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Kurs "Religion in the USA"

Kurs "Religion in the USA"

Zapraszamy na kurs "Religion in the USA", w ramach CEEPUS, który poprowadzi dr David Václavík z Uniwersytetu Masaryka w Brnie

Religion in the USA

David Václavík, PhD

Uniwersytet Masaryka w Brnie

4 ECTS

17.04.2023 – 21.04.2023

sala 10a

Poniedziałek 17.04.2023 9.45-13.00
Wtorek 18.04.2023 13.15-16.30
Środa 19.04.2023 13.15-16.30
Czwartek 20.04.2023 11.30-16.30
Piątek 21.04.2023 9.45-13.00

 

Aims

 

The course focuses on a basic analysis of the religious situation in the United States. The aim will be to show the links and influences between religion and the formation of American society in a historical, religious and sociological perspective, and to analyze their transformation and impact on the political, economic and cultural life of the United States more closely. Deeper attention will be paid to some specific phenomena such as religious awakening, the emergence of evangelical Christianity, the so-called New Right etc., as well as some specific religious groups (eg. the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah‘s Witnesses, Adventists).

 

Contents

 

  1. Main Interpretation models of the history of American religion
  2. Basic characteristics of the American religion
  3. From the Pilgrims fathers to the emergence of the USA. Religious life in the colonial era
  4. Phenomenon of religious awakening
  5.  Religious situation in the first half of the 19th century; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; adventist movement and religious life in the second half of the 19th century
  6.  Religious pluralism in the 2nd half of the 20th century
  7.  Religious fundamentalism and "desecularitization" of American society at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries
  8.  Phenomenon of the so-called cultural war

 

Methods

 

Lectures, class discussion, reading

 


Reading list

 

  • ALBANESE, Catherine L. America, religions and religion. Fourth edition. xxi, 326. ISBN 9780534627393.
  • BLOOM, Harold. The American religion. 2nd ed. New York: Chu Hartley Publishers, 2006. xiii, 305. ISBN 0978721004.
  • CHAVES, Mark. American religion : contemporary trends. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2011. xiii, 139. ISBN 9780691146850.

Syllabus of a component of a degree programme

Name of a Faculty:  Faculty of Philosophy

Name of unit conducting a component: Institute for Religious Studies

Name of a component: Religion in the United States

International Standard Classification of Education ISCED: 0221

Language of education: English

Goals of education:

This course focuses on a basic analysis of the religious situation in the United States. The goal will be to show, in historical, religious studies, and sociological perspectives, the links and influences between religion and the formation of American society, and to analyze more closely their transformations and implications for the political, economic, and cultural life of the United States. Deeper attention will then be given to some specific phenomena such as religious revivalism, the emergence of evangelical Christianity, the so-called New Right, etc., as well as to some specific groups (e.g., the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Adventists).

Learning outcomes of a component:

After completing the course, students will gain basic knowledge on the history of religion in the US, especially the basic trends in American religiosity and its key features (REL_K2_W02, REL_K2_W03). In addition, students will acquire skills of critical reflection on key texts related to American religiosity (REL_K2_U01) and will be able to better understand some of the peculiarities of American society, culture and politics (REL_K2_K03).

Verification methods and assessment criteria of learning outcomes obtained by students

Attendance and active participation in lectures (30%), completion of assignments (30%), final test (40%)

Type of a component: Lectures

Year of study: IV/V

Semester: Summer

Name and surname of the coordinator of a component and/or person/s conducting a component:

Doc. PhDr. David Václavík, Ph.D.

Name and surname of person/s conducting an examination or granting credit - if it’s not a coordinator:

Doc. PhDr. David Václavík, Ph.D.

Manner of completion : Exam

Preliminary and additional requirements: ---------------

Type and number of hours of courses requiring direct participation of academic staff and students, if in a given component such courses are included: 30h

Number of ECTS credits assigned to a component: 4 ECTS

Balance of ECTS credits:

30h (1ECTS) – class attendance

30h (1ECTS) – preparation for classes

30h (1ECTS) – preparation for the exam

Applied teaching methods: Lecture, discussion, analysis of documents

Form and conditions of passing a component, including conditions of allowing to take an examination, as well as form and conditions of passing each type of courses included in a given component:

Attendance and active participation in lectures (30%), completion of assignments (30%), final test (40%)

Content of a module (with division into forms of courses completion):

  1. Main Interpretation models of the history of American religion
  2. Basic characteristics of the American religion
  3. From the Pilgrims fathers to the emergence of the USA. Religious life in the colonial era
  4. Phenomenon of religious awakening
  5.  Religious situation in the first half of the 19th century; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; adventist movement and religious life in the second half of the 19th century
  6.  Religious pluralism in the 2nd half of the 20th century
  7.  Religious fundamentalism and "desecularitization" of American society at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries
  8.  Phenomenon of the so-called cultural war

List of basic as well as supplementary literature, knowledge of which is required in order to pass a given component

ALBANESE, Catherine L. America, religions and religion. Fourth edition. xxi, 326. ISBN 9780534627393.

BLOOM, Harold. The American religion. 2nd ed. New York: Chu Hartley Publishers, 2006. xiii, 305. ISBN 0978721004.

CHAVES, Mark. American religion : contemporary trends. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2011. xiii, 139. ISBN 9780691146850