Course Catalogue

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This course will explore the historical origins of sectarianism in Ireland and Scotland, charting the shift from medieval period to the present. The primary focus will be the Irish historical context and its implications for the development of sectarianism in Scotland.

1x2hr seminar per week over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.

This is one of the Honours options in TRS and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Theology and Religious Studies, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

TRS4056 The Roots of Sectarianism in Scotland and Ireland

None

Essay (3,000 words) - 50%

Project (3,000 words) - 50%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course will provide the opportunity to:

■ explore the historic developments leading to community segregation of Catholics and Protestants in Ireland and Scotland

■ provide a comparative analysis of the development of religious and cultural identities in Scotland and Ireland;

■ engage with continuing debates surrounding religious divisions in contemporary communities in Scotland and Ireland.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ analyse the cultural, political and religious circumstances that led to the establishment of segregated communities;

■ discern the differences in communal identities in shared faith traditions in Scotland and Ireland;

■ engage with current debates surrounding sectarianism;

■ express informed opinions on current political initiatives relating to sectarianism;

■ offer a historically informed understanding of modern cultural norms;

■ provide a contextual definition of sectarianism in a particular local context.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.