Syllabus
Meeting Times: Mon, 4-5pm Seminar, Samuel Alexander Building WG20b
Instructor: Dr. Timothy Stanley, timothy.stanley@manchester.ac.uk, Samuel Alexander WG20b
Readings: All of the readings for the course have been compiled in a course reader which will be provided in the first seminar. The assigned readings should be read in advance and you should be prepared to discuss the readings in each seminar. As well, we recommend that you purchase two recent books, Religion and Political Thought and The New Visibility of Religion. Both of these texts are edited by the Centre for Religion and Political Culture staff members Michael Hoelzl and Graham Ward and have been published by Continuum Press. They provide a host of key sources for this course and further bibliographical suggestions to aid your research.
Course Requirements: 1 x 6000 word essay (100%)
Course Content: At one time there was a radical division between religion and public life, but today there is enormous interest in the role of religion in the public sphere. The relationship between religion and politics is receiving much attention in the social sciences. This course aims to furnish students with a critical understanding of key concepts and themes in the field of religion and political life. Students will explore various approaches to studying the various relationships between religion and political life (e.g. theoretical, historical, anthropological, ethnographic, and sociological methods). Students will acquire knowledge of the historical and continuing involvement of religion in various forms of political culture, and the ability to analyze critically religious traditions or aspects thereof from the standpoint of their involvement with political life. The course will also provide the necessary foundations for further research in the field of religion and political life.
Course Aims: 1. To understand the history of contemporary issues in religion and politics 2. To examine the political aspects of various religious traditions 3. To gain awareness of potential conflict and cooperation between religions and political cultures 4. To appreciate the theoretical return of religion in continental philosophy, theology and political theory today
Learning Outcomes: 1. Have a basic understanding of key political ideas and theories 2. Have developed a critical understanding of the research area of religion and politics 3. Have undertaken independent research 4. Have developed your academic writing skills
Further Online Resources:
Sociological data of Religion in Europe: http://eurel.u-strasbg.fr/EN/
Religion and the public sphere in the US: http://pewforum.org/
Religion and international politics: http://www.project-syndicate.org/
Cultural and spiritual dimension of Europe: http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/links/article_3336_en.htm
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