| Instructor: Bruce Mork | Office: Cina 104 C Office hours: 9.30-10.30 MWF |
| Phone: 726-6369 | E-mail: bmork@d.umn.edu |
| Exam One | 100 points |
| Exam Two | 100 points |
| Exam Three | 100 points |
| Field research presentation/report | 100 points |
| 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 very 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 and of Islam.
7. Understand the interplay of culture and religious institutions/organizations.
8. Try to apply some of these understandings to an analysis of the conflicts surrounding the establishment and maintenance of the Jewish state of Israel.
9. Enhance skills in qualitative research methods.
10. Improve writing and presentation skills.
Field research: Singly or in pairs, 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 three times and you must finish your fieldwork soon enough to make a report in class. Reports will begin in the eleventh week. More details and guidelines will be provided.
Speaking of Faith: Each class member must listen to three episodes of the public radio show, Speaking of Faith (http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/), write a brief review (1-2 pages) of each episode, and share one of your reviews with our class. These will be shared in with other members of class in small groups, with recommendations for which ones might be brought to our class as a whole. Another option: You may instead watch the PBS video, "The Mormons," which is available online: http://www.pbs.org/mormons/
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.
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 Friday 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: Option 1 : A maximum of 20 points extra credit will be available, with up to 5 points for each short paper submitted via e-mail based on sociologically relevant campus presentations or events in the community (check with me if you're not sure). This could include attendance at one or more "worship" services, not counting the one for which you do your major field research report.
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.
Special Arrangements/Facilities: If you have a physical or cultural condition, either permanent or temporary, which you believe makes it difficult for you to participate in and/or complete the requirements of this course in the time and manner prescribed, please let me know by the end of the first week of instruction. Adaptation of methods, materials, or testing may be made as required. It is your responsibility to contact the Access Center for advice regarding adaptations .