Post-secularism and Religions in time of Globalization

elective courses

Classroom

One of the defining features of our time is the intense public debate around secularism, religious beliefs and the public sphere. The extent and depth of this debate cannot be over-estimated and it affects primarily our own self-identity. For example: the definition of modern culture as the site of humanism, and of the Enlightenment-based separation of church and state in the USA Constitution as an expression of American identity, and the wish to add invocation of God to European Constitution.

One of the defining features of our time is the intense public debate around secularism, religious beliefs and the public sphere. The extent and depth of this debate cannot be over-estimated and it affects primarily our own self-identity. Alongside this debate which affects Europe’s self-image we Encounter with public discussions about the ‘others’. Attached to the problem of post-secularism are issues as: the status of European Muslims, global migration, and flows of people seeking admission into the USA or the European Union, and the increased emphasis on religious authority by different brands of Christianity and especially the Catholics. The public debate about ‘others’ today is dominated by religiously-based ideas of cultural difference. There is a reason to think, therefore, about a post-secular turn in the USA and the European politics and culture. Similar processes we can observe also in other parts of the world. The aim of the course is to explore, and discuss many aspects of this post-secular or anti-secular thought and practice.

1 week: Introduction to the course

2 week: Why Postsecularism?.

3 week: Secularization, desucularization and privatization

4 week: Globalization as a challenge for all religions

5 week: P. L. Berger and pluralization

6 week: J. Habermas and J. Ratzinger in conversation

7 week: Pope Francis and postsecularism

8 week: Polish Catholicism towards globalisation

9 week: Pentecostals as a XXI century phenomenon

10 week: How Judaism is dealing with secularization

12 week: Islam and postmodernism.

13 week: presentations

14 week: presentations

15 week: final exam

BBauman Zygmunt, Globalization, Cambridge 1998.

Dillon Michele, Postsecular Catholicism, Oxford 2018.

Eck Diana L., A New Religious America. How a “Christian Country” Has Become the World’s Most Religiously Diverse Nation, San Francisco 2002.

Habermas J. Ratzinger J. (2006) , The Dialectics of Secularization: On Reason and Religion, San Francisco, 2006.

Jenkins Philipp, The Next Christendom. The Coming of Global Christianity, 2002.

Many Globalizations. Cultural Diversity in the Contemporary World, ed. P.L. Berger&S.P. Huntington, Oxford 2002.

Kevin Philips, American Theocracy, New York 2006.

Martin David, On Secularization, Burlington 2005.

Post-Secular Philosophy, London 1996.

Students gain in-depth and detailed knowledge (including terminology, theory and methodology) in various aspects of cultural anthropology and philosophy, particularly postsecularism and implication of globalization on different religions. Students gain also knowledge of different aspects of presence of religion in public debate. Students learn to construct strategies of dialogue with representatives of different religions.

Final written paper or presentation

Lecture plus discussion

Analysis of sources material

participation in class, final presentation or paper 8-12 pages.