Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
-Analyze the complex relationships between identity, religion and politics in the modern world
-Profile a number of central narratives involved in the study of religion and politics, such as modernity, secularization, pluralism, immigration
-Recognize the complex relationship between religion and politics in different religious traditions and different socio-political environments, as well as the factors that contribute to this relationship
-Develop communication skills within the dialogue context regarding the place of religion in the Public Sphere
Course Content (Syllabus)
This course examines the issue of religious identities and their involvement with the political field in the modern world. More specifically, it examines the role played by the visibility of traditional religious identities and the emergence of new, mainly immigrant, religious identities, their interconnection with the nation (and national identities), democracy, human rights, pluralism and secularization. Particular examples are offered by different religious traditions, such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Indian religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism), as well as by different socio-political environments, such as Europe and especially Greece, the Middle East. East and Southeast Asia.
Keywords
religion, identity, politics, secularisation, pluralism, religious traditions
Additional bibliography for study
1. Baumann Gerd, The Multicultural Riddle: Rethinking National, Ethnic and Religious Identities, New York & London 1999
2. Bob E. J. H. Becking, Anna-Marie J.A.C.M. Korte and Lucien van Liere, Contesting Religious Identities. Transformations, Disseminations and Mediations, E-Book, 2017
3. McGill Jenny, Religious Identities and Cultural Negotiation, Wipf and Stock 2016
4. Κλάψης Εμμανουήλ (επιμ.), Ορθόδοξες Εκκλησίες σε έναν πλουραλιστικό κόσμο, Εκδόσεις Καστανιώτη, Αθήνα 2006
5. Λίποβατς Θ., Ν. Δεμερτζής, Β. Γεωργιάδου, Θρησκείες και Πολιτική στη νεωτερικότητα, Εκδόσεις Κριτική, Αθήνα 2002
6. Παπαγεωργίου Νίκη, Ινδία, Μύθος και πραγματικότητα, Εκδόσεις Μέθεξις, Θεσσαλονίκη 2006
7. Παπαγεωργίου Νίκη, Θρησκεία και Μετανάστευση. Η κοινότητα των Σιχ στην Ελλάδα, Κορνηλία Σφακιανάκη, Θεσσαλονίκη 2011
8. Τσιρώνης Χρήστος, Παγκοσμιοποίηση και τοπικές κοινότητες, Εκδόσεις Βάνιας, Θεσσαλονίκη 2007