Religion, Culture & Conflict
Course Date: 7-9 March 2013
Course Leader: Dr Joanildo Burity
Senior Lecturer; St Quinton Director of the Faith and Globalisation Programme (Durham University). Specialist in issues of religion and politics, religion, culture and identity, particularly in Latin America. Author of Networks, partnerships and religious involvement in social policy making in Brazil (2006)
Guest Lecturer: Prof Jolyon Mitchell
Professor of Communications, Arts and Religion; Director of the Centre for Theology and Public Issues at the University of Edinburgh. Broadcaster and former producer and journalist for BBC World Service and BBC Radio 4. Author of Media Violence and Christian Ethics (2007)
Course Summary
The module will focus on crucial roles as contexts; sources of meanings, values and practices; and how culture and religion play mobilising and organising factors in triggering, driving and/or countering outbreaks of conflict. It will be taught by a specialist in the study of religion, politics and culture and will feature as a guest lecturer a leading scholar in the analysis of media and religion in situations of conflict.
It will explore conflict as a socio-political phenomenon rather than at the interpersonal level. Special attention will be given to the ways in which social identities are formed and transformed in and through their relations with others, which helps us to understand why and how cultural and religious difference can be important variables in understanding conflict.
The debate will be informed by a global, comparative and interdisciplinary approach to the topic that will look into regions, issues or religions as units of analysis.
At least two regions will be covered, and studied from both a historical and a contemporary perspective. Within each region the most salient cultural and/or religious identities will be identified and studied in their relational setting.
Participants will have the opportunity to experiment with the acquired knowledge and skills through preparing and acting out group role plays on conflict situations involving religious dimensions or actors, based on a combination of self-guided and supervised work.
Course Outline
<span >Friday 8th March
1 Conceptual tools for understanding the links between religion, culture and socio-political conflict;
2 Exploring historical patterns of religion, culture and socio-political conflict;
3 Religion as a driver of antagonism, conflict and violence
4 Case study presentation: religion, media and conflict
<span >Saturday 9th March
1 Religion as an agent of conflict prevention, mediation, resolution and reconciliation
2 Assessed role plays
Course Fees: £1,000 per course
What is included:
- Tuition and course materials
- Welcome dinner
- Lunch and refreshments for Friday and Saturday
- Saturday dinner
-
Bed and breakfast for two nights (additional nights can be secured at £50.00 per night)
Deadline for applications
Two weeks before the course commences.
Bursaries
Bursaries of £500 are available at the discretion of the Institute. Contact Dr Lorraine Holmes for details.
Deposit
A non-refundable deposit of £200 must be paid with the booking, the balance is due on Friday the week
preceding the commencement of the course.
Once the deposit has been paid access will be given to the course website which includes preparatory
reading materials and a full programme.
For more information contact: lorraine.holmes@durham.ac.uk
- Brochure (last modified: 2 October 2011)
