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BSOC100
Culture, Religion and Identity

ECTS Value: 5 ECTS

Contact Hours: 25

Self Study Hours: 75

Assessment Hours: 25

 

Overall Objectives and Outcomes

This module explores the role of culture and religion and the role these two elements play in shaping identity. Themes tackled will include: cultural theory, kinship, cultural and religious values; theories of national and cultural identity; philosophy of religion; nations and nationalism; popular culture and popular religion, and the culture and religion in a globalised world.

By the end of this programme, participants should be able to:

Competences

  • Critically analyse trends in society related to identity with special reference to trends in Maltese society;
  • Constructively criticise different aspects of culture;
  • Comprehend and analyze belief systems and rituals, with special attention to Maltese Society;
  • Sustain arguments with regard to aspects of culture, religion and identity.

Knowledge 

  • Demonstrate critical understanding of the range of ways in which religion influences society and culture, Malta will be used as a case study on this issue;
  • Develop an understanding of culture from a multi-perspective approach;
  • Conceive and appreciate what constitutes the various forms of identity: Individual, cultural, religious and national using Malta as a point of reference;
  • Critically identify how cultural identity is manifested within individual, collective and institutional contexts;
  • Evaluate the role of collective memory in cultural identity using Malta as a case study;
  • Critically appreciate what culture and identity mean and how these evolve and change over a period of time;
  • Identify and interpret the qualities of tangible and intangible heritage, with special reference to Malta. 

Skills

  • Identify the appropriate theories in relation to Culture, Identity and Religious as applicable to the scenario presented especially Malta;
  • Determine the best form of research approach to understand a particular aspect of Culture, Identity and Religion and their relationship to society;
  • Apply the theories explored and studied to real life situation using Maltese cases as an example;
  • Interpret and apply data gathered through qualitative and quantitative methods in the social science field;
  • Reference correctly the appropriate literature used;
  • Develop the ability to plan and develop a research project/assignment.  

Mode of Delivery

This module adopts a blended approach to teaching and learning. Information related to the structure and delivery of the module may be accessed through the IfE Portal. For further details, kindly refer to the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy and Procedures found on the Institute for Education’s website.

Assessment Methods

This programme adopts continuous and summative methods of assessment including assignments, online tasks, reflective journals, projects and video presentations. For further details, kindly refer to the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy and Procedures.

Suggested Readings

Core Reading List
Anderson, B.: Imagined Communities, (Verso, London, 1991)

Briguglio, B. & Brown, M. (Eds.). Sociology of the Maltese Islands; Malta: Agenda, 2016

Cassar, C.: ‘Malta: Language, Literacy and Identity in a Mediterranean Island Society’, in NationalIdentities, Vol.3 No.3, pp.257-275 (Carfax Publishing, 2001)

Du Gay, P., & Hall, S. (2011). Questions of cultural identity. Los Angeles, Calif.: Sage.

Gellner, E. (1987). Culture, identity, and politics. Cambridge U.P
1994)Smith, A.D. (1991) National Identity, Penguin.

 

Supplementary Reading List
Cortis, T. (ed) :, L-Identita’ Kulturali ta’ Malta, (D.O.I, Malta, 1989)

Diefendorf, B., Hesse, C., & Davis, N. (1993). Culture and identity in early modern Europe (1500-1800): Essays in honor of Natalie Zemon Davies. University of Michigan P.

Fleury, L., & Lavin, M. (2016). Sociology of culture and cultural practices : The transformative power of institutions (New directions in culture and governance). Lanham.

Kymlicka, W. (1995) Multicultural Citizenship, Clarendon.

Wintle, M. (1996). Culture and identity in Europe: Perceptions of divergence and unity in past and present. Avebury.

Scupin, R. (2000). Religion and culture: An anthropological focus. Prentice Hall. Tālivaldis Ozoliņš, J., & Tālivaldis Ozoliņš, J. (2016). Religion and Culture in Dialogue East and West Perspectives (Sophia Studies in Cross-cultural Philosophy of Traditions and Cultures, 15).

Zacharia, K. (2008). Hellenisms: Culture, identity, and ethnicity from antiquity to modernity. Ashgate.

 

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