Note: All written work will be turned in by you and returned to you via the Assignments tab on Blackboard.

Click here to go directly to detailed information on: response papers (detailed and comparison); final written exercises.

1. Participation (15%).

Goal: To contribute to a class community united around the shared intellectual project of interrogating the value, function, and possibilities around the idea of religion and its scholarly study.

This class is discussion-based and so advance preparation (the reading), attendance, and active participation in discussion is a requirement of class. If you have concerns about speaking in class, please come see me and we will figure out strategies together. Part of your participation grade also includes:

Question period: At the beginning of every class each of us will share a question that arose for us while preparing that day’s reading. Your question can touch on any aspect of the day’s reading or topic (including why are we discussing this, although I wouldn’t go to that well too often). You may “pass” on question period in three classes during the semester. If you are going to miss class you may post your question in advance on the Discussion Board on Blackboard.

One additional source: Beginning on September 12, during each class one or more students will be responsible for sharing one additional source they have found that relates, in some way, to that day’s topic or reader. It can be a piece of text (news article, website, primary source), multimedia (video, gif, podcast), or even an object. Presenters should be prepared to explain how this additional source relates to our topic; everyone else should be prepared to respond. We will set the schedule for additional source presenters in week 2. If you are going to miss class on the day you are scheduled to present, you can swap with a classmate or post your additional source on the Blackboard Discussion Board before class.

2. Detailed responses (15% each).

Goal: To demonstrate deep engagement with a specific idea about the stakes involved in thinking critically about religion through a focused analysis and close reading.

At the end of unit 1 (Questions/Answers) and unit 4 (Identities/Critiques) you will complete a short response paper drawing from one of the specific prompts on the course website. These prompts are designed to focus your attention on a specific, significant aspect of the reading that hopefully reveals something why it is important to think critically about what religion is and what it does. These responses are due by 5pm on Fri., Sept. 20 and Fri., Dec. 13.

3. Comparison responses (15% each).

Goal: To synthesize knowledge about how religion is theorized and studied through a focused comparison of two or more sources.

At the end of unit 2 (Origins/Theories) and unit 3 (Approaches/Methods) you will complete a short response paper drawing from one of the specific prompts on the course website. These prompts are designed to focus your attention on how different theorists of religion approach the same topic or idea and hopefully reveal something about how and why the study of religion unfolds in the way it does. These responses are due by 5pm on Fri., Oct. 11 and Fri., Nov. 15.

4. Final written exercise (25%).(click here for more information)

Goal: To take the knowledge about the study of religion you have acquired throughout the semester and apply it to a new context: a new secondary source, primary source, intellectual figure, or key question.

Your final written exercise can take one of several forms (more details on all of these assignments are found in the main course website):

Book review. On the course website you will find a list of recent books on the theory and study of religion available from the BU Library. Choose one of these books and write a scholarly review of it: what is its argument; what sources does it marshal to make that argument; how effectively does it make that argument; for whom will this argument be interesting or appealing.

Intellectual biography. Choose one of the authors we have read this semester and construct an intellectual biography using whatever reliable sources you can find (in print or online): where and how were they educated? what major questions did they pursue in their surviving work? who did they influence with their thinking?

Annotated bibliography. Choose one of the topics we studied this semester and construct an annotated bibliography that would help you (or anyone) expand their knowledge of this topic. An annotated bibliography lists major sources for that topic and provides brief explanations of what a reader can expect to find in that source.

Debate preparation (this can be a group project). There are several “study of religion” debate topics on the course website. Choose one of them and construct at least five arguments for both sides of the debate using only sources we have read this semester (including class discussion and additional sources introduced by your classmates).

You are strongly encouraged to meet with me early and often to discuss which assignment appeals to you and how best to approach and complete this assignment.

All final written exercises are due by 5pm on the last day of final exams (Friday, Dec. 20). There is no final exam for this course.