Anthropology

Cults, Conspiracies and Political Religion

Module code: L6306S
Level 6
30 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Workshop
Assessment modes: Essay

On this module, you will develop your understanding of the origins and consequences of religion and politics, looking at particular cases from around the world.

Topics include:

  • religious Nationalism
  • political Islam
  • evangelicalism in US politics
  • secret societies
  • rumour, conspiracy, post-truth
  • conspirituality
  • cults and world-renunciation
  • religion, rights and peace movements
  • faith-based NGOs
  • shared religious spaces. 

Module learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of anthropological approaches to the intersection of religion and politics in contemporary societies
  • Analyse/evaluate/assess critically the main theoretical debates in anthropology concerning the relationship between religion and politics, and demonstrate an awareness of how these debates have changed over time
  • Relate theoretical arguments about religion and politics to specific ethnographic examples
  • Demonstrate knowledge/understanding of a variety of contexts in which religion and politics intersect.