RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY IN AMERICA Fall 2003


 

Tuesdays, 9:30-10:50              Arnold Hall Thursdays, 9:30-10:50             Ammon: MB 202; Gottschall: Arnold Hall; Price, MB 204	Laura Ammon Platner 120 office: 907-4200, x4339 home: 909-931-9405 LauraAmmon@linkline.cm   Marilyn Gottschall, Platner 118 Office: 907-4200, x4423 home: 562-493-6172 mgottschall@whittier.edu   Joseph Price Platner 112 office: 907-4200, x4803 home: 562-945-5772 jprice@whittier.edu

Purpose and Scope of the Course:  Religious Studies 101 aims to introduce you both to the contemporary religious landscape of Southern California and to the academic study of religion.  Of all the regions in the contemporary U.S., religious diversity in America is probably most visible in Southern California.  Indeed, greater Los Angeles is sometimes said to have the most religiously diverse environment in the world.  Given the great variety of religions currently flourishing in Southern California, we will need to be selective in our focus. 

Initially, we will examine the character and expressions of American spiritual life in a modern secular society. Then we will turn attention to Christian traditions, both longstanding Los Angeles area Roman Catholicism and more recent Protestant-Pentecostal movements that have thrived in Southern California.  Finally we will focus on various local expressions of Islam—both the traditions of immigrants to the U.S. from the Middle East and Asia and of American converts to Islam.  Finally we will focus on the interplay between media and religion, exploring various ways that media portray and influence American religious movements and the ways that religious organizations have utilized media to extend their outreach and to increase their support.

            Important to how we become informed about the religious diversity of contemporary America will be field trips to religious sites in the great Los Angeles area.  You will, of course, be expected to read, to discuss, to view films, to make presentations, and to attend three field trips that are crucial part of the course; attendance at the field trips is mandatory.

            While becoming acquainted with the religious diversity of contemporary America is an important goal of this course, an equally important aim of the class is developing ways of understanding the American religious landscape.  Setting the contemporary religious environment against its historical background is one way of understanding the information about religions that we will encounter.  Discussion of the American notion of separation of  “church” and state and how this affects the organization and style of American religious life will also figure in our discussions.  Some other analytical/interpretive questions that we intend to raise include:  What are the benefits and costs of American religious pluralism?  What is the relationship between consumerism, the market economy, and the types of religion that tend to thrive in America?  How does religion function in constructing identity, particularly for immigrant communities?  How do larger social forces concerning gender, race, ethnicity, and class affect religious groups, and how are the above social factors themselves affected by religions?  Are religions becoming “globalized,” and, if so, what does this mean?  How is religion changing in the contemporary United States?  Is “spirituality” replacing “religion” for many Americans?  Thus, the course intends not only to inform you about the content of various religious groups but also to give you the tools to understand and analyze what is occurring in the American religious environment.

Course structure: The three sections will meet together on Tuesdays for lectures, discussions, etc. in common.  On Thursdays we will meet in three discussion sections, each led by one of the instructors.

Required Books:          Escandon, Esperanza’s Box of Saints

                               Gillis, Roman Catholicism in America

                               Balmer & Winner, Protestantism in America

                               Smith, Islam in America

Course Requirements:

1.  Attendance at class meetings and field trips/lectures/films scheduled outside of normal class hours is required.  Three “cost-free” absences will be permitted from regular class sessions; each absence beyond three will result in the final grade for the course being lowered one notch (e.g., from A to A- for the fourth absence, from A- to B+ for the fifth, etc.).  Absence from a field trip or film, when excused prior to the session, will require an extensive make-up assignment.

2.  Completion of assigned reading as scheduled and participation in class discussion on that reading.

3.  Three formal papers, averaging 5 pages or more, will be due on assigned dates.  Specific information about the assignments will be distributed ten days before the papers are due.

4.  A journal kept in a separate notebook for recording items from the mass media, your reactions to readings, films, field trips, etc. as specified by the instructor of your section.

5.  Occasional quizzes on assigned reading 

Grading: 

Two grading options are available:  1) a letter grade or  2) credit-no credit.  Course grades will be determined as follows:  20% on each of the first two formal papers; 30% on the final paper; 15% on the field trip presentations (5% for each of the field trips); and 15% on class participation, the journal, quizzes, etc. 

Special Accommodations:

Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible to make the necessary accommodations.  Students should present appropriate verification from Learning Support Services Office.  No requirement exists that accommodations be made prior to completion of this approved College process.
 

Course Schedule and Assigned Readings: