Course Syllabus

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Arcadia University
Department oI Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice
Summer 1, 2010 7 weeks



Dr. 1onathan T. Church

Easton 339
Phone: 215 572-4017
churcharcadia.edu

Welcome!


Welcome to your Arcadia University course, AN262 Myth, Magic and Religion. . This course introduces
students to anthropological views on human belieI systems in their many varied Iorms. The course also
Iocuses on the interplay between religious practice, ideology, political structures, and sense oI cultural and
personal identity by examining the use oI myth, magic, witchcraIt, religious belieI and ritual in everyday
liIe. One emphasis oI the course is on the interplay oI mythological and religious symbolism and ritual
practice in the construction oI individual Iorms and senses oI both personal and cultural identity throughout
the world. Students will be introduced to a variety oI diIIerent cultures, belieI systems and anthropological
Iorms oI analysis.

Course Goals:
O To provide students with a broad overview oI how anthropologists know, question, think and argue
about 'religious phenomena.
O To introduce, explore and have students apply cultural anthropological modes oI inquiry,
argumentation and explanation.
O To Iacilitate students in recognizing, making strange` and comparing their own cultural
presuppositions regarding religion to other speciIic ethnographic examples.

Required Materials & Recommended Materials


#06uir0/
Without the text Ior the course, you really can`t begin. The text Ior the course is the backbone oI instruction.
I am assuming that you already have the text as I sent a note to the class two weeks prior to the beginning oI
the semester. II not please go to http://www.cbamatthews.com/arcadia/ so that you can purchase it
immediately.

Winzer, Robert L.
2008
Anthropology and Religion: What We Know, Think, and Question
New York, NY: AltaMira Press

All other readings will be available within the course.

Please make sure that the latest versions oI Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat, and Realplayer are installed on
your computer. You will need these Iree soItware plug-ins to access the lectures and documentaries we will
view during the semester.

#0comm0n/0/ Mat0rials

Headset w/ microphone. I suggest you purchase an inexpensive headset with microphone as I will be holding
virtual oIIice hours. These oIIice hours are not mandatory, but you might want to drop by on occasion and
chat with me via the 'Wimba Virtual Class Iound in Blackboard. I will announce the oIIice hours during the
Iirst unit oI the semester

Evaluation


A _ 93 to 100
A- _ 90 to 93
B _ 88 to 90
B _ 83 to 88
B- _ 80 to 83
C _ 78 to 80
C _ 73 to 78
C- _ 70 to 73
D _ 68 to 70
D _ 63 to 68
D- _ 60 to 63
F 0 to 60


Unit 1 7 Discussion Forums 50
Unit 1 6 Assignments 50




Course Structure


This course is being presented in an online Iashion; It is important that you login on a regular basis (daily iI
possible) and work on a consistent basis to complete your requirements. Since we are not meeting Iace-to-
Iace, it will be imperative that you participate in the discussion Iorums with your classmates.

As you can see Irom the leIt hand menu, the course is divided into 7 weekly units. Each unit has:
O A series oI speciIic unit objectives.
O Required readings Irom the course text as well as readings Irom websites or PDF Iiles.
O A recorded lecture by your instructor.
O A discussion Iorum where you will interact with your classmates regarding the course materials in
the context oI a particular question I ask your class to address. You must make 3 postings during the
unit week. The Iirst post must be completed by Wednesday and represents your initial response to the
question. The second post is due by Friday and must be in response to another classmates post. A
Iinal post is due on Sunday and may be either an additional response to an ongoing conversation or a
Iurther reIlection on the issue being addressed given the overall conversation.
O Also, you will have 6 written assignments during the semester. The assignments are scholarly
analyses and reIlections on the materials. The assignment is available at the beginning oI the unit, but
is due no later than the Sunday oI the subsequent unit. So the Unit 1 assignment is due by the end oI
Unit 2.
O In each unit there is discussion Iorum that is dedicated to speciIic questions you may have about the
course, assignments, or other issues associated with the course. Instead oI emailing me directly Ior
clariIication regarding an assignment, place the question in the Iorum. Then both your question and
my answer will be available to all the course members. Don`t hesitate to answer each other`s
questions.
O Also, the Cyber CaIe is available Ior you to develop community outside oI the course content.

