Folklore and Folklife - Courses - Fall 2005 - FOLK 517 401: Topics in American Religion: The Radical Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr

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FOLK 510 401 Topics in American Religion: The Radical Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr

M. Dyson
Seminar: Monday 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Cross-listed with: REL 517, AFRC 518
Contact: mdyson@sas.upenn.edu

This course will examine the radical social, moral and religious legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. We still situate King's thinking in the contexts of black religious and social thought and practice. We will explore his career in the light of the shifting emphasis of his social activism and religious thought, tracing his evolution from energetic integrationist to radical social prophet of aggressive nonviolence. We will explore the complex human and moral dimensions of his personal and political struggles. We will explore the themes of King's mature ministry - his Challenge to militarism, materialism and deep-rooted social and economic inequality, and wrestle with his call for a "revolution of values," Finally, we will also probe the constructions of King as a toothless saint and American Hero, juxtaposing to these images his threat as a radical social critic and courageous moral prophet.

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