US University Defends Hindu Religion Course Amid Misrepresentation Claims, Says It 'Values Academic Freedom'

The course named 'Lived Hindu Religion' at the Houston University, sparked a controversy recently after a student complained about it, alleging it to be "Hinduphobic" and distorting "India's political landscape".

University of Houston defended its 'Lived Hindu Religion' course, stating that it "values academic freedom".

Source : X@UHouston

The University of Houston defended its course on the Hindu religion, stating that it "values academic freedom" and that the course content is grounded in the academic discipline of religious studies that utilise specific terminology such as "fundamentalism" to understand religious movements across traditions.

It also said that studying fundamentalism is not an act of judgment but a means to understand how religions evolve.

"The University of Houston (UH) values academic freedom, which includes allowing faculty to explore complex and sometimes challenging topics in their teaching. While UH does not typically review individual lectures, the university maintains oversight of the curriculum to ensure it meets established academic and pedagogical standards," news agency ANI reported, citing an official statement by the university.

"The course is grounded in the academic discipline of religious studies, which uses specific terminology -- such as 'fundamentalism' -- as analytical tools to understand religious movements across traditions, including those rooted in Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism," it added.

It further said that these academic terms entail different meanings from the manner in which they are used in public or political discourse, which it said could lead to misunderstandings.

What Is The Row Over 'Lived Hindu Religion' Course?

The course named 'Lived Hindu Religion' at the Houston University, offered to students in online mode, sparked a controversy recently after a student complained about it, alleging it to be "Hinduphobic" and distorting "India's political landscape". The lectures are delivered by Professor Aaron Michael Ullrey on a weekly basis.

India Today Digital spoke to Vasant Bhatt, a political science major and Hindu-American activist, who flagged concerns about the Hinduism course. According to the report, Ullrey said that "Hinduism, was not an ancient, lived tradition but a colonial construct, a political tool weaponised by Hindu nationalists, and a system of oppression against minorities".

"The professor repeatedly implies that India is a Hindu nationalist state actively oppressing minorities," he added.

In one of his recorded lecture on "political Hinduism", Professor Ullrey called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "Hindu fundamentalist".

The clarification issued by the university came after the dean and the director of religious studies discussed the issues raised by Bhatt with the instructor. The university also explained that the course applies academic frameworks to evaluate how Hinduism has "developed in historical, social and political contexts".

"Professors are encouraged to connect course content to current events when appropriate, as long as it is done in a balanced way that improves understanding of course content. For example, discussing the political rise of Hindu nationalism in India is part of understanding how religion and religious discourse function in the modern world, but it is not a critique of Hinduism as a whole," the statement added.

Professor Ullrey Issues Clarification

Bhatt also shared a quote from the syllabus while speaking to India Today Digital, which said the word 'Hindu' is recent and "not found in scriptures". "Hindutva, or 'Hindu-ness', is a term that Hindu nationalists, those who believe Hinduism should be the official religion of India, use to designate their religion and denigrate others, namely Islam," the quote said.

However, Professor Ullrey told ANI that the quotes being highlighted in the media were being misunderstood and did not reflect the true intent or nature of the course.

“The essence of this course's methodology is to use descriptive anthropology rather than any prescriptive theology. Throughout the course, my goal is to show the sophistication, rationality, and historical complexity of the many religions deemed Hindu throughout the history of South Asia. I never declared anything to be the essence of Hinduism, which would not only contradict the course but would also contradict my own research and teaching over the last 25 years," he told ANI.

"Hinduism...was not an ancient, lived tradition but a colonial construct, a political tool weaponised by Hindu nationalists, and a system of oppression against minorities," he said, adding, "I did not say anything like this. I never refer to Hinduism as anything essential".