Not offered 2007-2008
SOC 206 Religion and the Social Order
Beginning with a review of classical sociological analyses of religion's role in the social order-from Durkheim's study of primitive religions to Weber's assessment of Protestantism
and the rise of capitalism-this course considers the changing influence of religion on a
wide range of social behaviors and institutional arrangements. The course will examine, for
example, how religious pluralism heightens cultural tension as multiple and conflicting
claims are asserted to have primacy over other claims, resulting in public conflicts over a
range of social issues. A prominent and much debated assessment of these conflicts is the
so-called "culture wars" thesis. Proponents of the thesis discern deep fissures in the
American cultural and religious landscape while critics contend that the divide is not nearly
so polarized. Still others observe relative harmony, arguing that America remains "one
nation after all." In addition to exploring the various positions on this debate, the course will
examine the interplay between culture and other contemporary developments in America
religious life such as the burgeoning "seeker church" movement and New Age channeling
practices. The class focuses on the United States but lays a conceptual foundation for the
cross-cultural study of religion and the social order.
Expected enrollment: 15.
NOLAN