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Academic Year 2003/2004

Anthropology of Black Religions in the Americas
RELI 387 FA

This course examines Afro-Creole religions and cultural expressions in selected communities throughout the Atlantic world. How were religious communities created under colonial domination? Under what conditions were religions shaped, and what shapes did they take? How are African-based religions produced through aesthetics and the ritual arts of spiritual talk and sermons, song, dance, drumming and medicine-making? How do these religions continue to survive, thrive, and in some cases, grow in the current historical period? This course will pay special attention to the yearly ritual cycle and its attendant festivals: Christmas, Carnivals, Lent, Easter, saint's days, feasts and pilgrimages as well as the emergent spiritual and aesthetic traditions such as Capoera and Rara. We will study the black religious experience in the United States and also familiarize students with Orisha religions like La Regla de Ocha, or Lukumi, in Cuba and the Latino United States; Candomble in Brazil; Vodou in Haiti; and Rastafari in Jamaica.

MAJOR READINGS

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

COURSE FORMAT: Seminar

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

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

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): McAlister,Elizabeth Ann   

Times: ..T.R.. 02:40PM-04:00PM;     Location: FISK404

Reserved Seats:    (Total Limit: 16)

SR. major: 7   Jr. major: 6

SR. non-major: 0   Jr. non-major: 0   SO: 3   FR: 0

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal:    Reading Non-Verbal Texts, Writing

Last Updated on MAR-19-2004

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