ASC211 - Religion and Social Change

Unit details

Note: You are seeing the 2023 view of this unit information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]
Year:

2023 unit information

Enrolment modes:Trimester 3: Online
Credit point(s):1
EFTSL value:0.125
Unit Chair:Trimester 3: Anna Halafoff
Cohort rule:Nil
Prerequisite:

Nil

Corequisite:Nil
Incompatible with: Nil
Typical study commitment:

Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit.

Scheduled learning activities - online:

1 x 1-hour class per week (recordings provided), 1 x 1-hour online seminar per week

Content

Religion was catapulted into the public mind at the turn of the 21st Century, following the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Religions have long played a role in promoting both cultures of peace and cultures of violence. Notable examples include religiously inspired social movements such as Gandhi's Satyagraha movement in India, the Civil Rights movement in the USA, and the global multifaith movement. From the 1970s onward, due to processes of globalisation, many societies have also become increasing religiously diverse and everyday religion and spirituality continue to play a role in many people’s lives. All of these factors have led to a questioning of secularisation theory, which had predicted the decline of religious influence from public and political life. More recently, however, the rise of New Atheism, the public scrutiny of religious organisations and an increasing number of people declaring themselves to have no religious affiliation indicates that those who were quick to declare a new post-secular age may have been mistaken. This Unit will explore and critically evaluate the current state of religion in society, and the role of religious movements in social change, both peaceful and violent.

ULO These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes
ULO1

Analyse major sociology of religion theories and concepts on religion and globalisation, religious social movements, religion and the internet, spirituality, religion and terrorism, religion, gender, and the rise of New Atheism

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities

ULO2

Clearly communicate the findings and analyses of sociology of religion concepts and theories in written and oral formats to a range of audiences

GLO2: Communication

ULO3

Critically evaluate theoretical approaches to religion and social problems, and current policies and practices of governments at local, state, national and international levels

GLO4: Critical thinking

GLO5: Problem solving

Assessment

Assessment Description Student output Grading and weighting
(% total mark for unit)
Indicative due week
Assessment 1 - Essay 1000 words
or equivalent
25% Information not yet available
Assessment 2 - Presentation 1000 words
or equivalent
25% Information not yet available
Assessment 3 - Report 2000 words
or equivalent
50% Information not yet available

The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.

Learning Resource

The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link ASC211
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.

Unit Fee Information

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