Undergraduate Course: Religion in Modern Britain (REST08018)
Course Outline
| School | School of Divinity |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The aim of the course is to introduce students to a range of religious formations as they tackle particular 'issues' arising from modernity in British contexts. This course will provide a 'zoom in' portrayal, in one specific (and local) modern state, which will help to focus and fine-tune representations raised in Global Religions A and B courses. It should also form an attractive outside course. |
| Course description |
This course will provide an introductory overview of the contemporary landscape of religion and society in modern Britain, combining contextualised analyses of religious formations with specific case studies. The approach will be largely socio-cultural and ethnographical, underpinned by a modern (i.e. post-war) historical orientation. The treatment of religion/s will be aspectual, focusing on how practitioners/communities deal with 'change' and 'issues', thus emphasising the embeddedness of religious groups in local culture and wider society.
The aim of the course is to introduce students to a range of religious formations as they tackle particular 'issues' arising from modernity in British contexts. Local/Scottish examples and case studies will be used where appropriate, including the possibility of one or two local site visits, but global relationships and the effects of diaspora will also be traced.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
60 %,
Coursework
25 %,
Practical Exam
15 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Tutorial work counts for 15% of course grade based on 2 x 500 word mini-essays (10%) plus one oral presentation given to class.
1. 2 x 500 word mini-essays (2 x 5%): at the first tutorial (week 2), students will be required to commit to offering one oral presentation (on a first come basis) and two mini-essays for each of the three sections of the course, subject to the agreement of the tutor and confirmation of the course co-ordinator.
2. Tutorial presentation (5%): Each student will prepare one presentation of approximately 10 minutes, on a date and topic to be agreed with the tutor. It should be based on close analysis of issues in the tutorial reading for that week. The student will also be responsible for leading the ensuing class discussion.
Essay (25%): 2,000 words on a topic to be chosen.
Degree Examination (60%).
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| Feedback |
Weekly feedback and grading of tutorial sheets.
Sheets should be submitted in advance of the class, and will be graded with brief feedback. If a student is unable to attend the tutorial, for example, due to illness or an unavoidable appointment, any tutorial sheet which has been submitted may be taken as evidence of tutorial participation for that week. However, tutorial sheets may not be submitted after the tutorial has taken place. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | | 2:00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Outline the main aspects of the religious history of Britain.
- Make historical connections amongst the religions and relate these to contemporary situations.
- Identify themes that emerge from the study of the traditions considered in lectures and tutorials.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
- Outline the main aspects of the religious history of Britain;
- Evaluate and critique the work of scholars who have studied religions, both in the contemporary period and in the history of the discipline;
- Formulate questions emerging from the study of religions and structure an argument to express resolutions to the questions critically and analytically.
- Read and interpret a range of different sources for the study of religions within their historical, social and theoretical contexts and be able to differentiate primary from secondary sources.
- Formulate, investigate and discuss questions informed by Religious Studies methodologies (these include anthropology, cognitive studies, cultural history, ethnography, post-colonial studies and sociology);
- Engage and draw on an understanding of religious traditions and cultures to inform the approach taken when dealing with views different from one¿s own;
- Analyse and explain how cultural assumptions impact on the interpretation of religions;
- Express clearly ideas and arguments, both orally and in writing and in electronic media;
- Develop oral presentation and participation skills during seminars and group-work, and in written form through essays.
- Collaborate efficiently and productively with others in the process of learning and presenting conclusions - this includes those with a range of backgrounds and knowledge bases about religion, such as fellow-students, tutors and supervisors;
- Organise their own learning, manage workload and work to a timetable;
- Effectively plan, and possess the confidence to undertake and to present scholarly work that demonstrates an understanding of the aims, methods and theoretical considerations relevant to Religious Studies; and
- Work independently on the creation of essays using the standards current in the academic field of Religious Studies.
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| Additional Class Delivery Information |
3 lectures and a weekly tutorial |
| Keywords | Religion,Britain,Scotland,history |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Hannah Holtschneider
Tel: (0131 6)50 8933
Email: H.Holtschneider@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Katrina Munro
Tel: (0131 6)50 8900
Email: Kate.Munro@ed.ac.uk |
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