Religion and Politics in the United States: Historical Roots and Contemporary Developments
Dr. Anja Hennig
3/6/9 ECTS
Seminar: MA, MASS + MEK WM Religion und Moderne // MES
Dienstag, 11.15 - 12.45 Uhr
Ort: GD 205
Veranstaltungsbeginn: 15.10.2013
“In the United States there is separation between church and state, but there is no separation between religion and politics.” This is how José Casanova, a well-known sociologist of religion, once put the historically rooted, highly complex and often contested relationship between religion and politics in North America in a nutshell. On the one hand, the idea of a “Wall of Separation” inscribed in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prevents the state from interfering in religious affairs. On the other hand, politics and religion inevitably and constantly intermingle. But is religion still an important public force in the U.S.? In light of secularization and modernization as irresistible processes, why should that be the case? This course analyzes whether, how, or to what extent religion and politics have been influencing each other since the foundation of the United States in the 1780s. We start with an historical overview and the founding idea of religious liberty. Then we proceed in thematic steps, closely examining religion and political culture, moral politics, religious lobbying and the politics of religious pluralism. In this way, we also will familiarize ourselves with the study of religion and politics in general, as we seek to better understand the phenomena of secularization, religion, and politics.
Literatur:
Schlereth, Eric (2013): An Age of Infidels: The Politics of Religious Controversy in the Early United States (Early American Studies) Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press
Putnam, Robert; Campbell, David (2012): American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us, New York: Simon&Schuster
Wald, Kenneth, Calhoun-Brown, Allison (2010): Religion and Politics in the United States, Oxford: Rowman&Littlefield
Teilnahmevoraussetzungen:
A very good command of English, high motivation and the disposition to do additional research are mandatory as well as registration in moodle with the code: relpolus14
Leistungsnachweis:
Presentation, discussion questions plus four essays during the semester.