This biannual course is taught on years 2014-2015, 2016-2017, ...
In order to achieve these aims, - each seminar will address a fresh research issue - the various theories devised to study the contemporary transformations of religion (such as secularization or post-modernity) will be taken up and put to the test of factual data and specific interpretations.
- (a) the case study under its multiple forms (e.g. participant observation, interview),
- (b) the quantitative approach (e.g. questionnaires and tests), and
- (c) the hermeneutics of texts and content analysis (e.g. historical-critical method, structural analysis).
Exercises will provide the opportunity to understand in a practical way the logic proper to each method (passive understanding of all three types of methods and ability to use at least one of them).
At the end, the student shall be able to - analyse a religious fact from interdisciplinary approaches - grasp the contributions of the various disciplines and paradigms to the concrete analysis of a religious fact - show the complexity of religious phenomena.
- understand the different methodological approaches, qualitative as well as quantitative, required for the analysis of religious facts within the main disciplines of the sciences of religions
- identify the specific character of these approaches and their complementarity
- use at least one of these approaches, particularly in the preparation of the thesis required for the Master degree (see also "Other information").
The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.
