[ Wesleyan Home Page ] [ WesMaps Home Page ] [ WesMaps Archive ] [ Course Search ] [ Course Search by CID ]
Academic Year 2001/2002


Magic, Science, and Religion
RELI 390 SP

Crosslistings:
ANTH 370

How does magic differ from religion? Does the increasing rationalization of the world render magic and religion obsolete? Do anthropologists' usages of these terms reflect indigenous categories or those of their own culture? We will examine the classical anthropological writings of Frazer, Weber, Durkheim, Levy-Bruhl, and Malinowski concerning magic, religion, and science and then use insights from these thinkers and our readings of them to read critically a number of ethnographies concerned wit h religiosity and rationality in both traditional and contemporary industrialized societies.

MAJOR READINGS

Frazer: THE GOLDEN BOUGH (selections)
Malinowski: MAGIC, SCIENCE & RELIGION
Durkheim: THE ELEMENTARY FORMS OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE (selections)
Foucault: THE ORDER OF THINGS (selections)
Evans-Pritchard: WITCHCRAFT, ORACLES & MAGIC AMONG THE AZANDE
Luhrmann: PERSUASIONS OF THE WITCH'S CRAFT: RITUAL MAGIC IN CONTEMPORARY ENGLAND
Godbeer, THE DEVIL'S DOMINION
Davis, DOJO: MAGIC & EXORCISM IN CONTEMPORARY JAPAN
Steven, A'AISA'S GIFTS
plus reading packet

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Two class presentations. Active class participation. Weekly reading summary. Midterm paper. Final paper.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

This course fulfills a "Religion in Society" departmental requirement.

Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

COURSE FORMAT: Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS RELI    Grading Mode: Graded   

Prerequisites: NONE Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-19-2002


Contact wesmaps@wesleyan.edu to submit comments or suggestions. Please include a url, course title, faculty name or other page reference in your email

Copyright Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459