COURSE UNIT TITLE

Offered By

Political Science and International Relations (English)

Level of Course Unit

First Cycle Programmes (Bachelor's Degree)

Course Coordinator

PROFESSOR DOCTOR ALI ŞEVKET OVALI

Offered to

Political Science and International Relations (English)

Course Objective

The worldwide revival of religious movements since the 1970s, and subsequent changes in the
theory and practice of the interaction between religious actors and political institutions, has led to an
ever-increasing interest in religion in political and sociological studies. This course aims to equip the
students with the conceptual, theoretical and historical knowledge required for comprehending the
multifaceted, complex and dynamic relationship between religion and politics in modern times. The
role of religion in political mobilization and in the construction of identities, norms and political
culture; various political confrontations among/between religious and non-religious/secular actors;
classification of religiously-oriented parties, groups and movements; debates on the appropriate
degree of involvement of religious actors and ideas in public sphere in liberal democracies are among
the broad topics to be discussed in this course. Various cases from throughout the world will be
explored.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Recomended or Required Reading

Jeffrey Haynes (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of Religion and Politics, Third Edition (Routledge, 2023).
Tim Dowley (Ed.), Introduction to World Religions, Third Edition (Augsburg Press, 2018).
Luca Ozzano, The Many Faces of a Political God: A Typology of Religiously Oriented Parties ,
Democratization 20, no. 5 (2013): 807-830.
Pippa Norris and Ronald Inglehart, Sacred and Secular: Religions and Politics Worldwide (Cambridge
University Press, 2004).
Peter Berger, The Sacred Canopy: Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion (Anchor, 1990).
Rogers Brubaker, Religious Dimensions of Political Conflict and Violence, Sociological Theory 33,
no. 1 (2015): 1-19.
Rogers Brubaker, Between Nationalism and Civilizationism: The European populist moment in
Comparative Perspective, Ethnic and Racial Studies 40, no. 8 (2017): 1191-1226
Jürgen Habermas, Religion in the Public Sphere, European Journal of Philosophy 14, no. 1 (2006): 1-
25.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

1.Lecture
2.Class discussion
3.Case analysis
4.Presentation

Assessment Methods

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

Students, individually or in groups, will conduct a properly designed research on a case to be selected
from a list provided by the instructor, and present it in class.

Assessment Criteria

1. The learner will explain the main arguments of Secularization Theory and its critiques.
2. The learner will critically interpret the dynamics of the interaction between religion and politics
within a diversity of various ideologies, particular contexts and different religious traditions.
3. The learner will identify the global, regional and local factors for the revival of religious
movements.
4. The learner will identify and compare different normative approaches to the proper role of religion
in the public sphere in democracies.
5. The learner will show proficiency in writing a scientific term paper and delivering an elaborate
presentation

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

1. Attending at least 70% of lectures is mandatory.
2. Plagiarism of any type will result in disciplinary action.
3. Participation in class and group work is necessary.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

ilkim.ozdikmenli@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

To be announced

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes