POL4321 Religion and PoliticsBahçeşehir UniversityDegree Programs ENERGY SYSTEMS ENGINEERINGGeneral Information For StudentsDiploma SupplementErasmus Policy StatementNational QualificationsBologna Commission
ENERGY SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
Bachelor TR-NQF-HE: Level 6 QF-EHEA: First Cycle EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code Course Name Semester Theoretical Practical Credit ECTS
POL4321 Religion and Politics Fall 3 0 3 6
This catalog is for information purposes. Course status is determined by the relevant department at the beginning of semester.

Basic information

Language of instruction: English
Type of course: Non-Departmental Elective
Course Level: Bachelor’s Degree (First Cycle)
Mode of Delivery: Hybrid
Course Coordinator : Assoc. Prof. ESRA ALBAYRAKOĞLU
Recommended Optional Program Components: None
Course Objectives: This course scrutinizes the impact of modernization and industrialization on the relationship between religion and politics. The topics of the course consist of three parts. In the first part, the place of religion in modern societies is examined in line with the approaches of the main analytical thinkers in the sociology of religion. In the second part, the manifestations of the revival of religion in different regions of the world are discussed with examples. In the third part, religion and state relations of some specific countries are discussed by considering current issues.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
The students who have succeeded in this course;

1. Grasp the various sociological theories of religion;
2. Explain the complexity of the relationship between modernization and secularization;
3. Analyse the main forms of relationships between states and religion based on examples from different regions of the world;
4. Examine the effects of religions on national politics through examples from different regions of the world;
5. Evaluate the religion-society and religion-state relationships in major countries of the world;
6. Identify the differences between fundamentalist, conservative and modernist interpretations of Islam and forms of Political Islam.

Course Content

The changing role of religion in societies in pre-modern, modern and post-modern periods; the effect of modernization on religion and state relationship; religion-society and religion-state relationships in major countries; revival of religion and new religious movements.

Weekly Detailed Course Contents

Week Subject Related Preparation
1) Introduction to the Course : Religion, Modernization and Globalization • Esposito, John, “Introduction: Globalization / World Religions in Everyone’s Hometown”, pp.3-37, 2002.
2) A Brief History of Great Religions • Esposito, John, “Introduction: Globalization / World Religions in Everyone’s Hometown”, pp.3-37, 2002. https://d3tt741pwxqwm0.cloudfront.net/WGBH/sj14/sj14-int-religmap/index.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6dCxo7t_aE
3) Religion, Reason and Emotion / Key Thinkers of Sociology of Religion • Fenn, Richard K., “Introduction”, pp.1-12, 2009. • Martineau, Harriet, “The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Compte”, pp.5-115., 2000. • Fenn, Richard K., “Sigmund Freud”, pp.36-54, 2009.
4) Religion, Ideology, Solidarity, and Rationality • Lobkowicz, Nicholas, "Marx's Attitude toward Religion", pp.319-352, 1964. • Fenn, Richard K., “Emile Durkheim”, pp.15-35, 2009. • Fenn, Richard K., “Max Weber”, pp.55-81, 2009.
5) Religion and Meaning / Religion and Secularism • Fenn, Richard K., “Clifford Geertz”, pp.183-196, 2009. • Berger, Peter, “Secularism in Retreat”, pp.3-12, 1996/97.
6) Secularization Debate • Norris, Pippa and Ronald, Inglehart, “The Secularisation Debate”, 3-32, 2011. • Norris, Pippa and Ronald, Inglehart, “Secularization and Its Consequences”, 215-242, 2011.
7) Midterm
8) Religion and Politics in USA & Western Europe • Jelen, Ted Gerard and Wilcox, Clyde, Religion and Politics in Comparative Perspective: The One, The Few, and The Many, Chapters: 8&13, 2002.
9) Religion and Politics in Poland and Greece • Jelen, Ted Gerard and Wilcox, Clyde, Religion and Politics in Comparative Perspective: The One, The Few, and The Many, Chapter 2, 2002. • Konidaris, Ioannis M., “The Legal Parameters of Church and State Relations in Greece”, pp.223-235, 2003.
10) Religion and Politics in Israel, India and China • Jelen, Ted Gerard and Wilcox, Clyde, “Religion and Politics in Comparative Perspective: The One, The Few, and The Many”, Chapter: 5&11, 2002. • Madsen, Richard, “The Upsurge Religion in China”, pp.58-71, 2010.
11) Theory of Islam and Politics • Haddad, Yvonne Y., “Sayyid Qutb: Ideologue of Islamic Revival, pp.67-98, 1983. • Ghamari-Tabrizi, Behrooz, “Contentious Public Religion: Two Conceptions of Islam in Revolutionary Iran: Ali Shari’ati and Abdolkarim Soroush”, pp.504-523, 2004.
12) Political Islam • Fuller, Graham, The Future of Political Islam, Chapter 6, 2003. • Jelen, Ted Gerard and Wilcox, Clyde, Religion and Politics in Comparative Perspective: The One, The Few, and The Many, Chapter 7, 2002.
13) Religion and Politics in Turkey • Somer, Murat, “Turkish Secularism: Looking Forward and Beyond the West”, pp.37-54, 2019.
14) Course Review

