RELS/AMST 322 Religion and American Society
Fall 2007
M 7-9:50 in Glenn 123
Instructor: Sarah Pike
Trinity 231
Office Hours: T 2-4, W 2-4,
Office Phone: 898-6341
E-mail: please use Vista Blackboard (formerly WebCT) e-mail, and only if urgent: spike@csuchico.edu
• Course Objectives •
American religions play an important role in the most contentious social issues of our era: religious freedom, abortion, debates over teaching evolution, racism, gay rights and multiculturalism. We will begin by exploring the historical roots of these issues and of religious trends such as pluralism and fundamentalism. In the midst of our survey of American religious history, we will turn to look closely at specific tensions in the lives of particular groups of Americans that will serve as case studies of how the relationship between religion and American society plays out. We will pay particular attention to the intersection of media representations of religious “others” and relationships of social power such as gender, race, class and ethnicity. Using various kinds of media, historical documents, religious texts and films, we will study and analyze the impact of religion on society throughout American history.
• Requirements •
--ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION: Your participation and attendance are essential to the success of this course. You should read assignments carefully and come to each class with written comments and questions about the readings. Participation should include efforts to link course content to the outside world. Please bring in newspaper stories and magazine articles as well as announcements about or brief reports on T.V. specials or movies with course-related content. Absences will only be excused in the case of medical or other emergencies. If you miss class for reasons other than emergencies, YOU are responsible for finding out from other students, not from me, what we did that day. If you missed class because of an emergency or illness I will be happy to help you catch up. Quizzes and tests will only be made up in the case of emergency or illness.
--INDEX CARDS: At the beginning of every class, students must turn in a 3x5 index card with questions and comments about the readings written on both sides. Consider the following: 1) what did you learn from the readings, such as the author's thesis, issues at stake, main points, and supporting evidence? 2) What was your reaction to the readings, what did you agree or disagree with? and 3) what questions and further issues did the readings raise for you?
-- POP QUIZZES covering reading assignments will be given periodically (4-5) throughout the semester. You should bring short scantron forms to every class.
--MID-TERM AND FINAL EXAMS: tests will be a combination of multiple choice, short answer and essay.
--RESEARCH PROJECT/PAPER: Students will research, give a class presentation and write a 7-8 page paper on one of the topics listed at the end of the syllabus or on another topic of their choosing, if okayed by me. Topic proposals are due Sept. 25, presentations will be scheduled throughout the semester, and papers are due Nov. 17.
• Grading•
Participation/Attendance, including index cards: 20%
Two exams: 40% (20% each)
Pop quizzes: 15%
Research project: 25% (class presentation: 10%, paper: 15%)
• Texts •
Leigh Schmidt and Edwin S. Gaustad, The Religious History of America
James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
Leslie Marmon Silko, Ceremony
Other readings are on electronic reserve
• Course Schedule •
August 28 Introduction to course
FILM: “Surviving Columbus”
HOMEWORK: bring your 5x7 index card to class next week.
