ASR300 - Freedoms, Harms and Religions
Unit details
| Year | 2026 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Anna Halafoff |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour on-campus lecture per week (recordings provided) 1 x 1-hour on-campus seminar per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour online lecture per week (recordings provided) 1 x 1-hour online seminar per week |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Content
Religion has played a prominent role in the public sphere in the last two decades due to processes of globalisation and mediatisation. Societies are increasingly religiously and spiritually diverse and non-religious, largely as a result of widespread movement of people, and global media is increasingly shaping our societies and influencing public policies. In addition, religion has frequently been the subject of public debate and concern regarding issues of values, gender and sexuality equity, wellbeing and environmental risks. This unit examines the nexus between freedoms, harms and religions, through the study of theories of religious diversity and religious freedom. These theories will then be applied to a range of issues pertaining to religion, violence and peacebuilding, spirituality, wellness, gender and sexuality, and animal rights in and beyond Australia.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Analyse sociology of religion theories on religious diversity and religious freedom from Australian and international contexts | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO4: Critical thinking GLO7: Teamwork |
| ULO2 | Clearly communicate the findings and analyses of sociology of religion concepts and theories in written and oral formats to a range of audiences, individually and in a team | GLO2: Communication GLO3: Digital literacy GLO6: Self-management GLO7: Teamwork |
| ULO3 | Critically evaluate theoretical approaches to, and current practices and policies of, religious diversity and religious freedom at individual, community and state levels | GLO4: Critical thinking GLO8: Global citizenship |
| ULO4 | Develop and propose new theories and policies for religion and governance individually and in a team | GLO5: Problem solving GLO6: Self-management GLO7: Teamwork |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Essay | 1000 words or equivalent | 25% | Week 4 |
| Assessment 2: Essay | 1000 words or equivalent | 25% | Week 7 |
| Assessment 3: Report | 2000 words or equivalent | 50% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for ASR300 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.