CONN 272 | Religion in Global Politics

Religion plays an uncertain role in global politics. Scholars, journalists, and others point to it variously as a pathogen in the otherwise smoothly functioning international system or as a potential salve on a desperately broken global order. Yet, these perspectives¿along with nearly every other understanding of global politics¿acknowledge that religion is an undeniably important part of that system. Scholars have developed a wide range of theories and methods for understanding its role. In this course, students will encounter three academic approaches to the study of religion in transnational and international politics: international relations, history, and religious studies. Students will use these approaches to look at the ways in which states, international bodies, nongovernmental organizations, and religious communities have worked with or against religion as they have sought to further their aims within global politics. This course takes a global view but it maintains that all politics are also local. Therefore, we have a primary focus on New York City, where students will be invited for a study-away program.