Anthropology of Religion

DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY, SIUE

Dr. Cory Willmott Rm. 0231 Peck Hall; 650-2748; text: 407-2313; [email protected] Office Hours: Tues. 3:30 – 5:00 pm, Wed. 2:30 – 4:00 pm, or by appointment

ANTH 410: Anthropology Of Religion

COURSE CONTENT: This course will focus on how anthropologists approach the study of religion. We will explore case studies of religious traditions from around the world in light of components of religion and spirituality such as myths, deities, rituals, religious experience, magic and religious change.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: 1) To introduce students to a variety of anthropological approaches to the study of religion. 2) To develop understanding of the major components of religious phenomena. 3) To learn important theories and concepts in the cross-cultural study of religion. 4) To present a wide selection of ethnographic case studies from around the world. 5) To facilitate appreciation for similarities and diversity within human spiritual experience.

REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION:

#1) 25 pts. 5% Participation #2) 25 pts. 5% Reading Worksheets (25 sheets @ 1 pt. each) #2) 75 pts. 15% Textbook Homework #3) 25 pts. 5% Bonus Points

Undergraduate Only: #4) 25 pts. 5% Research project topic #5) 75 pts. 15% Research project proposal #6) 75 pts. 15% Research paper (7-9 pgs.), Photo Essay (15 – 20 images, plus text) OR Art work (art, plus 5 – 7 pages, not including images) #7) 150 pts. 30% Three term tests (20 multiple choice questions each @ 2.5 pts. each) #8) 50 pts. 10% Final Exam (20 multiple choice @ 2.5 pts. each)

Graduate Only: #4) 25 pts. 5% Research project topic #5) 100 pts. 20% Research project proposal #6) 150 pts. 30% Research paper (14-17 pgs.) OR Art work (art, plus 10 - 12 pages, not including images) #7) 100 pts. 20% Photo Essay (25 – 30 images, plus text)

Total: 525 (marked out of 100% = 25 extra bonus points)

TEXTS: 1) RB: Hicks, David. 2010. Ritual and Belief: Readings in the Anthropology of Religion, Third Edition. New York: McGraw Hill. 2) BB: Blackboard pdf Readings – see list at end of syllabus.

COURSE FORMAT and EXPECTATIONS: The course will employ a combination of lectures and seminar format class discussions. Students are expected to: 1) read the syllabus in full and consult it regularly for directions on scheduling, readings, assignments and policies; 2) come prepared to class by having read the assigned readings (always bring the assigned reading to class even if you haven’t read it) and/or by bringing a print out of the day’s lecture on which to take notes; 3) take notes during class on lectures and discussions; and 4) regularly utilize the resources provided on Blackboard. Success in the course depends upon meeting these expectations - failure to do so will result in inadequate preparation for assignments and exams, and hence lower grades. Moreover, these are the criteria upon which your participation grade will be determined. You will be tested on ALL of the assigned readings and videos.

Blackboard: This course is supplemented with Blackboard. In order to log-on, click on “Blackboard” under the “Current Students” tab of the SIUE homepage. Enter your SIUE UserID and password (the same as for your e-mail), then select ANTH 410. - Lectures are posted on the site under “Lectures.” Print them, bring them to class and write your class notes directly on them. You will be tested on what I say about each slide, not just what each slide says! - Announcements: All important information will be posted on the “Announcement” page of this site. All email messages will be sent through this site. Check announcements and messages at least once a week! - Grades will be posted on this site as soon as they are available. You can access your own grades at any time. - Textbook Homework, which is worth 15% of your grade, is posted on Blackboard. You must complete these quizzes online before the class for which they are assigned in order to receive points. - Self-study quizzes will be posted under the “Study Tools” button as aids to studying for the tests and exams. These are valuable study tools that you should make use of!

POLICIES:

Grading: The evaluative scale to be used in this course is as follows: 90-100 = A; 80-89 = B; 70-79 = C; 60-69 = D; 0 - 59 = F A = excellent; B = good to very good; C = satisfactory; D = less than satisfactory; F = failing.

Enrolment: Students who fail to come to class four consecutive times during the first ten weeks will be withdrawn from the course by the instructor.

