*Religion in American Law and Politics

The United States is legally and constitutionally a secular nation, and culturally a very religious one. The tension between those two commitments runs through American political life, often well beyond explicit questions of religion. In this course we will consider how religion and secularism are debated in American law and politics through topics such as church-state separation, religious freedom, political polarization, and the changing religious landscape of the U.S. By analyzing materials such as Supreme Court documents, legislative debates, national surveys and polls, and public controversies around topics like the rise of the Religious Right, indigenous sovereignty, and reproductive rights, we will consider both the role of religion in politics, and the politics of defining religion in American culture. 3 hrs. lect. (Not open to students who have already completed RELI 0375.)