Università Roma Tre

In our society religion and religious issues have an important space, which can be recognized in different forms of belief.
This class offers an introduction to the principle themes and theories which emerge in the history of the studies about religion/religions. We will try to tackle the difficult question "What is religion? What are religions?". In particular, we will discuss different theories about religion, its essence, its function in the society, up to the last approaches which underline the imbrication of religion with cultures, politics and societies.
Key words and topics (body, gender, violence, space) will be discussed in a comparative and historical approach.
The history of religious studies is taught through a multidisciplinary perspective, which allows students to focus on different approaches such as history, anthropology, sociology, cognitive sciences. The historical study of tools and approaches in religious studies are as follows:
What is religion?
Religious diversity in Italy
Histories of religions
A glance from the East: the sacred cow and other myths

1. Course notes and readings indicated in the course (see online teaching materials and additional material to be distributed by the lecturer during the lectures)

2. One book of your choice from:
N. Spineto, La festa, Laterza, Roma Bari, 2015 oppure
C. Ghidini, P. Scarpi, La Scelta Vegetariana, Ponte alle Grazie, Firenze 2019
G. Filoramo, Manuale di storia delle religioni, Laterza, Roma Bari, 2005.
O un libro da concordarsi con la Professoressa.

Not attending students will study also
G. Filoramo, Manuale di storia delle religioni, Laterza, Roma Bari, 2005.