Primary Texts:
Dobkin de Rios, Marlene
1984 Visionary Vine: hallucinogenic healing in the Peruvian Amazon. Prospect Heights, Illinois: Waveland Press. (VV)
Lehman, Arthur C., and James E. Myers, eds.
1997 Magic, Witchcraft and Religion. 5th Edition. Palo Alto, California: Mayfield. (MWR)
Supporting Texts:
Hutton, Ronald
2001 The Triumph of the Moon: a history of modern pagan witchcraft. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, Inc. (TM)
Texts are available from BarnesandNoble.com or Amazon.com and from local bookstores.
Week 1:
Introduction, FAQs, and background for the course.
Readings: MWR: Intro; Clifford Geertz; Marvin Harris; and, Horace Miner (Nacirema). Start reading VV.
Project Discussion: You will be asked to consider choosing one of the following: Scrapbook, Research Paper, Life History, or Participant Observation.
Projects = 25% of Grade.
Week 2:
Reiterated FAQs; and, definitions of religion (emphasis on A. Wallace and T. Gaster.)
The Anthropology of Religion. Defining features and function of religion.
Readings: MWR: Dorothy Lee; Lauriston Sharp; George Gmelch; Mary Lee Daugherty.
Week 3:
Theoretical perspectives; and, concepts of the "other."
Spheres of Intervention: religion and magic.
Readings: MWR: Mircea Eliade, Max Gluckman, Raymond Firth in MWR; Finish VV.
Project Proposals turned in the 8th.
Week 4:
Defining the features and functions of magic.
Defining the fallacies of exclusivity and the supernatural.
Beings, Powers, Gods and Goddesses. The practice of religion and magic.
Readings: MWR: Mary Douglas; and, Jill Dubisch.
Discussion of V V. Review sheets passed out.
Project Proposals finalized on the 13th.
Week 5:
The practice of religion and magic continued.
Ritual, Ceremony and Belief.
Readings: MWR: Victor Turner (p.89); and, C von Furer-Hammendorf.
50-point quiz on 20th. (Q1 = 25% of grade)
50-point quiz returned on 22nd.
Week 6:
Varieties of religious organization.
Communal and individual cultic expressions.
Religious organization as cosmology.
Readings: TBA (SR).
Week 7:
Video: Amish, not to be modern.
Discussion of Anabaptists .
Readings: SHRD: The Cultural and Religious Setting; Medicine in New Religions.
Week 8:
Historic and Modern Shamanism.
Readings: SHRD: Trans-cultural Medical Relations MWR: Michael Barkun; Anthony Wallace.
Midterm study sheets passed out on the 11th .
Week 9:
Discussion.
Readings: TBA (TM).
Midterm taken on 20th . (Midterm = 25% of Grade)
Week 10:
Prophets, Millennialists, and Revelations: expressions of
revitalization
Readings: TBA (TM).
Midterm returned on 25th
Week 11:
Video: Bill Moyers Journal, SBC.
Readings: TBA (TM)
Week 12:
Guest Lecture.
Religion, Magic and Witchcraft: connections and history.
Sorcery, Witchcraft and the Explanation of Misfortune: cross-cultural interpretations.
Week 13:
Contemporary Wicca as a paradigm for emergent religions.
Discussion and practicum.
Week 14:
TBA
You should be working very hard on your projects.
Week 15:
Possible Guest Speaker
Review and Wrap up
Turn in Class Projects
CLASS FINAL EXAM:
(Final = 25% of Grade)