Exploring Religion

Catalog description

What is "religion" and how should it be studied? This course introduces classification, interpretation, and explanation in the study of religion. Students will compare examples from a wide range of cultural traditions in order to understand the diversity of the world's religions and to apply methods drawn from the social sciences and contemporary critical theories. Emphasis is placed both on the content of religious belief and practice and the social and political construction of religious identities. Students develop tools for understanding how elements of religion operate in culture.