LFU:online

Institut für Amerikastudien Institut für Amerikastudien

Mag. Georg Engel Mag. Georg Engel

610013

Critical Interfaces: American Cultures: "One Nation under God?" ? Religion and Politics in America

PS 2

5

wöch.

semestral

Englisch

The focus of this proseminar is not on religious and theological issues but on social and political aspects.

More than any other Western nation, America has always been a nation of believers. This proseminar will focus on the battle lines in the cultural war between religious America and secular America, between the constitutional right to freedom of religion and the counterclaim of freedom from religion in the public sphere. Apart from looking at some important historical aspects, which may explain the exceptional position of religion in America today, this proseminar will deal with the highly controversial issues that the two Americas fight for/against in the field of education (creationism vs. Darwinism; intelligent design vs. evolution; banned books; school prayer; sex education; home schooling) and politics (abortion, religious symbols in public space; family planning and AIDS prevention, foreign policy; religion and war; faith-based and community initiatives, etc.). In this context we will also have to look at the (real and attempted) influence of religious groups and “religious empires” (TV-evangelists; religious media empires such as CBN [=Christian Broadcasting Network] and TBN [=Trinity Broadcasting Network]) on election campaigns and the political decision-making process.

Finding relevant information/material (of sufficient credibility); effective presentation in class; developing debating skills within the peer group; writing a research paper; formulating essential results in a final test.

Final exam and research paper

Materials needed for the course will be handed out in class or placed on e-campus.

Anmeldevoraussetzung/en im BA: positive Beurteilung des Pflichtmodul 19 Anmeldevoraussetzung im Lehramtsstudium: VO2: Introduction to American Literary Studies Entspricht im Lehramtsstudium (344): PS2: American Culture
Beginn: 6.03.2012