RELG 2605 - Religion and Violence

Our aim in this course is to analyze the ‘religious’ logic of certain acts of violence and terror that have come to dominate popular political discussions. We begin the course by surveying the positions that emphasize the ‘religious’ nature of these actions. We then explore the ambiguous nature of the terms ‘terrorism’ and ‘religion’ in general and through example. Finally we ask about the value of characterizing such violence as religious.

Credits: 3