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GOVT393

Religion and Politics
GOVT393 FA

Not Currently Offered

How has religion affected political institutions and ideologies, and, in turn, been affected by them? Which religious values and institutions are compatible with democracy, and which ones go beyond democracy? Can the concepts of law in religion and politics be reconciled? We will explore the relation of three monotheisms -- Judaism, Christianity, and Islam -- to political life in nation-states and empires through theoretical and empirical readings from ancient, medieval and modern times.

MAJOR READINGS

BIBLE (selections)
KORAN (selections)
U.S. Supreme Court decisions
Edmund Morgan, THE PURITAN DILEMMA
K. Grasso, Bradley, and Hunt, eds., CATHOLICISM, LIBERALISM
AND COMMUNITARIANISM
Charles Liebman and E. Don-Yehiya, CIVIL RELIGION IN ISRAEL
John Esposito, ISLAM AND POLITICS and ISLAM AND DEMOCRACY
Max Weber, SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION (selections)

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

One short paper and class presentation, based on the reading for class; one term paper (15 to 20 pages.)

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's office.

COURSE FORMAT: Seminar

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UG Credit: 1.00 Gen Ed Area & Dept: SBS GOVT

Prerequisites: None

Last Updated on MAR-22-1999




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