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PH455J: RACE, RELIGION AND SECULARISM (2022-2023)

Last modified: 23 Feb 2023 14:01


Course Overview

Debates about living together in diverse societies often include questions about race, religion and secularism. Should religion and politics be separated? Do we need a shared national culture? How do we prevent exclusion based on race or religion? In the first half of the course, we interrogate the history and contemporary meaning of ‘race’, ‘religion’ and ‘the secular’. In the second half, we turn to how these concepts are used in contemporary debates in political philosophy, for example on multiculturalism, integration, religion in the public sphere, and Islamophobia.

The content and discussion in this course will regularly cover themes of racism, racial injustices and religious bigotry. This content may be difficult to deal with for some members of the course, but we are keen for everyone to engage. The classroom will be made a space to engage sensitively and empathetically with this content and any potentially extra sensitive content will be warned about in advance.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 4
Term Second Term Credit Points 30 credits (15 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Ms Sophie Lauwers

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)
  • One of Programme Level 3 or Programme Level 4 or Programme Level 5

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

In political debates about living together in a diverse society, the concepts of ‘race’, ‘religion’ and ‘secularism’ often play a central role. Should there be a separation of religion and politics in order to ensure state neutrality? Do we need a shared national culture, and if so, what does that entail? How do we protect against exclusion based on race or religion? In many of these debates, the meaning of central concepts often remains implicit or unclear, which can have significant political consequences. This course will provide students with a toolkit to better understand and evaluate such issues. In the first half of the course, we interrogate the essentially contested concepts of ‘race’, ‘religion’ and ‘the secular’. What is the history of these concepts? Is there a consensus on their meaning? Does this meaning fit the lived experience of some groups more than others? In the second half of the course we turn to how these concepts are used in contemporary debates in political philosophy. We will look at questions around multiculturalism, integration, religion in the public sphere, Islamophobia and antisemitism, among others. In doing so, we will engage with a broad variety of texts from liberal political philosophy as well as postcolonial theory, critical race theory, and critical secularism studies.


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 60
Assessment Weeks 39 Feedback Weeks 42

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Feedback will be provided via MyAberdeen’s SafeAssign system.

Word Count 4000
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ProceduralEvaluateStudents can critique central arguments in contemporary political philosophy relevant to race, religion and secularism.
ReflectionAnalyseStudents can deconstruct central debates in contemporary political philosophy relevant to race, religion and secularism.
ReflectionCreateStudents can articulate and justify their own opinion on the central debates in contemporary political philosophy relevant to race, religion and secularism.

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 40
Assessment Weeks 31 Feedback Weeks 34

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Feedback will be provided via MyAberdeen’s SafeAssign system.

Word Count 3000
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualAnalyseStudents can outline historical and contemporary use of the key concepts of the course (race, religion and secularism) in academic and societal debate.
ReflectionCreateStudents can create their own assessment of the philosophical and political considerations involved in deploying the key concepts of the course in academic and societal debate

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ReflectionAnalyseStudents can deconstruct central debates in contemporary political philosophy relevant to race, religion and secularism.
ReflectionCreateStudents can articulate and justify their own opinion on the central debates in contemporary political philosophy relevant to race, religion and secularism.
ConceptualAnalyseStudents can outline historical and contemporary use of the key concepts of the course (race, religion and secularism) in academic and societal debate.
ProceduralEvaluateStudents can critique central arguments in contemporary political philosophy relevant to race, religion and secularism.
ReflectionCreateStudents can create their own assessment of the philosophical and political considerations involved in deploying the key concepts of the course in academic and societal debate

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