Religion in the present world - sociological and anthropological - Einzelansicht

Religion in the present world – sociological and anthropological approaches

We will begin the seminar with a discussion of the most important approaches to the study of religion in sociology and social anthropology. We will discuss the approaches of Emil Durkheim, Karl Marx and Max Weber and those researchers who have drawn inspiration from their work. In each case, the theoretical approaches will be related to concrete empirical observations, in particular to ethnographic ones.

During the course we will focus on the presence of religion and related phenomena in the contemporary world: we will discuss the role of religious organisations in contemporary Europe, we will reflect on the presence of religious symbols in the public space, ask questions about the private and public aspects of the legal protection of religious practices and feelings. We will consider whether religion is first and foremost a matter of conviction, pracice, social bond or perhaps politics and tangible presence? Most of the literature to be read will be in English; whether the discussions will be in German or English, we will decide together during the first class.

Die zu lesende Literatur wird größtenteils in englischer Sprache sein; ob die Diskussionen in deutscher oder englischer Sprache geführt werden, werden wir in der ersten Seminarstunde gemeinsam entscheiden.

 Please use the moodle link to access coirse literature: https://moodle2.uni-potsdam.de/course/view.php?id=42070