Students

POL 305 – Religion and Politics

2019 – S1 External

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer
Marion Maddox
Contact via 0428159295
Tuesday, 2-3
Venetia Robertson
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
39cp at 100 level or above or (6cp in HIST or MHIS or POL units at 200 level including 3cp in POL)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Since the eighteenth century Enlightenment philosophers have predicted that religion would vanish as capitalism, science and state separation from religion progressed. To some extent this has happened in some European countries, but, on the whole, the 'secularisation thesis' has not come true. Not only is religion still with us, but in many regions of the world it has grown and its impact has become more intense. This unit examines the nature of the relationship between religion and politics by analysing the history of political thought, as well as recent developments in global and national politics.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Be able to analyse and express arguments about the relationship between religion and politics in oral and written form.
  • Show familiarity with, and be able to critically interpret, some classic and contemporary texts on the relationship between religion and politics.
  • Be able to form a critical and systematic argument about concepts related to politics and religion, including secularism and secularisation, religious freedom, religious nationalism, religious pluralism, and civil religion.
  • Be able to collaborate effectively to produce negotiated statements on questions to do with religion and politics.
  • Understand contemporary controversies about religion and politics through their broader philosophical and historical contexts.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Article Review 40% No weeks 2-13
Essay 40% No week 10
Test 20% No week 13

Article Review

Due: weeks 2-13
Weighting: 40%

The tutorial assessment is undertaken in groups. Each week, each group will be given a question and together will have to create a one page collaborative response. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Be able to analyse and express arguments about the relationship between religion and politics in oral and written form.
  • Show familiarity with, and be able to critically interpret, some classic and contemporary texts on the relationship between religion and politics.
  • Be able to form a critical and systematic argument about concepts related to politics and religion, including secularism and secularisation, religious freedom, religious nationalism, religious pluralism, and civil religion.
  • Be able to collaborate effectively to produce negotiated statements on questions to do with religion and politics.

Essay

Due: week 10
Weighting: 40%

Write a 2500 word essay. Questions to be distributed in week 5.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Be able to analyse and express arguments about the relationship between religion and politics in oral and written form.
  • Show familiarity with, and be able to critically interpret, some classic and contemporary texts on the relationship between religion and politics.
  • Be able to form a critical and systematic argument about concepts related to politics and religion, including secularism and secularisation, religious freedom, religious nationalism, religious pluralism, and civil religion.
  • Understand contemporary controversies about religion and politics through their broader philosophical and historical contexts.

Test

Due: week 13
Weighting: 20%

This is a final online test that will cover all of the content of the unit.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Be able to analyse and express arguments about the relationship between religion and politics in oral and written form.
  • Show familiarity with, and be able to critically interpret, some classic and contemporary texts on the relationship between religion and politics.
  • Understand contemporary controversies about religion and politics through their broader philosophical and historical contexts.

Delivery and Resources

This unit is delivered in online and face-to-face modes. Face to face students are required to attend one 2 hour lecture and one 1 hour tutorial per week. Online students will receive recordings of the lectures and undertake tutorial work online.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Be able to collaborate effectively to produce negotiated statements on questions to do with religion and politics.

Assessment task

  • Article Review

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Be able to analyse and express arguments about the relationship between religion and politics in oral and written form.
  • Show familiarity with, and be able to critically interpret, some classic and contemporary texts on the relationship between religion and politics.

Assessment tasks

  • Article Review
  • Essay
  • Test

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Be able to analyse and express arguments about the relationship between religion and politics in oral and written form.
  • Show familiarity with, and be able to critically interpret, some classic and contemporary texts on the relationship between religion and politics.
  • Be able to form a critical and systematic argument about concepts related to politics and religion, including secularism and secularisation, religious freedom, religious nationalism, religious pluralism, and civil religion.
  • Be able to collaborate effectively to produce negotiated statements on questions to do with religion and politics.

Assessment tasks

  • Article Review
  • Essay
  • Test

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Be able to collaborate effectively to produce negotiated statements on questions to do with religion and politics.
  • Understand contemporary controversies about religion and politics through their broader philosophical and historical contexts.

Assessment tasks

  • Article Review
  • Essay
  • Test

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Be able to form a critical and systematic argument about concepts related to politics and religion, including secularism and secularisation, religious freedom, religious nationalism, religious pluralism, and civil religion.
  • Be able to collaborate effectively to produce negotiated statements on questions to do with religion and politics.

Assessment tasks

  • Article Review
  • Essay

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Be able to form a critical and systematic argument about concepts related to politics and religion, including secularism and secularisation, religious freedom, religious nationalism, religious pluralism, and civil religion.
  • Understand contemporary controversies about religion and politics through their broader philosophical and historical contexts.

Assessment tasks

  • Article Review
  • Essay
  • Test

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Understand contemporary controversies about religion and politics through their broader philosophical and historical contexts.

Assessment tasks

  • Essay
  • Test