Vertiefungsseminar Sociology of Religion Comparative Perspectives Change and Consequences SEMINAR IN ENGLISH

This Vertiefungsseminar will provide a basic introduction to the sociology of religion with a particular focus on religious change and its social consequences during the past 30 to 60 years. We will focus on selected aspects of religion and religiosity in cross-national and cross-cultural comparisons.After approaching the phenomena of religion and religiosity (I) and a theoretical introductory part (II) on the concept of religion in classical sociology, we will look at the debates around secularization, the revival of religion, religious individualization, non-religiosity and other forms of religious change, i.e. religiosity and religion as explananda (III). Next, we will discuss religion and religiosity as drivers of social change (IV). This will be done by reading comparative empirical studies on a range of topics. - A particular focus will be to identify the links between the macro and the micro level in explanatory models. All participants will also get to know a range of methods in the sociology of religion as well as secondary comparative data sources on religion. These aggregate and individual level data may be used for case-comparative and multilevel empirical survey research on religious change and its social consequences.Please note: This seminar is not an introduction to particular religions, denominations and world views. We will not discuss the normative premises of different religious traditions or engage in the interpretation of religious texts. Furthermore, this seminar is not guided by contemporary conflicts and heated discussions around religion but by sociological, theory guided reasoning on religion and religiosity. We will embrace religious diversity and developments by studying empirical material, not by identification with a particular religious tradition or doctrine, or areligiosity. I     Introduction: approaching the phenomena of religion and religiosity 1. Session / Oct 20, 2016 Introduction (part 1) Obligatory reading: Blasi, Anthony J. 1998: Definition of Religion, 129-133 in: Swatos, William H. Jr. (ed.), Encyclopedia of Religion and Society. Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press, online: http://hirr.hartsem.edu/ency/ defreligion.htm, last accessed Oct. 14, 2016. 2. Session / Oct 27, 2016     Introduction (part2) and How to session How to read a scientific text, to prepare and write an assignment, to discuss results in class. Obligatory reading: Roberts, Keith A. 2004: What do we mean by the term religion? In: Religion in Socio-logical Perspective. Belmont: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. 4-13 and 22-25. II     Selected lines of thought in the sociology of religion 3. Session / Nov 3, 2016 Approaching religion through the eyes of Durkheim and Weber Obligatory reading (both!): excerpts from: Durkheim, Émile: Elementary Forms of Religious Life and Weber, Max: The Rise of Religions (cf. ILIAS). 4. Session / Nov 10, 2016 Glock's dimensions of religiosity Obligatory: Glock, Charles Y. 1964: On the study of religious commitment. Religious Education 57: 98-110. 5. Session / Nov 17, 2016 Berger's social construction of religion Elective reading: Berger, Peter L. 1990 (1967): The sacred canopy. Elements of a sociological theory of religion. New York; Random House. 1) ch. 1 OR 2) ch. 2. III     Comparative perspectives on religiosity and religious change 6. Session / Nov 24, 2016 Secularization paradigm Elective reading (pick one): 1) Dobbelaere; Karl 1984: Secularization Theories and Sociological Paradigms: Convergences and Divergences. Social Compass 31(2-3): 199-219; 2) Swatos, William H.; Christiano, Kevin J. 1999: Secularization Theory: The Course of a Concept. Sociology of Religion 3(60): 209-228. 7. Session/ Dec 1, 2016 Individualization, privatization and the spiritual revolution Elective: 1) Luckmann 1991: Invisible religion. Frankfurt a.M., 50-61, 117-150; 2) Heelas, P./Woodhead, L. (2005). The Spiritual Revolution. Why Religion is Giving Way to Spirituality. Malden/Oxford/ Calden: Blackwell. (Introduction and Ch. 1). 8. Session / Dec 8, 2016 Market and supply-side theory of religion Elective: 1) Stark, Roger 1999: Secularization R.I.P. Sociology of Religion 60(3): 249273; 2) Stark, Roger 2007: Why Religious Movements Succeed Or Fail. A revised general model, pp.63-78 in: Hamilton, Malcolm (Ed.): The sociology of religion. Critical concepts in sociology. London: Routledge. 