RELG 111 - Faith and the Ballot Box

FC ARHU WINT

4 credits
While Thomas Jefferson argued for a “wall of separation” between church and state, in reality, there has been a thoroughfare of exchange. This course traces the intersection of religion and politics historically and in current events. We will examine issues central to the 2020 presidential election such as immigration, mass incarceration, definitions of marriage and family, gun control, and religious freedom. When do candidates use religious language and to what effect? How does religious identity affect voting patterns? What is the significance of the 116th Congress being the most religiously diverse delegation in history?
Prerequisites & Notes: A modified version of our StudiOC Learning Community entitled “Election 2020: Politics, Religion and the Arts.” The classes in this learning community are now open to ALL first and second year students.
Consent is required for each class. Although students may take just one of these classes, consent preference will be given to those who are interested in taking two of the classes in the cluster.