Religion, Media and Ethics (Level 1)
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| THEO1020 | Philosophy | 1 | 10 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- THEO1020
- School
- Philosophy
- Level
- 1
- Credits
- 10
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
This module introduces students to the study of religion and religious ethics in the modern world, using case studies of recent and contemporary media. Typical topics might include: how are digital and social media changing the place of religion in society today? How is religion represented in film and TV, and what impact has this had for religious communities? What is the role of journalists in society, and can anything be done to improve the way the news covers religion? What key moral issues have religious thinkers identified in their critiques of modern media? Can the media help religious communities to live together and build peace? This module will also develop skills in digital learning and digital communication, including teaching students to evaluate and use digital sources in their research and writing.
Target Students
Available to all students including subsidiary, Liberal Arts, and exchange students
Classes
- One 2-hour lecture each week for 11 weeks
Assessment
- 100% Coursework 1: Portfolio totalling 2,000 words (max)
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
This module aims to introduce students to key questions in religious ethics; to invite students to think in new ways about the challenges and opportunities faced by religious communities in the modern world; and to teach students the basic skills they need for digital learningLearning Outcomes
1. Knowledge and understanding: to understand key approaches to comparative religious ethics; to understand how problems in religious ethics are manifested in new and legacy media; to understand how the media impacts the form, practice and experience of contemporary religion
2. Intellectual skills: to engage critically with ideas presented in lectures, and to apply those ideas and methods to the texts and examples discussed in lectures.
3. Practical skills: to be able to a) critically analyse media representations of religion and b) evaluate ideas through written means and in oral discussion
4. Transferable key skills: a) to be able to deal with complex ideas in writing and oral discussion; b) to be able to apply ideas to make sense of real-world examples; c) to evaluate media sources and use them appropriately in future student work