Class Schedule Listing |
Spring 2022
Jul 01, 2022 |
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| Global Secularisms - 42112 - JCIV 294 - 01 | ||||||||||||||
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Secularism stands as one of the most controversial and convoluted -isms in the global political lexicon. Not a day goes by without a religious leader, usually of the Fundamentalist variety, decrying the scourge of secularism. Conversely, in many countries, secular nationalists demand that their governments adopt, or abide by, secular principles of governance. The latter are assumed to assure equal rights for women and LGBTQ communities, while protecting religious minorities and guaranteeing freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and freedom from religion. In short, secularism is tasked with delivering a lot of goods! The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the exceedingly complex, but exceedingly fascinating concept of political secularism. Among the questions we ask are: What is political secularism?; What are its core principles and what different forms has it taken in countries as far afield as the United States, France, Turkey, Ethiopia, South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, India, the USSR and its successor states, most notably China?; What is the relation between secularism and atheism?; What criticisms of political secularism have emerged from conservative religious movements on the one side, and Leftist academicians on the other?; What does secularism “promise” women, nonbelievers, and religious and sexual minorities?; Does it deliver on those promises?; Is there such a thing as a “perfect” secular state? What would the world look like if there were no secularisms? This course will be divided into two parts, one theoretical, and one which looks at secular empirical reality on the ground in countries across the globe. When all is said and done, we will have completed analyses of roughly a dozen countries. Additionally, each of you will present your own findings on a country of your choice (see below) as part of a semester-long project. The goal is to be able to draw comparisons between them all--an exercise which readily generates profound insights. Course also listed as GOVT 294.
Associated Term: Spring 2022 Registration Dates: Nov 01, 2021 to Jan 21, 2022 Levels: MN or MC Graduate, Undergraduate Attributes: Core: Diversity/Domestic, Core: Diversity/Global, SFS/IPOL Electives, SFS/RCST Theory and Methods, X-List: AMST, X-List: GOVT Main Campus Lecture Schedule Type 3.000 Credits View Course Description View Syllabus
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