Academic Calendar 2017/2018 - Fanaticism

RLCT 3226  Fanaticism

Prerequisites:

Any 18 credits completed.

Hours:

Three hours of lecture per week for one term.

Credits:

3

Description:

From 9/11 to Al-Qaeda, from Waco to The Promise Keepers, we are all familiar with the idea of fanaticism and its connection to religious traditions. But what does it really mean to describe someone as a fanatic? What makes a fanatic and are they the same as militant fundamentalists? Where is the line between passionate and committed beliver and fanatic and who gets to draw that line? Questions like these are the starting point for a critical examination of fanaticism and its connection to religious thought and practice.