The Ethics of Community

Community as an ideal promises a common life with others, sharing norms and values. On the other hand, it can easily engender stultifying conformity and homogeneity. Religion has and continues to play a key role in forming communities. This course will examine questions surrounding community, with a particular focus on how communities cope with loss, suffering, and trauma. We will also pose questions about the boundaries of communities, including ecological questions about community between humans and non-humans.