Study in Hungary

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Jason Mraz

As I am listening to Jason Mraz, I cannot help remembering those chilly mornings in Buckinghamhire, those long walks all the way to Little Chalfont, a two mile walk, with only a doughnut to sustain, my time driving all the way to Koln from London -those nice summer days, during the Euro Cup (Thanks Henrike), and of course, the moments, in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, How could I forget my American MBA Colleagues, all of our Professors in Cleveland, meeting them again back in London, just a day after Mayball. Those breakfast we had in the cafe, and how I confused Rudolph and Bolu,...though, until today, I thankful to both of them for their kindness in the flat in London, and the fact that we went to US together, and I had to swap rooms with the couple, and how Easter really surprised me that day in US...My evening talks at St. Peter's Flat with Henrike, and how they (those French girls) made me wait outside in the cold those days..yes, the issue about living in the Quad, and who should go to Spain did arise, and the whole things snowballed, how on earth did Marina decided to make an ultimatum to go France, and indeed caught everyone by surprise, and how AB-D coaxed me not to go to US, I know I was adamant, and I am glad I did.. I never wanted to have mental problem with vindictive like such person, may God forgive his bitterness and may he lives in peace..It wasn't my fault that I am a Malaysian, and therefore, I need no visa to go anywhere in the European Union..Gosh, it was all felt so recent, thanks to my Japanese family back in Takayama, my buddies in Siberia, Bratsk, my helpful, never to be forgotten, from Jeddah, Mecca, and Medina, who sheltered me in their homes, of course, the guy who, helped me when we lost our way in Moscow, and the Bulgarian old man, who gave me way at Sheremetyevo Airport, those days. The worries I had, when my mother was coming to London, on 911...
My walk in the park in Moscow, the police who helped me, the lady doctor I met in the train from St. Petersburg back to Moscow, many many years ago, the rainy days in St. Petersburg, watching the bridge - thanks Alexey.. People who helped out, my walk in front of Ceaucescu Palace in Bucharest, Natalia and the flat in Moscow and our coffee break...
Yes, many things did happen when I decided to move to Liverpool....thanks to Tommi then in Stockholm) for the nice time I had when I had to flee England and live in his flat in Sweden though for a very short stint....To Hassan..yes, while I got so sick with a bad cold in at your parents flat in Duisburg,many many years ago...everything is so clear...with so many sweet memories...whenever, I cannot take it any longer living in the UK and it was too expensive to return to Kuala Lumpur..I end up in Germany..
How could I forget sweet charming Munirah in Tashkent..the couple from Basel Switzerland..I met at the Rhine..whom I helped take their pictures..
Could I not miss, Takayama, Moscow, Stockholm, Cleveland, Bucharest, Duisburg, Moers, Bucks, Jeddah, Mecca, Medina, Bratsk - Siberia, the people I met in Irkutsk, St. Petersburg...etc..., the homes I lived, the hospitality of everyone, dacha etc...
Gosh..there are just so many thoughts..May God bless them all....

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Islamic Theology

Aims

Islamic Theology, or Kalam, has its roots in the Quran and Hadith and its influence can be seen on many facets of Muslim thought. Muslim theologians have produced a vast corpus of literature throughout the course of history. This module aims to critically analyse the development of Islamic theology. In this historical approach, the main concepts, different schools and great Muslim thinkers of the field and the extent to which these thinkers relied upon the Quran and Hadith will be evaluated.

Syllabus

'Ilm al-kalam (literally 'the science of debate') denotes a discipline of Islamic thought generally referred to as 'theology' or (even less accurately) as 'scholastic theology', is one of the Islamic sciences, which deals with the fundamental Islamic doctrines. The Islamic teachings are divided into three parts: Doctrines ('aqa'id), Morals (akhlaq), and the Law (ahkam). The science which deals with the first of the above-mentioned is 'ilm al-kalam. The module is intended to deal with the prominent representatives of kalam as well as its major issues.

Discussions in "classical" Kalam centred around a number of theological issues including, but not limited to, God's names and qualities, free will and predestination, the relationship between reason and revelation, and political philosophy. The course will examine these issues within the larger context of Islamic thought and try to see how Kalam arguments have been articulated in a more and more philosophical language until the culmination of this process in Khwaja Nasir al-din al-Tusi.

There will also be a critical analysis of the historical development of Mu`tazilism, Ash'arism and Shi`ism. To complement this, there will be a survey of such leading theologians as Wasil ibn Ata, the founder of the Mu'tazilite school of thought, and his later followers, namely Nazzam and al-Jahiz; Abu'l-Hasan al-Ash'ari, the founder of the Ash'arite school of thought, and his tradition, and how their thought both influenced and was by adjusted by the later theologians, namely Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi and Ibn Taymiyya. Parallel with this, the ideas of the most outstanding Shi`ite theologians, which reached its culmination with `Allamah al-Hilli, a contemporary of Ibn Taymiyya, will be examined.

