studies find a place in only two of the tertiary institutions. These four are:
University of Cambodia, Assumption University and Mahidol University (both
in Thailand), and the National University of Singapore. I detail these programs
briefly.
The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies located in the
University of Cambodia is notable for institutionalizing the academic study of
religion. The logic of the program is articulated thus in the department’s website
(www.uc.edu.kh/colleges/philosophy_&_religious studies.html):The Philosophy and Religious Studies Program at the University of
Cambodia offers students an opportunity to acquire a fuller under-
standing and appreciation of some of the most fundamental aspects of
human thought and behaviour. It challenges students to think rigorously
about some of the most profound questions people have been asking for
thousands of years and which continue to be urgent in today’s world.
Likewise, students develop a critical understanding of the complexity of
the religions and their importance in human life.The department has a well-developed undergraduate program which has
devised a joint program in Philosophy and Religious Studies, offering them as
a major or a minor, as well as the option of specializing in either of the two
disciplines. In addition to completing the required basic courses, students can
choose from a variety of courses (either in Philosophy or Religious Studies) to
pursue the chosen concentration. The offering of modules is comprehensive,
straddling fields of study in Eastern and Western philosophies and religions,
with specific focus on Buddhist and Islamic religious traditions and philo-
sophies, and with both a historical and contemporary focus. The number of
courses on offer is itself impressive, giving students tremendous choice outside
the eight required courses. In all, I counted nineteen specialized modules (at
different 200, 300, and 400 levels, of which students choose fourteen) in the
Philosophy section and twenty specialized modules (of which students choose
fourteen) in the Religious Studies cluster. Some examples of the latter include
‘Religions of China’, ‘Approaching Religion’, ‘Religion and Politics in the
Middle East’, ‘Religion and Psychology’, ‘Third World Liberation Theology’,
and ‘Zen Buddhism’.
Thailand has the distinction of having two tertiary institutions where the
academic study of religion has been formalized: Assumption University and
Mahidol University. The beginnings of Assumption University can be traced
to the year 1969, when a Catholic religious congregation, the Brothers of St
Gabriel, founded the Assumption Business Administration College. This group,
which prioritizes educational and philanthropic work, was led at the time by
Rev. Br. Bernard Mary. He is acknowledged as the founder of the college,
which was granted the status of a tertiary institution in 1975. The university,142
ROWENA ROBINSON AND VINEETA SINHA