SOC 521 Religion & International Development
This course examines the positive and negative relationships between religion and socio-political-economic development. It first engages the student in constructing a working sociological definition of religion; examining the sources of religion; and analyzing the social organization of religion. This includes viewing religion as a group phenomenon, differentiating the church-sect continuum of religious organization, describing the process of socialization ("becoming religious") and measuring degrees of religiosity. Through a series of case studies, students discuss internal as external religious conflict; therelationship of religion and politics; religious fundamentalism; religion and economy; religion and the class system; religion and social change; women and religion; religion and human rights; secularization; ecumenism; and relations with nonbelievers.