R.S. 3811 Contemporary Alternative Spirituality – F2013

Fall 2013 Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Porter Time Slot 20: Tues/Thurs 3:30-4:45 Email: [email protected] Room: A3017 Office: A5009 Office Hours: Wed 9 - 10 am; Tues/Thurs 9 – 10:30 am, or by appointment

Course Description: This course provides an in-depth examination of one or more forms of contemporary alternative spirituality as practiced in North America. In order to gain understanding of these alternative spiritual movements, we will draw upon social scientific studies of these groups, as well as explore images of these groups and their religious practices in both history and popular culture. This year, we will be focusing on the religion of , with a focus on the theme of "Spirits, , and Spirit Communication." Spirit possession and talking to the spirits of the dead represent age-old religious themes that are undergoing revitalization in the modern world, with what appears to be a mainstreaming of Spiritualist beliefs within popular culture. This course will explore both the historical roots of Spiritualism, and the modern prevalence of Spiritualist themes in television shows such as Ghost Whisperer, Medium, and Ghost Hunters.

Texts: No textbook: required readings are available online.

Requirements: Assignment and Discussion #1 15% Assignment and Discussion #2 15% Assignment and Discussion #3 15% Final take-home exam 55%

Assignments and Discussion: This class is going to follow a mixed lecture/discussion format. Although I will be giving lectures to cover the topics we will be studying in the class, these lectures will be interactive: you are encouraged and expected to come prepared by having read the assigned readings, and to have comments and questions relevant to the topic ready to contribute in class. Please make sure you come prepared to class: it will make the class more enjoyable for everyone! We are also going to make room for three full discussion classes. On these dates, you must have carefully read the assigned readings, and hand in an assignment worth 15% of your final grade (for a total of 45% of your grade over the course of the semester.) These assignments should engage critically with the material in the readings, and address issues and themes that have been covered in class as they relate to the articles in question. What is the key point or points the author is trying to make? How do these points relate to what we have covered in class and in previously assigned articles in this section of our course? Do you think the author successfully makes their argument, if so, what do you find most compelling about the argument? If not, what weaknesses do you see in the argument? Can you think of any examples from pop culture or your own experience that relate to the theme(s) in question? Assignments should be approximately 4-5 pages, typed, double-spaced. They are NOT to be purely descriptive retellings of the assigned articles, they must reveal your own analysis and conclusions regarding the topic under discussion. You must also come to class prepared to discuss the readings and your reaction to the points raised. Late assignments NOT accepted without Dr.’s note.

Take-home Exam: This course will have a final take-home exam. It is worth 55% of your final grade. This exam will be essay-style, with multiple questions, and with some choice of questions. The exam is designed to encourage you to show your understanding of the details and implications of the material we have been studying. You may draw upon outside sources to answer the questions on the exam; however, you are not required to do so. This exam will be handed out on the last day of class, and will be due on whatever date and time is assigned to us by the Registrar’s office for our final exam.

Section One: Theories of Spirits, Spirit Possession and Altered States of Consciousness

Thurs. Sept. 5th Introduction to the Course - course outlines, requirements, etc.

Sept. 10-12 Introduction to Theories of Spirit Communication and Spirit Possession Read: Goodman, Felicitas D. "Possession's Many Faces," in How About Demons? Possession and Exorcism in the Modern World. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1988, pp. 1-24.

Bourguignon, Erika. "Cross-Cultural Perspectives on the Religious Uses of Altered States of Consciousness," in Religious Movements in Contemporary America. Irving Zaretsky and Mark Leone, eds. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1977, pp. 228-243.

Bourguignon, Erika. "The Self, the Behavioral Environment, and the Theory of Spirit Possession," in Context and Meaning in Cultural Anthropology. Melford E. Spiro, ed. New York: Free Press, 1974, pp. 39-60.

Tuesday Sept. 17th Taking Ghosts, Spirits and Spirit Possession Seriously - Discussion Class. Assignment #1 Due!

Read: Turner, Edith “A Visible Spirit Form in Zambia,” in Being Changed by Cross-Cultural Encounters: The Anthropology of Extraordinary Experience. Eds. David E. Young & Jean-Guy Goulet. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 1994, pp.71-95.

Turner, Edith “The Reality of Spirits,” in : A Reader. Ed. Graham Harvey. London & New York: Routledge, 2003, pp. 145-152.

Section Two: Spiritualism

Sept. 19-24 Introduction to Spiritualism in History Read: Carroll, Bret E. “The Context of Cassadaga: A Historical Overview of American Spiritualism,” in Cassadaga: The South’s Oldest Spiritualist Community. Eds. John J. Guthrie, jr., Phillip Charles Lucas, and Gary Monroe. Gainsville: University Press of Florida, 2000, pp. 1-26.

