Dr. Ewa Wasilewska, Associate Professor/Lecturer, Dept. of Anthropology.

Office: Stewart 101. By appointment only.

Office phone: 801-581-6251. Please call between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and leave your name and a phone number so the instructor can call you back. Telephone appointments are acceptable.

Home phone: 801-596-3105. For emergencies only unless a telephone appointment is arranged.

Email: Mruczek@AOL.com

This course will examine origin and meaning of two important concepts, “religion” and “religiosity,” and the affects their understanding, or lack of thereof, have on modern populations of the U.S.A. and the Middle East. It will discuss specific historical, economic, and political settings such as the emergence of monotheism, nationalism, terrorism, etc., in which these two concepts have been interchangeably used (or abused) for the real or perceived benefit of involved parties and for shaping their identities. Consequently, this course will introduce students to issues of religious diversity as perceived, practiced, and prescribed under rules of different religions within specific political, social, and cultural systems of these two regions. The stress will be put on mutual perceptions of the groups discussed (e.g., Jews, Christians, and Muslims) as insiders and/or outsiders of these systems. The course will provide students with a better understanding of present relations between the above religions, regions, and their representatives.

Some of the writings, lectures, films, or presentations in this course may include material that conflicts with the core beliefs of some students.  Please review the syllabus carefully to see if the course is one that you are committed to taking.

At the end of this course students will:

1. Acquire knowledge of the Middle Eastern religions from the beginning of the written records to the rise of Islam.
2. Be able to understand and discuss elements involved in defining and applying concepts of religion and religiosity with the special emphasis on the Middle East and the U.S.A. 
3. Learn about the U.S. strategic interests in the Middle East and mutual interdependence of these regions.
4. Learn about numerous similarities in the official teachings of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
5. Be able to discuss issues of self-identity within the framework of modernity and modernization.
6. Be exposed to common misperceptions about discussed religious systems.
7. Be able to analyze situations and stereotyping of religious minorities in the Middle East and the U.S.A. by the same groups but within different contexts.
8. Become aware of the perceived double-standards of modern feminists (policy of appeasement toward some religious traditions vs hostility toward others).
9. Be able to understand the impact of the media and various policies on creating negative images of religious minorities in the Middle East and the U.S.A. (e.g., Islam versus Christianity; “Jewish conspiracy,” etc.).
10. Become acquainted with the history of conflict as based, presumably, on religion in the Middle East: its roots, continuation, and unpredictable future.
11. Be exposed to the opposing views on identity, conflict, and adaptability of one’s beliefs in the “wars” on religion, about religion, and through religion. Religiosity at work.
12. Be introduced to a variety of methods and theories employed in both social sciences and humanities when studying religion and/or religiosity. Their cognitive, conative and affective components will be presented, analyzed, and discussed using such methodologies as, for example, content analysis, comparative research, impact assessment and evaluation, etc., to provide students with tools to continue a basic research leading to practical goals they want to achieve in the future.

According to the World Religious Statistics monotheistic religions constitute 54% of all religious groups with Christianity and Islam being the leaders among them (Christianity –2.1 billion followers, Islam 1.5 billion, and Judaism 14 millions). All three leading monotheistic religions were “born” in the Middle East on the foundations of the earlier polytheistic beliefs of the area. All three systems have been feeding off each other throughout the history focusing more on their differences than similarities.
This course will focus on the similarities between these religious systems and point out perceived differences as not necessarily parts of the official teachings but rather of customary traditions of the region with a tumultuous history of itself. The very beginning of the concepts which create a drift in communication and mutual misunderstanding of religious moods and motivations will be presented and explained within the reality of modernity and modernization in both regions. The perceptions of the Christian minority in the Middle East and of the Islamic minority in the U.S.A.  as well as of the Jewish minority in both, will be discussed and compared in view of existing legal and customary laws, economic and political realities, as well as of the social climate. The issues of nationalism, Islamophobia, Islamization, the so-called “Jewish conspiracy,” and terrorism will be discussed and traced back to their origins.

Evaluation Methods

This course requires patience, a lot of tolerance and acceptance of all religious systems. Students are expected to:

1. Attend class meetings.

2. Do their readings in advance so they can fully participate in any discussions.

3. Take all required exams on time. Upon a valid request, special arrangements might be made with the professor (e.g., a different exam date).

4. Complete and turn in on time their assignments and/or papers.

5. Offer their opinions and argue their points. All must be done in good and edited English.

6. NO PLAGIARISM OR CHEATING IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM (see below: “Academic Misconduct”).

Exams, Assignments and Grades:

Two in-class and one take-home exams are planned. However, in the event of an expansion of some topics due to students’ interest and/or current affairs, any in-class exam might be replaced with a take-home exam. Each exam counts for 25% of the final grade. 25% is allocated for a final project (a research paper) – a student’s independent research on a topic of his/her choice but approved by the professor.

There won’t be any extra-credit assignments in this class. Each exam and/or assignment and/or paper will be graded using the Letter-Grade scale (“A” as the highest, “E” as the lowest [no-pass] grade). The final grade will be calculated accordingly by setting up values of the Letter-Grade scale using the 4-Point scale. 

Required Format:

A research paper and a take-home exam (see above) are to be submitted to the professor as hard copies and as electronic documents to http://www.turnitin.com  
The required length of the research paper is 10 to 12 pages plus bibliography. The bibliography must include at least 4 additional (to the class material) sources such as scholarly articles and/or books. Internet sources such as Wikipedia are not acceptable.
The length of the take-home exam(s) will depend on a number (3 to 4) of essay questions and their topics. It is estimated that each question will require ca. two pages (typed, double-space, reasonable font and margins) with proper references to the class readings.  Basic guidelines for writing a college paper can be found at  http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/10358.html

All required articles, chapters from different books, etc., are listed under specific topics discussed during the semester. All of them are available at Marriott Library Reserve Desk through electronic reserve or as hard copies.