RELI387 - Anthropology of Black Religions in the Americas

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Academic Year 2005/2006

Anthropology of Black Religions in the Americas
RELI 387 SP

Crosslistings:
AFAM 387

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 Capoeira and Rara. We will study Orisha religions like La Regla de Ocha, or Lukumi, in Cuba and the Latino United States; Candomble in Brazil; Vodou in Haiti; and Garifuna traditions and spiritism in Puerto Rico.

MAJOR READINGS

Karen McCarthy Brown, MAMA LOLA: A VODOU PRIESTESS IN BROOKLYN (Revised edition)
Yvonne Daniel, DANCING WIDSOM: EMBODIED KNOWLEDGE IN HAITAIN VODOU, CUBAN YORUBA, AND BAHIAN CANDOMBLE
Paul Gilroy, THE BLACK ATLANTIC: MODERNITY AND DOUBLE CONSCIENCE
Paul C. Johnson, SECRECY, GOSSIP, AND GODS: THE TRANSFORMATION OF BRAZILIAN CANDOMBLE
J. Lowell Lewis, RING OF LIBERATION
Mintz and Price, THE BIRTH OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE
Joesph Murphy, WORKING THE SPIRIT
Joesph Roach, CITI ES OF THE DEAD: CIRCUM-ATLANTIC PERFORMANCE

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

This research seminar prepares the student to write a major 16-20 pp. research paper on one of the religious traditions in the Black Atlantic world. You will be required to use at least two primary sources to investigate a topic that must be approved. For anyone interested in documenting some aspect of an Afro-Atlantic religion, the paper may be an ethnographic project. However you must demonstrate that you have the language skills and entree (proper introductions and access) to do fieldwork.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

This course fulfills a "Religion in Society" requirement for the department major.

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

Times: ..T.... 02:40PM-04:00PM; ....R.. 02:40PM-04:00PM; Location: FISK115; JUDDB6;

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 18)

SR. major: 3 Jr. major: 5

SR. non-major: 3 Jr. non-major: 5 SO: 2 FR: 0

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal: Reading Non-Verbal Texts, Writing

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-30-2006