Course Description
This course is designed to investigate the relationship between religion and politics in the United States, paying particular attention to the role of traditional religious identities and issues while also acknowledging non-traditional religious movements, ideas, and issues.
The class will explore the general role of religion in upcoming elections and the debate over religion and politics. Attention will focus on the upcoming elections, and students will develop case studies and evaluations of religious themes in senatorial and gubernatorial elections in specific states. The semester will conclude with a general discussion of the role of religion in policy-making.
While general contextualization will form the foundation of this class, great emphasis will be placed on the current election cycle and the role of religion in that cycle. Students will be expected to be informed of the current debates in the various national elections, and will be required to present materials on specific elections in class.
Goals
This course is designed to:
⇒ Provide you with an understanding of the role traditional religious identity plays in the political process;
⇒ Enable you to identify and track religious issues as they develop in an election cycle;
⇒ Provide you with the ability to identify religious aspects of public policy and election debates.
Because this class is listed as both RELST and WES200, you should also achieve “AAC&U [Association of American Colleges and Universities] milestone level 3 standards”:
◊ “Critically consider an issue or problem”;
◊ “Consult sources and consider expert opinions”;
◊ “Question assumptions and attend to relevant contexts when presenting a position”;
◊ “Develop a specific position while acknowledging different sides of an issue”; and
◊ “Articulate conclusions effectively before an audience.”
NOTE: WES Seminar II courses may be used to count towards a major; however, if you do so you will have to complete another Seminar II to complete your general studies requirements.
Texts & Readings
The following texts are available through the VWu bookstore Website. You are free to purchase it elsewhere, but you should check with me to be certain you are purchasing the proper edition(s).
⇒ Hertzke, Allen D., Laura R. Olson, Kevin R. Den Dulk, Robert Booth Fowler. Religion and Politics in America: Faith, Culture and Strategic Choices, 6th edn. (HERTZKE).
In addition, articles are linked to the class Web site.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLETING ALL OF THE READINGS, INCLUDING ANY ON-LINE READINGS OR READINGS DISTRIBUTED IN CLASS. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR FAILURE TO OBTAIN READINGS OR READING ASSIGNMENTS DISTRIBUTED IN CLASS.
Responsibilities & Evaluation
Attendance (10 points)
You are expected to attend all classes and complete all assignments. Points in this category will be assessed by dividing the number of classes attended by the total number of classes held.
In-Class Participation (10 + 10 points)
In-Class participation will be determined in two parts:
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- Part 1: Assigned readings and current events (10 points)
You are expected to complete all reading assignments before class. In addition, because there are numerous elections taking place this semester, you are expected to be up-to-date in your knowledge of religion-related issues as they unfold.
You may be called on in class to discuss the assigned reading or particular timely events. It is therefore in your best interest to do the reading and stay informed.
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- Part 2: Workshops & Presentations (10 points)
After Election Day we will be shifting focus, with greater emphasis being placed on the development of stronger writing and research skills as they relate to your project. There will be greater opportunity to reflect on our own work in-progress, and you will be expected to participate in the class discussion, as well as make brief state-of-the-work presentations related to your project.
You are expected to participate fully in regular discussions, and engage the materials in class. Regular and thoughtful participation in class, as well as enthusiastic participation in the assignments, will be rewarded in this category. Mindless blather will not.
Semester Project
You will be developing a report in six parts, each part focusing on a central element in building a coherent whole. (In other words, while you will be evaluated on each part, you are expected to use each part – with appropriate editing – on the final paper.)
You have a choice in type of project you wish to develop:
A) Historical project
Based on your selection of a past presidential election, you will develop a report on the location of religion in that year’s campaigns.
B) Sociological project
Based on your selection of a specific state, you will develop a report on the location of religion in that state’s senatorial / gubernatorial election.
Part 1: The candidates (10 points)
For Part 1, you will detail all matters related to religion as they intersect personally with your candidates. Part 1 is due on the date identified on the “Schedule of Readings & Assignments.”
Part 2: Religious demographic information (10 points)
For Part 2, you will provide details related to the religious demographics of the candidates’ constituents. (REMEMBER: Diminished or absent religiosity is also religious demographic information.)
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- For the Historical project, this means national religious data at the time of the election being investigated.
- For the Sociological project, this means religious data of the state in which the current senatorial / gubernatorial election is taking place.
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Part 2 is due on the date identified on the “Schedule of Readings & Assignments.”
Part 3: General religious issues (10 points)
For Part 3, you will provide information about any general religion-related issues that arose during the election that is the subject of your investigation. This would include any religion-related issues / controversies associated with one or more of the candidates, as well as religion-related issues that arose during the campaign and religion-related ballot measures that may have had an impact on the rhetoric of the election.
Part 3 is due on the date identified on the “Schedule of Readings & Assignments.”
Part 4: Results (10 points)
For Part 4, you will provide information related to the results of the election that is the subject of your investigation. This includes not just the vote total, but also information related to the voting of various constituencies, as well as an analysis of why the votes of those constituencies mattered in the overall vote total.
Part 4 is due on the date identified on the “Schedule of Readings & Assignments.”
Part 5: Works cited (10 points)
For Part 5, you will submit a properly formatted list of works used in the collection of any of the data used in Parts 1 – 5. This list should include primary sources (newspaper accounts) as well as secondary sources (scholarly articles).
Part 5 is due on the date identified on the “Schedule of Readings & Assignments.”
Final paper (20 points)
Your final paper will be a finished product that is made up of the Project parts 1 – 5, as well as feedback received and any editing / fine-tuning you wish to do. The paper is expected to be written at a college level – with a minimum number of errors – and properly using primary and secondary sources with proper citation. The paper need not be argumentative, but may simply explore more deeply the various elements examined in parts 1 – 5.
The final paper is due on the date identified on the “Schedule of Readings & Assignments.”