Religious Studies: Religion in Contemporary Society

Religion, Sensemaking and Spirituality: an approach from the Social Sciences
Introduction

In the 19th and 20th century, a cultural shift took place that is known as The Process of Modernization. This process had an enormous impact on religion.

Traditional, institutionalized religion partly gave way for all kinds of religiosity and spirituality.

In our program we study the impact and nature of religiosity and spirituality from both a sociological and a psychological point of view. The first seminar is focused on the social and cultural aspects:
What is sense making?
What is religion?
How does it function in modern society?

The second deals with psychological aspects: Why and how do people deal with existential issues such as death, freedom, meaninglessness, and what is the relationship with mental health and one’s spiritual development? How do human beings differ in the extent to which they feel connected with others, God, the universe or other unseen or sacred realities? How does religion influence (1) the acquirement of relational outcomes (belongingness, social identity) and (2) social interactions between people (e.g., empathy, moral behavior, ingroup-outgroup thinking).

Universiteit Leiden

Format for the Presentation of Theses and (mini-) Dissertations

Binding
The binding must be of a fixed kind in which the leaves are permanently secured. The boards must be sufficiently rigid to support the weight of the work when the book is standing on a shelf. The covering must be in the standard form of black waterproof buckram cloth except in the case of Doctoral PHD degrees, which must be bound in scarlet.

Cover Title
The outside front cover must bear the following: a full title and sub-titles (if any) of the work at the top in at least 18pt (5mm) gold lettering; the initials and surname of the candidate; the qualification in brackets for which the thesis is submitted and the year of submission. The lettering must read from top to bottom, ie so as to be readable when the volume is lying flat with the front cover uppermost. If the work consists of more than one volume, the spine and front cover must also bear the number of each volume. The title and candidate name may also be suitably arranged on the spine of the bound work.

Type
Theses and dissertations must be presented in typescript or print. Copies produced by xerographic or comparably permanent processes are acceptable. White paper of A4 size must be used, which must be of good quality and of sufficient opacity for normal reading and printed on one side of the paper only.

Lay-out

* Margins at the binding (left hand side) edge must be not less than 40mm, and other margins not less than 20mm.
* Line spacing should be 1.5 (except for indented quotations where single spacing must be used).
* Font sizes vary but 12 is a good size to use.
* Paragraphs must be blocked and separated by double spacing.
* No section must be started within the last 5 lines of any page.


Pagination
Pages must be numbered consecutively throughout the thesis including photographs and/or diagrams where possible.

Title Page
The title page must give precise information. (Please confer with the Registrar’s office to confirm the details of this before submitting the unbound copies.)

Chapters
Chapters should each start on a fresh page.
Chapter headings should be placed to the left of the page; chapters and subsections of chapters should be numbered to correspond with those designated in the Research Proposal. Numbering should be numerical not alphabetical; hence 1.1.

Abbreviations
Where abbreviations are used a key should be provided. As a general rule, however, abbreviations should be avoided where possible.

Drawings, Maps, etc
Wherever practicable, such illustrative matter must have a binding margin of at least 40mm and, if possible, be bound in the thesis near the appropriate text. Material that cannot be conveniently bound in the work must be included in a pocket inside the back cover or presented in such a way as may be determined by the Registrar.

Consistency
Whatever style is used, for instance for writing numbers (ie words or digits), for lay-out etc, it is important to be consistent throughout the work.

Bibliography
Specific regulations must be followed in the presentation of this aspect of the thesis. A separate document provides details of these.

Language Read
It is now a stipulatory requirement by the accrediting University in South Africa that all essays, monographs, mini-dissertations, dissertations and theses be subject to a full language read (ie proofread) prior to final submission. This facility is arranged through either the GST Registrar or Central Office for a fee of £2.50 per thousand words or part thereof, which is based on the presented draft, NOT the final copy. Students are reminded, therefore, of the requirement to delimit the focus of their study as detailed in the compilation document.

What is 'Enquiry-Based Learning'?

A simple definition of enquiry-based learning is to say that it is an approach characterised by 'learning through doing'. The student takes an active role in learning, by engaging with case studies or scenarios that call for sustained analysis and enquiry. The work is very student-centred, since participants in EBL direct their own lines of enquiry and identify suitable methods and data. The process of enquiry encourages participants to draw on prior knowledge and experience; and since many of the exercises are drawn from 'real life', it enables students to relate EBL to the demands of their own contexts and professional commitments.

On the professional doctorate in practical theology, we will be using enquiry-based learning as a way of fostering an ethos of 'practice-based research' amongst participants. Throughout your doctoral study, you will be encouraged to participate in exercises such as case studies, problem-based workshops and fieldwork visits which will enable you to sharpen important 'transferable skills' such as identifying research questions, problem-solving, research design and implementation, and communicating your research findings to others.

Professional Doctorate in Practical Theology

What is Professional Doctorate in Practical Theology?

