CSC 43466
Co-requisite: CSC 45466 (Fieldwork)

What is the role of religious congregations in urban communities? Do communities with more congregations mobilize collectively at higher rates to address local issues or provide access to more social service programs? Are higher levels of social connectedness found in urban areas with a greater concentration of religious congregations? Essential to examining these and related questions is understanding the methodologies used to study religious congregations and their social consequences. Students will thus learn about and gain hands-on experience, for example, mapping via Geographic Information Systems (GIS), conducting survey research, and analyzing textual and visual data using computational methods. Students will apply such methodologies in the field during trips to Chicago and gain insight into community-based research through meetings with religious leaders to hear about their work.

The course involves both in-class meetings (2 credits) and the co-requisite class “Religion and Urban America: The Windy City Experience Fieldwork” (1 credit) research trips to Chicago. Please click on https://nd.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cuaV4VZ6VjZoJ7g to fill out a survey about your availability for the latter. You can expect to hear back within a few days after you complete the survey about your approval for the course. Those granted approval will need to register for both the 2-credit and 1-credit parts of the course. Enrollment is determined on a rolling basis.

Class Dates: Mondays 2:00–3:15 p.m.
Instructor: Kraig Beyerlein

Credits: 2 credits for in-class course (CSC 43466) and 1 credit for co-requisite fieldwork course (CSC 45466)
Associated Term: Fall 2024