AFRS 330 - Religion, Critical Theory and Politics

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

(Same as RELI 330) Topic for 2015/16b: Race and Political Theory. 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.