KOS4050 – Religion and Politics
Course description
Course content
This interdisciplinary course explores the dynamic relationship between religion and politics in our increasingly globalized world. Through various perspectives, it equips students with the tools to decipher current events and achieve a comprehensive understanding of how religion and politics intersect to shape our contemporary landscape.
The course focuses on the religious history of the last four decades, providing in-depth analyses of case studies while also offering broader reflections on different approaches to the religion-politics nexus. During the sessions, we will delve into events at the crossroads of religion and politics that have impacted both Western and global debates since the late 1970s.
Topics include the rise of the religious right in the United States, the Iranian Revolution, the Chinese cultural revolution, the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, the debate over mentioning God in the European Constitution, the development of religious social movements in the Middle East and the emergence of new market-driven forms of religion. Furthermore, we will explore how these events were perceived and interpreted within contemporary academic discourses and integrated into broader narratives that provided either an optimistic or pessimistic "diagnosis" of the present and a hopeful or alarming vision of the future.
Learning outcome
Train your analytical abilities! Upon successful completion of the course you will be able to:
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explain selected religious events against the backdrop of political, economic, and technological changes since the 1970s
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contextualize selected religious events since the 1970s in their local and global contexts.
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evaluate how the intersection of religion and politics shape current debates on both a local and a global scale
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critically reflect on the implications of selected events for the construction of theories in the study of religion and politics and in the elaboration of (normative) visions of the future
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
The course is open to all students admitted to a master programme at the University of Oslo.
Formal prerequisite knowledge
In order to take the course you have to be registered as an MA student at the University of Oslo.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with REL4020 – Religion and Politics (continued).
Teaching
The course is taught through an integrated?combination of lectures and interactive discussions of?two hours duration. Students’?active participation will be emphasized?throughout.
The teaching consists of:
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10 lectures/seminars
Compulsory activities:
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A written assignment
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Draft of term paper
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The approved written assignment remains valid for the three following semesters in which the course is offered. However, exceptions may arise if the course undergoes changes in its assessment format, teaching, or other significant modifications.?
Approval of the compulsory draft of the term paper is only valid for the current semester. If you retake the course, you must submit a new draft in the semester in which you are taking the exam.?All compulsory activities must be approved to qualify for the exam. It is your responsibility to verify that you have obtained approval for all compulsory activities.?
You will find more information about the requirements for the compulsory assignments and the submission deadlines in Canvas.?
Absence from compulsory activities:?
It is important that you familiarize yourself with the rules regarding absence from compulsory activities, to prevent being excluded from teaching and losing your eligibility to take the exam.
More information on compulsory activities at the University of Oslo:
Access to teaching:?
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.?
Examination
Term paper.
The assignment should consist of 8-10 pages. One standard page is approximately 2300 characters without spaces, including references. The front page and bibliography are not included in the page count.?
The topic and more detailed information regarding the term paper will be announced on Canvas.?
You must submit the exam in Inspera - see guides for digital exams?
You are personally responsible for familiarizing yourself with the requirements and deadlines for the exam.?
All compulsory activities must be completed and approved in order to take the exam.?
You can find more information about the exam on the semester page of the course.?
Language of examination
You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.