HON 306 - Religion and Colonialism

This class will introduce students to the academic discipline known as the History of Religions (Religionswissenschaft), and to the subject of religion during the colonial and post-colonial periods. The study of religion in the modern period has been characterized by a general failure to situate itself within the context of modernity’s ethnic diversity, its valuation of commodities, and its relationship to the history of colonialism. The cargo cult a specific Melanesian phenomenon will provide our entre for confronting this issue, allowing us to regard the religious lives of colonized peoples with an eye to constructively rethinking both the study of religion and our understanding of the colonial and post-colonial periods. Course Typically Offered: Every 3 years.

Prerequisite(s): Acceptance into the Honors Program or permission of the instructor.

Credits: 4