RELI 330 - Religion, Critical Theory and Politics

Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)

Advanced study in selected aspects of religion and contemporary philosophical and political theory. May be taken more than once for credit when content changes.

Topic for 2015/16a: States of Emergency: Religion, Empire, and Sovereignty. (Same as ASIA 330 ) In this seminar we explore connections between ostensibly normative, modern, discursive, and universal categories, such as human rights, religion, and various protected freedoms, along with the language of nation-states (constitutional language, legal discourse, etc.), claims to sovereignty, territorialization and the sanctioned violence that goes along with all the above. Though this class is comparative and global in its coverage, we give special attention to China. Some questions we consider include the following: Why do so many nation-state constitutions claim to be secular but enshrine religion as an inalienable human right? Is there really a separation between church and state? Why is sovereignty inherently so violent? Is there a connection between religion and violence? Do human rights in fact do what they claim? Mr. Walsh.

Topic for 2015/16b: Race and Political Theory. (Same as AFRS 330 ) In recent years, “political theology” has emerged as a crucial notion in the humanities. Most narrowly, political theology refers to Carl Schmitt’s claim that all “significant political concepts” of the modern nation-state have theological and religious roots. Until very recently, theorists of political theology have ignored the ways in which race functions as a significant political concept of the state. This seminar will explore the intersection between race and political theology. We will examine multiple conceptions of political theology. And we will ask most centrally: In what ways are constructions of race rooted in theological concepts and histories? We will ask this question both from the perspective of the state as well as from accounts of African American experience in historical and literary texts. We will consider writings by Carl Schmitt, Frederick Douglass, Ralph Ellison, Albert Raboteau, and Toni Morrison. Mr. Kahn.

One 2-hour period.