Observation Reports --> Worship & Food Culture

During the first half of the course, the Worship Report describes your observations and interviews among participants at a local worship site. During the second half of the course, the Food Culture Report describes your observations and the stories of those who sell you food from a local farm, and your experience of sharing that food with others or eating it in solitude. These reports also relate your observations to those documented in related course readings. You write as if you were articulating your thoughts to provide explanations for a peer (vs. a specialist) who is unfamiliar with the topic, since half a dozen student observation reports will be assigned as readings for application exercises in Units 2 & 4 and for the final TRA.

Related Sources

Sources assigned for the first half of the course (Units 1-2) document practices and reflection similar to those you will find out about at local worship sites; sources assigned fo second half (Units 3-4) document experiences similar to those you will have with local farms & your own eating of food procured from them. You'll need to read at least one such reading to address section C(ii) of both worksheets; drawing on an additional source can earn you extra credit.

CAUTION: These sources are different from those listed for Source Analyses. MAKE SURE TO USE THESE SOURCES for the observation reports.

Units 1-2 --> for Worship Report ancestor offering rituals in The Laws of Manu (RDR, 1-16) Family Rituals of Zhu Xi (RDR, 35-46) Fuller, "Hindu Worship" (RDR, 17-30) Kinsley, "The Worship of Durga" (RDR, 31-34) Schipper, "Everyday Religion" & "The Immortals" (RDR, 47-72) excerpts from the Tanakh (RDR, 73-105) Bynum, “Fast & Feast"..."Food in the Writings of Women Mystics” (RDR, 106-131)

Unit 3-4 --> for Food Culture Report [TBA]

--> see also ADDITIONAL readings for Extra Credit

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