Assignment 1: Observation Proposal (450-word minimum, not including reference list)
Your Observation Proposal (Assignment 1) is the preparatory work for your Observation Report (Assignment 2). You can structure it in either essay form or list form. Either way, please use complete sentences.
Background: In this course, you will be conducting an Observation of a religious service(s) or other event sponsored by a religious/spiritual/atheist group of your choice. The purpose of the observation is to experience and analyze a religious event or service of a religion, congregation, or community that you have not experienced before.
Many religious groups are now livestreaming their services/events, and such services/events would be perfect to propose for your observation.
Most such programs are open to all, and thus you do not need to seek permission to observe. However, if you wish you attend an online meeting or program that involves or presumes individual participation (such as a religious chatroom, meet-up, or online interactive webinar), then you will need to have the organization’s permission to participate. If you aren’t sure whether you need permission, please email me, and I’ll be happy to help you.
In light of the on-going pandemic, I expect that most students will do an online Observation this term. Even if a religious group is meeting in person, it may be facing attendance limits due to state guidelines, and if that is the case, it may be disrespectful to go in person at this time (as you would be taking a spot away from a regular attendee). If you would prefer to do an in-person observation and you think it is feasible to do so, please contact me at the beginning of the course and we can discuss it.
Please include the following in your Proposal:
- Identify the specific religious (or atheist) organization you plan to study. You need to choose a religious (or atheist) group that has a substantial internet presence and is conducting live online programs. Alternatively, you can choose an organization that has provided substantial programs on YouTube.
Include: the name/location of the organization, the website of the organization, the names of the primary leaders of the organization and their roles.
- Provide 2-3 links to services/programs provided on video by the organization. (Total video time should be about 2 hours.) If you plan to watch Livestream programs, please provide links to the announcements/descriptions. Your total planned observation time should be about 2 hours.
Requirements: 450 words or more
Answer preview
Growing up in a Catholic household played a critical role in shaping my worldview and primarily in helping me become the person I am. However, I was never profoundly exposed to any other religion’s practices, values, and norms. As such, for this proposal and the subsequent assignment, I decided to focus on understanding Islam. I decided to observe and analyze the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) to do this. This religious organization is headquartered at Plainfield in Indiana, and it came into existence in 1982 (ISNA, n.d.). Since its formation, the organization’s structure has changed. As currently structured, ISNA brings together a couple of organizations under a single umbrella body (ISNA, n.d.). These include; the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), Muslim Student Association (MSA), Canadian Islamic Trust Foundation, Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA), and the Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA) (ISNA, n.d.). The mission and vision of ISNA are to contribute towards the betterment of the Muslim community in the United States and other local communities. Safaa
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