Aims

By the end of this instruction, the student will be initiated into problematics and methods affording him an historical approach to the religious factor in society.

Main themes

We examine successively :
- the interest of socio-religious research in history;
- the positions of founders and contemporary researchers in religious sociology;
- the major themes and methods of socio-religious research;
- scientific production in the area of socio-religious history;
- methods of analysing socio-religious speech.

Content and teaching methods

After describing the theories of the founders of religious sociology (Comte, Marx, Engels, Durkeim, Weber, etc...), guided by the work of contemporary sociologists, we shall specify a few models for analysing the structures of religious groups and the function of religion in society. We shall then pass scientific production in the domain of socio-religious history in review, ranging form quantitative studies to recent works on the religious experience; we shall examine the sources used and the methods perfected for those works. Finally, we shall present a method for analysing religious discourse. This course combines formal lectures (+/- 20h) with exposé-debates.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Evaluation : Oral examination.
Teaching materials : Student notes.

Other credits in programs