Austin Community College Philosophy, Religion, and Humanities

01/06/2023

"The Seven Lucky Gods also reflect the diverse cultural traditions of Japanese New Year. Along with Hotei, this set includes other Buddhist gods such as Daikokuten, Bishamonten and Benzaiten, along with Chinese gods of longevity and prosperity and the Shinto god Ebisu."

The Seven Lucky Gods usher in good fortune in the new year in Japan. Among them, Hotei plays the most prominent role, for he is considered not just a lucky god, but also a buddha.

01/05/2023

"But while voluntary exercise is new, intense physical regimens to connect with the divine are not. People have long experimented with ways to generate a sense of transcendence, to stir emotions, or to spur self-reflection through bodily discipline. The Siddhas, mystics in ancient India, developed unique physical practices in an attempt to achieve enlightenment, render the body divine and, ultimately, become immortal beings. Or consider 12th century Taoist ascetics who thought sleep deprivation could bring them closer to the truth. Catholic saints practiced self-mortification, such as wearing itchy sackcloth, to encourage humility and to create greater compassion for the suffering of others."

Fitness and religion make a potent combination, one people have explored for centuries.

08/19/2022

Amazing things are in store for our Great Questions students, both in the short run, and in the long.

Since 2016, thousands of students have begun their educational journey in discussion-based classes focused on transformative texts with Great Questions at AC...

08/19/2022

Our Great Questions Seminars, which fulfill the student success requirement for new students at Austin Community College, are featured in a thoughtful blog post from Steven Mintz at Inside Higher Ed.

How one community college system discarded a cookie-cutter approach to education.

10/22/2021

"A different adaptation of the Cornerstone model is underway at Austin Community College, where faculty created the Great Questions Seminar -- a gateway course fulfilling the student success course requirement that is increasingly the norm at community colleges. Students in all sections of the seminar encounter a common set of readings, starting with The Odyssey, as aids to reflection on the personal journey on which they are embarking. Subsequently, to complete a designated track through distribution requirements called the “great questions journey,” they can take courses that span from government, history and Mexican American studies to theater and speech. All courses in the track focus on primary texts and make general education more coherent for students."

Andrew Delbanco and Loni Bordoloi Pazich describe a model for engaging students who seek respite from the pre-professional treadmill and for expanding teaching opportunities for faculty.

08/18/2021

Open to all ACC students!

This will be ACC's 1st semester of having a percussion ensemble. Stayed tuned for some really exciting news about this summer. If you're intersted in signin...

07/21/2021

We are excited that this Fall we will be offering a new Honors section of our Humanities 1302 class (A Renaissance to Modern Humanities survey) with an emphasis on strategic peacebuliding, conflict transforamtion, and global citizenship.

04/29/2021

Another great Liberal Arts Gateway course, with versions supporting both Peace and Conflict Studies and Global Studies.

04/21/2021

More offerings of Summer Liberal Arts Gateway courses out of Philosophy, Religion, and Humanities.

04/20/2021

Check out our great offerings of Liberal Arts Gateway courses this summer out of Philosophy, Religion, and Humanities!

09/09/2020

In the upcoming 12-week session of Mexican American Fine Arts Appreciation, we study Mexican American art and culture as an important and under-recognized element of the American cultural landscape. This course has
offered students a window into their own cultural heritage, and for students who do not identify as Mexican Americans, it has broadened their understanding of the cultural world that surrounds us in Texas and the southern United States. We start by learning more about the history that shapes the cultural movements, and then we look at literature, drama, performing arts, and visual arts, examining these works from the perspective of how history has shaped them and how they have shaped history.

09/09/2020

HUMA-1315 available for the upcoming 12-week session, shines the light on how contemporary
museums, festivals, and archives engage the public
in arts and culture. If you have ever wondered how art makes
it to the walls of a museum? Who decides what
films play in a festival? What musician’s work gets
into the Library of Congress? This is the class for
you!