Religion, Conflict and Reconciliation
| Module title | Religion, Conflict and Reconciliation |
|---|---|
| Module code | POC3140 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Deborah McFarlane (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 10 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
Module description
Religion has often existed in the minds of global analysts through two key stereotypes: dangerous fundamentalisms associated with violence and intolerance, or esoteric and apolitical beliefs which are relegated to people’s private lives. Neither of these tropes is helpful if we are interested in critically interrogating the interfaces between religion and politics, and the ways in which the two interact in diverse ways in the contemporary world. This course introduces you to some of the key debates that have contributed to contemporary academic understanding about the ambivalent nature of religion and the important roles it (including Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam) has played in fostering both peaceful and violent dynamics in varied political settings. The course draws from a range of political thinkers and analysts who belong to a variety of disciplines including geographers, political scientists and anthropologists.
No specialist knowledge, skills or experience are required to take this module. It is suitable for specialist and non-specialist students. The module is suitable for students studying Politics, English and History.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to enable you:
- To interrogate contemporary understandings about what religion is and how it functions by drawing on inter-disciplinary literature
- To question what the relation of religion is to politics
- To link theory to a range of case studies and give you the opportunity to research contemporary empirical cases
- To explore the various interfaces between religion and contemporary political challenges such as conflict, peacebuilding, development, terrorism, the refugee crisis and development
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate competent knowledge about religious identity and practice in various global locations, with reference to state of the art theoretical debate as well as empirical cases
- 2. demonstrate competent understanding of debates about the nature and function of religion in global politics
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. assimilate taught materials and utilize them to comprehensively analyse and evaluate religions role in a range of contemporary global political challenges
- 4. demonstrate knowledge of major political theories and good understanding of how to apply them to empirical case studies identified in the course
- 5. synthesise a range of literatures
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. research and write analytically
- 7. communicate complex arguments effectively through written submissions intended for a range of audiences
- 8. communicate complex empirical and theoretical insight
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary, the syllabus may cover some or all of the following topics:
- Secularization
- Religious resurgence
- Religion and colonial politics
- Religion and identity politics
- Religious terrorism
- Religion and peace
- Religion and Migration
- Religion and the Refugee Crisis
- Religion and Development
- Religion and the State
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 130 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 20 | 11 x 2 hour seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 70 | For directed reading and completing the formative assignment |
| Guided Independent Study | 25 | To complete the reflective log |
| Guided Independent Study | 35 | To complete the research essay |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research essay plan | 300 words | 2,3,4,7 | Written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective Log | 40 | 1400 words | 1-8 | Written |
| Research Essay | 60 | 2000 words | 1-8 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective Log | 1400 word Reflective Log | 1-8 | August/September reassessment period |
| Research Essay | 2000 word research essay | 1-8 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
APPLEBY, S. (2000). The ambivalence of the sacred: religion, violence and reconciliation . Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers.
ASAD, T. (1993). Genealogies of religion: Discipline and reasons of power in Christianity and Islam . Maryland: John Hopkins University Press.
CASANOVA, J. (1994). Public religions in the modern world . Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
ELLIS, S and TER HAAR, G. (2007). Religion and politics: taking African epistemologies seriously. Journal of Modern African Studies . 45 (3). p. 385-401.
HABERMAS, J. (2006). Religion in the Public Sphere. European Journal of Philosophy . 14 (1). p. 1-25.
JOHNSON, D (2016). Taking liberties and making liberty: religious bounding and political violence in Sri Lanka. Religion . 46 (3). p. 309-330.
KUBALKOVA, V. (2000). Towards an international political theology. Millennium - Journal of International Studies . 29. p. 675- 704.
LEVINE, D. and MAINWARING, S. (1986). Religion and popular protest in Latin America . Notre Dame: Helen Kellog Institute for International Studies. Working paper 83.
MANDAIR, A. (2009). Religion and the specter of the west: Sikhism, India, postcoloniality, and the politics of translation . New York: Colombia University Press.
Mavelli Wilson (eds), (2016), The Refugee Crisis and Religion; Secularism, Security and Hospitality in Question, Rowman and Littlefield Publishers
MOSSE, D. (2012). The saint in the banyan tree: Christianity and caste society in India . Oakland: University of California Press.
SPENCER, J., GOODHAND, J., HASBULLAH, S., KLEM, B., KORF, B. and SILVA, K.T. (2015). Checkpoint, temple, church and mosque: A collaborative ethnography of war and peace . London: Pluto Press.
TWEED, R. Making homes and crossing boundaries
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 21/01/2022 |
| Last revision date | 21/01/2022 |
