Module manager: Stefan Skrimshire
Email: S.Skrimshire@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
This module is approved as a discovery module
This module draws upon perspectives from religious studies and the social and political sciences to introduce you to the role of religion in public settings from the local to the national and the international. You will learn how religion, politics and society can play out quite differently across traditions such as Christianity, Islam and Indian religions, as well as in diverse regional contexts, such as the Americas, the Middle East and South/South-East Asia.
Far from becoming marginal or being relegated to the private sphere, religion is and remains a highly public phenomenon, shaping society and politics in our contemporary world. This module introduces you to social scientific approaches to the study of religion, politics and society, and to the relevant key concepts, scales and actors. You will also learn about selected themes and debates at the heart of the study of religion, politics and society, such as relating to nationalism, secularisation, democracy, human rights, development, fundamentalism, multiculturalism and ecology.
The module will be taught through lectures and seminars. Lectures will give context to, and provide orientation on, relevant theories, approaches, concepts and themes. The seminars will facilitate interactive discussion of the readings and the issues they raise.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Define and discuss key terms related to religion, politics, and society, and explain their significance in contemporary contexts,
2. Accurately describe key themes and debates in the study of religion, politics and society.
3. Analyse case studies from different regions and cultures to identify the diverse ways in which religion influences politics and society.
4. Evaluate the impact of historical events and processes on the relationship between religion, politics, and society in the modern world.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
5. Communicate ideas and understanding clearly and concisely, using appropriate academic language (Academic and Work Ready skill).
6. Analyse source material (Academic and Work Ready skill).
7. Use appropriate primary and secondary source material to support knowledge and analysis of topics (Academic, Work Ready, Digital and Sustainability skill).
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Seminar | 9 | 1 | 9 |
| Private study hours | 180 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Students will have the opportunity to receive verbal feedback on their plans for the text analysis in seminars in which discussion will be based upon their responses.
Students will have the opportunity to receive written or verbal feedback on essay plans for the essay assignment.
Students’ general progress is also monitored by their contributions to seminar discussions.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Text analysis | 25 |
| Coursework | Essay | 75 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 21/02/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team