RELS 370: Gods, Demons and Monsters


Analyses of various characters from the mythologies and narratives of specific events and deities/demons from Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism. Contributions from the course RELS 370 at the University of Calgary.

The short six-week course focused on analysing various worldviews shaped by the cultural and religious backdrop. Theoretical discussions such as Orientalism and Archetyping and Stereotyping through religious narratives provided a variety of approaches to understanding the religious narratives in the aforementioned traditions.

Kali (Hinduism), Djinn (Islam), and Mara (Buddhism) were used as case-studies to peel the layers of embodied philosophies in practiced religions.

Spring 2024 contributions:

Divinity, Ardhanarishwara, and Gender by Alex Lepa

Will the Real Kali Please Stand up by Fatima Khan

Kali: The Duality of Deity and Demoness in Hindu Mythology by Wazhma Rahmani

Comparative analysis of “moderation” in Buddhism and Islam by Zeina Hussain

Equine figures in Islam: Al-buraq and Haizum by Ayishah Hasni