SOC 386 - US Politics and Religion

The purpose of this course is to gain appreciation for sociological analysis at the intersection of politics and religion in the context of the United States. The course is analytical, historical, and empirically grounded in observable patterns.  As such, the class will discuss distinctively sociological issues at a macro-level of analysis that includes dynamics of continuing relevance: the relationship between race and religion over the past 200+ years (whether encoded into official law or not), various religiously motivated political movements, connections between religion and debates over macroeconomic theory, business and corporate strategies regarding profitability, patterns of financial inequality and concentrations of elite wealth, and relationship between religion and processes of globalization, immigration, and transnationalism.  Although connections with current events will likely occur, our class begins with establishing a historical context for understanding religion and political dynamics in American history, moving to the role of religion in the development of an “American” national identity, and then focusing more on alternative Christian notions of wealth, poverty, and economic theory.  The class moves on to more contemporary analysis of the political orientation of white evangelicals, patterns of racial & religious differences using survey data, the positioning of religious notions to civic concerns regarding gender and sexuality, and the rise of groups like religious ‘nones.’  Over the course of the semester, our discussions will weave together broader considerations of religion with race-ethnicity, gender, and economics and culminate in an examination of unpacking interrelations between religion and politically consequential issues of more recent times today.  The course ends with students’ presentation of an aspect of course content that goes in more depth on a significant aspect of this course. 

Overall, the course is intended to encourage and stimulate critical thinking beyond “common sense,” knee-jerk opinions and interpretations. Throughout the class, we will read on a number of topics including the broader and complex processes of identity and race, politics and nationalism, faith and community, economics and financial pressures, citizenship and public life, prejudice and discrimination, media and technology, as well as celebrity and symbolic leadership. The tone of this course will be analytical with a conscientious use of sociological concepts with an eye toward discerning patterns of macro-change.  For example, politics is derivative of long developments entailing questions of democracy, participation, and group alignments; race-ethnicity is not a biological, physiological, or genetic characteristic but a social characteristic, one that always involves particular religious beliefs and practices and an international network of people who continually reproduce religious frameworks and religious structures. And religion is not merely a set of dogmatic beliefs or static church membership but a distinctly social phenomenon influenced by historical and material circumstances as well as a set of “lived practices” that touch on non-religious activity in unanticipated ways. The development of our knowledge of the relations between politics and religion will be historically informed and empirically grounded.  Student questions and interests are welcome as they emerge.

Satisfies Sociology major requirement.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement