JDS 102LEC—Religion and Violence

Is religion inherently violent, or inherently peaceful? Scholars of religions take a wide range of stances on the relationship between religion and violence, some arguing that it is inherent to religion, others that it is culturally and economically motivated, and others still that it is simply inherent to human nature. We’ll study critical theories about religion and violence and test them on historical and recent conflicts. The course will be organized around four overlapping modes of violence: martyrdom and redemptive suffering: the violence of social stratification and othering, traditional, political war and; apocalyptic and spiritual warfare..