SOC41060

This module starts out with classic readings in sociology of religion helping us to define religion. After having discussed some work from early Sociologists, we move to the more recent evolutionary perspective addressing the question of why religious communities are more effective in motivating pro-social behavior and survive compared to other organizations. We will discuss how religious communities evolve as organizations from cults to churches. Alternative belief systems, witchcraft and paganism will constitute another topic for discussion. In the next step, we will look at trends of secularization, religious polarization and potential challenges for nation states but also for inter-religious relationships. Topics such as sexuality, morality, trust, cooperation and violence between different religious groups are addressed. Besides the discussion of these topics, the module includes a practical component that involves visiting a place of worship or museum. The module is comparative in terms of time, geography (North America, Europe, South Asia and the Middle East), and disciplines providing perspectives from Anthropology, Geography, History, Philosophy, Political Science, and Psychology.