In this unit you will examine methodological and theoretical approaches to the academic study of religion. Most theorists covered are from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The approaches discussed include philosophy, sociology, anthropology, politics, and cultural studies. Students select methods and theories to apply to religions.

New discoveries have transformed the study of religion in the ancient world. The unit will develop advanced understanding of topical issues where students learn about manuscript finds; the role of archaeology and the ethics of the antiquities market; academic controversies; and new directions in the discipline.

The unit is a study of pilgrimage practices in dominant faith traditions including Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Students will consider a variety of literature on pilgrimage and will develop two research projects on specific case studies. Students analyse both pilgrimage practices and their representation in academic and popular discourse.

Peter Berger defined secularisation as the process whereby sectors of society and culture are removed from the domination of religious institutions and symbols, which does not fit with the non-institutional religious forms that have emerged since the 1960s. Definitions of religion, religious, secular, and sacred are the focus of this unit.

This unit involves research towards and preliminary writing of an Honours thesis of 20,000 words in collaboration with a supervisor approved by the Studies in Religion Honours Coordinator.

The Honours thesis is a supervised research project that is 20,000 words in length. In this unit you begin a substantial, independent research project in Studies in Religion. Regular meetings with a supervisor approved by the Studies in Religion Honours Coordinator will guide your progress. You will develop a plan for researching and writing the thesis, submit an ethics application if appropriate, familiarize yourself with disciplinary conventions and standards, engage with relevant literature, theories and methodologies, and submit drafts at agreed times.