Sample-Course-Syllabus-Buddhism-in-USA-6wk

“Buddhism in America” Syllabus Template
by Pierce Salguero

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“Buddhism in America” Syllabus Template
by Pierce Salguero

Buddhism in
America
Syllabus Template

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“Buddhism in America” Syllabus Template
by Pierce Salguero
COURSE SUMMARY
This course focuses on Buddhism in the United States. It provides a overview of the
historical factors that led to the development of Buddhism in the U.S., the many
traditions that currently exist in the U.S., the role of Buddhism in the daily lives of
different types of Americans, and various problems or frameworks that have
characterized American Buddhism (such as race, gender, technology, and media
representations). One major theme of the course is meditation, which is explored
through interdisciplinary perspectives (including looking at meditation technologies,
such as virtual reality, mobile apps, and other popular meditation aides). Another
major focus for the class is Buddhism in the local area, which we will explore through
required site-visits to local temples for ethnographic observation. Students will
contribute materials to an online ethnographic database on American Buddhism, and

will gain experience working with online demographic mapping tools, newspaper
archives, and other digital research technologies.

TEXTBOOK
The required book for this course is:

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Scott Mitchell, Buddhism in America: Global Religion, Local Contexts
(Bloomsbury Academic, 2016).

All other required readings on the syllabus below are to be found on the course
management system webpage for this class.

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
* Note: The following schedule is a prototype for a 6-week summer course. It is based
on Penn State University’s requirement that a semester-long course include 37.5
hours of instruction. The assumption is that students can be granted 10.5 hours for
the three site visits, and that the remainder be split over three 90-minute sessions on
MWF. Of course, this can be adjusted as necessary for individual circumstances.

1. Introduction
Topics covered in class this week:

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(M) Introductions & overview of syllabus

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(W) Lecture: What is Buddhism?

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(F) Introduction to our ethnographic project and website (www.jivaka.net)

Recommended reading for advanced students and faculty:

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David McMahan, The Making of Buddhist Modernism (Oxford University
Press, 2008) — essential background reading on modern Buddhism in
global context.

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“Buddhism in America” Syllabus Template
by Pierce Salguero

2. History of Buddhism in the West
Student reading assignment for this week:

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Mitchell introduction, ch 1-4

Topics covered in class this week:

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(M) Keywords quiz and discussion of readings

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(W) Discussion: Ethnographic ethics and methods

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(F) Discussion: Practicalities and strategies for visiting Buddhist temples

Recommended reading for faculty and advanced students:

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Wakoh Shannon Hickey, Meditation as Medicine (forthcoming) — on the
reception of Buddhism in 19th century USA.

3. Traditions of American Buddhism
Student reading assignment for this week:

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Mitchell ch 5-8

Topics covered in class this week:

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(M) Keywords quiz and discussion of readings

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(W) Watch ”Streams of Light“ (on imdb.com)

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(F) Library Lab: Searching for Buddhism in historical local newspapers.

Recommended reading for advanced students and faculty:

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Richard H. Seager, Buddhism in America (Columbia University Press, 2012)
— Part 2 offers more details into specific lineages in the US (Jodo Shinshu,
Sokka Gakai, etc.), “Profiles” offers short introductions to influential
American Buddhists.

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Wendy Cadge, Heartwood (University of Chicago Press, 2004) — on early
Theravada communities.

Weekend: Site visit #1

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“Buddhism in America” Syllabus Template
by Pierce Salguero

4. Problematizing “American Buddhism”
Student reading assignment for this week:

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Mitchell ch 9-12

Topics covered in class this week:

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(M) Keywords quiz and discussion of readings

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(W) Library Lab: Mapping local demographics using Social Explorer.

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(F) Oral presentations on site visit #1: Discuss your experiences, and any
troubles you had in carrying out the assignment. Introduce the temple
using the temple data sheet, illustrated with the multimedia materials you
acquired. Include a summary of the demographic shifts of the
neighborhood from 1960s to the present based on Social Explorer, using
screenshots of maps as evidence to corroborate the story you are telling.
Also include any relevant information from local newspapers about this
temple or other local temples operated by this particular group.

