Encountering the Religious Other at a Public University: Student Development Through Reflection and Discussion

Abstract

Although it has been established that U.S. students typically enter college unprepared to engage in interreligious conversations, it is unclear whether and to what extent a university course focused on the sociolinguistics of religion equips students to feel better prepared for such conversations. Therefore, this study employs an exploratory case study approach in the context of a public university’s undergraduate course on the sociolinguistics of religion. For the course, students read journal articles, watched documentaries, wrote reflections, and discussed their views with classmates. To assess changes in students’ self- perceived preparedness for interreligious conversations, data from a beginning-of-semester survey are compared with end-of-semester interviews and reflection papers. At the end of the semester, students reported new insights regarding their prior lack of knowledge and awareness, their perceptions of the Other, the possibility of holy envy, and their orientation toward religious truth claims.