnitin no later than April 20, 2012. Late papers will NOT be
accepted except under truly exceptional and documented emergencies.
a. Keeping our “definition” of spirituality as a base, analyze one profession
and the application(s) of spirituality to that professor. You may want to
concentrate on one thinker, or you may prefer to view one profession or
activity.
b. The student has the option of “shadowing” and interviewing a professional
in health care, business, education, etc., for several days, and combined
with readings recommended by the mentor and/or course instructor, the
student will submit a 1,500 word report on his/her learning.
Extra credit:
Student may attend and write a 2-page report on any event sponsored by
the Program in the Study of Spirituality. For a list of events, see
www.spirituality.fiu.edu or facebook.com/SpiritualityFIU
Each write up will give one or two points added to your course grade.
They must be submitted on Turnitin with 48 hours of the event.
Course Regulations and Expectations:
• ATTENDNCE is essential, as is punctuality. Students are strongly
discouraged from joining this class after the first class meeting.
• READINGS must be completed by the date for which they are assigned.
Careful preparation of readings is essential for success in this course!
• ALL WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS are due via www.turnitin.com by the time and
dates indicated. I recommend you register immediately: go to turnitin.com (select
“New Users” if you are new to the site) and
Enroll in the “REL 3140” section with enrollment ID and password “dharma.” In
the interest of fairness, deadlines are firm and will not be extended except in
case of extreme and documented emergencies. Late assignments without
authorized extensions will not be accepted.
Keep copies of all written work. For your own protection, keep a copy of your
turnitin.com electronic receipt until you have received your final grade for the
course.
• STANDARDS for citation and referencing must be adhered to. I recommend
MLA style (see http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/Documentation.html and
follow the link to MLA style), but any standard format is acceptable as long as
you are consistent. All written assignments must be composed using a
Standard word processing program, formatted in 10-12 point standard fonts, and
double-spaced.
• SPELLING, grammar, neatness, clarity, style, organization, etc. all DO count!
Poor writing will affect your grade. Strive for clarity and use your computer’s
spell-check program wisely.
• RE-WRITE and revise your essays before turning them in; do not ask to do so
afterwards. Ask yourself, is this clear? Am I communicating my thoughts well?
Would a friend in another class understand what I am saying? Do I know what an
essay really is, and have I followed that format?
• PLAGIARISM and any and all forms of academic dishonesty will not be
tolerated. Plagiarism is stealing someone else’s words or original ideas.
Plagiarism occurs in two forms: (1) unaccredited quotations (including
Words copied from elsewhere but not bracketed by quotation marks and
quotations without proper citations and documentation) and (2) unaccredited
paraphrases. In both cases, to avoid plagiarism, students must properly cite the
source material. Only commonly known facts and concepts, general material
learned in the course of research and study, and students’ original ideas do not
require citation. Students found violating standards will fail the course.
NOTE: The instructor will abide by the University’s policy on religious holy days as stated in the
University catalogue and the student handbook, and any student may request to be excused from class to
observe a religious holy day of his or her faith.
NOTE: The instructor takes very seriously matters of academic dishonesty and plagiarism. Students who
violate standards will fail the course and will be reported to the Dean. Attached to this syllabus is a
statement that defines plagiarism and academic dishonesty.
RIGHT AWAY, PLEASE:
1. “Like” http://www.facebook.com/SpiritualityFIU
2. Sign up for Turnitin:
TURNITIN CODE FOR REL 3140 - 4544576
PASSWORD – dharma
3. Readings are on Blackboard 9 – click on REL 3140
SIGN UP IMMEDIATELY, PLEASE