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks: Books:
• Fenn, Richard K. 2009. Key Thinkers in the Sociology of Religion, London & New York: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
• Jelen, Ted Gerard & Wilcox, Clyde. 2002. Religion and Politics in Comparative Perspective: The One, The Few, and The Many, Cambridge University Press.
• Martineau, Harriet. 2000-Translated. The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte, Vol. 3, Batoche Books, 1999.
• Esposito, John L. et. al. 2002 “Introduction: Globalization / World Religions in Everyone’s Hometown” in World Religions Today, New York – Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 3 – 37.
• Fuller, Graham. 2003. The Future of Political Islam, New York, Palgrave.
• Haddad, Yvonne Y. 1983. “Sayyid Qutb: Ideologue of Islamic Revival”, in John L. Esposito (ed), Voices of Resurgent Islam, New York – Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 67 – 98.
• Konidaris, Ioannis M. 2003. “The Legal Parameters of Church and State Relations in Greece” in Fotini Bellou, eds, Greece in the Twentieth Century, Routledge, pp. 223 – 235.
• Norris, Pippa. & Inglehart, Ronald. 2011. Sacred and Secular: Religion and Politics Worldwide, New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Somer, Murat. 2019. “Turkish Secularism: Looking Forward and Beyond the West” in Matthew Whiting and Alpaslan Özerdem, eds, Routledge Handbook on Turkish Politics, Routledge, pp. 37 – 54.

Articles:
• Berger, Peter L. 1996/97. “Secularism in Retreat”, The National Interest, No. 46, pp. 3 - 12.
• Ghamari-Tabrizi, Behrooz. 2004. "Contentious Public Religion: Two Conceptions of Islam in Revolutionary Iran: Ali Shari`ati and Abdolkarim Soroush", International Sociology, Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 504–523.
• Lobkowicz, N. 1964. "Karl Marx's Attitude Towards Religion", The Review of Politics, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 319-352.
• Madsen, Richard. 2010. “The Upsurge of Religion in China”, Journal of Democracy, Vol. 21, No. 4, pp.58 – 71.

The textbooks and articles listed on the syllabus are also accessible through the BAU Library.
The PPT files will be shared on ItsLearning following each class.