Assignments: - Essay components (Topic, Proposal, Research Essay or Photo Essay) must be submitted in duplicate (1 hard copy and 1 electronic copy in Word). - Students must keep copies of all submitted assignments (on paper and/or electronically), as well as keep their returned graded work, until the end of the exam period. In the event of a disputed grade, the instructor’s opinion will prevail if the student cannot produce evidence of the graded work.

Late Assignments: Except under exceptional circumstances, assignments submitted after the due date will not be accepted and there will be no makeup exams. Do not slip assignments under my office door!

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT Academic misconduct, including plagiarism and cheating, is described on p. 1 of the SIUE Student Academic Code. Academic Misconduct on an assignment, paper, test or exam will result in an F in the course. Please also familiarize yourself with the University policy on penalties outlined in the Code by following the link on “plagiarism.” The Faculty reserves the right to submit student work that is suspected of being plagiarized to internet sites designed to detect plagiarism.

Classroom Behavior: 1) Turn cell phone ringers OFF before entering class. 2) Arrive on time. Do not leave before the end of class without prior permission. 3) Do not hold private conversations (either oral or written). Do not speak during lectures unless called upon; listen and speak respectfully to your fellow students. 4) Do not read extraneous materials during lectures. 5) Do not fall asleep in class. Failure to obey the above rules will result in deductions from your participation grade.

Disability Support Services: Students with disabilities are welcome in this course. Academic accommodations you may require must be arranged through the SIUE Disability Support Services office in Room 1218 Rendleman Hall (650-3726) and brought to my attention at the beginning of the term.

Contacting me: I welcome all your comments and questions via telephone, e-mail, text message and in person during my office hours or by appointment at (almost) any time. I cannot ensure my full or lasting attention to queries in conversations before or after class. Email and text are the best ways to contact me; that is, the most likely ways to reach me and have my full attention. Please do not assume that I have received your message(s) unless you receive a reply.

COURSE OUTLINE:

Week Date Theme Activities Readings Assignme nts PART ONE Anthropological Approaches to Religion One 8/21 Anthropological Lecture: Four Field Approaches Methods 8/23 BB: Kehoe, Ch.2 TH#1 (14 pgs.) Two 8/28 Functionalism Lecture: Durkheim 8/30 RB: Durkheim, TH#2 Ch.1-3 (4 pgs.) #4 Topic BB: Kendall (9 pgs.) Three 9/4 Cognitive Lecture: Cognitive Approaches: Approaches Structuralism etc. 9/6 Library RB: Levi-Strauss, TH#3 Instruction (meet Ch.2-1 (5 pgs.) in Lovejoy) RB: Boyer, Ch.3-3 (14 pgs.) Four 9/11 Phenomenology Lecture: Interpretivism and Phenomenology 9/13 BB: E. Turner, TH#4 Ch.8 (7 pgs.) BB: Dowson, Ch. 9 (9 pgs.) PART TWO Beliefs and Worldview Five 9/18 Myth Term Test One Term YouTube: The Girl Test 1 Who Married the Moon 9/20 Lecture: Sumerian BB: Bapat (8 pgs.) TH#5 Religion BB: Wolkstein and Kramer (16 pgs.) Six 9/25 Cosmology Lecture: Native North American Cosmology 5

9/27 Video: Taoism: A RB: Griaule and TH#6 Question of Balance Dieterlen, Ch.2-2 (7 pgs.) RB: Reichel- Dolmatoff, Ch.10- 1 (13 pgs.) Seven 10/2 Spiritual Forces Lecture: Spiritual #5 and Beings Forces and Beings Proposal 10/4 BB: Frow (6 pgs.) TH#7 RB: Steadman, Palmer and Tilley, Ch.3-2 (12 pgs.) PART THREE Religious Experience Eight 10/9 Religious Lecture: Ritual Term Practitioners Specialists Test 2 10/11 RB: V. Turner, TH#8 Ch.5-1 (11 pgs.) RB: Wolf, Ch. 5-2 (14 pgs.) Nine 10/16 Altered States of Lecture: ASCs Consciousness (ASCs) 10/18 Video: Sacred BB: Davis, (3 TH#9 Trance pgs.) BB: Roseman, Ch.11 (15 pgs.) Ten 10/23 Magic Lecture: Magic 10/25 RB: Frazer, Ch.7-1 TH#10 (4 pgs.) RB: Harner, Ch.5- 3 (8 pgs.) Eleven 10/30 Ritual - Analysis Lecture: Analysis of #6 Essay Ritual 11/1 Video: The King RB: Van Gennep, TH#11 Does Not Lie Ch.4-2 (5 pgs.) BB: Stevens, (11 pgs.) PART FOUR Religion in Society Twelve 11/6 Ritual – Life Video: Monday’s Term Cycles Girls Test 3 11/8 Exercise: Life Cycle BB: Leonard (8 TH#12 Ritual Analysis pgs.) 6

