Department News

Upcoming EventS !!!!

Sept. 16-19 Abhijit Banargee will be an artist-in-residence at Whittier College. A world-renowned Indian percussionist, Mr. Banargee will be visiting a variety of classes and will be available to the entire campus in the following events:

  • An Indian percussion workshop on Sept 16, 17, and 18 from 6:00-7:00 will be open to all. The workshop will culminate in a public recital on Friday Sept. 19 where students will perform with Banargee's group at noon.
  • Music at Garrett House patio will take place on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 17 where Abhijit will talk about and illustrate Indian percussion
  • Friday Sept 19 Abhijit's percussion group, Tarang, will be performing with taiko drummer, Kenny Endo in the Shannon Center as part the Los Angeles Sacred Music Festival

Oct. date t.b.a., Chanting by Burmese Buddhist Monks

Nov 6, Shannon Center, Dr. Mark Levine, University of Califormia-Irvine professor, and author of the just-published HEAVY METAL ISLAM: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam will be talking about the rising popularity of metal in the Muslim world. A musician-scholar, Levine has performed across the Middle East with Muslim musicians and understands its growing popularity as a response to problems of globalization.

Also coming:  A performance by a Burmese music and dance troupe. Details to be posted soon!!!

In addition, the following courses this Fall will feature guest speakers (courses on these days are open to visitors)

Sept 17 and 19th, Religions of Asia (10am, SC 208) and Hindu Religion and Culture (11:00 am, SC 104), Abhijit Banerjee (see above) will lead discussions and music practicums.

Sept 23rd, 3pm, Person, Cosmos, Community, DH 118, Rabbi Larry Goldmark will be speaking about the role of narrative in moral life. 

Oct 2nd, 3 pm, Sound and Religius Experience, PL 202, University of Riverside graduate student and Whittier College alum will be speaking about the place of music in Sikhism.


Oct 14th, 3 pm, Sound and Religious Experience, PL 202, Jonathan Friedman, Cantor and Religious Studies graduate student will be speaking about/performing Jewish liturgical music.

Nov 5, 11am, Hindu Religion and Culture, SC 104, Hindu monk Swami Swahananda will be speaking about the saint Shri Ramakrishna. 

 

Other News

PROJECT: Mapping Local Religious Institutions

The Department of Religious Studies has begun to gather data on local religious institutions. The goals of our mapping project are several. We want: 1) to have a good, student-friendly data base for fieldwork sites as we continue to focus on the immediate community as our learning laboratory; 2) to make our data available to civic and community groups; and 3) to help inform students and interested others of the immense religious diversity in the area.

To visit our mapping project online, please click here.