HISTORY OF JAPANESE PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIONS 1

This is one of the core courses of the Corso di Laurea "Languages, Cultures and Societies of Asia and Mediterranean Africa".
Its formative objectives are within the area of cultural and humanistic skills learning.

Knowledge and understanding:
- understand the cultural complexity of traditional Japanese religious experience in its historical and social context;
- acquire critical awareness of the different perspectives of analysis of religious phenomena.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
- analyze philosophical and religious texts through the use of critical historical-religious and anthropological tools;
- critically apply the analytical methodologies of the sciences of religions;

Judgment skills:
- elaborate critical judgments on religious phenomena examined during the course;

Communication skills:
- critically re-elaborate the contents of the program without resorting to purely mnemonic preparation.

Learning ability:
- take notes, summarizing, in a clear way, the main topics covered during the lessons;
- integrate independently the study of different teaching materials;
- independently analyze topics not dealt with during lectures;
- study on texts in English;
- use the online teaching platform.

An intermediate level of English (B2) is required to deepen the topics covered in class, using the reference texts.

The course aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of classical philosophical thought and the major religious traditions of Japan, adopting an approach that considers both doctrinal elements and ritual and everyday practices. It will explore Shinto, Buddhist, and Taoist traditions, examining their historical development, mutual influences, and their role in shaping Japanese cultural imagination and social organization.

Particular attention will be devoted to expressions of popular religiosity, the syncretism that characterizes many forms of worship, the development of Shugendō as a mountain ascetic path, and the role of women in religious practices, with a specific focus on the Nara and Heian periods. The course seeks to equip students with critical tools for understanding the plurality and complexity of the Japanese religious landscape, as well as its influence on the arts, politics, and everyday life.

The following texts are mandatory and will serve as the foundation for the written exam. Students are expected to engage critically with these materials in order to develop a well-informed and coherent argument.

William E. Deal and Brian Ruppert, 2015, A cultural history of Japanese Buddhism, Oxford: Wiley Blackwell, pp. 13 - 113.
Helen Hardacre, 2017, Shinto: A History, New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 1-146.
Barbara R. Ambros, 2015, Women in Japanese Religion, New York and London: New York University Press, pp. 1-75.
Herbert Plutschow , 1996, Matsuri: The Festivals of Japan, Surrey: Japan Library, pp. 9-111.

Exam duration: 1 hour

Format: written exam consisting of 4 open-ended questions, each related to one of the required course readings.

The purpose of the exam is to assess students' knowledge of the major Japanese religious traditions, as well as their study skills and capacity for independent learning. The questions are designed to evaluate the ability to apply acquired knowledge to the discussion of course topics, demonstrate critical thinking and independent judgment, and communicate arguments clearly, concisely, and effectively.

written

The grading will be divided according to the following criteria:

A. Score range 18-21:
- Sufficient knowledge and understanding of the program, with an adequate ability to apply it;
- Limited ability to collect and interpret information, with few independent judgments;
- Sufficient communication skills, with basic use of specific language.

B. Score range 22-25:
- Fair knowledge and understanding of the program;
- Good ability to collect and interpret information, with acceptable independent judgments;
- Good communication skills, with proper use of specific language.

C. Score range 26-30:
- Good or excellent knowledge and understanding of the program;
- Good ability to collect and interpret information, with well-formulated independent judgments;
- Very good communication skills, with precise use of specific language.

D. Honors:
Honors will be awarded for an excellent performance, with superior knowledge, judgment skills, and communication abilities.

Lectures, also with the help of power-point.

It will be possible to take the exam with the program carried out in this course (2025-26) only for the first four exam sessions.
Once these four exam sessions have passed, students will have to take the exam with the program of the new academic year.