Thirteen 11/13 Religion and the Video: Son of the Environment Moon (25 min.) 11/15 Video: Hopi Songs RB: Rappaport, TH#13 of the Earth Ch.10-2 (13 pgs.) Thanksgiving BREAK! Fourteen 11/27 Religious Change Lecture: Revitalization Movements 11/29 RB: Wallace, TH#14 Ch.11-2 (17 pgs.) Fifteen 12/4 New Religious Lecture: New Age Movements Spirituality 12/6 RB: Hall, Ch.12-1 TH#15 (17 pgs.) FINAL 12/11 10:00 – 11:40 am

Blackboard Readings:

TH#1: Kehoe, Alice Beck. 2000. “Understanding Religion from an Anthropological Perspective.” In Shamans and Religion: An Anthropological Exploration in Critical Thinking. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, pp.21-35.

TH#2: Kendall, Laurel. 2004. “Korean Shamans and the Spirits of Capitalism.” In Sacred Realms: Essays in Religion, Belief and Society. R. Warms, J. Gardner and J. McGee, eds. New York: Oxford University Press, pp.142-53.

TH#4: Turner, Edith. 2003. “The Reality of Spirits.” In Shamanism: A Reader. G. Harvey, ed. New York: Routledge, pp. 145-52.

Dowson, Thomas A. 2003. “Like People in Prehistory.” In Shamanism: A Reader. G. Harvey, ed. New York: Routledge, pp. 159-69.

TH#5: Bapat, Jayant Bhalchandra. 2004. “A Jãtipuãna (Clan-History Myth) of the Gurav Temple Priests of Maharashtra. In Sacred Realms: Essays in Religion, Belief and Society. R. Warms, J. Gardner and J. McGee, eds. New York: Oxford University Press, pp.93-101.

Wolkstein, Diane, and Noah Kramer. 1983. “Innana and the God of Wisdom.” In Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth, Her Stories and Hymns from Ancient Sumer. New York: Harper and Row Pub., pp.11-27.

TH#7: Frow, John. 2004. “Is Elvis a God?: Cult, Culture and Questions of Method.” In Sacred Realms: Essays in Religion, Belief and Society. R. Warms, J. Gardner and J. McGee, eds. New York: Oxford University Press, pp.133-9.

TH#9: Davis, Wade. 2004. “Hallucinogenic Plants and Their Use in Traditional Societies.” In Sacred Realms: Essays in Religion, Belief and Society. R. Warms, J. Gardner and J. McGee, eds. New York: Oxford University Press, pp.214-6.

Roseman, Marina. 2003. “Remembering to Forget: The Aesthetics of Longing.” In Shamanism: A Reader. G. Harvey, ed. New York: Routledge, pp.186-202.

TH#11: Stevens, Phillips Jr. 2004. “Play and Liminality in Rites of Passage: From Elder to Ancestor in West Africa.” In Sacred Realms: Essays in Religion, Belief and Society. R. Warms, J. Gardner and J. McGee, eds. New York: Oxford University Press, pp.185-95.

TH#12: Leonard, Lori. 2004. “Female Circumcision in Southern Chad: Origins, Meaning, and Current Practice.” In Sacred Realms: Essays in Religion, Belief and Society. R. Warms, J. Gardner and J. McGee, eds. New York: Oxford University Press, pp.196-209.