Students will obtain the basic competencies for evaluating, analyzing and reading the religious phenomenon in a historical approach and its consequences on modern culture; Secondly they will learn the history of the study of religions.
Curriculum
teacher profile teaching materials
Starting from the fundamental questions “What is religion?” and “What are religions?”, the course examines the diverse and often competing answers proposed by scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds. It introduces major theories of religion, ranging from approaches that seek to identify its essence, to those that emphasize its social functions, and to perspectives that explore the interactions between religion, culture, society, and politics.
A central focus of the course is the history of the academic study of religion, presented from a multidisciplinary perspective. Through a diachronic examination of developments from the second half of the nineteenth century to the present, students will explore the major stages in the scholarly investigation of religion and the theoretical and methodological tools developed within disciplines such as history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and the cognitive sciences.
Course contents are organized both chronologically, tracing the evolution of theories and methods, and thematically, through the analysis of religious traditions and key concepts such as time, the body, food, space, and violence.
The course is structured around the following core topics:
What is religion? Definitions and conceptual debates;
Who defines religion, and in which historical and cultural contexts;
Major themes and issues in the study of religion(s);
Historical developments in the principal theoretical approaches to religion;
The emergence and evolution of religious studies from the nineteenth century onward;
Contemporary methods and perspectives for the analysis of religious phenomena.
1. Appunti del corso e letture indicate nel percorso (vedi materiali didattici on line e l’ulteriore materiale che verrà distribuito dal docente durante le lezioni)
a book among:
N. Spineto, La festa, Laterza, Roma Bari, 2015 oppure
C. Ghidini, P. Scarpi, La Scelta Vegetariana, Ponte alle Grazie, Firenze 2019 oppure
L. Ozzano, Politica e religione nel mondo contemporaneo, Mondadori 2025
A. Ferrari, La libertà religiosa in Italia. Un percorso incompiuto (1848-2024). Nuova edizione, Carocci 2024.
N. Spineto, Gli studi di Storia delle religioni Le Monnier, 2023
O un libro da concordarsi con la Professoressa.
Attending students will change n.1 with
N. Spineto, Gli studi di storia delle religioni 2023
Programme
Religious diversity is a defining feature of contemporary societies, reflected in the plurality of beliefs, practices, and forms of belonging that characterize the global landscape. This course provides an introduction to the main themes, concepts, and approaches in the academic study of religion(s), with particular attention to their historical and methodological development.Starting from the fundamental questions “What is religion?” and “What are religions?”, the course examines the diverse and often competing answers proposed by scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds. It introduces major theories of religion, ranging from approaches that seek to identify its essence, to those that emphasize its social functions, and to perspectives that explore the interactions between religion, culture, society, and politics.
A central focus of the course is the history of the academic study of religion, presented from a multidisciplinary perspective. Through a diachronic examination of developments from the second half of the nineteenth century to the present, students will explore the major stages in the scholarly investigation of religion and the theoretical and methodological tools developed within disciplines such as history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and the cognitive sciences.
Course contents are organized both chronologically, tracing the evolution of theories and methods, and thematically, through the analysis of religious traditions and key concepts such as time, the body, food, space, and violence.
The course is structured around the following core topics:
What is religion? Definitions and conceptual debates;
Who defines religion, and in which historical and cultural contexts;
Major themes and issues in the study of religion(s);
Historical developments in the principal theoretical approaches to religion;
The emergence and evolution of religious studies from the nineteenth century onward;
Contemporary methods and perspectives for the analysis of religious phenomena.
Core Documentation
Attending students1. Appunti del corso e letture indicate nel percorso (vedi materiali didattici on line e l’ulteriore materiale che verrà distribuito dal docente durante le lezioni)
a book among:
N. Spineto, La festa, Laterza, Roma Bari, 2015 oppure
C. Ghidini, P. Scarpi, La Scelta Vegetariana, Ponte alle Grazie, Firenze 2019 oppure
L. Ozzano, Politica e religione nel mondo contemporaneo, Mondadori 2025
A. Ferrari, La libertà religiosa in Italia. Un percorso incompiuto (1848-2024). Nuova edizione, Carocci 2024.
N. Spineto, Gli studi di Storia delle religioni Le Monnier, 2023
O un libro da concordarsi con la Professoressa.
