In response to contemporary terrorist attacks and natural disasters, many are led to cry, “The world will never be the same!” How should such statements be evaluated? What impact do they have on social and political life? This course explores religious and cultural responses to human tragedy and cultural shock. Discussion will attend to debates over the meaning of suffering, public reactions to terrorism, the traumas of natural disasters, and the role of media in covering such events. These themes are engaged from the perspectives of ethics, cultural theory, religious studies, and theology. The course focuses on popular responses to events that include: the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755, the First World War, the Holocaust, Hurricane Katrina, the Japanese experiences of Hiroshima and Fukushima, 9/11, and more recent examples of terrorism and disaster. Attention will be given to concerns such as the impact of trauma on social and political debate, the function of religious discourse in the face of tragedy, the nature of ideology, and the relationship between religion and violence. A thematic concern throughout the course will be the nature of ethical commitment in the midst of confusion and social disruption. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.