History of Religion - Religion and Politics

  • Sciences and Letters

Faculty

Description

The Master’s Program in the History of Religion – Religion and Politics is among the few in Romania to study the role of religion in society outside Faculties of Theology. It approaches the subject in a non-confessional, historical, and diachronic perspective. Courses address fundamental questions raised by today’s social dynamics, focusing on the interaction between religion and politics and highlighting religion as a key factor in modern political life. The program examines how religion, in its various historical and confessional forms, has intersected with major political and conceptual developments, totalitarianism, fundamentalism, secularization, democratization, migration, across East Central Europe. A particular focus is given to Romania, both regarding institutional religion and in relation to religious minorities, secularization, and the political effects of religious fundamentalism.

Other details

Mission
The program develops along three directions:

  1. Theoretical and methodological foundations in the historical study of religion, with courses on the political role of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and new religious movements.
  2. Models of state–religion relations, including the American, Catholic, Evangelical, and Turkish models.
  3. Historical perspectives on East Central Europe, focusing on regional particularities of religion and politics.


Objectives

  • Introduce students to the history of religion at its intersection with politics.
  • Provide advanced understanding of debates on religion’s role in politics at global, regional, and local levels.
  • Familiarize students with the challenges of increasingly pluralistic societies shaped by migration and digital platforms.
  • Provide the tools to understand how state–religion relations are formed nationally and transnationally.
  • Foster critical thinking toward religious fundamentalism and violence against religious communities.


Research Competencies

  • Solid knowledge of concepts and methods in the history of religion and state–religion relations.
  • Understanding the role of religion in modern and recent history.
  • Skills in analysis, synthesis, and managing complex information.
  • Critical comparative knowledge of religions.
  • Ability to disseminate research results clearly to both specialist and general audiences.
  • Competence in archival research, ethnographic fieldwork, and opinion surveys.
  • Use of specialized terminology and digital tools in research and communication.

Documents

Study plans

Faculty

Admission status

Admission period closed

General information

Study program:

Accredited

Duration:

2 years

Credits:

120

Form of education:

With frequency

Language of instruction:

English

Cycle of studies:

Master's

Education figures:

30