Attending students will change n.1 with
N. Spineto, Gli studi di storia delle religioni 2023
Attendance
Live, not mandatoryType of evaluation
Open questions concerning the programme teacher profile teaching materials
Starting from the fundamental questions “What is religion?” and “What are religions?”, the course examines the diverse and often competing answers proposed by scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds. It introduces major theories of religion, ranging from approaches that seek to identify its essence, to those that emphasize its social functions, and to perspectives that explore the interactions between religion, culture, society, and politics.
A central focus of the course is the history of the academic study of religion, presented from a multidisciplinary perspective. Through a diachronic examination of developments from the second half of the nineteenth century to the present, students will explore the major stages in the scholarly investigation of religion and the theoretical and methodological tools developed within disciplines such as history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and the cognitive sciences.
Course contents are organized both chronologically, tracing the evolution of theories and methods, and thematically, through the analysis of religious traditions and key concepts such as time, the body, food, space, and violence.
The course is structured around the following core topics:
What is religion? Definitions and conceptual debates;
Who defines religion, and in which historical and cultural contexts;
Major themes and issues in the study of religion(s);
Historical developments in the principal theoretical approaches to religion;
The emergence and evolution of religious studies from the nineteenth century onward;
Contemporary methods and perspectives for the analysis of religious phenomena.
1. Appunti del corso e letture indicate nel percorso (vedi materiali didattici on line e l’ulteriore materiale che verrà distribuito dal docente durante le lezioni)
a book among:
N. Spineto, La festa, Laterza, Roma Bari, 2015 oppure
C. Ghidini, P. Scarpi, La Scelta Vegetariana, Ponte alle Grazie, Firenze 2019 oppure
L. Ozzano, Politica e religione nel mondo contemporaneo, Mondadori 2025
A. Ferrari, La libertà religiosa in Italia. Un percorso incompiuto (1848-2024). Nuova edizione, Carocci 2024.
N. Spineto, Gli studi di Storia delle religioni Le Monnier, 2023
O un libro da concordarsi con la Professoressa.
Attending students will change n.1 with
N. Spineto, Gli studi di storia delle religioni 2023
Programme
Religious diversity is a defining feature of contemporary societies, reflected in the plurality of beliefs, practices, and forms of belonging that characterize the global landscape. This course provides an introduction to the main themes, concepts, and approaches in the academic study of religion(s), with particular attention to their historical and methodological development.Starting from the fundamental questions “What is religion?” and “What are religions?”, the course examines the diverse and often competing answers proposed by scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds. It introduces major theories of religion, ranging from approaches that seek to identify its essence, to those that emphasize its social functions, and to perspectives that explore the interactions between religion, culture, society, and politics.
A central focus of the course is the history of the academic study of religion, presented from a multidisciplinary perspective. Through a diachronic examination of developments from the second half of the nineteenth century to the present, students will explore the major stages in the scholarly investigation of religion and the theoretical and methodological tools developed within disciplines such as history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and the cognitive sciences.
Course contents are organized both chronologically, tracing the evolution of theories and methods, and thematically, through the analysis of religious traditions and key concepts such as time, the body, food, space, and violence.
The course is structured around the following core topics:
What is religion? Definitions and conceptual debates;
Who defines religion, and in which historical and cultural contexts;
Major themes and issues in the study of religion(s);
Historical developments in the principal theoretical approaches to religion;
The emergence and evolution of religious studies from the nineteenth century onward;
Contemporary methods and perspectives for the analysis of religious phenomena.
Core Documentation
Attending students1. Appunti del corso e letture indicate nel percorso (vedi materiali didattici on line e l’ulteriore materiale che verrà distribuito dal docente durante le lezioni)
a book among:
N. Spineto, La festa, Laterza, Roma Bari, 2015 oppure
C. Ghidini, P. Scarpi, La Scelta Vegetariana, Ponte alle Grazie, Firenze 2019 oppure
L. Ozzano, Politica e religione nel mondo contemporaneo, Mondadori 2025
A. Ferrari, La libertà religiosa in Italia. Un percorso incompiuto (1848-2024). Nuova edizione, Carocci 2024.
N. Spineto, Gli studi di Storia delle religioni Le Monnier, 2023
O un libro da concordarsi con la Professoressa.
