Literatures, Religions, and Arts of the Himalayan Region

FAIN: ES-50363-10

College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA 01610-2395)
Todd T. Lewis (Project Director: March 2010 to November 2014)
Leonard Van der Kuijp (Co Project Director: March 2010 to November 2014)

Funding details:
Original grant (2010) $212,485.00
Supplement (2011) $4,925.82

A four-week summer institute for thirty school teachers on the cultural and religious traditions of the Himalayan region.

The Institute will be centered on the Himalayan region (Nepal, Kashmir, Tibet) and focus on the religions and cultures there that have been especially important in Asian history. Basic Hinduism and Buddhism will be reviewed and explored as found in the region, as will shamanism and the impact of Christianity and Islam. Major cultural expressions in art history, music, and literature will be featured, especially those showing important connections between Indian and Chinese civilizations. Emerging literatures from Tibet and Nepal will be covered by three noted authors. This inter-disciplinary Institute will end with a survey of the modern ecological and political problems facing the peoples of the region. Institute workshops will survey K-12 classroom resources; all teachers will develop their own curriculum plans and learn web page design. These resources, along with scholar presentations, will be published and made available for teachers worldwide.