Sept. 26-Oct. 1 Spiritualism and Science Read: Moore, R. Laurence “Spiritualism and Science: Reflections on the First Decade of the Spirit Rappings.” American Quarterly 24(1972):474-500.

Porter, Jennifer E. "The Spirit(s) of Science: Paradoxical Positivism as Religious Discourse Among Spiritualists." Science as Culture 14(1) 2005:1-21.

Oct. 3-8 Spiritualism and Women Read: Braude, Ann D. “Spirits Defend the Rights of Women: Spiritualism and Changing Sex Roles in Nineteenth-Century America,” in Women, Religion and Social Change. Ed. Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad and Ellison Banks Findly. Albany : State University of New York Press, pp. 419-431.

Haywood, Carol Lois “The Authority and Empowerment of Women among Spiritualist Groups.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 22(2)1983:157-166.

Video: Telegraphs from the Dead.

NOTE: Midterm break Oct. 14-15. Oct. 17th Class Cancelled.

Oct. 10-22 Spiritualism and Healing Read: Braude, Ann D. “Mediums versus Medical Men,” in Radical Spirits: Spiritualism and Women’s Rights in Nineteenth Century America. Boston, Beacon Press, 1989, pp. 142-161.

Lucas, Phillip Charles “On the Threshold of a New Age: Cassadaga as a Contemporary Therapeutic Community,” in Cassadaga: The South’s Oldest Spiritualist Community. Eds. John J. Guthrie, jr., Phillip Charles Lucas, and Gary Monroe. Gainsville: University Press of Florida, 200, pp. 57-95

Thursday Oct. 24th – Discussion Class #2 – The Science and Spirituality of Alternative Healing Read: Daniel P. Wirth, “The significance of belief and expectancy within the spiritual healing encounter.” Social Science & Medicine 41 (2), July 1995, 249-260

Macklin J. Belief, ritual, and healing: New England spiritualism and Mexican-American compared. In: Zaretsky II, Leone MP, eds. Religious Movements in Contemporary America. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ Pr; 1974.

Oct. 29-31 in Spiritualism Read: Richard, Michel P. and Albert Adato. "The Medium and Her Message: A Study of Spiritualism at Lily Dale, New York." Review of Religious Research 22(2)Dec. 1980: 186-197 And…(see over)… Wallis, John “Continuing Bonds: Relationships Between the Living and the Dead Within Contemporary Spiritualism.” Mortality 6(2)2001:127-145.

Video: 6th Sense with Colin Fry and/or Crossing Over with

Nov. 5-12 Spirit Guides and the Afterlife in Spiritualism Read: Conan-Doyle, Sir Arthur. "The After-Life as Seen by Spiritualists," in The History of Spiritualism," Volume II. London/New York/Toronto/Melbourne: Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1926, pp. 278-291.

Carroll, Bret E. “The Structure of the Spirit World,” and “The Ministry of Spirits,” in Spiritualism in Antebellum America. Bloomington & Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1997, pp.60-84; 85-119

VIDEO: What Dreams May Come

SECTION THREE: GHOSTS, MEDIUMSHIP AND POPULAR CULTURE

Nov. 14-19 Ghosts in Spiritualism and Popular Culture Read: Porter, Jennifer "Just Like a Ghost: A Reflexive Analysis of Three Spiritualist Belief Narratives." New York Folklore 23(1-4) 1997:1-23.

Video: Episodes of Medium and/or Ghost Whisperer

Nov. 21-26 Ghosts and ghost-hunting in Folklore and Popular Culture Read: Mikel J. Koven, “Most Haunted and the Convergence of Traditional Belief and Popular Television.” Folklore 118(Aug. 2007): 183-202.

Video: Episodes of Most Haunted.

Thursday Nov. 28th : Discussion Class #3 – Popular Culture and Spiritualist/paranormal religious belief Read: Sparks, G.G., Nelson, C.L., & Campbell, R.G. (1997). The relationship between exposure to televised messages about paranormal phenomena and paranormal beliefs. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 41(3) 1997, pp. 345–359.

Glenn G. Sparks and Will Miller. “Investigating the Relationship Between Exposure to Television Programs that Depict Paranormal Phenomena and Beliefs in the Paranormal.” Communication Monographs, Vol. 68, No. 1, March 2001, pp 98 –113

December 3rd – Talking with the Dead – Board session. (Voluntary class – attendance not required)