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.