Global Religion

COURSE OBJECTIVE
Learning outcomes:
Knowledge and understanding - The student has acquired knowledge and understanding of:
(1) the anthropological approach of religion as distinct from other disciplinary approaches.
(2) the classic and contemporary interpretations of religion through the work of classic and contemporary anthropologists.
(3) religion as a contemporary global phenomenon.

Application - The student has acquired the competences to:
(4) ask anthropological questions regarding the religious practices that they encounter during this course.
(5) critically assess different theoretical approaches in the anthropology of religion and their (in)ability to describe, interpret and represent religious praxis;
(6) describe some of the methodological problems that are typical for anthropology of religion, i.e. the insider-outsider gap, and embodied practice and interpretation (mind vs. body).

Making judgements - The student is able to demonstrate:
(7) reflection on their assumptions (biases) and an open and interpretive attitude vis a vis religious beliefs and practices.

COURSE CONTENT
The aim of the course Global Religion is to gain knowledge and insight into the forms of religion as a global practice. Our starting point is the idea that any investigation of religious practice should begin with the concrete forms in which religion presents itself to us in a research setting. The anthropological approach of religion is a social-scientific angle which looks for the way in which religious practice and social processes are related. This basically boils down to two questions: how social structure influences religious practice, and how religious practice influences social processes. This question applies to both small-scale societies and groups, and to large-scale societies, as well as to more network-like forms of social organization, for example, in digital media.

In the perspective of the global, these questions will direct us to the cultural logic of expansion, religious movements, in- and exclusion in religion, the urge for 'purification', and subsequently religion and violence, as well as relativism and formations of the secular.

TEACHING METHODS
Lectures

TYPE OF ASSESSMENT
Weekly assignments: 50%; Written exam: 50%.