REL281

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Religion and Society: Secularism, Spirituality, Cults

Religion College of Liberal Arts

Course Subject Code

REL

Course Number

281

Status

Active

Course Attributes

BHUM: GenEd-Breadth/Humanities, CEA: ProgCLA-CEA and Au Pair, DVUS: GenEd-Diversity US, EMME: Major-Media and Comms Elective, EMRE: Major-Religion Elective, ENME: Minor-Media and Comms Elective, ENRE: Minor-Religion Elective, MMED: Major-Media and Communications, MREL: Major-Religion, MWOM: Major-Women's and Gender Stud, NMED: Minor-Media and Communications, NREL: Minor-Religion, PPD: GenEd-Power/Privilege/Diff, WRIT: GenEd-Writing Intensive

Course Short Title

Secularism, Spirituality, Cult

Course Long Title

Religion and Society: Secularism, Spirituality, Cults

Course Description

Explores the sociology of religion, starting with the influential theory of secularization and its critics from the 1950s to now. Continues with analysis of select spirituality and new religions during the same period through the lenses of gender and the media in the politics of representation. Considers gender issues such as the gendering of the secularization theory; male charismatic leadership; spirituality and women’s changing social roles; and transgender challenges to binary beliefs and rituals. Considers media issues such as the mass media’s representation of non-mainstream groups as “cults”; the use of new media by spirituality and new religions to counter the cult narrative; and the recent, influential rise of female spiritual entrepreneurs marketing wellness products online.

Min

4

Repeatable

-

Course Restrictions

-

Equivalent Course(s)

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