Attending students will change n.1 with
N. Spineto, Gli studi di storia delle religioni 2023
Attendance
Live, not mandatoryType of evaluation
Open questions concerning the programme teacher profile teaching materials
Starting from the fundamental questions “What is religion?” and “What are religions?”, the course examines the diverse and often competing answers proposed by scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds. It introduces major theories of religion, ranging from approaches that seek to identify its essence, to those that emphasize its social functions, and to perspectives that explore the interactions between religion, culture, society, and politics.
A central focus of the course is the history of the academic study of religion, presented from a multidisciplinary perspective. Through a diachronic examination of developments from the second half of the nineteenth century to the present, students will explore the major stages in the scholarly investigation of religion and the theoretical and methodological tools developed within disciplines such as history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and the cognitive sciences.
Course contents are organized both chronologically, tracing the evolution of theories and methods, and thematically, through the analysis of religious traditions and key concepts such as time, the body, food, space, and violence.
The course is structured around the following core topics:
What is religion? Definitions and conceptual debates;
Who defines religion, and in which historical and cultural contexts;
Major themes and issues in the study of religion(s);
Historical developments in the principal theoretical approaches to religion;
The emergence and evolution of religious studies from the nineteenth century onward;
Contemporary methods and perspectives for the analysis of religious phenomena.
1. Appunti del corso e letture indicate nel percorso (vedi materiali didattici on line e l’ulteriore materiale che verrà distribuito dal docente durante le lezioni)
a book among:
N. Spineto, La festa, Laterza, Roma Bari, 2015 oppure
C. Ghidini, P. Scarpi, La Scelta Vegetariana, Ponte alle Grazie, Firenze 2019 oppure
L. Ozzano, Politica e religione nel mondo contemporaneo, Mondadori 2025
A. Ferrari, La libertà religiosa in Italia. Un percorso incompiuto (1848-2024). Nuova edizione, Carocci 2024.
N. Spineto, Gli studi di Storia delle religioni Le Monnier, 2023
O un libro da concordarsi con la Professoressa.
Attending students will change n.1 with
N. Spineto, Gli studi di storia delle religioni 2023
Programme
Religious diversity is a defining feature of contemporary societies, reflected in the plurality of beliefs, practices, and forms of belonging that characterize the global landscape. This course provides an introduction to the main themes, concepts, and approaches in the academic study of religion(s), with particular attention to their historical and methodological development.Starting from the fundamental questions “What is religion?” and “What are religions?”, the course examines the diverse and often competing answers proposed by scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds. It introduces major theories of religion, ranging from approaches that seek to identify its essence, to those that emphasize its social functions, and to perspectives that explore the interactions between religion, culture, society, and politics.
A central focus of the course is the history of the academic study of religion, presented from a multidisciplinary perspective. Through a diachronic examination of developments from the second half of the nineteenth century to the present, students will explore the major stages in the scholarly investigation of religion and the theoretical and methodological tools developed within disciplines such as history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and the cognitive sciences.
Course contents are organized both chronologically, tracing the evolution of theories and methods, and thematically, through the analysis of religious traditions and key concepts such as time, the body, food, space, and violence.
The course is structured around the following core topics:
What is religion? Definitions and conceptual debates;
Who defines religion, and in which historical and cultural contexts;
Major themes and issues in the study of religion(s);
Historical developments in the principal theoretical approaches to religion;
The emergence and evolution of religious studies from the nineteenth century onward;
Contemporary methods and perspectives for the analysis of religious phenomena.
Core Documentation
Attending students1. Appunti del corso e letture indicate nel percorso (vedi materiali didattici on line e l’ulteriore materiale che verrà distribuito dal docente durante le lezioni)
a book among:
N. Spineto, La festa, Laterza, Roma Bari, 2015 oppure
C. Ghidini, P. Scarpi, La Scelta Vegetariana, Ponte alle Grazie, Firenze 2019 oppure
L. Ozzano, Politica e religione nel mondo contemporaneo, Mondadori 2025
A. Ferrari, La libertà religiosa in Italia. Un percorso incompiuto (1848-2024). Nuova edizione, Carocci 2024.
N. Spineto, Gli studi di Storia delle religioni Le Monnier, 2023
O un libro da concordarsi con la Professoressa.
Attending students will change n.1 with
N. Spineto, Gli studi di storia delle religioni 2023
Attendance
Live, not mandatoryType of evaluation
Open questions concerning the programme