Religion: Religion, Law, & Discipline

While it is common for people in the United States to understand legal spheres as distinct from religious ones, they are in fact deeply entangled with one another. An examination of these entanglements by examining dynamics of freedom of religion and comparing secular and religious legal regimes. Prerequisite: Three hours in Religion.

Pre reqs: 3 hours in Religion PACE students with permission and override

We normally think about religion and law as being a part of two distinct and separate spheres in society. Spurred on by the US Constitution’s first amendment, most within American society see that there is a strict separation between “church” and “state.” However, it does not take long to see that these spheres are difficult to separate, and that they are closely entangled with one another, though in different ways depending on the context. In the course, we will interrogate these assumptions, demonstrating that both within and outside the US, religious discourses, practices and institutions are deeply entangled with “secular” law. The course will focus on several case studies to interrogate this entanglement, considering the relationship between religious disciplines for Catholic nuns or Buddhist monks and secular legal frameworks, conditions of legal pluralism, and dynamics of religious freedom.

This course will be run primarily in a seminar style. It is organized around the reading and discussion of several books. Students will be expected to participate in discussions based on the readings.

Assignments will include written mid-term and exam, papers that are based on the readings or limited research assignments.