CLWR 4350 - Women in Buddhist Traditions

• Appreciate the historical agency of Buddhist women even in situations of oppression.
• Articulate ideas in a thoughtful and effective manner through informal and formal writing exercises.
• Challenge incorrect stereotypes (positive and negative) about Buddhist women.
• Critically evaluate primary and secondary sources on women and Buddhism.
• Describe the diversity of women’s images, roles, experiences and concerns, discerning various viewpoints in different cultural contexts.
• Elucidate how women have been represented in Buddhist scriptures and how Buddhist women have responded to these representations.
• Explain why Buddhist texts have not always included the voices of women, and implement ways to uncover them through research.
• Illuminate Buddhist concepts of gender and sexuality.
• Illustrate the strategies Buddhist women have developed to gain access to Buddhist institutions, especially monastic institutions.