You will need to be selI-motivated and try to stay as organized as possible; developing a schedule would be
a good idea. I also suggest that you login in the beginning oI the week and copy all assignments to a Word
document. This will allow you to construct a quality answer, spell check, grammar check, and copy and
paste into the Iorum or the assignment Iolder.

#06uir0m0nts for Discussion Boar/ S0ssions:

1. When quoting the work oI another scholar, it is important that you cite the work correctly. The Iollowing
are examples oI what is expected when reIerring to the work oI another scholar.

ampl0:

Within the context oI the posting:

"Constructivism is an epistemology, a theory oI knowledge used to explain how we know what we know"
(Lorsbach, 1997).

At the end oI the posting:

Lorsbach, A. (1997). Constructivism as a ReIerent Ior Science Teaching. Retrieved January 5, 2006, Irom
http://www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/research/constructivism.html


2. You are required to interact with and respond to your peers. I will be looking at the way you analyze the
postings and extend the conversation. Please use this opportunity to share your own experiences, but
remember to support your assertions Irom a scholarly perspective that is tied into the course materials. At
this level we can all learn a great deal by sharing our experiences.

"Studies report that peer learning promotes greater conceptual and procedural gains Ior students,
accommodates a broad range oI learning styles, results in greater enjoyment oI the learning task, and
encourages a stronger persistence in learning" (Johnson & Johnson, 1999).

3. Your postings will be evaluated based upon the substantive nature and how it analytically addresses the
question at hand. Simple responses such as "I agree" are oI no value and will not be counted as an acceptable
posting. Try to use what I call the "no scroll" rule. II you have to scroll a great deal to read the posting, it
becomes an arduous task. Please try to be succinct and to the point. Strive to respond at the synthesis or
evaluation levels.

Discussion ti6u0tt0

In this course, I welcome the creation oI a dialogue that is open, thoughtIul, and Iounded on the basis oI
research in the Iield. At times, some oI you will not agree on the positions that are taken in the Iorum. This
diversity is welcomed. However, each student must exercise respect Ior the thoughts and comments that are
posted by their peers. II any posted comments are inappropriate or oI an oIIensive nature, they will be
removed Irom the Iorum and I will address the issue with the author oI the content. Please Iollow the
Iollowing guidelines:

Never post, transmit, promote, or distribute content that is known to be illegal.

Never post harassing, threatening, or embarrassing comments.

II you disagree with someone, respond to the subject, not the person.

Never post content that is harmIul, abusive, racially, ethnically, or religiously oIIensive, vulgar or
otherwise potentially oIIensive.


Weekly Unit Schedule

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Obj0ctiv0s for Unit 1: On th0 Qu0stion of #0ligion as a Human Univ0rsal
* To become Iamiliar with the diIIiculties and debates surrounding an anthropological deIinition oI
religion.
* To understand anthropological deIinitions oI religion centered on belieI as contrasted to those
centered on ritual.
* To explore what constitutes a 'religious society by discussing George Carlin`s Iamous monologue
against religion.
* To summarize and evaluate a classical anthropological critique oI the commonly used (Geertz`s)
deIinition oI religion.

#0a/ings
Reading 1: Winzler (required text) Chps 1 &2.
Reading 2: Asad, Talal (PDF), 'The Construction oI Religion as an Anthropological Category.

Instructor`s #0fl0ction
Topic 'On the DiIIiculties oI DeIinitions.

Str0aming Vi/0o
George Carlin on Religion and God

Forum: Intro/uc0 Yours0lf to th0 Class

Discussion Forum Unit 1: Discuss Carlin on Religion (3 postings in Iorum, Iirst by Wednesday,
second by Friday, third by Sunday).

Assignm0nt 1: Evaluate Asad`s Article. Du0 0n/ of Unit 2.

