Course: Theory, methods and history of religion

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Course title Theory, methods and history of religion
Course code KSA/STTR
Organizational form of instruction no contact
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter and summer
Number of ECTS credits 0
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
Course content
1) study of religion as a scientific discipline; study of religion and theology; study of religion and philosophy of religion; the difference between philosophical and historical study of religion; relation of religion studies to other disciplines. 2) religion as a subject of religious research; the concept of 'religion' as an analytical category; terminology of the study of religion as a discipline; basic religious concepts. 3) "understanding" versus "explanation"; key methods of religious studies research; subdisciplines of the study od religions; problems of historical and comparative religions. 4) the importance, task and objective of religious research; reductionism and religion exploration; neutrality in the study of religion; "outsider" and "insider" positions. 5) the difference between clarifying religion and deepening faith; the function of religious beliefs or unbelief in religious studies; ethical and emic approach to religion. 6) creation and establishment of world study of religion (E. Sharpe; M. Stausberg); institutionalization of religious studies in Central and Eastern Europe (T. Bubík, H. Hoffmann). 7) origin, development and current situation of the Czech study religion (O. Pertold; J. Heller; B. Horyna). 8) evolutionary theory of the origin and evolution of religion (E.B. Tylor; J.G. Frazer; J. Lubbock; É. Durkheim); functionalist approaches to the study of religion (B. Malinowski, A. R. Radcliffe-Brown, E. E. Evans-Pritchard); 9) diffusionism; theory of cultural cycles (F. Ratzel, L. Frobenius); School of Historical and Cultural Studies (W. Schmidt, W. Koppers; F. R. Graebner, P. Schebesta). 10) Religion in terms of psychology (W. James; E. Starbuck; JH Leuba); religion in terms of dept psychology (S. Freud; C.G. Jung); religion and mythology from the perspective of C. G. Jung and his pupils; criticism of Jung's analytical psychology (E. From; V. Frankl). 11) religion as the legitimization of power (K. Marx); religion as an instrument of integration (É. Durkheim); Society as Sacred (E. Durheim); modernization as rationalization (M. Weber). 12) symbolic-analytical school (C.G. Jung, K. Kerényi); School of Myth and Ritual (S.H. Hooke, E.O. James). 13) relationship between ritual and magic, relationship between ritual and religion; the relationship of myth and ritual (W. Robertson Smith, J.G. Frazer, J.E. Harrison, S.H. Hooke, and M. Eliade). 14) evolutionist interpretations of ritual (J. Frazer; E. B. Tylor; L. Lévy-Bruhl); sociological interpretations of ritual (É. Durkheim; M. Mauss); Functionalist Ritual Theories (A. R. Radcliffe-Brown; B. Malinowski; R. A. Rappaport). 15) myth and ritual (A. van Gennep, V. Turner, C. Bell, R. Rappaport); transitional rituals (A. van Gennep; V. Turner; B. Lincoln); structural analysis of myth (C. Lévi-Strauss). 16) development of phenomenology of religion (N. Söderblom; G. van der Leeuw, G. Widengren; J. Waardenburg); sacrum as an object of religious studies (R. Otto); reality and sacred (M. Eliade); the difference between historical and phenomenological study of religion (Z. Werblowski). 17) religion as alienation and religion as opium (K. Marx); Marxist religion (D. M. Ugrinovic, Z. Poniatowski); Czech Marxist study of religion (O. Nahodil; J. Loukotka; I. Hodovský). 18) religion and cognitive sciences (T. Lawson; A. Geertz); basic theses of cognitive approach to religion; a brief history of cognitive study of religion; methods used in experimental research of religion (U. Schjoedt). (19) the theory of embodied cognition; religious notions and their transmission (P. Boyer; A. Norenzayan); cognitive and evolutionary ritual theory (H. Whitehouse); religious behavior and prosociality (R. Sosis). 20) the concept of religion as an anthropological category: religious facts, experiences and norms, questions of definition and classification of religion in the context of the history of "Western" culture".

Learning activities and teaching methods
unspecified
Learning outcomes
The student demonstrates basic knowledge of theories and methods of the study of religion.

Prerequisites
unspecified

Assessment methods and criteria
unspecified
In the oral part of the exam, the student presents the answer to two questions from the total number of 20 questions of the state exam. Each student has time for preparation to the oral exam - totaly about 20 minutes. The total duration of all parts of the final state exam is about 60 minutes. The student will submit to the examining committee a list of the readings of the religious literature read during the whole study (without the bibliography mentioned in the bachelor thesis).
Recommended literature


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Religion Studies (2019) Category: Philosophy, theology - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Religion Studies (2019) Category: Philosophy, theology - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -