TFF4390 – Religion and Ecology

What is the relationship between religion and nature? What role can religious groups and leaders play in addressing climate change and other environmental challenges? And what are the various ways in which religions have responded to these challenges? What are the spiritual dimensions of activist groups engaged in environmental protection (e.g. Extinction Rebellion)?

In this course, we explore the intersections of religion and ecology and invite students to critically reflect upon the role of religion in solving environmental challenges and deepening environmental concern. We will discuss how religion informs human relationships with nature and in what ways Western forms of Christianity may have contributed to our current environmental crisis. At the same time, we will explore how faith communities increasingly address environmental challenges and through which channels they facilitate (or prevent) transformative efforts toward more environmentally sustainable societies.

In addition to focusing on traditional religions, we will explore new forms of spirituality within environmental movements. The course discusses the emergence of ecological movements that have responded by means of reclaiming Indigenous spiritualities in order to bring about global transformation.

Apart from providing you insights on religion and ecology, this course will help you to develop your research skills. As a participant in this course you will have the opportunity to assume the role of a researcher. Together with other students you will form a research group that conducts a small investigation about an ecological initiative of a religious group. Reading this course description, you will see that almost all mandatory activities in this course are closely related to this investigative activity. The knowledge that you gain by undertaking this research activity will facilitate writing your final studies thesis.

This course includes the following learning outcomes

• To develop students’ critical understanding of the role and relevance of religion in contemporary society.
• To provide students with an understanding of the relationship between religion and ecology and in what ways religions (including spirituality) are relevant for environmental challenges such as climate change.
• To provide students with knowledge concerning the ways in which religious traditions can address environmental challenges and enable them to analyse this intersection along a theoretical framework.
• To provide students with skills to critically reflect on the potentials of religion to facilitate (or prevent) transformative processes toward more environmentally sustainable societies.
• To enable students with the skills to develop research questions in the academic field of climate change and religion and design a contribution to the field of religion and ecology.
• Pertaining to general competencies, the course provides students with the ability to systematize knowledge, critically reflect on this knowledge, and practice oral summaries of knowledge.

This course is offered on both Bachelor's and Master's level. The Master's level syllabus will be more comprehensive than that of the Bachelor's level, and a higher level of knowledge and reflection will be expected from the Master students at the written exam, compared to the Bachelor's level students.

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

Students enrolled in other Master`s Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Students on the Teacher Education Programme who wish to take this course, must be at the master's level (i.e. completed the first three years of the study programme).

The teaching language of this course is English. Each course session lasts three teaching hours and involves lecture parts as well as interactive excercises to apply and reflect on the learned contents.

Mandatory requirements:

Active participation in class is expected throughout the term, as well as the following assignments:

• Oral presentation of a publication from the reading list, including a short presentation summarizing the pubication (max. 3 minutes) and an interview of 3-5 minutes about the article
• Being interviewer for another’s article presentation
• Group presentation of an idea for a case study
• Group presentation of the results of the case study
• Providing feedback to another groups’ case study

Portfolio

The portfolio should contain the following:

• Research summary based on case study (2000-2500 words)
• Reflection note discussing the presented paper in light of other course readings and providing an own critical review of the paper (1000-1500 words)

Total amount of words: 3000-4000.

You must pass both papers in order to pass the whole exam.

A re-sit exam will be held in this course.