Annotation
Religion in Action: Fundamentalism
Ain Riistan for PTF 3 ECTS; contact study hours: 22 (18 hours of lectures and colloquiums + 4 hours of counselling)
Study language: English
Target group: international students / Czech students; all levels; no specific prior knowledge is required
Objectives: the purpose of the course is to give an overview of religious fundamentalism from its beginnings to the different forms of its spread over the world today.
Learning outcomes
The student 1. knows the main outlines of phenomena labelled as fundamentalism; 2. recognizes its different forms and analyzes them assessing whether fundamentalism is only a religious phenomenon and discusses the scope and the borders of religion in the contemporary world; 4. relates the results of the study with one’s own worldview.
Final assessment: non-differentiated
Brief description of the course
The lectures describe different aspects of fundamentalism and the causes of its spreading and popularity. In discussions students analyze different phenomena related to fundamentalism and in a written essay they relate the contents of the course to their own worldview.
Assessment methods and criteria
PASS – minimum requirements for the essay. The content is in agreement with the topic and reflects personal analysis; the thoughts are presented in a clear manner; the text forms a coherent whole and is in general logical; references are presented correctly.
Timetable 1. Introductory session: a common view of fundamentalism. Film: The Fundamentalists (2006) and discussion (4 academic hours). If needed, the film can be skipped and only two-hours introductory session held.
Lectures (2 academic hours each) 2. Lecture: Extremism and stereotypes. Religious fundamentalism in a wider cultural context. 3. Lecture: The problems of defining fundamentalism. The social identity theory of fundamentalism. 4. Lecture: Christian fundamentalism in the context of “culture wars”. 5. Lecture: Religion and nationalism – the case of fundamentalisms in Russia. 6. Lecture: Religion and politics. Fundamentalism in Israel and surrounding Islamic world. 7. Lecture: The forms of secular fundamentalism. 8. General discussion (2 academic hours): What did I learn? How to go forward?
The students present the theses of their research papers. The papers themselves will be evaluated later (over the internet).
Class work and independent work
The lectures are built up in way that they are combined with general discussion topic by topic. Occasionally films and other multimedia materials are shown. Students are expected to participate actively in discussions. In addition to lectures the students have to do independent reading and some personal research.
Students have to read Malise Ruthven. Fundamentalism: A Very Short Introduction and write a research essay
(4000 words) on a chosen and pre-agreed specific topic. Specific details with the requirements of the essay are given in the beginning of the course. The list of recommended readings for research is given below.