Macquarie University

Religion, Secularism and Society - FOAR704

This unit will provide both a historical and contemporary comparative look at the ways that different societies deal with religion in the public sphere, freedom of religion, and the concept of "the secular". An important aspect that the course considers is that there is no single way of being "secular" or religious within human societies but, rather, varieties of complex systems. A close study of such difference provides a unique and valuable line of sight into comparative studies of how different traditions have developed their social political structure. In recent years, in particular within western countries and new emerging economies, some of the most interesting contemporary debates have arisen out of questions about freedom of religion, its limits, and the relationship between religion and the state. Drawing on case studies and through the review and discussion of scholarship within the field of social sciences, this seminar will provide an introduction to such complex debates.