When you have to know about religion in foreign law research you can generally discern the relationship between religion and government by going to the country’s constitution or by reading a research guide. (Recall the top ten assignment’s leads to research guides and legal systems.)
The research questions associated with religion in foreign law are usually about observing and comparing the following dichotomies:
right and wrong
good and evil
reward and punishment
Just and unjust
If you keep these in mind during your research, you won’t stray into the finer points of distinction and analysis that are the work of religious scholars not lawyers.
Once you know how religion connects with national law in the country, and you have in mind the dichotomies, start reading secondary sources (treatieses and encyclopedias) about the religion. Sometimes you can find a whole book or journal article exactly about your topic. The PowerPoint presentation from class shows examples of the resources mentioned in these notes.
