Development, Religion and Change in Latin America (U03742)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : GEO-3-DEVREL

The aim of this course is to consider how new geographies of religion might contribute to our understanding of the relationship between faith and development in the context of Latin America. In the first part of the course, we will explore the ‘new’ geographies of religion and development by considering the ways that religious identity, organization, and ethic have been theorized and studied. These theoretical conversations will form the foundation for understanding contemporary movements in development to incorporate ‘communities of faith’ into mainstream development work.

The second part of the course will apply these concepts to the historical and contemporary relationships between religion and development in Latin America. We will examine the various ways that religion has made its mark on state, economic, and social development, ranging from the impact of the colonial Catholic Church in the reordering of rural space, to the rise of liberation theology in the 1970s. Finally, we will consider how the growth in Evangelical and other non-Catholic faiths is shaping social processes related to the construction of masculinities and femininities; ethnicity and race; and perceptions of wealth and class.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Geography, (School of GeoSciences, Schedule N)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
08/01/2008	11:10	13:00	Room 2.05, Old Infirmary (Geography)	Central

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Tuesday	11:10	13:00	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will gain a range of skills by meeting the course's principal objectives. These include,

Theoretical objectives:
- To gain a better understanding of where development debates have been, where they are heading, and why;
- To explore various ways that people have theorized the relationship between religion and development, including recent incorporations of space and place;
- To examine the ways that development has been theorized and contested in the context of Latin America.

Empirical objectives:
- To understand the ways that faith-based organizations have been incorporated and/or excluded from mainstream development practices;
- To incorporate emerging work on geographies of religion;
- To examine the various ways that religion has shaped (and been shaped by) social, political, and economic processes in various Latin American countries.

Practical academic/life skills attainment, such as:
- Researching a topic, drafting a position paper, and resolving differences between your own position and that of others;
- Linking up academic conversations with things happening in the world around you;
- Precise writing and comprehension of complex texts;
- Discussing what can often be a very personal topic in an effective and respectful manner.