September 4 Early cross-cultural encounters
READINGS: Schmidt, Chap. 1, excerpt from Margolin, The Ohlone Way (e-reserve)
September 11 The Protestant “establishment”
READINGS: Schmidt, Chaps. 2-3
September 18 Native responses to the legacy of colonialism
READINGS: Ceremony, 1-115
FILM: “Pow Wow Highway”
September 25 Native and Christian ritual life
READINGS: Ceremony, 114-end
October 2 Revolution and revival
READINGS: Schmidt, Chaps. 6-7
October 9 Slavery, civil war and the color line
READINGS: Schmidt, Chap. 9 and W. E. B. DuBois, “Of the Faith of the Fathers” (e-reserve)
October 16 Immigrant religious identity
READINGS: Schmidt, Chap. 10 and Robert A. Orsi, excerpt from The Madonna of 115th Street (e-reserve)
FILM: “The Blinking Madonna and Other Miracles”
October 23 Urban religion
October 30
READINGS: Robert A. Orsi, “Introduction” to Gods of the City (e-reserve)
November 6 Creation v. Evolution
READINGS: Schmidt, Chaps. 13-14
FILM: “Inherit the Wind”
November 13 Religious freedom
READINGS: Schmidt, Chaps. 15-16
FILM: "On Values”
PAPER DUE Friday 11/17
November 27 Human rights, gender issues and civil liberties
READINGS: Schmidt, Chap. 17 and Amanda Porterfield, excerpt from The Transformation of American Religion
FILM: “Family Fundamentals”
December 4 Race and religion
READINGS: Baldwin, “Down at the Cross” and “And My Dungeon Shook” and Martin Luther King, Jr., “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” (e-reserve)
FILM: “James Baldwin: the Price of the Ticket”
December 11 Religious pluralism since 1965
READINGS: Schmidt, Chap. 18
• Possible Research Topics •
Native American issues: tribal sovereignty, natives becoming Christians and Christians “going native,” the pow-wow movement, Indian schools and other examples of tribal pride, religious freedom struggles (such as sweatlodges in prisons)
19th century spiritual hothouse: revivals, camp meetings, spiritualism, Shakers, Christian Science, early Mormons, health reform, temperance
Slavery and the Civil War: conflicts between and within denominations/ministers on the war, slave religion and slave life, early Black churches, abolitionism, Lincoln’s religion
Immigrant and urban religion: Jane Addams’ Hull House, storefront churches, the history of the Russian Orthodox in Alaska, ethnic/religious festivals, Hasidic Jews in New York, Asian immigrant communities on the West Coast
Gender and sexual orientation: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and suffragettes, the struggle for women’s ordination, gay rights in the churches, the spiritual side of the men’s movement, goddess worship
Rites of passage in the U.S.: death and burial practices, coming of age rites, youth groups, teen spirituality, religious themes in teen fiction and films, comparative socialization of children in two American religious traditions, sex. ed. in the schools
Race: religious themes in rap music, gospel, Black Power movement, White power movement, Louis Farrakhan and the Black Muslims today, anti-Jew violence, anti-Semitism in American history, anti-Arab/anti-Muslim rhetoric
Religious freedom: prayer in schools, court decisions, Santeria in the U. S, peyote religion, the Christian school movement, minority religions in prisons and the military
• Other Information •
-- If you have a documented disability that may require reasonable accommodations, please contact Disability Support Services (DSS) for coordination of your academic accommodations. DSS is located in Building E. Building E is adjacent to Meriam Library and Bell Memorial Union (BMU). The DSS phone number is 898-5959 V/TTY or FAX 898-4411. Visit the DSS website at <http://www.csuchico.edu/dss/>
--Lateness: In fairness to all, I will penalize late papers 1/3 letter grade per business day.
--It is recommended that students make and keep a copy of all assignments and papers submitted to the instructor, especially anything submitted over e-mail.
--Students are expected to turn off all pagers, cell phones and other electronic devices.
--Students are expected to pay attention and participate in class meetings, and are expected to exhibit respectful behavior to other students and the instructor.
--Students may not read other materials (newspapers, magazines) or work on assignments from other classes during this class.
-- Plagiarism and cheating are grave violations of the academic integrity policy of the California State University, Chico. This policy (EM 04-36) is posted at http://www.csuchico.edu/prs/EMs/EM04/em04_36.htm. Every student enrolled in a Religious Studies course is required to read through the policy and complete the RS tutorial and self test on plagiarism and cheating: www.csuchico.edu/rs/pdf/Plagiarism_Tutorial.pdf. We view plagiarism and cheating as serious offenses. The policy of the Department of Religious Studies is that anyone found to have blatantly cheated or plagiarized on an assignment will automatically fail the course and be referred to student judicial affairs for further disciplinary action. Please attach proof that you have completed this test to your final paper.