Corso di laurea magistrale in Scienze delle religioni

The Laboratory of Reliigous Studies - the attendance of which, with particular exceptions, is compulsory for students enrolled in the MA in Religious Studies - is the place where some issues related to the study of religions and possibly some of its possible applications in the professional field are explored. It contains topics and experiences that integrate the training acquired during the other courses, through the intervention of teachers of various disciplines, some of which are not represented in the career plan, or of experts from outside.

Knowledge and understanding of the topics covered; ability to apply what has been learned; research and study skills; development of independent judgment and argumentative skills; use of an appropriate language and acquisition of a specific vocabulary.

In recent years, many key categories in religious studies have been critically deconstructed. This critique has revealed how western scholars have naturalized and instrumentalized concepts rooted in a Christian and European order of knowledge. Today, some scholars refute the applicability of categories such as “religion” in the study of non-western and/or pre-modern contexts. However, that choice also limits the ability of scholars of religions to shed light on cross-cutting themes and problems that concern also other disciplines of the humanities and social sciences. It also limits their ability to constructively participate in contemporary debates on “religion”—a term omnipresent in today’s world. In this seminar series, we will consider the critique of “religion” before revisiting the genealogy of the category, to understand how it came to constitute such a central element of western discourse and identity.

All classes will be held in-person.

24-hour course for 4 weeks, 2 days per week for 3 hours each session (Thursday, and Friday).

The course will be offered in the first part of the second semester.

The PowerPoint presentations used during the course, along with any additional materials (ancient sources and bibliography), will be uploaded to the Moodle platform.

Attending students will be required to examine a theme covered in class and to present it orally at the end of the Laboratory.

Non-attending students will write a paper on the topic of the Laboratory (8-10 pages). The paper will be based on a bibliography published in Moodle at the beginning of the course. For the topic, please contact the lecturer francesco.massa@unito.it

For students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) or disabilities, please review the support procedures and accommodations provided by the University, particularly the necessary procedures for exam support.

For attending students, the exam will be based on the topics discussed and the supplementary bibliography provided during the classes.

For non-attending students, a specific bibliography will be uploaded to Moodle.