NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS AND SOCIAL CHANGE 758654, 10op

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NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS AND SOCIAL CHANGE
(758654, 10op)

• Introduction

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General information

• Time Wed 12-14
• Location Unioninkatu 40, aud 13
• Email toomas.gross_at_helsinki.fi
• Phone [phone]
• Office Hours Wed 16-17, E308
• www http//www.helsinki.fi/antropologia/opetu
  s.htm

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Aims

• For anthropology students at the MA level
• Religious change ? social change
• In the example of New Religious Movements (NRMs)
• theories of "sect"
• religious leadership
• conversion and apostasy
• "cultic" violence
• secularization and religious fundamentalism
• Examples mainly from Western societies

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Format

• 6 lectures
• A general theme occasional videos
• Two readings
• Lecture materials
• at http//www.helsinki.fi/antropologia/opetus.htm
  
• by 11 a.m.
• ? Seminars

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Course requirements

• Requirements
• 5 "reflection papers"
• 2 essays
• "theoretical" and "ethnographic"
• Participation in seminars
• Presentation
• Opposition
• Contribution to discussions

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"Reflection papers"

• Concise summaries of your thoughts
• Based on readings for the class
• Your reflection on the authors main arguments
• For classes 2-7
• short (1,5-2 pages)
• not an essay
• may be hand-written
• in English or in Finnish
• Submission
• During the class or at toomas.gross_at_helsinki.fi
  (by 12 am)
• Late submission not accepted

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Essays

• Theoretical essay
• on broader theoretical issues discussed in the
  lectures
• 5-6 pages
• four different bibliographic sources
• due on 14 November
• Ethnographic essay
• 8-10 pages in length
• Case study of a particular religious movement
• first-hand collection of data encouraged
• focus on a particular issue or a problem
• due on 31 December

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Essays

• Language
• Finnish, Swedish or English
• Submission
• by email at toomas.gross_at_helsinki.fi
• Late submission penalty
• graded down 5 per day (up to 40)
• both essays to be submitted by 10 January
• Suggested essay topics and readings
• http//www.helsinki.fi/antropologia/opetus.htm

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Suggested theoretical essay topics

• Is it justified to distinguish between cult and
  religion?
• What is "new" about new religious movements?
• NRMs a symptom of modernity or a reaction to
  it?
• NRMs as a form of cultural resistance in colonial
  and postcolonial context.
• Why does protest so often take a religious form?
• Does modernization lead inevitably to
  secularization?

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Suggested ethnographic essay topics

• Wicca and the idea of leadership
• Pentecostal Movement in Uganda A case study of
  Finnish Pentecostal Missionaries and Organization
• Yksilö ja antroposofia
• Uskontojen uhrien tuki ryn ideologian
  tarkastelua
• FALUN GONG in Finland Spiritual or Political
  Movement?

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Seminars

• 21.11-12.12
• Participation is mandatory
• Presentations oppositions general discussion
• Schedule on 7 November

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Seminar presentations

• Based on your draft essay (both or either)
• Can be rather preliminary
• not expected to send out a final paper
• outline at least 5 pages of reasonably polished
  text
• To be sent to everyone by 12 am on Monday
  preceding the presentation date
• Presentation
• max 10-15 minutes
• short summary of main arguments
• explanation of why and how the topic is relevant
• powerpoint or overheads

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Seminar oppositions

• Opposition
• 5-10 minutes
• focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the
  presented paper and the topic
• Trigger for the subsequent general discussion

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Seminar discussions

• All course participants
• expected to read the submitted texts prior to
  coming to the seminar
• expected to give feedback to the presenter

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Evaluation

• Theoretical essay - 25
• Ethnographic essay - 35
• Reflection papers - 20
• (5 x 4 for each reflection paper)
• Seminars - 20
• (10 for presentation 10 for opposition and
  participation)

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Texts and reading materials

• Required readings
• listed in the course schedule
• 2 for each lecture
• not all are strictly "anthropological"
• master copies by D112 at Unioninkatu 38
• Suggested readings
• Websites
• Online Encyclopedia of Religion and Society
• The Religious Movements Project _at_ The University
  of Virginia
• General readers
• Thematic readings by lecture topics
• at http//www.helsinki.fi/antropologia/opetus.htm

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1. Lecture (19.9)Introduction to the course

• Video Bizarre Cults

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2. Lecture (26.9)NRMs terminology, typology,
and characteristics

• Readings
• Richardson Definitions of Cult From
  Sociological-Technical to Popular-Negative (in
  Dawson 1998)
• Wilson The Problem of Definition (in Wilson 1970)

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3. Lecture (3.10)NRMs and social change

• Readings
• Hunter The New Religions Demodernization and
  The Protest Against Modernity (in Wilson 1981)
• Dawson Why Did New Religious Movements Emerge?
  (in Dawson 1998)
• Video
• Excerpts from With God on Our Side

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4. Lecture (10.10)Prophets, gurus, and charisma

• Readings
• Bromley and Shupe The Leaders Gurus and
  Prophets, or Madmen and Charlatans? (in Bromley
  and Shupe 1981)
• Dawson Crises of Charismatic Authority and
  Violent Behavior in New Religious Movements (in
  Bromley and Melton 2002)

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5. Lecture (17.10)Ordinary members conversion
and apostasy

• Readings
• Bromley and Shupe Joining the New Religions
  Brainwashing or Conversion? (in Bromley and Shupe
  1981)
• Wright Leaving New Religious Movements Issues,
  Theory, and Research (in Bromley 1988)

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24.10

• No lecture

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6. Lecture (31.10)NRMs and violence

• Readings
• Melton and Bromley Challenging Misconceptions
  about the New Religions Violence Connection (in
  Bromley and Melton 2002)
• Robbins Sources of Volatility in Religious
  Movements (in Bromley and Melton 2002)
• Video
• Bizarre Cults

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7. Lecture (7.11)NRMs a result of
secularization or rising religious
fundamentalism?

• Readings
• Stark Secularization, R.I.P. (in Swatos and
  Olson 2000)
• Brouwer, Gifford Rose Fundamentalist
  Americanism and Christian Fundamentalism
  (Brouwer, Gifford Rose 1996)
• Video
• Excerpts from With God on Our Side

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• 14.11
• Theoretical essay deadline
• Video Jesus Camp
• 21.11-12.12
• Seminars
• 31.12
• Ethnographic essay deadline
• 7.1
• Grades posted in the department and feedback