9. Session / Dec 15, 2016 Theory of existential security Elective: 1) Norris und Inglehart 2004: Sacred and Secular: Religion and Politics Worldwide. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 33-82. 2) Petterson, Thorleif 2006: Religion in contemporary society: Eroded by human well-being, supported by cultural diversity. Comparative Sociology 5(2): 231257. 10. Session / Jan 12, 2017 Non-religiosity, indifference and atheism Elective: 1) Hout, Michael/ Fischer, Claude S. 2002: Why More Americans Have No Religious Preference: Politics and Generations. American Sociological Review 67(2): 165-190. 2) LeDrew, Stephen 2013: Discovering Atheism: Heterogeneity in Trajectories to Atheist Identity and Activism. Sociology of Religion 74 (4): 431-453. V     Religion and religiosity as drivers of social change 11. Session / Jan 19, 2017 Religion seen from a global comparative perspective Elective: 1) Casanova, José 2006. Rethinking Secularization: A Global Comparative Perspective. The Hedgehog Review, Spring Summer: 7-22; 2) Berger, Peter L. (ed.) 1999: The Desecularization of the World: A Global Overview, pp. 1-18 in Berger, P.L: The Desecularization of the World. 12. Session / Jan 26, 2017 Religion and the new Muslim immigrants in the United States and Europe Elective: 1) Casanova, José  2007: Immigration and the New Religious Pluralism: A EU/US Comparison, in: Banchoff, Thomas (ed.): The New Religious Pluralism and Democracy. New York: Oxford University Press; 2) Ebaugh, Helen Rose 2003: Religion and the New Immigrants, pp. 225-239 in: Dillon, Michele (ed.): Handbook of the Sociology of Religion. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press. Religion, discourse and perceptions of the Muslim other Obligatory: Cinalli, Manlio and Giugni, Marco 2013: Public discourses about Muslims and Islam in Europe. Ethnicities 13: 131-146. [please note: to be confirmed during the term!] 13. Session / Feb 2, 2017 A secular age, secularism and formations of the secular Obligatory: Asad, Talal 2003: Secular, Nation State, Religion, in: Formations of the Secular: Christianity, Islam, Modernity. Stanford: Stanford University Press   14. Session / Feb 9, 2014 Final dialogue & discussion: Multiple religiosities, secularization and religious resurgence and How to write a term paper Obligatory reading: Riesebrodt, Martin 2014: Religion in the Modern World: Between Secularization and Resurgence. Max Weber Lecture Series. EUI Florence. Selected introductory books: Christiano, Kevin J.; Swatos, William H.; Kivisto, Peter 2002: Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments. Walnut Creek u.a.: AltaMira. Hamilton, Malcolm B. 2002: The Sociology of Religion: Theoretical and Comparative Perspectives. 2. ed., reprint. London u.a.: Routledge. Roberts, Keith A. 2004: Religion in Sociological Perspective. Belmont: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. Leistungsnachweis Formal requirements: Continuous preparatory reading and oral participation in class. I expect continuous attendance and participation in class throughout the semester. Like in all seminars, selective attendance and attention are not fruitful. This particularly applies for English language courses. Please contribute to our collective good (discussion, questions, critique, doubts, ideas ...) on a permanent basis. This plea is not about rules but about your rational self-interest in learning as much as possible during your tuition-free university education. BN (2 ECTS): OPTION A: 4 written assignments (2.5 to 3 pages each) (the following rules apply for everyone: assignment no. 1: from sessions 3 to 5; no. 2 & 3 from sessions 6 to 10 and no. 4 from sessions 11 to 14; only one assignment is accepted per session; hand it in printed one-sided on A4 at the end of the respective session; no and no late assignments e-mails accepted! BN (2 ECTS): OPTION B: 2 written assignments (2.5 to 3 pages each; no. 1 from sessions 3 to 5 and no. 2 from sessions 11 to 14) AND one literature research and review (5 to 6 pages) on three articles on a topic from sessions 6 to 10 or a self-chosen topic until January 12 the latest (please ask early for advice no later than Dec 1., 2016!) I suggest this option to students who plan to write a final seminar paper and - very early in November - have a clear idea on the topic of interest.   