Recommended reading for advanced students and faculty:

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Scott Mitchell and Natalie Quli, Buddhism Beyond Borders: New
Perspectives on Buddhism in the United States (SUNY Press, 2015) —
individual essays offer analyses that complicate the category of “American
Buddhism” in various ways.

Weekend: Site visit #2

5. Race and American Buddhism
Student reading assignment for this week:

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Wakoh Shannon Hickey, “Two Buddhisms, Three Buddhisms, and Racism,”
Journal of Global Buddhism 11 (2010).

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Natalie Quli, “Western Self, Asian Other: Modernity, Authenticity, and
Nostalgia for 'Tradition' in Buddhist Studies," Journal of Buddhist Ethics 16
(2009).

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Chenxing Han, “We’re not who you think we are,” Lion’s Roar (2017).

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Funie Hsu, “We’ve been here all along,” Lion’s Roar (2017).

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“Buddhism in America” Syllabus Template
by Pierce Salguero
Topics covered in class this week:

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(M) Discussion of readings

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(W) Watch ”Streams of Light“ (on imdb.com). Student response questions:
How has racism structured American immigration policy and civil rights,
and how have Buddhists reacted to these trends? What cultural challenges
and other obstacles did second and third generation Japanese immigrants
face in promoting Buddhism in the US, and how was American Shin
Buddhism transformed in response to these challenges? (350 words).

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(F) Oral presentations on site visit #2

Recommended reading for advanced students and faculty:

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J Cheah, Race and Religion in American Buddhism: White Supremacy and
Immigrant Adaptation (Oxford University Press, 2011). — race analysis of
American Buddhist history, with focus on Burmese Theravada community.

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Jane Iwamura, Virtual Orientalism: Asian Religions and American Popular
Culture (Oxford University Press, 2011) — see especially chps. 2 and 4,
which discuss stereotypes about Asian religions prevalent in American
popular culture.

Weekend: Site visit #3

6. Meditation and wellness
Student reading assignment for this week:

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Ron Purser and David Loy, “Beyond McMindfulness,” Huffington Post blog
(2013).

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Geoffrey Samuel, “The contemporary mindfulness movement and the
question of nonself,” Transcultural Psychiatry 52.4 (2014).

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Ira Helderman, “Drawing the Boundaries between ‘Religion’ and ‘Secular’
in Psychotherapists’ Approaches to Buddhist Traditions in the United

States,” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 84.4 (2016).

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Ann Gleig, “External Mindfulness, Secure (Non)-Attachment, and Healing
Relational Trauma: Emerging Models of Wellness for Modern Buddhists and
Buddhist Modernism,” Journal of Global Buddhism 17 (2016).

Topics covered in class this week:

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(M) Discussion of readings

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“Buddhism in America” Syllabus Template
by Pierce Salguero
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(W) Guest speaker or lecture: Introduction to the practice of meditation.

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OR, watch the film “Dhamma Brothers.” Student response questions: How
do the concepts introduced in Mitchell’s discussion of “Buddhist
modernism” and “engaged Buddhism” (in Part 3 of the book) help us to
make sense of the program introduced in the film? Do you think that
Buddhist-inspired meditation has a role in the modern American penal

system, particularly in a place where local religious mores lead to
resistance? (350 words).

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(F) Oral presentations on site visit #3

Recommended reading for advanced students and faculty:

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Jeff Wilson, Mindful America: The Mutual Transformation of Buddhist
Meditation and American Culture (Oxford University Press, 2014) —
detailed examination of history and issues surrounding mindfulness.

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Selections from David McMahan & Erik Braun, Meditation, Buddhism, and
Science (Oxford University Press, 2017) — a range of sociocultural
perspectives on the dialogue/encounter between Buddhist meditation and
science.