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Obj0ctiv0s for Unit 2: On th0 Qu0stion of A/aptation
* To examine and discuss whether there is a biological propensity to religiosity and assess to what
extent religion is an evolutionary outcome.
* To be introduced to cultural materialist understandings oI taboo, especially religious Iood
prohibitions.
* To evaluate and critique Iunctionalist and cultural materialist explanations oI religious practices.
* To become Iamiliar with Hindu understandings oI cows as sacred beings.

#0a/ing
Reading 1: Winzeler (required text) chps 3&4

Instructor`s #0fl0ction
Topic Taboo, Cows and the Sacred.

Str0aming Vi/0o
Robin Wright on the 'Evolution oI Compassion.
PBS Documentary: 'Holy Cow.

Discussion Forum Unit 2: Discuss Wright`s views oI adaptation and compassion (3 postings in Iorum,
Iirst by Wednesday, second by Friday, third by Sunday).

Assignm0nt 2: Does a Cultural materialist perspective explain the sacredness oI cows in India and
industrialization oI cattle production in the United States? Du0 0n/ of Unit 3.

Assignm0nt 1: Du0 - Uploa/ to Unit 1 assignm0nt fol/0r
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Obj0ctiv0s for Unit 3: On th0 Qu0stion of Symbols
* To become Iamiliar and apply the distinction between, private, personal, and public symbols.
* To examine whether there is dichotomy between madness and religious ecstasy.
* To explore the body as one oI the primary sites oI the symbolic.

#0a/ing
Reading 1: Winzeler (required text) chp 5
Reading 2: Obeysekere, Gannath (PDF) 'Medusa`s Hair.
Reading 3: Nahat, Yvonne, 'ReIlections on Madness, Hallucinations, Cybercracker WarIare, White
Mania

Instructor`s #0fl0ction
Topic 'Symbols, Visions and Madness.

Str0aming Vi/0o
Wade Davis on 'The Worldwide Web oI Ritual and BelieI.

Discussion Forum Unit 3: Using Obeysekere`s sense oI symbols analyze as a group, what Yvonne
Nahat, this madwoman or visionary is trying to tell us (3 postings in Iorum, Iirst by Wednesday, second
by Friday, third by Sunday).

Assignm0nt 3: Is Wade Davis` argument convincing regarding the loss oI religious vision symbolic
systems given the worldwide ethnocide oI tribal peoples?

Assignm0nt 2: Du0 - Uploa/ to Unit 2 Assignm0nt fol/0r.

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Obj0ctiv0s for Unit 4: On th0 Qu0stions of Myth, #itual an/ B0li0f
* To examine how mythological structure and rites oI passage create the psychological conditions Ior
changes oI status.
* To apply Campbell`s notion oI the 'Hero`s Journey to the student`s everyday liIe.
* To analyze how mythic structures and symbols inIorm our contemporary political processes.

#0a/ing
Reading 1: Winzeler (required text) chps 6 & 7
Reading 2: Dodwell, Karen, 'The Cowboy Myth, George W. Bush, and the War With Iraq.

Instructor`s #0fl0ction
Topic 'Embodiment and the Symbolic

Str0aming Vi/0o
Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell, 'The Hero`s Journey.

Discussion Forum Unit 4: Analyze other mythic structures, such as The Cowboy Myth that inIorm
contemporary politics as a way to understand what Robert Bellah called our Civil Religion` oI
nationalism (3 postings in Iorum, Iirst by Wednesday, second by Friday, third by Sunday).

Assignm0nt 4: Explore the 'Hero`s Journey and the rituals oI liIe passage in your everyday liIe

Assignm0nt 3: Du0 - Uploa/ to Unit 3 Assignm0nt fol/0r.

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Obj0ctiv0s for Unit 5: On th0 Qu0stion of Witchcraft, Sorc0ry an/ Shamanism
* To develop an understanding oI witchcraIt accusations as being linked to social stress.
* To examine and analyze the increase oI witchcraIt allegation oI children in contemporary AIrica.
* To analyze how voluntary and involuntary spirit possession is linked to social disenIranchisement.

#0a/ing
Reading 1: Winzeler (required text) chps 8 & 9
Reading 2: De Boeck, Filip, 'On Being Shenge in Kinshasa.

Instructor`s #0fl0ction
Topic 'On Possession, Empowerment, and DisenIranchisement.

