Department of Religious Studies

Football gods, matinee idols, and chatroom avatars: we routinely use the language of religion to describe how everyday life works. But why? Focusing especially on arts and entertainment, this hybrid lecture/discussion course aims to provide students with a critical toolkit for analyzing the complex ways in which religion and popular culture relate to each other as they circulate around the globe. Over the course of the semester, we will read comic books, scripture, and fiction, watch films and TV clips, and consider the activities of both fans and devotees. In the process, students will develop their own interpretations by applying critical concepts presented in class to pop culture artifacts. Students will need to participate in in-class discussions, complete multiple short writing assignments, take several multiple-choice quizzes, and write a short (three-page) final paper.

Credits: GenEd A&H, CASE A&H

• A&H
• What are CASE requirements?