Final exam
Final exam to be scheduled by the Registrar.
All materials from site visits must be handed in by the scheduled time of the final.

GRADING
The grades for this course will be calculated as follows:

Keyword quizzes

20 points (1 per keyword)

Temple visits materials

30 (surveys, media, demographic data)

Oral presentations

15 (5 points per presentation)

Final exam

20

Effort & engagement

15

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“Buddhism in America” Syllabus Template
by Pierce Salguero
POLICIES
Effort & engagement: There is no strict formula for this grade. This is a holistic
assessment of your overall contribution to class on a daily basis. Punctual attendance
at all scheduled classes is the bare minimum for full credit. You are also expected to
read the assigned materials and to actively contribute to in-class discussions.
Seeking extra help through office hours, the library, and the Learning Center also

counts here, as do additional signs of engagement and effort.

My role in the grading system is more like a coach or mentor than a parent or boss. I
am here to push you forward, expand your horizons, and to help you succeed; not to
discipline, nag, or micromanage you. You will do well in this class if you take
responsibility for your own learning experience. You can look to me to support your
academic achievement, professionalism, and intellectual development throughout
the semester. However, if you insist on being disengaged or uninterested, or aren’t
willing to put in a good effort, then it will be impossible for me to help you do well.

Absences: Attendance at all sessions is mandatory, and absences will result in a
10% grade reduction for each unexcused absence. Absences are excused when they
are due to serious illness, religious holiday, or university-sanctioned field trips,
sporting, or extracurricular events. If you have an excused absence, I will be happy to
meet with you in office hours to answer any specific questions you might have about
the material after you have gotten notes from another student and completed all
readings. Please note that being more than 15 minutes late to class constitutes an
absence. If class is to be cancelled or delayed for any reason, you will be notified as
far in advance as possible via Canvas email. If I do not show up for class for whatever
reason, after 15 minutes you can consider class to be cancelled.

Unprofessionalism: Please treat the classroom, any exchanges with me and your
fellow students, any class-related interactions off campus, and all other relevant
activities as an exercise in professional behavior and demeanor. You must take care
during all class-related activities to maintain an environment and demeanor
conducive with academic inquiry and intellectual exchange. Please note that the
expectations of professionalism explicitly apply to the use of electronic devices in
class, chatting, sleeping, doing unrelated homework, habitual tardiness, and other
misuses of classroom time and resources. Professionalism off campus includes
properly conducting ethnographic research according to the guidelines discussed in

class, especially with regard to any confidentiality agreements, and positively
representing Abington College and PSU in the community. Any violations of these
expectations on or off campus are grounds for deducting points, failing the class, or
disciplinary action. I will decide the appropriate sanctions on a case-by-case basis.

Academic integrity: The university has a statement on Academic Integrity that is
attached to this syllabus. If you are caught cheating on any assignment, this will be
reported to the university. Regardless how minor the case may seem to you, the
minimum sanction for a violation of any of the academic integrity expectations is a
deduction of 10% of the course grade, but could be more severe—up to and including
failure of the course and disciplinary sanction.

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“Buddhism in America” Syllabus Template
by Pierce Salguero

Requirements for assignments: All writing assignments must be submitted in
hard copy at the beginning of class (i.e., not emailed). They must be typed and
formatted professionally, stapled, with your name clearly written on the first page.
(Please use single spacing to save paper.) All projects of any kind have to represent
college-level work. That means high-quality execution, professionalism, attention to
detail, and taking your time to do it right. Any assignment that is deemed not to rise
to that level will not be accepted and will receive a zero.

Late assignments & makeups: In order to receive full credit, every assignment
must be handed in at the beginning of the class it is due. Late assignments will be
deducted 10% immediately upon missing that deadline, and will be deducted a
further 10% for each 24-hour period that passes. When an absence is excused,

makeup assignments can be arranged, but this must be done in advance and it must
be handed in within one week of the due date. Otherwise, it will receive a zero.

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