EU475      Half Unit
Religious Diversity and Conflict in Europe

This information is for the 2019/20 session.

Teacher responsible

Prof Esra Ozyurek Baer CBG 7.11

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Comparative Politics, MSc in Culture and Conflict in a Global Europe, MSc in Culture and Conflict in a Global Europe (LSE & Sciences Po), MSc in Empires, Colonialism and Globalisation, MSc in European and International Public Policy, MSc in European and International Public Policy (LSE and Bocconi), MSc in European and International Public Policy (LSE and Sciences Po), MSc in Global Europe: Culture and Conflict (LSE & Sciences Po), MSc in History of International Relations, MSc in International Migration and Public Policy, MSc in Social Anthropology (Religion in the Contemporary World) and MSc in Theory and History of International Relations. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

Course content

Europe has never been homogenous, but it is increasingly more so heterogenous religiously, ethnically, and culturally since the World War II. This course embraces an anthropological approach that focuses on experiences of diversity in West European countries, such as the UK, Germany, France where are large populations of immigrants, and in East European countries, such as Bulgaria and Bosnia, where they are diverse indigenous populations. We will especially focus on how the lives of ethnic, religious, and culturally diverse groups are heavily shaped by questions fundamental to European politics such as secularism and nationalism. During the course, students will do an interview with a minority member and write a paper that analyses the interview in relation to one or more topics covered in class, and prepare a final essay on one of the topics covered in class.

Teaching

10 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the LT.

Students on this course will have a reading week in Week 6, in line with departmental policy.

Formative coursework

Weekly response papers to readings. 

One 15 minute presentation during the term - possibly with another student.

500 word summary of the interview assignment

500 word summary of the final essay

Indicative reading

  • Brown, Wendy. 2008, Regulating Aversion: Tolerance in the Age of Identity and Empire
  • Balibar, Etienne. 1991, Is There a ‘Neo-Racism’?; Stolcke, Verena. 1995, Talking Culture: New Boundaries
  • Shryock, Andrew. 2010, Islamophobia/Islamophilia: Beyond the Politics of Enemy and Friend
  • Norton, Anne. 2013, On the Muslim Question
  • Scott, Joan. 2009, The Politics of the Veil
  • Bunzl, Matti. 2005, Between Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia: Some Thoughts on the New Europe
  • Laurence, Jonathan. 2012, Emancipating Muslims
  • Ozyurek, Esra. 2014, Being German, Becoming Muslim: Race, Religion and Conversion in Contemporary Germany. 

Assessment

Essay (60%, 3000 words) in the ST.
Project (40%) in the LT.

The project is an interview project which includes a 2000 word report, plus a 1500 word transcrpt of an interview.

Key facts

Department: European Institute

Total students 2018/19: 33

Average class size 2018/19: 16

Controlled access 2018/19: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Leadership
  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication