Religion & Culture: Social Dimensions

Course Number:
SOC 219
Transcript Title:
Religion & Culture: Social Dimensions
Created:
Aug 16, 2022
Updated:
Jul 17, 2023
Total Credits:
4
Lecture Hours:
40
Lecture / Lab Hours:
0
Lab Hours:
0
Satisfies Cultural Literacy requirement:
Yes
Satisfies General Education requirement:
Yes
Grading Options
A-F, P/NP, Audit
Default Grading Options
A-F
Repeats available for credit:
0
Prerequisites

Placement into MTH 65 or MTH 98

Prerequisite/Concurrent 

WR 121 or WR 121Z

Course Description

Explores the relationship between culture, social structure, and religion, through a comparative and cross-cultural examination of religious beliefs, practices, and organization. Prerequisites: placement into MTH 65 or MTH 98. Prerequisite/concurrent: WR 121 or WR 121Z. Audit available.

Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Apply sociological perspectives and use their sociological imagination in analyzing religious institutions and their role within culture and society.
  2. Identify, evaluate, and compare various religious institutions within societies using structural functionalist, symbolic interactionist, and social conflict approaches.
  3. Participate as active citizens within their societies and communities, demonstrating critical thought surrounding religious institutions from a sociological lens.

Alignment with Institutional Learning Outcomes

Major
1. Communicate effectively using appropriate reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. (Communication)
Major
2. Creatively solve problems by using relevant methods of research, personal reflection, reasoning, and evaluation of information. (Critical thinking and Problem-Solving)
Not Addressed
3. Extract, interpret, evaluate, communicate, and apply quantitative information and methods to solve problems, evaluate claims, and support decisions in their academic, professional and private lives. (Quantitative Literacy)
Major
4. Use an understanding of cultural differences to constructively address issues that arise in the workplace and community. (Cultural Awareness)
Major
5. Recognize the consequences of human activity upon our social and natural world. (Community and Environmental Responsibility)

To establish an intentional learning environment, Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) require a clear definition of instructional strategies, evidence of recurrent instruction, and employment of several assessment modes.

Major Designation

  1. The outcome is addressed recurrently in the curriculum, regularly enough to establish a thorough understanding.
  2. Students can demonstrate and are assessed on a thorough understanding of the outcome.
    • The course includes at least one assignment that can be assessed by applying the appropriate CLO rubric.

Minor Designation

  1. The outcome is addressed adequately in the curriculum, establishing fundamental understanding.
  2. Students can demonstrate and are assessed on a fundamental understanding of the outcome.
    • The course includes at least one assignment that can be assessed by applying the appropriate CLO rubric.

Suggested Outcome Assessment Strategies

The determination of assessment strategies is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: writings (journals, self-reflections, pre writing exercises, essays), quizzes, tests, midterm and final exams, group projects, presentations (in person, videos, etc), self-assessments, experimentations, lab reports, peer critiques, responses (to texts, podcasts, videos, films, etc), student generated questions, Escape Room, interviews, and/or portfolios.

Department suggestions:
  1. Short analytical or application papers on specific concepts, themes, and issues.
  2. Term or research papers, using a variety of research strategies.
  3. Oral presentations.
  4. Group research, analysis, and presentation projects.
  5. Class participation in full-class discussions and small groups or teams.
  6. Response papers or journals reflecting on life experiences, events, and social phenomena.
  7. Service-learning tasks, involving service to community, reflection, and application of sociological perspective.
  8. Student-instructor conferences.
  9. Portfolios.
  10. Video projects.
  11. Oral histories and interviews.

Course Activities and Design

The determination of teaching strategies used in the delivery of outcomes is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: lecture, small group/forum discussion, flipped classroom, dyads, oral presentation, role play, simulation scenarios, group projects, service learning projects, hands-on lab, peer review/workshops, cooperative learning (jigsaw, fishbowl), inquiry based instruction, differentiated instruction (learning centers), graphic organizers, etc.

Course Content

Examples of Subject Matter, Concepts, Themes, Issues:

  1. Sociological Perspectives and applications
  2. Social Dimensions of Spirituality and Religion
  3. Fundamental Features of Religions
  4. Prehistoric and Contemporary Belief Systems and Communities
  5. Religion and Social Order
  6. Religion and Environment, a Cross Cultural Perspective
  7. Native American Spirituality
  8. In Search for the Common Ground, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
  9. Religion and Family, Love and Courtship and Marriage
  10. Religion and Gender, Origins of Patriarchy and Gender Socialization
  11. Religion and Health, The Spiritual Dimension of Health
  12. Transcendent Idealism and Spirituality
  13. Spirituality, the Search for New Identity