Religion and Politics

Religion and Politics

Religion and Politics is an interdisciplinary major between the Departments of Government and Law, and Religious Studies. The major proceeds under two assumptions. First, religious phenomena are a fundamental and often essential component of political analysis. Second, the political implications of religious practices, beliefs, and institutions are important to the study of religion. In brief, this major gives students greater insight into political dynamics and enhances their ability to assess the impact of religious on politics.

The Religion and Politics coordinate major requires the completion of fourteen courses.

Of these, students are required to take seven courses in Religious Studies, including:

• 101 (Religions in World Cultures)
• 222 (Inter-religious Cooperation and Conflict) (required)
  Prerequisite: REL 101 or permission of the instructor
• 240 (Theories) (required)
• At least three other courses, of which only one can be at the 100-level, and at least one of which must be on the 300-level.
• 490 (Capstone) or 495/496 (Honors Thesis, which counts as two courses*)

Students are also required to take seven courses in Government and Law, including:

• Two of the following introductory courses: 104 (required) and one out of the following: 101 (US), 102 (International), 103 (Comparative)
• Four courses on the 200-300 level, including 244 (Modern Political Theory) (required)**
• One 400-level senior seminar or 495/96 (Honors Thesis, which counts as two courses*).

*Students doing an Honors Thesis will enroll either in REL 495 in the fall semester of their senior year and GOV/LAW 496 in the spring, or in GOV/LAW 495 in the fall semester and REL 496 in the spring. The Honors Thesis will be directed by one single faculty member from either department, with at least one of the two readers being from the other department.

**One of these courses may be Independent Study