Religion in the Modern World
| Module title | Religion in the Modern World |
|---|---|
| Module code | THE1076 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Jonathan Hill (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 48 |
|---|
Module description
In this module, you will develop an informed and questioning approach to religion (including the meaning of ‘secularism’ and ‘post-Secularism’, challenges to the freedom of religion, whether the state should be neutral regarding religion, and other points of contact between religion and politics) in the modern world. When addressing the meaning of ‘religion’ you will engage with key texts, and from this theoretical basis consider more contemporary social questions about religion in Western societies today including: ‘What is religion?’ and ‘How can religion become a potent force for healing in today’s world?’ The module is suitable for students from a range of disciplines.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to
- Introduce you to the modern phenomenon of religion
- Introduce key issues pertaining to religion in the modern world, e.g., whether the state can and/or should be neutral regarding matters of religion; selected debates about secularisation in the UK and Western Europe; and new models of religious pluralism
- Help you to develop in an informed and questioning approach to religion in the modern world
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate basic knowledge and understanding of major concepts and issues of modern debate surrounding religion, secularisation and religious pluralism, and to be aware of recent developments in the field
- 2. Demonstrate basic knowledge and understanding of how debate about religion has affected selected political theory in the twentieth century
- 3. Show some ability to analyse, with guidance, the multidisciplinary issues raised by modern debate about religion
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Demonstrate awareness of the multi-faceted complexity of religion in the modern world, and in particular some aspects of the relationship between the Abrahamic faiths in Britain today
- 5. Begin, with guidance, to recognise and analyse core methods used in the modern study of religion
- 6. Demonstrate awareness of how personal and communal identities and motivations are shaped by religion, how this has both constructive and destructive effects in societal life
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Undertake directed work within clear guidelines
- 8. Demonstrate the ability to summarise information accurately and fairly
- 9. Make use of selected written sources, with clear guidance
- 10. Participate appropriately in a learning group
- 11. Communicate clearly in written form
- 12. Discuss sensitive issues with appropriate generosity
Syllabus plan
Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Introductions, including Church and State
- What is Religion?
- Reason and Freedom: The Challenge of Relativism
- Exploring Secularism
- Religious Liberty: Public Neutrality and the Challenge of Reasoning in a Democracy
- Judaism in Britain Today
- Must Democracy Be Religiously Neutral?
- Islam in Britain Today
- Law and Religion: Rowan Williams on Sharia Law
- New Possibilities for Multifaith Relations
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | 115 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 22 | Lectures (11 x 2 hours) |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 11 | Seminars (11 x 1 hours) |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 2 | Small group tutorial |
| Guided independent study | 126 | Private study |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| One draft essay | 1000 words | 1-9, 11-12 | Peer feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 40 | 2200 words | 1-9, 11-12 | Written |
| Team work project | 10 | 2500 words or equivalent | 1-11 | Written |
| Examination | 50 | 1 hour | 1-1 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay | 1-9, 11 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Team work project | To be arranged with module convenor | 1-11 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Examination | Examination | 1-12 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Roger Trigg, Religion in Public Life: Must Faith be Privatized? (OUP, 2007)
- Meredith McGuire, Lived Religion: Faith and Practice in Everyday Life (OUP, 2008)
- Peter Berger, Grace Davie, et al., Religious America, Secular Europe? (Ashgate, 2008)
- Thomas Banchoff, Ed., Democracy and the New Religious Pluralism (OUP 2007)
- Charles Taylor, A Secular Age (Belknap Press, 2007).
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1711
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Where possible, we shall visit local religious sites and meet practising members of Abrahamic faith communities
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 2009 |
| Last revision date | March 2014 |
