Anthropology 316SE - Anthropology of Secularism

What is secularism? For many of us, the answer is;obvious: the world without religious belief, or;the separation of church and state, or even the;"really real" world. In recent years, scholars in;number fields have begun to question these common;sense notions about secularism. In this course,;we will investigate this rapidly expanding;literature and the critical lines of inquiry it;has opened up: Under what specific cultural and;historic conditions did secularism first emerge?;Is secularism experienced today in the same way;throughout the world? If not, how do they vary?;What ways of being and living does secularism;encourage or allow to flourish? Which does it;stunt, block, or prohibit?

Prereq: 8 credits in Anthropology.