SOCS206 - Globalisation, Religion and Modernity

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

Sociologists have distinct approaches to understanding the major world religions in the contexts of contemporary social and systemic changes associated with modernity, including such forces as globalisation, transnationalism, and multiculturalism. To do this, it is necessary to develop skills in understanding of the nature of social relationships and institutions; patterns of social diversity and inequality in and processes that underpin social change and stability in multi-cultural or multi-faith contexts. The unit focuses on the major faith groups in global perspective as a dimension of globalisation that has produced contemporary multi-faith societies. The aim of the unit is to provide sociological insight into the modern challenges and prospects of multi-faith societies, including Australia, through concepts such as legal pluralism, religious-based violence, citizenship, and solidarity.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1-Demonstrate a sociological understanding of the nature of social relationships and institutions; patterns of social diversity and inequality in and processes that underpin social change and stability in multi-cultural or multi-faith contexts. (GA2, GA5)

LO2-Identify different sociological approaches and perspectives to the study of religion under  conditions of modernity and globalization (GA4, GA5, GA8)

LO3-Apply relevant sociological theories, concepts, and evidence to the analysis of social phenomena associated with religion under conditions of modernity and globalization (GA2, GA5)

LO4-Construct specific sociological arguments using relevant theories, concepts, and evidence relevant to religion under conditions of modernity and globalization (GA4, GA5, GA6)

Graduate attributes

GA2 - recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society 

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

Content

Topics will include:

• Sociological theories of religion and religious diversity
• Sociological examination of the major faith groups
• The religious and social world as a result of globalisation, transnationalism, religious diversity, and multi-faith societies. 
• Secularization, “Post-Secular” society, and the “return” of religion 
• Processes of radicalisation, religious violence, and religious settlement
• Managing religious diversity
• Legal pluralism, citizenship, and the state
• Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sacredness 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Domestic offering

The unit’s learning and teaching strategy is based on the delivery of face-to-face or online lectures and student participation in tutorials or online learning activities. Lectures provide students with expert knowledge of unit material organized in terms of theoretical approaches, case material and problem solving. Lectures provide students with opportunities to learn relevant theoretical approaches and case material in order to enhance their reflections on the topic and subject matter and independently seek additional readings and other sources. Tutorials or online learning activities provide students with opportunities for active participation in learning through discussion and debate, preparing and delivering oral presentations and raising questions directed to further exploration of topics.

This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit. The learning and teaching and assessment strategies include a range of approaches to support your learning such as reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, video etc.

Intensive Offering

When offered as an international intensive unit, students will learn through a combination of lectures, field trips and visits to relevant cultural sites. Pre-departure class/es will provide key background information to ground student understanding of study in the field. Students will be provided with opportunities for active participation in learning through discussion and debate, preparing and delivering oral presentations and raising questions directed to further exploration of topics. In intensive mode, attendance is normally required at the pre-departure class/es and on each teaching day of the overseas unit.

This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit. The learning and teaching and assessment strategies include a range of approaches to support your learning such as reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, video etc.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY AND RATIONALE

Assessment strategy and rationale

Assessment tasks for the unit are designed to encourage and contribute to student learning and at the same time to ascertain the success of the learning process. Assessments are designed to meet unit learning outcomes and encourage development of graduate outcomes. A variety of tasks are undertaken by students enrolled in the unit in order to develop skills appropriate to a second-year study in sociology.

The assessment for the unit is varied and seeks to realise the learning outcomes for the unit through coverage of key specific and overall sociological concerns within the context of global modernity. The minor essay requires students to analyse the role of the key sociological concept of globalisation in the development of contemporary Australian religious identity as a multifaith and multicultural society. The Major Essay requires students to investigate in depth, the social, cultural, and political impacts of the global religions through a specific site relevant to the global nature of religious identity and impact. The third assessment aims to assess students’ knowledge of the various concepts, theories, and evidence associated with religious life in a globalized contemporary world.  

Overview of assessments

Domestic mode;

International Intensive mode

Representative texts and references

Altglas, V. & Wood, M. 2019. Bringing the Social Into the Sociology of Religion: Critical Approaches. Chicago: Haymarket Books.Christiano, K.J., Swatos, W.H. & Kivisto, P. 2015. Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments. 3rd ed., New York: Rowman & Littlefield

Cox, J.L. & Possamai, A. 2019. Religion and Non-Religion Among Australian Aboriginal Peoples. Oxon: Routledge.

Doggett, L. & Arap, A. 2019. Foundations and Futures in the Sociology of Religion. Oxon: Routledge.

Draper, S. 2019. Religious Interaction Ritual: The Microsociology of the Spirit. Maryland: Lexington Books.

Esposito, J.L., Fasching, D.J. & Lewis, T.T. 2017. World Religions Today. 6th ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Granholm, J., Moberg, M. Kurtz, L.R. 2015. Gods in the Global Village: The World’s Religions in Sociological Perspective, 4th edition. London: Sage

Mirola, W.A., Emerson, M.O. & Monahan, S.C. 2019. Sociology of Religion: A  Reader. London: Routledge.

Nongbri, B. 2015. Before Religion: A History of a Modern Concept. New haven: Yale University Press.

Spickard, J.V. 2017. Alternative Sociologies of Religion: Through Non-Western Eyes. New York: New York University Press.