QUTVRELIG Religion, Society and Power in South Asia Emneplan

The objective of the course Religion and Power is to give students an interdisciplinary understanding of the relationship between religion and politics, in general and in the South Asian region in particular. These two dimensions, the regional and the general, are integrated in a mutually reinforcing way. This provides students with a rare opportunity to exemplify general, analytical insights with present-day local and national concerns, drawing on experiences and material from the immediate surroundings. The course puts particular emphasis on how religion and socio-religious structures affect gender roles. Not only does this serve to situate the broader subject of religion and power within a particular empirical topic; it also facilitates a study that is particularly tuned to contemporary debates on religion, which frequently are coined in the language of gender relations and power.

Knowledge

• Relationship between religion and politics.
• Gender relations and power.
• Religious diversity and pluralism in the South Asian region.
• Contemporary theories and perspectives within anthropology and religious studies.
• Religion as a sociocultural phenomenon.

Skills

• Ability to reflect analytically on various ways in which politics affect religious structures, practices and beliefs.
• Ability to reflect analytically on various ways in which religion and religious discourses affect politics, including contemporary employments of religion as a political resource.
• Ability to reflect analytically on the religious component of contemporary conflicts, wars, riots and issues of national and global security.
• Ability to reflect analytically on the dynamics of pluralistic and multicultural societies.
• Ability to reflect analytically on the complexity of alterations in gendered hierarchies that follow socio-religious change.
• Ability to reflect analytically on the relation between economic development and religious continuity and change.
• Ability to reflect analytically on processes of local negotiation and appropriation of globalized religious ideologies and discourses.

General competence

The overall aim of the course is interdisciplinary. Nonetheless, the separate modules present perspectives and insights gained from anthropology and religious studies respectively. With a firm grounding in these disciplinary bases, the students are well equipped for an interdisciplinary approach to relations between religion and power.

Introducing development studies

This first part provides a set of readings that explore basic development concepts and introduce some of the theories and approaches within development. Students discuss three concepts in an introductory paper: development, poverty, and sustainable development, and consider how development is understood from a variety of perspectives. This part of the course is entirely web-based.

Research design and field methodology

Students will be given an introduction to research methodology. Covered by three lectures, qualitative and quantitative research methods, research design and evaluation of primary data will be presented. Field ethics will also be emphasized.

History, politics and economic development, globalisation and democracy

The course covers development initiatives that take place at global, national and local levels, current trends in development and development theories, and draws on political and economic

theories. Processes of globalization will be discussed, such as global patterns of resource distribution and their effect on both poverty levels and the environment in various parts of the world, questioning how power relations are reflected in these patterns. This will include discussion of the global economy, international trade, debt, and international institutions like the World Trade Organization (WTO), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Policies and practices of national governments, and actions at a community level by NGOs and local organizations, will be considered in terms of their impact on poverty and environmental concerns, including attention to human rights and the control people have over their own lives.

Population, environment and livelihood

The overall topic of this part of the course is material living conditions in developing countries, especially among the poor. Central issues are questions of environmental sustainability, food security and famine, health problems and health care, migration and demography. It includes consideration of the many ways in which poor people try to make a living.

Culture, gender and knowledge

This part directs itself to the level of people's lives and the conditions for change. We study the impact of culture on development and the social context of people's interactions. The main concepts are identity, ethnicity, nationalism, religion and the influence of gender on social life and work relations. We also include the role of learning and knowledge for people to improve their life situation.

Regional focus: South East Asia / Vietnam

Here we look at South East Asia in general, and Vietnam in particular, in order to exemplify the development topics and debates outlined in the previous parts of the course. You will be introduced to the position of South East Asia in the global system. The varied contemporary social, economic and political structures found in the region will be outlined and their cultural and historical origins explored. An examination of the nature and relative success of various South East Asian developments will also be presented.

Organisation and requirements

As part of the course, students complete one compulsory assignment, one group examination and one home examination. The Study Guide of the course will give details about deadlines defined by HIOA.

The objective of the course Religion and Power is to give students an interdisciplinary understanding of the relationship between religion and politics, in general and in the South Asian region in particular. These two dimensions, the regional and the general, are integrated in a mutually reinforcing way. This provides students with a rare opportunity to exemplify general, analytical insights with present-day local and national concerns, drawing on experiences and material from the immediate surroundings. The course puts particular emphasis on how religion and socio-religious structures affect gender roles. Not only does this serve to situate the broader subject of religion and power within a particular empirical topic; it also facilitates a study that is particularly tuned to contemporary debates on religion, which frequently are coined in the language of gender relations and power.

Knowledge

• Relationship between religion and politics.
• Gender relations and power.
• Religious diversity and pluralism in the South Asian region.
• Contemporary theories and perspectives within anthropology and religious studies.
• Religion as a sociocultural phenomenon.

Skills

• Ability to reflect analytically on various ways in which politics affect religious structures, practices and beliefs.
• Ability to reflect analytically on various ways in which religion and religious discourses affect politics, including contemporary employments of religion as a political resource.
• Ability to reflect analytically on the religious component of contemporary conflicts, wars, riots and issues of national and global security.
• Ability to reflect analytically on the dynamics of pluralistic and multicultural societies.
• Ability to reflect analytically on the complexity of alterations in gendered hierarchies that follow socio-religious change.
• Ability to reflect analytically on the relation between economic development and religious continuity and change.
• Ability to reflect analytically on processes of local negotiation and appropriation of globalized religious ideologies and discourses.

