RLMgA501 Introduction to MA Study of Religions

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Aleš Chalupa, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jakub Cigán, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Milan Fujda, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Tomáš Glomb, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Radek Kundt, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. David Václavík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jana Valtrová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. David Václavík, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Kristýna Čižmářová
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Thu 12:00–13:40 J.509, except Mon 18. 11. to Sun 24. 11.
Prerequisites (in Czech)
TYP_STUDIA(MND)
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 11/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course introduces students to both the practical and the theoretical level of the MA study of religion. On the practical level, it presents the conditions of the successful completion of the programme, running departmental projects and research collaborations, forthcoming conferences, available resources, courses and infrastructure as well as the possibilities of studying abroad. On the theoretical level, the course offers insights into the different research perspectives currently used by the department and illustrates how they transform the subject (the definition of religion). The emphasis is on seminar discussions based on individual home reading.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course students will be able to:
  • have a good grasp on the possibilities and duties of a MA student at the Department for the Study of Religions;
  • distinguish the main research perspectives of contemporary studies of religion;
  • evaluate how theories and methods transform the definition of religion as a subject of study;
  • place their research interests within the perspectives used at the department both theoretically and methodologically.
    • Syllabus
    • Introduction to MA Study of Religions (David Zbíral)
    • Available resources, courses, and infrastructure (David Zbíral)
    • Possibilities of studying abroad (Jana Valtrová)
    • Sociological study of religion (David Václavík)
    • Micro-historical study of religion (Jana Valtrová)
    • Macro-historical study of religion (Dalibor Papoušek)
    • Formal modeling in the study of religion (Aleš Chalupa)
    • Cognitive and evolutionary study of religion (Radek Kundt)
    • Quantitative anthropological study of religion (Jakub Cigán)
    • Qualitative anthropological study of religion (Milan Fujda)
    • Student presentations I
    • Student presentations II
    Literature
      required literature
    • Povinná četba zahrnuje jednotlivé studie zadané vyučujícími ke konkrétním přístupům. / Compulsory reading includes individual studies entered by teachers for specific approaches.
    Teaching methods
    Lectures; home readings; class discussions; student presentations.
    Assessment methods
    Overall grade includes:
    - Active participation in seminars without reading (10 points = 10 %; 5 seminars, each evaluated 0-2 points).
    - Preparedness and active discussion in seminars with reading (70 points = 70 %; 7 seminars, each evaluated 0-10 points).
    - Presentation of the intended topic of the MA thesis and its relation to some of the presented perspectives in the study of religion (20 points = 20 %; 1 presentation evaluated 0-20 points).
    Language of instruction
    Czech
    Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
    Study Materials
    The course is taught annually.
    General note: Posluchači magisterské religionistiky povinně zapisují v 1. semestru studia.
    The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2025.
    • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
    • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2024/RLMgA501