Postcolonial Religion: Pentecostalism and the Global South
RELI 214
Spring 2026
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
AFAM 214 |
This course examines the concepts and structures of the city and religion throughout the postcolonial global south through traditions and practices of Pentecostalism. The postcolonial marks both a theoretical and a historical break with the structured violence and domination imposed on most of the world through European expansion, land expropriation, indigenous extermination, African enslavement and Christian evangelization. Postcolonial religion, thus marks a reworking of the past, reforging of the present, and otherwise possibilities for communities and their sacred traditions in the future. This seminar will stretch and test this thesis through an examination of global Pentecostalism, a religion, which both marks the colonial, especially Christian evangelization, even as its rapid expansion in the global south among Latin American, sub-Sahara African and Black-descended people in the US and Europe expresses creolization, indigenization and urbanization. Perhaps, rather than a clean break, postcolonial religion, in the form of Pentecostalism indicates ongoing refusals, ruptures and relations between the metropole, and a history of subjugation and imagined utopian cities and futures of abolition. Seminar focuses on digital humanities in learning and assignments. Books for purchase are not required. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS RELI |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (African American Studies Minor)(Religion Minor)(Religion)(Social, Cultural and Critical Theory Certificate) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 75% - 89% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Possible readings include authors Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak, Dipesh Chakrabarty, Achille Mbembe, Walter Mignolo, Amos Yong, Keri Day, Nimi Wariboko, Robert Beckford, Ruth Marshall, Harvey Cox, Walter Hollenweger, Afe Adogame, and Roswith Gerloff.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Examinations and assignments
Short midterm paper, discussion leader/response posts, final web project
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Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
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This course satisfied the "Historical Traditions" or "additional course" requirement for the Religion major. |
| Instructor(s): Millner,Marlon Times: ...W... 01:20PM-04:10PM; Location: TBA |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 10 | | SR major: 0 | JR major: 0 | | |
| Seats Available: 10 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 0 | JR non-major: 0 | SO: 0 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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