ANT 214 - Magic, