- Introduction to American Religions

Catalog description

This course examines American religions from the pre-colonial period to the present. Recognizing the uniquely prominent role religion has played in American society, we approach “American Religions” as a category to understand the relationship between religious belonging and marginalization in American society. This necessitates that our study revolves around important social themes such as race, class, gender, nationalism/xenophobia, sexuality, and disability. These social themes will be incorporated into our learning of American religious diversity and models of religious pluralism in American society. Students will gain an awareness of the breadth of American religious experiences while approaching larger questions about the distinctions between, and overlap in, American and religious identities.