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February 12, 2008
Study Abroad in Moscow & Kalmykia
Study Abroad
Russia: Religion and Society in Kalmykia
June 30-August 1, 2008
In few areas have the changes in Russia over the past 20 years been more dramatic than in religion. This trip will take us to Moscow and Kalmykia, where we will have an opportunity to investigate how Russians have seen the role of religion in society transformed. These days, Buddhism is in a period of renewal in the Republic of Kalmykia, as evidenced by the recent visit of the Dalai Lama in 2004 and the awarding to the Dalai Lama of the White Rose by Kalmykia’s president Kirsan Ilumzhinov last year.
Some questions we will consider while studying abroad:
How can a study of Buddhism in Kalmykia shed light on the larger questions of the role of religion in Russian civil society? How does religion form the identity of Kalmyks? What tensions exist between the Kalmykia Buddhists and the Russian Orthodox church? How does the Russian Federation deal with the question of religious pluralism?...
We will examine these and other issues during our month long study. The course will begin with two weeks at the Center for the Study of Religion at Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow. American students will join their Russian counterparts in classes taught by the faculty of the Center (with English translation). The group will then travel to Kalmykia for two weeks of field work where the participants will observe the Buddhist community through visits to religious sites, interviews, and participation in religious events.
Program Fee: $4,345 Fee includes: tuition, accommodation, ground transportation, some meals, excursions, Cultural tours of Moscow, pre‐departure orientation, International Student Identity Card, Emergency evacuation insurance, and travel guidebook.
Earn 6 credits in RUSS, RELI, PUBP or SOCI
This program is open to Mason students, non‐Mason students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public. Financial Aid may apply! Deadline for applications is April 4, 2008. For more information please visit our website, http://globaled.gmu.edu or contact Rita Bartolo at 703‐993‐2641 or via email at rbartolo@gmu.edu.
Posted by danimia at February 12, 2008 10:45 AM