Theology 343 Outline PDF

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An outline of the entire theology 343 course to date....

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POLI 389 / THEO 343 - Religion and Politics THIS COURSE WILL BE OFFERED REMOTELY Instructor: Dr. Lucian Turcescu, Office: D-201; Tel: (514) 848-2424 x 2341 E-mail: [email protected] Office hours: Tuesdays, 10:20-11:20 am Teaching Assistant: TBA E-mail: Class schedule: Fall 2021, Thursday 11:45-14:30 (9 Sep-2 Dec) Class location: REMOTELY Zoom: https://concordia-ca.zoom.us/my/lucian.turcescu

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Focusing on the relationship between church, state, and democracy, this course examines the intersection of religion and politics by studying the connections between moral values and political beliefs in different settings around the world. It explores how religious beliefs have shaped politics and have impacted democratization, education, and citizenship. At the same time, it reflects on the way in which politics has affected religious life and religious organizations. Theo 343 is cross listed with Poli 389. REQUIRED TEXTBOOK Paul S. Rowe, Religion and Global Politics (Oxford University Press, 2012). You$can$ purchase$it$through$the$official$Concordia$Book$provider:$see$the Follett Discover link in Moodle or from Amazon.ca. $ Movies to watch (they will not be required for the assignments, but are used to supplement understanding of course material and to provide some visual teaching aids): • “God Fights Back: The Rise of Fundamentalist Religion” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoNC6iQa-Xs • The Story of India (Part 6 - Freedom) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81oG_liAYJ8

Recommended readings For those of you who wish to learn more about a particular topic, please consult the bibliography at the end of each chapter. Web resources are also indicated there, including links to podcasts, videos, etc.

Theo 343/Poli 389 - Religion and Politics – Dr. Lucian Turcescu GRADING SCHEME: Final grades for this course will be based on the following components: Class attendance: 10% Three multiple-choice online quizzes (each worth 20%): total 60% (on 7 Oct, 28 Oct, and 18 Nov) Final take-home exam: 30% (students will receive two questions that will have to be answered on the final exam) (due on 8 Dec) You may submit your final exam in either English or French. The submission will be done on Moodle. The quiz deadlines are firm, yet contingent on no cancellations or postponements due to influenza pandemics as determined by university authorities. Please inform the instructor if you have special needs or personal problems that interfere with your studies. Also, if you have learning disabilities, please get in touch with the Access Centre for Students with Disabilities who will inform your professor about special accommodations you may need. Grading: Evaluation is carried out in conformity with Department of Theological Studies official grid: https://www.concordia.ca/artsci/theology/programs/undergraduate.html Late Submissions Policy for the final exam: Late submissions for the final exam will be lowered by a grade each 24-hour period after which the assignment is due (e.g.: from B to B-) unless a valid medical reason is supplied with authentic documentation.

Detailed course outline Week 1 (9 Sep) Welcome and General Introduction to the topic Week 2 (16 Sep) Introduction and Theoretical Overview Read: Rowe, 1-23 (ch. 1) Part I: Religion and the Domestic Bases of State and Foreign Policy Mon, Sep. 20 - Deadline for withdrawal with tuition refund (DNE) from fall-term and two-term courses Week 3 (23 Sep) The Roman Catholic Church Read: Rowe, 28-51 (ch. 2) Week 4 (30 Sep) Christianity and US Politics Read: Rowe, 52-76 (ch. 3) 2

Theo 343/Poli 389 - Religion and Politics – Dr. Lucian Turcescu Week 5 (7 Oct) Judaism, Zionism, and Israeli Politics Quiz 1 on Thursday, Oct 7, is based on Chapters 1-3 from the Rowe textbook. Read: Rowe, 77-101 (ch. 4) Week 6 (14 Oct) Political Islam and the State Read: Rowe, 102-129 (ch. 5) Movie: “God Fights Back: The Rise of Fundamentalist Religion” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoNC6iQa-Xs Week 7 (21 Oct) Religion and Politics in India Read: Rowe, 130-153 (ch. 6) Movie: The Story of India (Part 6: Freedom) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81oG_liAYJ8 Week 8 (28 Oct) Buddhism and Politics Read: Rowe, 154-173 (ch. 7) Quiz 2 on Thursday, 28 Oct, is based on Chapters 5-7 from the Rowe textbook. Part II: Religion and Global Order Week 9 (4 Nov) Religion, Democracy, and Human Rights Read: Rowe, 176-198 (ch. 8) Week 10 (11 Nov) Religion and War Read: Rowe, 199-220 (ch. 9) Week 11 (18 Nov) Religion and Conflict Resolution Read: Rowe, 221-242 (ch. 10) Quiz 3 on Thursday, 18 Nov, is based on Chapters 8-10 from the Rowe textbook. Week 12 (25 Nov) Transnational Religion, Globalization, and Development Read: Rowe, 243-262 (ch. 11) Week 13 (2 Dec) – Conclusions

How to Make the Best Grade Possible •

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Become familiar with the readings on a regular basis o Read the material as many times as it takes to understand it o Take notes as you read (either on the printout or separately) o Present any questions you have Be an active participant in the class o Pay attention to the discussions and respond critically and thoughtfully o Ask questions/interact with the instructor and other participants o Challenge yourself, your classmates, and your instructor

Theo 343/Poli 389 - Religion and Politics – Dr. Lucian Turcescu •

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Take advantage of your instructor and TA o Discuss assignments with me or the Teaching Assistant BEFORE they are due o Utilize my availability and that of the TA via e-mail Challenge yourself to do more than just "get by." Learning is Fun!!!

ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR Group vs. individual work Please note that academic evaluation in this course will be based on individual, NOT group work. Group work is not authorized in the quizzes or the final exam and will be treated as an academic offence, according to the Academic Code of Conduct art. 19 b) and c): “academic offences include, the carrying out, or attempting to carry out or participating in: a. plagiarism - the presentation of the work of another person, in whatever form, as one’s own or without proper acknowledgement; b. the contribution by one student to another student of work with the knowledge that the latter may submit the work in part or in whole as his or her own; c. unauthorized collaboration between students” Plagiarism The most common offense under the Academic Code of Conduct is plagiarism, which the Code defines as “the presentation of the work of another person as one’s own or without proper acknowledgement.” This includes material copied word for word from books, journals, Internet sites, professor’s course notes, etc. It refers to material that is paraphrased but closely resembles the original source. It also includes for example the work of a fellow student, an answer on a quiz, data for a lab report, a paper or assignment completed by another student. It might be a paper purchased from any source. Plagiarism does not refer to words alone –it can refer to copying images, graphs, tables and ideas. “Presentation” is not limited to written work. It includes oral presentations, computer assignment and artistic works. Finally, if you translate the work of another person into any other language and do not cite the source, this is also plagiarism. In Simple Words: Do not copy, paraphrase or translate anything from anywhere without saying where you got it! (The Academic Integrity Website: http://concordia.ca/students/academic-integrity) 1. What is plagiarism? The University defines plagiarism as “the presentation of the work of another person, in whatever form, as one’s own or without proper acknowledgement” (Concordia Undergraduate Calendar 2019-2020, section 17.10.3 (https://www.concordia.ca/academics/undergraduate/calendar/current/17-10.html). Plagiarism is an academic offence governed by the Code of Conduct (Academic). To find out more about how to avoid plagiarism, see the Concordia University Student Success Centre at: https://www.concordia.ca/students/success.html

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Theo 343/Poli 389 - Religion and Politics – Dr. Lucian Turcescu 2. What are the consequences of being caught? Students caught plagiarizing are subject to the following sanctions: a. Reprimand the student; b. Direct that a piece of work be re-submitted; c. Direct that the examination be taken anew; d. Enter a grade reduction for the piece of work in question or enter a grade of “0” for the piece of work in question; e. Enter a grade reduction in the course or enter a failing grade for the course; f. Enter a failing grade and ineligibility for a supplemental examination or any other evaluative exercise for the course; g. Impose the obligation to take and pass courses of up to twenty-four (24) credits, as specified by the Dean, in addition to the total number of credits required for the student’s program. If the student is registered as an Independent student, the sanction will be imposed only if he or she applies and is accepted into a program. h. Impose a suspension for a period not to exceed six (6) academic terms. Suspensions shall entail the withdrawal of all University privileges, including the right to enter and be upon University premises; i. Expulsion from the University. Expulsion entails the permanent termination of all University privileges. j. In the case of a student who has graduated, the only two available sanctions are i. a notation on the student’s academic record that he/she has been found guilty of academic misconduct; ii. a recommendation to Senate for the revocation of the degree obtained. (Undergraduate Calendar, p.56). Complete regulations can be found in section 17.10.3 of the Undergraduate Calendar. 3. See also The Political Science Department's "Resources on Avoiding Plagiarism" at: http://www.concordia.ca/artsci/polisci/student-life/students.html#plagiarism and the full (and updated) Academic Code of Conduct here: http://www.concordia.ca/content/dam/common/docs/policies/official-policies/Academic-CodeConduct-2015.pdf. LIST OF STUDENT SERVICES 1. Counselling and Psychological Services: http://concordia.ca/students/counselling-lifeskills 2. Concordia Library Citation and Style Guides: http://library.concordia.ca/help/howto/citations 3. Student Success Centre: http://concordia.ca/students/success 4. Health Services: http://concordia.ca/students/health 5. Financial Aid and Awards: http://concordia.ca/offices/faao 6. HOJO (Off Campus Housing and Job Bank): http://csu.qc.ca/hojo 7. Academic Integrity: http://concordia.ca/students/academic-integrity 8. Access Centre for Students with Disabilities: http://concordia.ca/offices/acsd 9. CSU Advocacy Centre: http://csu.qc.ca/advocacy 10. Dean of Students Office: http://concordia.ca/offices/dean-students 11. International Students Office: http://concordia.ca/students/international 12. Student Hub: http://concordia.ca/students

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Theo 343/Poli 389 - Religion and Politics – Dr. Lucian Turcescu

About your Professor •

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Dr. Lucian Turcescu is Full Professor and the Graduate Program Director in the Department of Theological Studies. He obtained his Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Toronto in 1999. He has done research, published, and taught in several areas, including early Christianity and religion and politics. His most recent books include Churches, Memory and Justice in Post-communism (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021), Church Reckoning with Communism in Post-1989 Romania Justice (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021), Memory and Redress in Romania: New Insights (Cambridge Scholars Press, 2017), Church, State and Democracy in Expanding Europe (Oxford University Press, 2011), The Reception and Interpretation of the Bible in Late Antiquity (E.J. Brill, 2008), Religion and Politics in Post-communist Romania (Oxford University Press, 2007). He authored or co-authored over three dozen peer-reviewed articles. Dr. Turcescu is past President of the Canadian Society of Patristic Studies (2004-2008) and an Associate Editor of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies since 2004. He served as a member of the Board of Directors, Canadian Corporation for Studies in Religion, and the Corporation’s combined program director (1999-2002). In 2010 he received the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Scholarship. Professor’s webpage: https://www.concordia.ca/artsci/theology/faculty.html?fpid=lucian-turcescu...