General competence

The overall aim of the course is interdisciplinary. Nonetheless, the separate modules present perspectives and insights gained from anthropology and religious studies respectively. With a firm grounding in these disciplinary bases, the students are well equipped for an interdisciplinary approach to relations between religion and power.

The program consists of two interdependent courses: Religion, society and power in South Asia and Anthropology: Religion and power

1. Anthropology: Religion and Power (10 ECTS) Anthropology: Religion and Power

The course is suitable for students with prior knowledge of anthropology as well as for students with no formal anthropological training who have an interest in general anthropological issues. The course offers analytical perspectives on enduring anthropological fields of interests ' such as religion and ritual, political structures and the dynamics of power, gender, ethnicity, sociocultural change, and research practices and methodology. Its theoretical emphasis is on the most recent developments within anthropological approaches to religion as a sociocultural phenomenon, paying special attention to how the major world religions of Christianity and Islam are perceived, received and appropriated in different cultural contexts and localities. Based on a selection of ethnographic monographs and articles, the course facilitates and encourages broad cross-cultural comparison, which is a key feature of the discipline. The comparative method promotes an exploration of structural similarities as well as diversities in response to social and ideological change. This opens for a better-informed approach to the otherwise vague and frequently opinionated studies of so-called globalization. In addition, the detailed empirical descriptions of the monographs will stimulate critical reflection on the cultural origins of the norms, values and practices of the students' own societies. The cross-cultural comparative approach is also a valuable methodological tool in relation to the regional course, Religion, society and power in South Asia .

2. Religion, society and power in South Asia (20 ECTS)

The course provides students with knowledge of religious diversity and pluralism in the South Asian region, today and throughout history, and enables them to reflect analytically on religious pluralism as a phenomenon. The course addresses the interplay between different religious traditions and their reciprocal influence in shaping the region. Emphasis is also put on the numerous, and frequently violent, conflicts that religious diversity has brought about, and particularly on the relationship between religion and politics in the formation of the modern Indian state. The course is customized to students' stay in Pondicherry, where the religious pluralism and diversity at stake is experienced daily. Regular lectures and seminars are supplemented with excursions and 'mini fieldworks', facilitating a unique empirical approach to the theoretical perspectives and general analytical insights. In combination with the course Anthropology: Religion and power , students are provided a rare opportunity for first-hand experience of the role of religion in multicultural societies.

A-E as pass grades and F as fail grade.

Mangler info.

Target groups

The Religion and Power program directs itself to

• bachelor students
• professionals (journalists, teachers, diplomats, NGO workers, etc.) and others who seek to deepen their knowledge on, and analytical skills related to, the course topic

Admission requirements

Applicants must meet the minimum requirements for Higher Education Entrance Qualification in Norway ( generell studiekompetanse ).;;;;;;;;

The program consists of two interdependent courses: Religion, society and power in South Asia and Anthropology: Religion and power

1. Anthropology: Religion and Power (10 ECTS) Anthropology: Religion and Power

The course is suitable for students with prior knowledge of anthropology as well as for students with no formal anthropological training who have an interest in general anthropological issues. The course offers analytical perspectives on enduring anthropological fields of interests ' such as religion and ritual, political structures and the dynamics of power, gender, ethnicity, sociocultural change, and research practices and methodology. Its theoretical emphasis is on the most recent developments within anthropological approaches to religion as a sociocultural phenomenon, paying special attention to how the major world religions of Christianity and Islam are perceived, received and appropriated in different cultural contexts and localities. Based on a selection of ethnographic monographs and articles, the course facilitates and encourages broad cross-cultural comparison, which is a key feature of the discipline. The comparative method promotes an exploration of structural similarities as well as diversities in response to social and ideological change. This opens for a better-informed approach to the otherwise vague and frequently opinionated studies of so-called globalization. In addition, the detailed empirical descriptions of the monographs will stimulate critical reflection on the cultural origins of the norms, values and practices of the students' own societies. The cross-cultural comparative approach is also a valuable methodological tool in relation to the regional course, Religion, society and power in South Asia .

2. Religion, society and power in South Asia (20 ECTS)

The course provides students with knowledge of religious diversity and pluralism in the South Asian region, today and throughout history, and enables them to reflect analytically on religious pluralism as a phenomenon. The course addresses the interplay between different religious traditions and their reciprocal influence in shaping the region. Emphasis is also put on the numerous, and frequently violent, conflicts that religious diversity has brought about, and particularly on the relationship between religion and politics in the formation of the modern Indian state. The course is customized to students' stay in Pondicherry, where the religious pluralism and diversity at stake is experienced daily. Regular lectures and seminars are supplemented with excursions and 'mini fieldworks', facilitating a unique empirical approach to the theoretical perspectives and general analytical insights. In combination with the course Anthropology: Religion and power , students are provided a rare opportunity for first-hand experience of the role of religion in multicultural societies.

Mangler info.

Target groups

The Religion and Power program directs itself to

• bachelor students
• professionals (journalists, teachers, diplomats, NGO workers, etc.) and others who seek to deepen their knowledge on, and analytical skills related to, the course topic

Admission requirements

Applicants must meet the minimum requirements for Higher Education Entrance Qualification in Norway ( generell studiekompetanse ).