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ANT 3241 – Anthropology of Religion

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ANT 3241 – Anthropology of Religion ANT 3241 – Anthropology Of Religion Summer A 2015 Class Meeting Times: Mon-Fri 12:30- 1:45 pm (period 4) Location: TUR L005 Instructor: Choeeta Chakrabarti Office: TBA Email: [email protected] Office Hours: TBA Course Description: Anthropology is the study of the human condition. From questions about how humans evolved, to debates about current human rights laws, it covers a whole spectrum of issues related to human behavior. This course introduces the anthropology of religion through analyses of the cultural and social dimensions of human variation. This course is not a synopsis of different religions in the world. Rather, it is an exploration of key concepts in religious belief including rituals, magic, witchcraft, religious healing and myth and the purpose these elements play for different religions. The course aims to expose students to diversity in religious behavior and encourage critical thinking in contemporary debates surrounding religious practices. Please be advised that this is not an easy course. As an upper level class during Summer A, it will be intensive. Your performance will be directly related to completing all the required readings and assignments in a timely manner. Please read the syllabus carefully to avoid any misunderstanding. Required Text Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft (3nd Edition). Philip L. Stein and Rebecca Stein. [ARMW on reading list] A Reader in the Anthropology of Religion (2nd ed.). Michael Lambek. [RAR on reading list]. Other readings will be uploaded on canvas Course Objectives: Gain an informed understanding of anthropology of religion Understand anthropological approaches to the study of religion Learn the various methodological tools used in the study of religion Understand how one’s own assumptions and one’s specific cultural lens paints the way humans understand the world around them. Gain an understanding of anthropological concepts of social complexity, cultural relativism and reflexivity. Appreciate human diversity. Gain experience in anthropological fieldwork. Understand the relevance of anthropology to current affairs This course fulfills a Social Science General Education requirement This course is a social and behavioral sciences (S) subject area course in the UF General Education Program. Social and behavioral science courses provide instruction in the history, key themes, principles, terminology, and underlying theory or methodologies used in the social and behavioral sciences. Students will learn to identify, describe and explain social institutions, structures or processes. These courses emphasize the effective application of accepted problem-solving techniques. Students will apply formal and informal qualitative or quantitative analysis to examine the processes and means by which individuals make personal and group decisions, as well as the evaluation of opinions, outcomes or human behavior. Students are expected to assess and analyze ethical perspectives in individual and societal decisions. Learning outcomes: 1. Gain awareness and understanding of the cross-cultural impact of the social and/or natural environment on the development of self and culture: Students will conduct simplified ethnographies designed to illustrate diversity in religious behavior. Students will produce a semester paper centered on an aspect of religion. 2. Acquire the ability to collect information relevant to an issue/problem using methods and sources suitable to the discipline: Students will demonstrate this ability providing discussion posts of peer-reviewed sources 3. Verify the accuracy, authority, bias, currency, and sufficiency of collected evidence applicable to an issue/problem. Students will participate in scheduled in-class discussions designed to encourage critical assessments and debate regarding anthropological perspectives of religious behavior. 4. Document sources by following a system of citation appropriate to the discipline: Students’ semester papers will be assessed for appropriate AAA style citation. 5. Organize collected information in a coherent, unified, and logical manner: Student semester papers will be assessed for logical organization, appropriate arguments and accompanying supporting peer-reviewed reference materials. Course Schedule Instructor reserves the right to change the course schedule and assignments Weekly readings will be announced and uploaded on canvas Week 1 (May 9) MONDAY Class Introduction and Overview TUESDAY Intro to Anthropology? READING1: ARMW Chapter 1: “The Anthropological Perspective,” “The Holistic Approach,” “The Study of Human Societies, and “Two Ways of Viewing Culture”, “Cultural Relativism” and “The Concept of Culture”. WEDNESDAY Intro to Religion? - Part I READING: ARMW Chapter 1: “Attempts at Defining Religion” and “The Domain of Religion”; RAR Part I: “Religion as a Cultural System” by Clifford Geertz. THURSDAY: Intro to Religion? - Part II READING: ARMW Chapter 1: “The Biological Basis of Religious Behavior”; RAR Part I” “The Construction of Religion as an Anthropological Category” by Talal Asad. Discussion post due before class FRIDAY Approaches to Studying Religion READING: ARMW Chapter 1: “The Study of Religion,” “Theoretical Approaches to the study of Religion,” “Conclusion,” and “Summary” Paper outline due Week 2 (May 16) MONDAY Early Theoretical Perspectives on Religion I READING: RAR Part I: “Religion in Primitive Culture” by Edward Tylor, and “The Elementary Forms of Religious Life” by Emile Durkheim TUESDAY Early Theoretical Perspectives on Religion Part II READING: RAR Part I: “Remarks on Frazer’s Golden Bough” by Ludwig Wittgenstein”; RAR Part II: “Myth in Primitive Psychology” by Bronislaw Malinowski. WEDNESDAY Mythology Part I READING: ARMW Chapter 2: “The Nature of Myths,” “Understanding Myths,” and “Approaches to Analysis of Myths” FILM Part I: “Mythos” by Joseph Campbell THURSDAY: Mythology Part II READING: ARMW Chapter 2: “Common Themes in Myths,” “BOXES 2.1-2.6,” “Conclusion,” and “Summary” FILM Part II: “Mythos” by Joseph Campbell. Discussion post due before class FRIDAY Religious Symbols Part I READING: ARMW Chapter 3: “What is a Symbol?,” “Religious Symbols”; RAR Part II: “The Logic of Signs and Symbols”; Week 3 (May 23) MONDAY Religious Symbols Part II READING: RAR Part II: “The Problem of Symbols” by E.E. Evans-Pritchard, “On Key Symbols” by Sherry B. Ortner. ARMW Chapter 3: “The Symbolism of Music and Dance,” “Conclusion,” and “Summary” TUESDAY Review for Exam I WEDNESDAY EXAM I THURSDAY: Rituals Part I READING: ARMW Chapter 4: “The Basics of Ritual Performance,” “Prescriptive and Situational Rituals,” “Periodic and Occasional Rituals”, “A Classification of Rituals,” “A Survey of Rituals,” “Social Rites of Intensification,” “Therapy Rituals and Healing,” “Salvation Rituals,” “Revitalization Rituals” Discussion post due before class FRIDAY Rituals Part II READING: ARMW Chapter 4: “Rites of Passage,” “The Structure of a Rite of Passage,” Coming-of-Age Rituals,” “Alterations of the Human Body,” “Pilgrimages,” “Conclusion,” and “Summary”; Canvas: ”Transitions in Life and Death” in Religions and Practice pp. 41-66 Week 4 (May 30) MONDAY UF Holiday TUESDAY Altered States of Consciousness READING: ARMW Chapter 5: “The Nature of Altered States of Consciousness,” “Entering an Altered State of Consciousness,” “The Biological Basis of Altered States of Consciousness,” “Drug-Induced Altered States,” BOX 5.1 & 5.2,” “Religious Use of Drugs in South America,” “Rastafarians,” “Conclusion” and “Summary” Canvas: “Extending our Powers: Magic and Healing” in Religions in Practice. Pp. WEDNESDAY Religious Specialists READING: ARMW Chapter 6: “Shamans,” “Defining Shamanism,” “Korean Shamanism,” “Priests,” “Aztec Priests,” “Eastern Orthodox Priests,” “Prophets,” “Conclusion,” and “Summary”; RAR Part IV: “Shamanic Practices and the State in Northern Asian...” by Caroline Humphrey. Canvas: “Shams and Shamans: The Discursive Effects of Ethnotourism in Ecuador” by Veronica M. Davidov THURSDAY Magic and Divination READING: ARMW Chapter 7: “The World of Magic,” “Magic and Religion,” “Magic and Science,” “The Function of Magic,” “Why Magic Works,” “Magic in Society,” “Divination,” “Forms of Divination,” “Divination Techniques,” “Conclusion,” and “Summary”; RAR Part III: “Form and Meaning of Magical Acts,” by Stanely Tambiah, and “The Poetics of Time in Mayan Divination,” by Dennis Tedlock. Discussion post due before class FRIDAY REVIEW FOR EXAM II Film: Split Horn Week 5 (June 6) MONDAY EXAM II TUESDAY The Soul and Death READING: ARMW Chapter 8: “Souls and Ancestors,” “Variation in the Concept of the Soul,” “Souls, Death, and the Afterlife,” “Examples of the Concepts of the Soul,” “Bodies and Souls,” “Death Rituals,” “Funeral Rituals,” “Conclusion,” and “Summary”; RAR Part III: “Spirits and Selves in Northern Sudan...” by Janice Boddy. WEDNESDAY Gods and Spirits READING: ARMW Chapter 9: “Spirits,” “Guardian Spirits and the Native American Vision Quest,” “Gods,” “Types of Gods,” “Gods and Society,” “The Gods of the Yoruba,” “Goddesses,” “Monotheism Conceptions of God in Judaism, Christianity and Islam,” “Atheism,” “Conclusion,” and “Summary” THURSDAY Witchcraft READING: ARMW Chapter 10: Entire chapter; RAR Part II: “Witchcraft and Sexual Relations...” by Raymond Kelly. Canvas: “Explaining Misfortune: Witchcraft and Sorcery” in Religions in Prcatice. Pp 82-100 Final paper due Discussion post due before class FRIDAY Religion, Modernity, and Change READING: ARMW Chapter 11: Entire chapter; RAR Part IV: “The Genesis
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