Module THEO2571: Faith, Identity and Power in Latin America

Department: Theology and Religion

THEO2571: Faith, Identity and Power in Latin America

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To engage students in the critical understanding of contemporary religious and social phenomena in Latin America.
• To understand how the history of Latin America and the Caribbean has contributed to shaping religious phenomena in the region.
• To develop a critical understanding of Latin American religious traditions as dynamic and constantly changing.
• To understand how different religious traditions have contributed to shaping processes of class formation, ethnic identity and power struggles in the region.

Content

• This module will engage in the study of contemporary religious phenomena in Latin America and the Caribbean from an anthropological perspective. It aims to situate historically the establishment and development of religious traditions, such as Catholicism, Protestantism, African religions and Islam in the continent, while examining how these traditions have adapted to and interacted with indigenous religious practices and worldviews. It will explore how social processes such as colonisation, independence, migration and globalisation have contributed to shaping forms of religious and ethnic differentiation and power relations. Thus, it will examine the interplay of religious identities with those of class, gender and race. Some of the key themes might include: 1) Mesoamerican religions 2) The Conquest of America and the encounter with the ‘Other’ 3) Catholicism and colonial missions 5) Liberation Theology 6) Inculturation 7) Afro-American religions 8) Indigenous religions 9) Shamanism and Nahualism 10) the rise of Pentecostalism and Evangelicalism 11) Migration, ‘drug culture’ and ‘popular’ saints.

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge of different religious traditions and their local manifestations in the Latin American and the Caribbean contexts.
• Knowledge of key debates, concepts and theoretical approaches in the study of religion in Latin America.
• Knowledge and understanding of the interplay between, religion, power, ethnic identities, class and gender differentiation in Latin America.
• Knowledge of the cultural and social realities of Latin America and the Caribbean and how these contribute to shaping contemporary religious phenomena.

• Students will develop skills in the acquisition of information through reading ethnographic texts and doing independent research.
• To critically think about and discuss the subjects studied in the classroom.
• Oral and written communication skills in class discussions and essays.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures convey information, enabling students to develop a clear understanding of the subject and to improve their skills in listening and in evaluating information. Lectures will be followed by a seminar session where students will have the opportunity to discuss a key text that will deepen their understanding of the lecture topic.
• Seminars enhance subject-specific knowledge and understanding both through preparation and through interaction with students and staff, promoting awareness of different viewpoints and approaches.
• Formative essays develop subject-specific knowledge and understanding, along with student skills in the acquisition of information through reading and independent research, and in the structured presentation of information in written form.
• Examinations assess subject-specific knowledge and understanding, along with student skills in the structured presentation of information in written form under time constraints.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One formative essay (2500 words). Epiphany Term.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University