Kursöversikt

Welcome to the Department of Literature, History of Ideas, and Religion

Here, you can obtain general information about the course, such as syllabus, reading list and schedule. 

• Syllabus (enter the course code RT2411 in the search box)
• Reading List
• Schedule - The schedule is only for students who will attend the campus course. The online course starts on Canvas on the same date as the campus course, according to the schedule. You will then find information from the teacher.

When you are a registered student you will have access to further information related to the course.

Registration information

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You will find information about the Department of Literature, History of Ideas, and Religion on our web site www.lir.gu.se

 

RT2411 • New Religious Movements

Autumn 2019

 

Professor Dr. Henrik Bogdan Office: Bengt Lidnersgatan 7, floor 3. Email: henrik.bogdan@lir.gu.se Office Hours: By appointment only.

Time and Place: For Campus students: Thursday, 13:15-15:00. Bengt Lidnersgatan 7 (room 112). For online students: Canvas.

 

Course Description

The course treats how New Religious Movements (NRM) develop and change in a global perspective by partly problematize NRMs from a theoretical perspective and partly through an advanced analysis of a number of representative global NRMs. Central questions that the course treats are religious change, globalization processes and creation of new religious expressions.

 

General Information

Teaching will take place through one introductory lecture on campus – the PowerPoint will be available online – and four obligatory seminars for campus students and corresponding four online discussions for online students. Online students are required to post at least one comment on the required reading (length ca. 200 words) for each seminar discussion, in addition to two responses to your fellow students’ comments for each seminar discussion. The seminar discussions on Canvas will run for two weeks each.

Lively discussions, while decent and respectful, in the discussion fora are encouraged. The teacher will regularly check the discussions and write comments, when needed.

Online students are welcome to attend the lecture and seminars, and campus students are welcome to take part in online discussions.

Campus students who fail to attend a seminar need to submit a 1-page text, discussing the literature of the seminar in question. Email the text to the teacher.

 

Required Texts

The required readings will be available online through the University of Gothenburg Library.

 

Course Goals
After completion of the course, the students are expected to:

 Knowledge and understanding
• Be able to explain central theories of NRMs, globalization and religious change,
• Be able to describe how a selection of NRMs have developed over time

• Be able to critically discuss central issues about NRMs

Skills and abilities
• Demonstrate the ability to critically interpret and evaluate discourses on NRMs in a global perspective

 

Exam

Students are expected to complete a final exam, which will include essay questions that cover the readings and discussions in class/online. Exam essays will require that you reflect on your position regarding various topics and also that you provide evidence and reasoned argument in support of that position. In these essays I expect much more than summaries and unsubstantiated opinions. The exam questions and instructions will be posted on Canvas on January 9, and the exam is due on January 23.

 

Additional Information

Class Participation: This course requires active participation from all students. The class is organized around discussions of course materials (scholarly articles, etc.). Students are expected to study all materials BEFORE each class session and to participate in the discussion by sharing their reasoned views on the topic. Students will be graded based on the amount and quality of their in-class participation.

Honesty. Please pursue rigorous honesty in everything you do, including your work for this class. It will serve you well in life, and in this class as well since we report all cases of suspected academic dishonest to the head of the department.

 Use of E-Mail for Official Correspondence to Students.  E-mail is recognized as an official mode of university correspondence; therefore, you are responsible for reading your e-mail for university and course-related information and announcements. You are responsible to keep the university informed about changes to your e-mail address. You should check your e-mail regularly and frequently—we recommend daily, but at minimum twice a week—to stay current with university-related communications, some of which may be time-critical.

Use of Canvas in Class.  In this class we use Canvas—a Web-based course management system with password-protected access—to distribute course materials, to communicate and collaborate online, etc.

Problems or Criticism. If you don’t understand something about the course or if you have specific points of criticism, do not hesitate to get in contact with me directly. If I don’t hear about the problems, I have no chance of addressing them.

 

Course schedule:

No.	Date		Readings
1	Nov. 7	Introduction to the course
2	Nov. 21	Theoretical approaches	The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements, Introduction & Chapters 1,3,5,8,9,12
3	Dec. 5	Western and Eastern NRMs	Will be posted on Canvas Nov. 21
4	Dec. 19	Violence and NRMs	Will be posted on Canvas Dec. 5
5	Jan. 9	Case study: Scientology	Will be posted on Canvas Dec. 19