Professional doctorates are designed to take explicit account of the work or practice-based setting of participating students as a central component (and knowledge-base) of an advanced research project. This reflects the need for structured forms of professional development in many areas of the public, private and voluntary sector.

The programme is therefore designed to introduce you to a range of dynamic and challenging concepts and methods with which to reflect critically and constructively on your current experience and context. Two approaches in particular will be used: firstly, practice-based research and enquiry-based learning methods, in which participants' own professional context becomes a primary research resource.

Secondly, you will be encouraged to keep a research log, or learning journal. This may take the form of a diary, or portfolio or other personal record, and is designed to encourage you to keep a record of your reading and research, cultivate your writing skills and integrate your theoretical work with sustained reflection on your own practical context. Elements of this journal will be submitted for assessment.

The qualification is particularly aimed at participants across a range of contexts and institutions:

* Public sector professions, such as health care, education, social services;
* Those working in the caring professions, such as psychotherapy and counselling, social work and community development;
* Ministers of religion, in parish, congregational or chaplaincy settings
* Those working for charities, non-governmental organizations or in cultural industries or the arts;
* Those in industry or business wishing to deepen their understanding of the ethical and theological dimensions of their professional and/or voluntary practice.

Award of the doctoral degree will be via submission of a research portfolio, with structured assignments and deadlines. Participants will be assessed on their ability to generate new perspectives, data, paradigms in the engagement between religious, ethical and spiritual world-views and a range of professional and practical contexts.

In addition to regular supervisions with a tutor, participants will undertake up to three residential workshops and 4 day conferences per year with a peer group covering all aspects of the discipline of practical Theology. Sessions will include work on research skills and methodology, practical exercises in enquiry-based learning and lectures, seminars and student-led discussions.

The programme will also feature an international summer school each July, drawing together students on Professional Doctorate in Practical Theology programmes from other participating universities.

How is the programme structured?

Length of Study: The programme is available over 3-6 years part-time.

Workload and student support:

For part-time students, we will expect you to set aside around 6-8 hours for independent work per week. That will include research and reading, and maintaining a regular research journal.

In addition, you will be assigned a personal supervisor, who will want to see you approximately six times per academic year.

You will also receive support via the regular seminars. These comprise two residentials and 4 day conferences in the academic years.

The programme will be taken in two Stages:

* Stage I: ACTION- RESEARCH PORTFOLIO. Up to 3 years part-time
o Unit 1:KEY VOICES: Literature review
The aim of this unit is to offer a foundation in the field of practical theology, by introducing participants to debates, methods and writers in the discipline. You will be expected to:
+ Conduct a literature review (totalling 7,000 words) in the field of practical theology in a way that demonstrates an understanding of methodological issues associated with reflection on practice and context
+ This should present an informed critique of the methods and assumptions of other scholars in practical theology using appropriate academic skills and conventions of presentation.
o Unit 2: PUBLISHABLE ARTICLE
The overall aim of this unit is to examine the elements and stages involved in publishing aspects of your research. You will be asked to:
+ Select a topic of research suitable to the production of a 7,000 word research report or article in a significant area of the academic discipline of practical theology and or/area of professional practice
+ Demonstrate through the exploration of that topic a capacity for independent, original and in depth thinking
+ Relate that topic to appropriate context(s) of practice
+ Select and justify research method(s) appropriate to the investigation of that topic
+ Communicate the findings of that research clearly and effectively in verbal form to peers, by means of a seminar paper, subsequently revised for publication
o Unit 3: Establishing advanced research practice in practical theology
1. RESEARCH PROPOSAL
In this part of the unit, you will be invited to develop a research proposal (7,000 words) for an advanced piece of research in the field of practical theology that demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the issues, questions and methods that are particularly relevant to the context and performance that you wish to study in Stage II.
2. REFLECTION ON PRACTICE
You will also be asked to reflect critically on your own development as a researcher and practitioner in practical theology by submitting portions of your Learning Journal.
* Stage II: RESEARCH DISSERTATION
A thesis (50,000-60,000 words), which will contain the following elements:
o Presentation of your research, indicating how it may be evaluated as an original contribution to the discipline of Practical Theology
o A critical evaluation of the contribution which this research makes to your context of professional practice
o Further critical account and analysis of your own intellectual and professional development during the course of the research.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Theology?

* religion is a major factor shaping the world in which we live—you can't understand the world without understanding religion
* all religions raise ethical and philosophical questions which are among the most basic and important we face as human beings
* theology draws on a wide range of intellectual disciplines: history, languages, philosophy, sociology, cultural studies, art history, and others
* good theology engages with the political, cultural and social issues which affect our lives
* Theology stretches intellectual abilities to the full. Theologians may serve as an historian, literary critic and philosopher, and theological training leads towards acquiring skills attractive relevant for a wide range of contribution

Theology is one of the most challenging and exciting subjects to learn, spanning Theology, Religion, Ethics and Philosophy..

Sukhoi History