SOC 3333 Religion in Society

Spring 2008

Instructor and Contact Information

Dr. Bobby C. Alexander
Office: GR 3.516
Office Hours: MW 2:15-3:00 p.m., and by appointment
Phone: 972-883-6898
E-mail: bcalex@utdallas.edu

Course Objectives
This course examines the newest immigrants and their religions in U.S. society. Course themes
include: religious congregations as important social institutions within U.S. society; their role as
providers of social services in adapting their members to U.S. society; social identity and
assimilation; reproducing ethnic identity and resistance to assimilation; the second generation;
pan-ethnic congregations and ethnic diversity in religion; transnational immigrant religion;
diasporic religious communities; and the future of immigrant religion. The course considers
Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religions found among new
immigrants coming to the U.S. from Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, and other parts of
the world.

Course Requirements:

Readings
The two required texts are: Religion and Immigration: Christian, Jewish, and Muslim
Experiences in the United States, edited by Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, Jane I. Smith, and John L.
Esposito (AltaMira Press, 2003), and Religion and the New Immigrants: Continuities and
Adaptations in Immigrant Congregations, edited by Helen Rose Ebaugh and Janet Saltzman
Chafetz (AltaMire Press, 2000). Both are available in the UTD Bookstore and at Off Campus
Books. The reading assignments are printed in the course calendar below. Students are required
to read the assigned materials before class in order to contribute to class discussion. Students
will supplement the required course reading materials with peer-reviewed journal articles on a
topic they choose on religion and immigrants approved by the instructor. These will be the basis
of three short literature reviews (see below).

Exams
Students will write two take-home exams. Exam due dates are printed in the course calendar
below. Each exam will cover material assigned after the preceding exam. Combined, the two
exams will count as 75% of the course grade.

Short Literature Review

Students will write three one-page literature reviews on a topic related to religion and
immigrants in U.S. society that interests them. Topics must be approved by the instructor.
Students will read three recent peer-reviewed journal articles. At least one must come from a
sociology journal.
The instructor will provide detailed instructions on how to review the literature and
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The due dates of the reviews are printed in the course calendar. Combined, the reviews will
count as 25% of the course grade.

Late Work
Students must notify the instructor before the exam dates or due dates for the literature reviews
as soon as they foresee being late in order to receive approval to make up an exam or submit
work late. Students must have a legitimate excuse and must put their reason in writing.
Documentation will be required in most cases. Students who face emergencies and are unable to
request permission in advance must submit documentation as soon as they are able. The policy
is intended to promote fairness to other students who do the work on time.

Course Grade
The course grade is based on the three exams (75% of the grade), the two literature reviews
(20%), and class participation and contribution to the course (5%). Students are asked to check
their grades on WebCT periodically for accuracy.

Scholastic Dishonesty
Scholastic dishonesty is a serious offense and is governed by official university policy, which
students can find on UTD’s web site.

Course Calendar

August 18
Orientation to the Course

August 23, 25
New Immigrants and the Changing American Religious and Demographic Landscape

Read:
From Religion and Immigration:
Introduction: “Becoming American—Religion, Identity, and Institution
Building in the American Mosaic,” and
Chapter 12: “Exploring the Religious Preferences of Recent Immigrants to
the United States: Evidence from the New Immigrant Survey
Pilot”
by Douglas Massey and others

August 30, September 1

New Immigrants and the Changing American Religious and Demographic Landscape
continued

Read:
From Religion and the New Immigrants:
Chapter 3: “Environmental Impacts: Opportunities and Constraints” (on
majority and minority faiths and their impact on society)
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September 6, 8
Immigrant Congregations as Social Institutions, Social Services, and Adaptation to the
Immigrant Context

Read:
From Religion and the New Immigrants:
Chapter 4: “Structural Adaptations to the Immigrant Context”
Chapter 5: “Providing for the Needy: Social Services and Immigrant
Adaptation”

Topic for Literature Review due September 8th

September 13, 15
Immigrant Religion, Social Identity, Assimilation, and Reproducing Ethnicity in Relation
to Resistance

Read:
From Religion and the New Immigrants:
Chapter 6: “Reproducing Ethnicity”
Chapter 8: “Passing it On: The Second Generation”

From Religion and the New Immigrants:

Chapter 9: “Is the Past Prologue to the Future?”

September 20, 22
Immigrant Religion, Social Identity, Assimilation, and Reproducing Ethnicity in Relation
to Resistance

Read:
From Religion and Immigration:
Chapter 7: “American Jews and the New Millenium”
Chapter 11: “How Muslims Use Islamic Paradigms to Define America”

September 27, 29
Muslim Immigrant Religion

Read:
On reserve: article on Middle Eastern Americans

First Exam September 29th

October 4, 6
Diversity among Catholic Immigrants: Latinos and Asians
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Read:
From: Religion and the New Immigrants
Chapter 13: “St. Mary’s Catholic Church: Celebrating Domestic Religion”
Chapter 14: “St Catherine’s Catholic Church: One Church, Parallel
Congregations”

First Literature Review due October 6th

October 11, 13
Pan-Ethnic Congregations

Read:
From: Religion and the New Immigrants
Chapter 15: “Southwest Assembly of God: Whomsoever Will”

October 18, 20
Diversity among New Muslim Immigrants

Read:
From Religion and Immigration:
Chapter 9: “Islam in America: The Mosaic”
Chapter 10: “Constructing the American Muslim Community”

October 25, 27
Transnational Religion and Mexican Migrants

Read:
From Religion and Immigration:
Chapter 3: “Crossing the Borders: Evangelicalism and Migration”
Chapter 4: “Colonization versus Immigration in the Integration and
Identification of Hispanics in the United States”

Second Exam October 25th

November 1, 3
Transnational Religion and Mexican Migrants continued
Diaspora Religion

Read:
On Reserve: Fortuny on a case study of Mexican transnational church as a
diasporic religious community

November 8, 10
Diaspora Religion continued

Read:
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From Religion and Immigration:
Chapter 7: “American Jews in the New Millenium”

November 15, 17
Asian Immigrant Religion

Read:
From: Religion and the New Immigrants
Chapter 10: “Jyothi Hindu Temple: One Religion, Many Practices”
Chapter 11: “Center for Vietnamese Buddhism: Recreating Home”

November 22 Class does not meet on November 24th: Thanksgiving Holiday

Asian Immigrant Religion continued

Read:
From: Religion and the New Immigrants
Chapter 12: “Chinese Gospel Church: The Sinicization of Christianity”

Second Literature Review due November 22

November 29

Third (Final) Exam