SOC 206 Religion and the Social Order (Not offered 1998-99)

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 way in which religion influences a wide range of social behaviors and institutional arrangements. In the modern world, religious claims no longer carry the same kind of cultural capital that they once did in more traditional societies. Though still an important part of many modern lives, religious belief (and non-belief) systems have become increasingly diverse and privatized. Focusing on major societal institutions and social processes-including developments in education, law, family, health care, and the state-this course examines the dynamic and changing interplay between religion and the secular social order. We will consider, 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. The objective of the course is to evaluate religion's historical and contemporary influence on the major institutions of the modern world. The class focuses on the United States but lays a conceptual foundation for the cross-cultural study of religion and the social order. Format: discussion seminar. Requirements: class participation, midterm exam, research paper.

NOLAN