Course Description
This course
is designed to explore the ways different cultures create and maintain religious
answers to the ultimate problems of human existence.
Using an anthropological perspective, we will look at symbolism, myth,
ritual, witchcraft, healing, and religious change. Looking at religion in the context of our own and other
cultures should deepen our understanding of the similarities and differences
among religious and the importance of religion in making meaning in human
life.
The required texts
for the course are
.
Siskind:
To Hunt in the Morning. Oxford.
Bastien:
Mountain of the Condor.
Waveland
Hostetler: The Hutterites in North
America. HBJ.
Course
Calendar
READ
Jan
15
Religion: Definitions
Jan 17 –22
Coming to Know the Sharanahua Siskind
pp. 3 – 46
Jan 24 – 29
Myth and Symbol
“
pp. 47 – 88
Jan 31 – Feb 5
Men, Women, and Ritual
“ pp. 89
– 129
Feb 7 – 12
Transcendence, Healing, and Change
“ finish
Feb 14 – 19
Living the Metaphor
Bastien read through p. 50
Feb 21 - 28
Ritual and Metaphor
“
pp. 51 – 114
Mar 12 – 19
Pulling it Together
“
finish
Mar
21 - 28
The Hutterites
Hostetler, through Ch. 2
April 2 – 4
What you Gain, What you Give
Chapters 3 & 4
April 9 – 11
Pressure and Resistance
Chapters 5 & 6
April 16 – May 1 Group
Presentations
Course Requirements
Readings
will be assigned in class, along with weekly writing assignments designed to
encourage and demonstrate your understanding of the required readings.
You may drop any two of the weekly writings, but none will be accepted
late. Each missing or late
assignment (after the first two) will reduce your final course grade by 1/3 of a
letter grade.
There will
be a take-home midsemester exam, which will require some fieldwork. This exam will be assigned the week of February 5 and be due the week of February 26.
Each student
is required to participate in a group project researching the religion of
another culture. The results of
this research will be presented orally to the class with some supplemental
written material (though not in the
form of a research paper) to be handed in.
Groups and projects will be chosen by the end of the first two weeks of
class; reports will be given during the last several weeks.
Evaluation
The final grade
will be composed of:
Writing
Assignments 40%
Group
Projects 30%
Midsemester
Exam 20%
Class Participation 10%
Instructor
Availability
My office is in L-24, hours are Tuesday and
Wednesday 1:00 – 2:30, and Thursday 8:00 – 9:25 (a.m.)
This course has a web page
where you will be able to find assignments and other supplemental materials; or
e-mail me.