Description
“Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that your God is giving you.” (Deuteronomy 16:20)
From the beginnings of the Western tradition, the very notion of justice has been grounded in religious principles. And while the legal foundation of the United States is a respect for the “separation of church and state,” every day those engaged in the American criminal justice system encounter the impact of religion on the system, its principles, and its participants.
In this course we will examine the relationship of religion and criminal justice, focusing on the United States. We will begin with an examination of the relationship between the monotheistic religions and law and then move deliberately through the criminal justice process—from crime to punishment—to investigate the ways in which religion, religious individuals, and religious institutions engage the system each step of the way.
This course is also a Wesleyan Seminar, which is an immersion into liberal arts education. Within the seminars, you will learn how to identify complex problems and issues, consult expert sources, question assumptions, consider disparate points of view, develop complex personal positions, and present conclusions. The three seminars are progressively more sophisticated in their approaches and expectations.
According to the VWU General Education Committee:
Seminar II (WES 200) builds on the skills and experience of Seminar I and asks students to consider texts and contexts in greater depth.
Students should be asked to build on their critical thinking abilities from Seminar I and their other courses by addressing the complexities of text and contexts while clearly articulating their own points of view and discerning those from others.
This course may count towards the major in Religious Studies; however, if choose to use it in this way, you will have to complete another Seminar II to fulfill the WES 200 general studies requirement.
The Mirriam-Webster Dictionary defines “seminar” as “a meeting for giving and discussing information.” This course (both WES 200 or REL238) is a seminar, and as such is dedicated to the “giving and discussing of information”—in this case, about the intersections and overlaps of criminal justice and religion. The format for this course is not a series of lectures, but an ongoing conversation in which all of us participate by offering information, making connections, asking questions, and listening to others.
Course assignments, requirements, and expectations are identical whether you are enrolled in this course for credit in Religious Studies or to fulfill the University’s requirement related to Wesleyan Seminars.
Goals
By the end of the semester, you should:
⇒ have a foundational understanding of the social institutions of religion and criminal justice;
⇒ have an appreciation for the scope of their interaction in American society; and
⇒ have a basic understanding of the criminal justice process, particularly where it intersects with religious groups, individuals, and ideas.
In addition, as it relates to the Wesleyan Seminar program, upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
⇒ 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;
⇒ articulate conclusions effectively before an audience.
Texts & Readings
The following is the central text for the court:
⇒ Crime, Criminal Justice and Religion: A Critical Appraisal, edited by Philip Birch, Conor Murray, and Andrew McInnes (2023). [CRIME]
Additional readings have been linked to the “Schedule of Readings & Assignments” class Web page.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLETING ALL OF THE READINGS. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR FAILURE TO OBTAIN READINGS OR READING ASSIGNMENTS THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED IN CLASS.
Evaluation
Class Participation (10% + 20% = 30%)
Your grade in this category will be evaluated in two ways:
⇒ Attendance (10%): You are expected to attend all scheduled classes. Your grade will be calculated by dividing the number of classes attended by the total number of classes. There are no exceptions; there are no excuses.
⇒ Discussion participation (20%): You are expected to participate fully in regular discussions, and to 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: Religious Figure as Criminal (40% + 10% + 10% + 10% = 70%)
⇒ Identification: By the date indicated in the “Schedule of Readings & Assignments,” you will pick one of the following figures from American religious history as your focus on the intersection of criminal justice and religion:
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- Jim Bakker
- Philip Francis Berrigan
- Bridget Bishop
- J “Father” Divine
- Marcelino Manuel da Graça (aka Charles Manuel “Sweet Daddy” Grace)
- George Went Hensley
- Mary Sue Hubbard
- Ann Hutchinson
- Warren Jeffs
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Vincent Leaphart (aka John Africa)
- Sun Myung Moon
- Madalyn Murray O’Hair
- Joseph Franklin Rutherford
- Grace White Sherwood
- Joseph Smith
- Malcolm X
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[You are free to choose a person not on this list, but you must get my permission before proceeding with the project.]
⇒ Module Analysis (10% x 4 = 40%): On the four dates indicated in the “Schedule of Readings & Assignments” you will submit a brief (3-5 page) data-based accounting of the encounter between the religious figure you have chosen and the criminal justice system. It is understood that, for some of the module analyses, the data related to the person you chose may be limited or difficult to obtain. In such a circumstance you should consult with me directly (by email, before / after class, or in a scheduled appointment).
Each analysis must contain a description of the data related to the module as well as a complete and properly formatted bibliography of the sources considered / used for that data.
[The analysis deadlines immediately follow Module #2, Module #4, Module #5, and Module #6.]
⇒ Module Presentation (10%): For the module of your choosing, you will informally present your work related to the experience of the person that you chose. (This is intended to be an oral presentation – no presentation software will be permitted.) A list of dates and their related modules will be provided after the conclusion of Module #1.
⇒ Draft of final paper (10%): On the date indicated on the “Schedule of Readings & Assignments,” you will submit a final draft of your “Religious Figure as Criminal” paper. This draft is to be built upon the four Module Analyses, without bibliography but with proper citation / notation. The evaluation of this draft will be based on content: your use of class readings / discussions and your use of topic-specific data.
The draft of the final paper must be at least 5 pages long (double-spaced). Students enrolled in WES 200 courses are expected to submit written work that totals at least 3750 words (or 15 pages). If the total number of pages submitted in your 4 “Module Analysis” papers is less than 10, your final paper draft must be long enough to make up the difference. (In other words, if the total number of pages submitted in your 4 “Module Analysis” papers is 8, your final paper draft must be at least 7 pages (double-spaced).
⇒ Final Paper (10%): On the date indicated on the “Schedule of Readings & Assignments,” you will submit a final version of your “Religious Figure as Criminal” paper. The evaluation of this paper will be based on your incorporation of comments / corrections / suggestions provided to you in the final paper draft.
[This final written assignment serves as an assessable artifact used to evaluate the WES program. This assignment should demonstrate your engagement with the Wesleyan Seminar objectives (listed above).]
Schedule of Readings & Assignments
