General provisions

The course is given by the History of Religions and the Social Scientific Study of Religion

The course is a free-standing course.

The course can be taken as part of the Master program

The course can be taken as part of the PhD program

The course language is English

Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree equivalent to a Swedish degree of at least 180 credits, from an internationally recognised university in the fields of religious studies, liberal arts, social sciences, education, or law.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students are expected to be able to:

• locate, analyse, and communicate knowledge about the intersections of religion and violence at different levels (e.g. domestic, national, regional and global)
• employ analytical tools to discuss hate crime, terrorism and political violence in relation to religion, secularism, and culture
• critically read and analyse current discourses on violence, religion, and the secular
• identify key elements in the manufacturing of gendered subjectivities in relation to violence and religion
• be able to discuss critical approaches to investigating conflicts involving religion and violence
• critically reflect on their own assumptions, views, and values

Content

The course looks at the intersections of religion and violence at several levels: domestic, (e.g. honour-related violence), local (e.g. hate crime, ethnical and religious cleansing), regional (e.g. armed conflicts, terrorism) and global (e.g. the war on terror). It examines violence and the manufacturing of masculinities in various political-religious contexts (e.g. male warrior ideals) and articulations of distinct types of violence (e.g. subjective, structural, symbolic) in these contexts.

Instruction

Instruction consists of lectures, seminars, and group exercises on obligatory campus reunions.

Assessment

The forms of examination are written assignments, active participation in seminars and group discussions. Students will also be required to give oral presentations.

Seminar I: 3.5 hp

Seminar II: 4hp

Other regulations

Please note that the stated teaching methods may be replaced by self-studies if there is a very low number of students.

Transitional provisions

Students that reading this course according to older course syllabus has possibility to examine course according to the course syllabus within two years after course date. If there are special reasons, such retake can take place also later. Normally, teaching according to older course syllabus is not given.