Bachelor 2019/2020

Religion and the Making of Modern America. Advanced English

Type: Elective course (HSE/NES Programme in Economics)

Area of studies: Economics

Delivered by: HSE/NES Undergraduate Programmes Curriculum Support

Where: Faculty of Economic Sciences

When: 3 year, 3, 4 module

Mode of studies: offline

Language: English

ECTS credits: 6

Contact hours: 64

Course Syllabus

Abstract

When Alexis de Tocqueville visited the United States in the mid-nineteenth century, “the religious aspect of the country” was one of the first things to capture his attention. Furthermore, he marveled at “the great political consequences resulting from this new state of things.” Since this was written, Americans have debated back and forth over whether its history of religious devotion and religious pluralism has been a benefit or a detriment to its particular vision of freedom and democracy. For that reason, understanding America’s religious past is critical to understanding its culture, politics, and relationship to the rest of the world in the modern day. Through readings, films, and in-class discussion, this course will explore the relationship between American religion, literature, film, music, economics, domestic politics, and foreign policy with the goal of developing students’ cultural literacy. Religion in the United States is so diverse that it is impossible to cover every movement in a single semester. As such, the syllabus for this course will be selective, and students will have opportunities to do research beyond what we cover in class. We will spend roughly the first third of the semester covering American Protestantism, which represents the American “mainstream” in the sense that it is the historically dominant religious group in American culture and politics (over 80% of US Presidents have had Protestant affiliations). Protestantism is also incredibly varied, with over 41,000 denominations and a rapidly growing non-denominational movement. From there, we will move to a selection of homegrown American religions, including the Latter Day Saints (Mormons) and Scientology. We will then discuss religions that came to the United States from abroad, including religions that have been appropriated from their native contexts (Buddhism, yogic practice) and religions associated with immigrant and diasporic groups that have broad representation in the American populace and an important impact on American culture, though they have been historically subject to discrimination and represented as counter to the American mainstream.

Learning Objectives

• The main objective of the course is to explore the relationship between American religion, literature, film, music, economics, domestic politics, and foreign policy with the goal of developing students’ cultural literacy.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• After completing the course, students will understand the role of religion in American life and understand how religion is implemented in culture, economics and politics.
• Students will be able to discuss and reproduce relevant concepts and theories and find links between religious practices and concrete cultural features of America.
• Students will have skills of reading large amounts of fiction and non fiction literature in short time; critical analysis and discussion of the materials read.

Course Contents

• Foundational Questions
• Protestantism
  The Puritans Protestantism and the Revolution From Edwards to Emerson Black Protestantism
• Migrations and Diasporas
  Catholicism in America Judaism Islam
• Appropriations
  Buddhism Yoga

Assessment Elements

• Quizzes
  Reading quizzes will be given to ensure that the class is keeping up with the assignments. Each quiz will consist of five questions that require basic plot and character knowledge. No interpretation or analysis is required. The dates of quizzes will not be announced in advance, so you should come prepared for every class. If you have an excused absence that is approved by the Joint Program, you are also excused from that day’s quiz. The 4 “free” absences are not included in this waiver. At the end of the term, your lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
• Group Discussions
• Presentation
• Short papers
  Short Assignments – All 3 papers are due by midnight on the day listed on the syllabus. Papers submitted by the deadline will be graded and returned to you promptly and may be revised and resubmitted once for a better grade. Papers submitted after the deadline will be graded whenever I get to it and may not be revised. No short assignments will be accepted after 1 May. There are no exceptions to this policy.
• Final Paper
  Final Project – The deadline for the final project is absolute. In extraordinary circumstances, requests for an extension may be made in writing at least one week before the deadline. Just because a request is made does not mean it will be granted.

Interim Assessment

• Interim assessment (4 module)
  0.3 * Final Paper + 0.15 * Group Discussions + 0.15 * Presentation + 0.1 * Quizzes + 0.3 * Short papers

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Troeltsch, E., & Schneiderman, H. G. (2013). Protestantism and Progress : A Historical Study of the Relation of Protestantism to the Modern World. New Brunswick: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=632574
• Vásquez, M. A., & Marquardt, M. F. (2003). Globalizing the Sacred : Religion Across the Americas. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=104924

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Blasi, A. J. (2014). Sociology of Religion in America : A History of a Secular Fascination with Religion. Leiden: Brill. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=759259
• Campbell, S. (2009). Dating Jesus : A Story of Fundamentalism, Feminism, and the American Girl. Boston, Mass: Beacon Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=262905
• Cohen, C. L. (2013). Gods in America : Religious Pluralism in the United States. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=657893
• Islam, gender, & social change / ed. by Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad & John L. Esposito. (1998). New York [u.a.]: Oxford Univ. Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.063764733
• KAREN ARMSTRONG. (2015). Fields of Blood. Religion and the History of Violence. New York, Toronto: Alfred A. Knopf. - 512 P. Государство, Религия, Церковь в России и За Рубежом, (3 (33)). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsclk&AN=edsclk.16649477
• Noll, M. A. (2002). America’s God : From Jonathan Edwards to Abraham Lincoln. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=215596
• Shreela Flather. (2018). Sharia marriages drastically reduce women’s rights Shreela Flather. Times, The (United Kingdom), 22. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nfh&AN=7EH135668470
• Winthrop, J. (1630). A modell of Christian charity. Written on boarde the Arrabella. On the Attlantick Ocean. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.93166A6E