Ethnographic Study Of Religion
Sociology of Religion / Sociology 3040-001
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 2:00 pm to 2:50 pm.
Fall Semester, 2007, University of Utah
Dr. Frank J. Page
Office Hours: 9:00 am till noon. Tuesday and Thursday, or by appointment.
Office Phone: (801) 531-3075 Home Phone: (801) 278-6413
Email: frank.page@soc.utah.edu
I. Goals:
The primary goal of this class is to afford students a historical, comparative, and critical understanding of religious institutions and practices that will help them to better understand religion and its impact upon societies, global-international events, and personal well-being. This overview of the nature, functioning, and diversity of religion should help students make more discerning decisions regarding …show more content…
The course requirements include three essay exams and a paper. The first midterm and the final will be take-home essay exams. The paper can be from 10 to 12 pages in length. There are four options for the paper. The first option calls upon the student to do participant observer or ethnographic research on a religion or religious practice. The student who chooses this option will spend time throughout the semester in a particular religious institution or group that she is not affiliated with and record her experiences in a journal. The journal will conclude with a summary of her observations in terms of what she has learned and any insights or hypotheses that have been generated by her research. The second option allows the student to write a formal research paper that addresses a particular religion, religious practice, or political or moral issue associated with religion or influenced by religious views. The third option asks the student to develop a hypothesis regarding religion and carry out an appropriate experiment or survey that will shed light on it. The fourth option entails writing a sociological analysis or response to one of the books on the suggested reading list. These papers should summarize the major ideas and conclude with a critical analysis of the book. Students …show more content…
Reserve: These can be accessed on line through the Student Portal. To do this, you should log on to My.Utah.edu with your UNID. Click on Academics and a list of your current courses along with any course reserves will be listed. Click on the course reserve for this course and the E-reserve readings will appear. Click on a particular reading and you can read it on line or print it out. If you have problems, please call the Multi-media Center, 581-6494 or 581-4808. They will be happy to assist you.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement:
The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin
Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism Statement:
Please be careful not to plagiarize. If in doubt review the university’s policy on academic misconduct, available on-line at http://ww.admin.utah.edu/ppmanual/8/8-10.html. Plagiarism can result in course failures and expulsion.
V. Course Outline:
Week One, August 20, 23, 25): Defining and Studying Religion / Issues in Conventional and Theoretical Approaches to
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 2:00 pm to 2:50 pm.
Fall Semester, 2007, University of Utah
Dr. Frank J. Page
Office Hours: 9:00 am till noon. Tuesday and Thursday, or by appointment.
Office Phone: (801) 531-3075 Home Phone: (801) 278-6413
Email: frank.page@soc.utah.edu
I. Goals:
The primary goal of this class is to afford students a historical, comparative, and critical understanding of religious institutions and practices that will help them to better understand religion and its impact upon societies, global-international events, and personal well-being. This overview of the nature, functioning, and diversity of religion should help students make more discerning decisions regarding …show more content…
The course requirements include three essay exams and a paper. The first midterm and the final will be take-home essay exams. The paper can be from 10 to 12 pages in length. There are four options for the paper. The first option calls upon the student to do participant observer or ethnographic research on a religion or religious practice. The student who chooses this option will spend time throughout the semester in a particular religious institution or group that she is not affiliated with and record her experiences in a journal. The journal will conclude with a summary of her observations in terms of what she has learned and any insights or hypotheses that have been generated by her research. The second option allows the student to write a formal research paper that addresses a particular religion, religious practice, or political or moral issue associated with religion or influenced by religious views. The third option asks the student to develop a hypothesis regarding religion and carry out an appropriate experiment or survey that will shed light on it. The fourth option entails writing a sociological analysis or response to one of the books on the suggested reading list. These papers should summarize the major ideas and conclude with a critical analysis of the book. Students …show more content…
Reserve: These can be accessed on line through the Student Portal. To do this, you should log on to My.Utah.edu with your UNID. Click on Academics and a list of your current courses along with any course reserves will be listed. Click on the course reserve for this course and the E-reserve readings will appear. Click on a particular reading and you can read it on line or print it out. If you have problems, please call the Multi-media Center, 581-6494 or 581-4808. They will be happy to assist you.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement:
The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin
Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism Statement:
Please be careful not to plagiarize. If in doubt review the university’s policy on academic misconduct, available on-line at http://ww.admin.utah.edu/ppmanual/8/8-10.html. Plagiarism can result in course failures and expulsion.
V. Course Outline:
Week One, August 20, 23, 25): Defining and Studying Religion / Issues in Conventional and Theoretical Approaches to