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Kitaplar:
• Fenn, Richard K. 2009. Key Thinkers in the Sociology of Religion, London & New York: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
• Jelen, Ted Gerard & Wilcox, Clyde. 2002. Religion and Politics in Comparative Perspective: The One, The Few, and The Many, Cambridge University Press.
• Martineau, Harriet. 2000-Translated. The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte, Vol. 3, Batoche Books, 1999.
• Esposito, John L. et. al. 2002 “Introduction: Globalization / World Religions in Everyone’s Hometown” in World Religions Today, New York – Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 3 – 37.
• Fuller, Graham. 2003. The Future of Political Islam, New York, Palgrave.
• Haddad, Yvonne Y. 1983. “Sayyid Qutb: Ideologue of Islamic Revival”, in John L. Esposito (ed), Voices of Resurgent Islam, New York – Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 67 – 98.
• Konidaris, Ioannis M. 2003. “The Legal Parameters of Church and State Relations in Greece” in Fotini Bellou, eds, Greece in the Twentieth Century, Routledge, pp. 223 – 235.
• Norris, Pippa. & Inglehart Ronald. 2011. Sacred and Secular: Religion and Politics Worldwide, New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Somer, Murat. 2019. “Turkish Secularism: Looking Forward and Beyond the West” in Matthew Whiting and Alpaslan Özerdem, eds, Routledge Handbook on Turkish Politics, Routledge, pp. 37 – 54.

Makaleler:
• Berger, Peter L. 1996/97. “Secularism in Retreat”, The National Interest, No. 46, pp. 3 - 12.
• Ghamari-Tabrizi, Behrooz. 2004. "Contentious Public Religion: Two Conceptions of Islam in Revolutionary Iran: Ali Shari`ati and Abdolkarim Soroush", International Sociology, Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 504–523.
• Lobkowicz, N. 1964. "Karl Marx's Attitude Towards Religion", The Review of Politics, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 319-352.
• Madsen, Richard. 2010. “The Upsurge of Religion in China”, Journal of Democracy, Vol. 21, No. 4, pp.58 – 71.

Ders izlencesinde yer alan kitaplara ve makalelere BAU Kütüphanesi’nden de erişilebilir.
PowerPoint dosyaları, hafta bazında ve işlenen ders sonrasında ItsLearning’e yüklenir.

References: İşlenen konularla ilgili Youtube videoları ve Internet linkleri.

Evaluation System

Semester Requirements Number of Activities Level of Contribution
Quizzes 4 % 15
Midterms 1 % 25
Final 1 % 45
Paper Submission 1 % 15
Total % 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK % 55
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK % 45
Total % 100

ECTS / Workload Table

Activities Number of Activities Workload
Course Hours 13 39
Study Hours Out of Class 13 104
Project 1 3
Quizzes 4 2
Midterms 1 1.5
Final 1 1.5
Total Workload 151

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

No Effect 1 Lowest 2 Low 3 Average 4 High 5 Highest
           
Program Outcomes Level of Contribution
1) Build up a body of knowledge in mathematics, science and Energy Systems Engineering subjects; use theoretical and applied information in these areas to model and solve complex engineering problems.
2) Ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex Energy Systems Engineering problems; select and apply proper modeling and analysis methods for this purpose.
3) Ability to design complex Energy systems, processes, devices or products under realistic constraints and conditions, in such a way as to meet the desired result; apply modern design methods for this purpose.
4) Ability to devise, select, and use modern techniques and tools needed for solving complex problems in Energy Systems Engineering practice; employ information technologies effectively.
5) Ability to design and conduct numerical or pysical experiments, collect data, analyze and interpret results for investigating the complex problems specific to Energy Systems Engineering.
6) Ability to cooperate efficiently in intra-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary teams; and show self-reliance when working on Energy Systems-related problems
7) Ability to communicate effectively in English and Turkish (if he/she is a Turkish citizen), both orally and in writing. Write and understand reports, prepare design and production reports, deliver effective presentations, give and receive clear and understandable instructions.
8) Recognize the need for life-long learning; show ability to access information, to follow developments in science and technology, and to continuously educate oneself.
9) Develop an awareness of professional and ethical responsibility, and behave accordingly. Be informed about the standards used in Energy Systems Engineering applications.
10) Learn about business life practices such as project management, risk management, and change management; develop an awareness of entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable development.
11) Acquire knowledge about the effects of practices of Energys Systems Engineering on health, environment, security in universal and social scope, and the contemporary problems of Energys Systems engineering; is aware of the legal consequences of Energys Systems engineering solutions.