Introduction to Religious Studies (2025/2026: Semester 2 – Spring)

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Cursusdoel

After completing this course students are able to:
  • Understand the complexity of identifying and analyzing religious phenomena (forms of assessment: five-minute statement; presentation, paper assignment).
  • Understand the contextuality of defining ‘religion’ (forms of assessment: written exam)
  • Compare religious traditions from a historical perspective (forms of assessment: written exam)
  • Reflect on current issues related to the impact of religion on social affairs (forms of assessment: five-minute statement; presentation, paper assignment).
  • Work comparatively with different perspectives on and interpretations of religion and religious phenomena (forms of assessment: five-minute statement, presentation, paper assignment).

Vakinhoudelijk

As an introduction to the academic study of religion, this course examines topics, theories and methods that are essential to gain an understanding of religion as an important aspect of human culture and history. The course proceeds along two lines: on the one hand, students are introduced to influential approaches to defining and investigating religion (e.g. Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, Clifford Geertz, Wilfred Cantwell Smith, Ninian Smart). On the other hand, theoretic approaches are used to study parts of specific religious traditions, for example Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam. Topics that are discussed include perspectives on
gender and social difference, religious rituals, holy texts and the challenge of
modernities and technologization, religion in the context of conflict, humanitarian and ecological crisis. Since the academic study of religion comprises various disciplinary approaches (e.g. historical, cultural anthropological, sociological, philosophical, literary approaches), the course will also be an exercise in interdisciplinarity, both theoretical – studying the respective academic literature – and practical – actually investigating religious phenomena, using of methods from various academic disciplines.

Format
This class meets twice a week. It is imperative that students read the primary reading material before coming to class.

The first weekly meeting is devoted to a lecture by the instructor which puts the readings into context. Starting the second week, meetings will be divided into one-part instruction, one-part group work or interactive assignments, and one-part student presentation. These class activities and presentations consist of a close scrutiny of primary and secondary texts by the students, followed by plenary discussions. Oral presentations as well as the general participation of students in class discussions form part of the final grade. The aim is not just to achieve a better understanding of the texts that have been read, but also to reach the deeper, cultural questions which these texts convey.

In addition, students are asked to write an essay on a topic different from that of their oral presentation in class. This guarantees that students receive sufficient training in oral and written expression, and become familiar with the class material in its entirety.
Halfway through the course, there is a written examination about the theoretical concepts and the literature studied in the first half of the course.

Werkvormen

UCU hum 1 course

Toetsing

Five-Minute Statement

Verplicht | Weging 15% | ECTS 1,13

Paper

Verplicht | Weging 30% | ECTS 2,25

Presentation

Verplicht | Weging 25% | ECTS 1,88

*midterm FEEDBACK*

Niet verplicht

Exam

Verplicht | Weging 30% | ECTS 2,25

Ingangseisen en voorkennis

Ingangseisen

Er is geen informatie over verplichte ingangseisen bekend.

Voorkennis

Er is geen informatie over benodigde voorkennis bekend.

Voertalen

  • Engels

Competenties

  • Academisch schrijven
  • Presenteren
  • Samenwerken

Cursusmomenten

Gerelateerde studies

Tentamens

Er is geen tentamenrooster beschikbaar voor deze cursus

Verplicht materiaal

  • BOEK
    Craig Martin, A Critical Introduction to the Study of Religion, 2nd edition. London: Routledge, 2017 ( ISBN-13: 978-1138202252)
  • BOEK
    Linda Woodhead, Christopher Partridge, Hiroko Kawanami (eds.), 'Religions in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations', 3rd edition, London: Routledge, 2016 (the ISBN 978-0-415-85881-6).

Aanbevolen materiaal

Er is geen informatie over de aanbevolen literatuur bekend

Coördinator

Bordeaux j.e.bordeaux@uu.nl

Docenten

Bordeaux j.e.bordeaux@uu.nl

Inschrijving

Let op: deze cursus is niet toegankelijk voor studenten van andere faculteiten, bijvakkers mogen zich dus niet inschrijven.

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