AP (+ 6 ECTS): (Düsseldorf students: possible AP module: E&I, only alternative is B&P.) I strongly recommend to pick a term paper as final exam (AP). Final term paper: 12-15 pages (see details; Erasmus students are kindly asked to stick to the rules/deadlines for students permanently studying at HHU). Please note that strict rules will be applied regarding the deadlines for registering for your AP, preparing, writing and submitting your term papers. For the AP (final written take-home term paper of 12-15pp. text length) the formal dates are: - discussion of your topic of interest during my office hours: Dec. 1 to 15 - submission of a first version of an expository statement 1-2 pp., no later than January 19 - Anmeldung: last day to register for the term paper: February 2 - submission of the final version of the expository statement, no later than February 9. - Themenausgabe / formal day of topic publication: March 1 - last day to submit the paper: March 31 (no extensions possible).   Oral exam: refers to six sessions for which you have not handed in an assignment and requires BN-Option A above (=four assignments) plus an additional literature research and review which is due February 2. All BN requirements have to be fulfilled before the oral exam. - Anmeldung: I suggest you register by January 12; last day to register: January 15 to 19, i.e. four weeks prior to the exam depending on the actual day of exam - Oral exams will be scheduled between February 13 and 16. Erasmus students are kindly asked to stick to the rules/deadlines for students permanently studying at HHU. Soziologie (BA, PO 2013) Ergänzungsfach Formal requirements: Continuous preparatory reading and oral participation in class. I expect continuous attendance and participation in class throughout the semester. Like in all seminars, selective attendance and attention are not fruitful. This particularly applies for English language courses. Please contribute to our collective good (discussion, questions, critique, doubts, ideas ...) on a permanent basis. This plea is not about rules but about your rational self-interest in learning as much as possible during your tuition-free university education. BN (2 ECTS): OPTION A: 4 written assignments (2.5 to 3 pages each) (the following rules apply for everyone: assignment no. 1: from sessions 3 to 5; no. 2 & 3 from sessions 6 to 10 and no. 4 from sessions 11 to 14; only one assignment is accepted per session; hand it in printed one-sided on A4 at the end of the respective session; no and no late assignments e-mails accepted! BN (2 ECTS): OPTION B: 2 written assignments (2.5 to 3 pages each; no. 1 from sessions 3 to 5 and no. 2 from sessions 11 to 14) AND one literature research and review (5 to 6 pages) on three articles on a topic from sessions 6 to 10 or a self-chosen topic until January 12 the latest (please ask early for advice no later than Dec 1., 2016!) I suggest this option to students who plan to write a final seminar paper and - very early in November - have a clear idea on the topic of interest.   AP (+ 6 ECTS): (Düsseldorf students: possible AP module: E&I, only alternative is B&P.) I strongly recommend to pick a term paper as final exam (AP). Final term paper: 12-15 pages (see details; Erasmus students are kindly asked to stick to the rules/deadlines for students permanently studying at HHU). Please note that strict rules will be applied regarding the deadlines for registering for your AP, preparing, writing and submitting your term papers. For the AP (final written take-home term paper of 12-15pp. text length) the formal dates are: - discussion of your topic of interest during my office hours: Dec. 1 to 15 - submission of a first version of an expository statement 1-2 pp., no later than January 19 - Anmeldung: last day to register for the term paper: February 2 - submission of the final version of the expository statement, no later than February 9. - Themenausgabe / formal day of topic publication: March 1 - last day to submit the paper: March 31 (no extensions possible).   Oral exam: refers to six sessions for which you have not handed in an assignment and requires BN-Option A above (=four assignments) plus an additional literature research and review which is due February 2. All BN requirements have to be fulfilled before the oral exam. - Anmeldung: I suggest you register by January 12; last day to register: January 15 to 19, i.e. four weeks prior to the exam depending on the actual day of exam - Oral exams will be scheduled between February 13 and 16. Erasmus students are kindly asked to stick to the rules/deadlines for students permanently studying at HHU. Universität Düsseldorf WiSe 2016/17 Dr. Beckers Tilo