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ANT 405 Dr. Dorothy D. Wills

Choose a belief system - world religion such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, more local religion such as Baha'i, Jainism, Sikhism, Wiccan, Goddess spirituality, various sects and denominations of the world religions, an indigenous people's traditional belief system, or any other cult or faith with which YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR - and look up as much as you can find about how their worldview regards gender. What roles do men and women have in it? What are their qualities, or expected qualities? What about sexuality? What happens to them if they break rules? Are they supposed to have the same kinds of relationships with other people, with God, with each other, or different? How do adherents of the belief system know what they are supposed to do, and what they are supposed to be like? What are spiritual beings like in it (do they have a gender)? Is there a third gender? etc.

You will make a class presentation on your findings, and turn in a brief report. Further details will be discussed in class.