This class sheds light on religion’s deep roots in American history in order to help students understand its continued significance today. The course is divided into five thematic units, each offering a different way of understanding religion in America: 1) through the lens of the supernatural, 2) in its entanglements with race, 3) as women’s history, 4) as entwined with American politics, and 5) in contemporary culture. Each unit begins with a session titled “What’s at stake?”, which focuses on secondary source debates over the topic more broadly. Other sessions in the unit typically pair a brief secondary source reading on the day’s specific topic with primary sources.
This syllabus was created for the Young Scholars in American Religion program.
Kathryn Gin LumAuthor
Stanford UniversityInstitution
Private College or University Institution Type
Syllabus Resource Type
Undergraduate Course Class Type
2016 Date Published
Religious Studies, American Studies, History Discipline
General Comparative Traditions Religous Tradition
Gender/Women/ Sexuality, Race/Ethnicity Topics