RELS 105 Religion and Popular Culture in America
Religion is not just located in churches and temples, it can also be found online, in sports stadiums, at movie theaters, and in many other unexpected places. In this class, we will analyze the diverse sites in which religion animates popular culture by looking at fashion, music videos, sports, TikToks, advertisements, celebrities, video games, Disney, memes, children’s toys, comics, and more. By exploring a variety of examples from different times, places, and religious traditions, we will study how religion intersects with popular culture and what makes it appealing, seductive, and controversial. We will also examine why religious symbols and imagery are so common in popular culture, how religious groups use popular culture, and why popular culture fandoms often resemble religion. Assignments include short papers analyzing examples of religion and popular culture and a final creative project where students will have the opportunity to create their own piece of popular culture.