HI403 Catholicism in America
This course focuses on the experiences of Catholics in America and the place of Catholicism in U.S. history. Students will explore topics such as:
• The role of Catholicism in the development of colonial America.
• How American perceptions of Catholicism influenced debates about citizenship and religious freedom in the early United States.
• How the diverse religious traditions of immigrant communities have shaped American Catholicism.
• The lives of American saints and how their canonization reflected the nation’s changing religious attitudes.
• The implications of the Catholic Church’s growing stature during the 20th century on its influence on American society.
• The challenges and opportunities American Catholicism faces in the 21st century.
In exploring these topics students will read excerpts from notable texts and study primary sources focused on each topic. Students will also learn how to conduct primary source research for a research project, and apply digital methods in presenting their research. Accompanying this course is an on-campus conference in October bringing together notable scholars of American Catholicism from across the United States to discuss the distinctive place of Catholicism in the history and literature of the American South.