| Instructor: Bruce Mork | Office: Cina 205 Office hours: 11.00-12.00 MWF |
| Phone: 7268451 | E-mail: bmork@d.umn.edu |
| Exam One | 100 points |
| Exam Two | 100 points |
| Exam Three | 100 points |
| Field research presentation | 50 points |
| Field research paper | 100 |
| Individual and group work | 100-150 points |
Course objectives:
1. Understand the methods by which sociologists study religion and be able to apply those methods yourself on a modest scale.
2. Specify the processes by which individuals are recruited to religious organizations or traditions, both new and existing, as well as how their commitments are maintained.
3. Analyze the role of religion as a system of meaning.
4. Understand how religious beliefs and commitments reflect inequalities of race, class, gender, and nationality and the impact of religious commitments on conflict within and between societies.
5. Understand the relationship of religion and social change, including social movements.
6. Understand the organizational basis of religion, including new religious movements, with a particular emphasis on the rise of Christianity
7. Understand the interplay of culture and religious institutions/organizations.
8. Enhance skills in qualitative research methods.
9. Improve writing and presentation skills.
Field research: In pairs or threesomes, you need to attend "worship services" in a religious tradition that is very different than your own--whether mosque, temple, church, synagogue, or..... Be sure it is on the list of organizations for which your instructor has already received permission (or that after conferring with your instructor, you are able to get permission for your fieldwork). You must attend at least twice times and you must finish your fieldwork soon enough to make a report in class. Reports will begin in the sixth week. More details and guidelines will be provided.
Grading standards: A, 93-100; A-, 90-92; B+, 87-89; B, 83-87; B-, 80-82; C+, 77-79; C, 73-77; C-, 70-72; D+, 67-69; D, 63-67; D-, 60-62; F, below 60.
Students with disabilities:
It is the policy and practice of the University of Minnesota Duluth to create inclusive learning environments for all students, including students with disabilities. If there are aspects of this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or your ability to meet course requirements – such as time limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos – please notify the instructor as soon as possible. You are also encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Resources to discuss and arrange reasonable accommodations. Please call 218-726-6130 or visit the DR website at www.d.umn.edu/access for more information.
Academic Honesty : A violation of UMD's Academic Honesty Policy (behavior which is also referred to as Scholastic Misconduct) such as cheating, plagiarizing or any other "act which violates the rights of another student in academic work or that involves misrepresentation of your own work will result in penalties up to and including an F for the course.
Incomplete s: To receive an incomplete at the end of the semester, you must have completed at least 2/3 of the coursework and have given me good reason why you cannot complete the course in a timely way.
Egradebook: I will be entering your grades into a software program called egradebook, accessible to you on the internet (http://www.d.umn.edu/egradebook). Be sure to let me know of any discrepancies between your records and the grades recorded on egradebook, so I can double-check my records. All discrepancies must be brought to my attention by the last Monday of classes, so that everything will be in order for me to enter the final grades into the UMD records after our final exam
Extra-Credit: A maximum of 15 points extra credit will be available, with up to 5 points for each short paper submitted via e-mail based on attendance at religiously relevant presentations or observances at UMD or in the community (but again, not in your own tradition)
My Expectations: I expect you to arrive on-time, to treat your fellow class members and me with respect, to have done the reading that is assigned for the day, to bring your questions and ideas about the material we are covering, to make me aware of any problems you are having with course materials. In return, I pledge to be prepared and organized, to communicate clearly my expectations of you, to evaluate your work promptly and fairly, to listen to your concerns, to respect your point of view, and to treat you as a person of value.