Str0aming Vi/0o
BBC Report, 'Witches in Kinshasa.
Children oI Congo: From War to Witches.
Dispatches: 'Return to AIrica's Witch Children (pts 1-5).

Discussion Forum Unit 5: AIter watching the videos on children witches discuss together why
children in such diIIerent parts oI AIrica seem so vulnerable to these accusations. Do you see any
analogies within our own society oI certain people or categories oI persons who are more prone to be
thought oI as evil.` Explain (3 postings in Iorum, Iirst by Wednesday, second by Friday, third by
Sunday).

Assignm0nt 5: Summarize and compare the arguments put Iorth by De Boeck and Winzeler about
witchcraIt accusations and spirit possession being associated with deteriorating living conditions. Are
they suggesting the same thing?

Assignm0nt 4: Du0 - Uploa/ to Unit 4 Assignm0nt fol/0r.

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Obj0ctiv0s for Unit 6: On th0 Qu0stion of #0ligious #0vitalization an/ #0sistanc0
* To become Iamiliar with the subtle way the colonial missionary Iorms oI Christianity led to particular
Iorms oI the colonization oI consciousness.
* To interrogate whether Iorms oI great social protest and social revitalization require religious
revitalization to take place.
* To analyze the homological structures between senses oI the 'sacred in the deIense oI 'democracy
in the Iace oI terrorism, and the deIense oI 'Islam in the Iace oI global market domination oI
cosmopolitan` societies.

#0a/ings:
Reading 1: Winzeler (required text) chp 10
Reading 2: ComaroII, John, and CommaroII, Jean, 'The Colonization oI Consciousness.

Instructor`s #0fl0ction
Topic 'Resistance, Ritual and Tradition

Str0aming Vi/0o
PBS, We Shall Remain, Episode 2, 'Tecumseh`s Vision.

Discussion Forum Unit 6: II revitalization oI a group requires Iorms oI ritualization, communitas, and
cognitive reorganization that center on some concept oI the sacred` values to be deIended, then to what
extent is the deIense oI democracy` in the civil religions oI modern nationalism just as Iundamentalist
as those who proclaim themselves as the deIenders oI Islam? Discuss this as a group. Don`t try to come
to a conclusion as much as analytically play with the idea, given what you have learned throughout the
course (3 postings in Iorum, Iirst by Wednesday, second by Friday, third by Sunday).

Assignm0nt 6: Compare Tecumsheh`s vision and claim as representing all native peoples with the
realization oI the Tswana oI the diIIerences between Setswana and Segkoa. To what extent was
Tecumsheh`s consciousness colonized or liberated by his conIrontation with the colonizing Iorces?

Assignm0nt 5: Du0 - Uploa/ to Unit 5 Assignm0nt fol/0r.

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Obj0ctiv0s for Unit 7: On th0 Qu0stion of #0ligion an/ Oth0r I/0ntiti0s in a Global Worl/
* To explore the anthropological concept oI 'personhood as inIorming religious practice.
* To become Iamiliar with the concepts oI religious syncretism and polyontology.
* To assess the course.

#0a/ings
Reading 1: Winzeler (required text) chp 11.

Instructor`s #0fl0ction
Topic 'Trembling BeIore Our Syncretisms and Polyontologies

Str0aming Vi/0o:
Documentary, 'Trembling BeIore G-D.
A.J. Jacobs, 'The Year oI Living Biblically.

Discussion Forum Unit 7: What are the main lessons you have taken away Irom this course about
myth, ritual, belieI, identity and religion, especially in relation to the last two videos on this unit that
both address the complexities oI identity in our contemporary world? I would like your tone to remain
scholarly, but also personally reIlective, and respectIul oI each other`s positions. However, I would like
you to really engage with each other in this Iinal course conversation (3 postings in Iorum, Iirst by
Wednesday, second by Friday, third by Sunday).

Assignm0nt 6: Du0 - Uploa/ to Unit 6 Assignm0nt fol/0r

valuations: Pl0as0 compl0t0 th0 cours0 0valuation. An 0mail will b0 s0nt to you with a link to
acc0ss th0 onlin0 form.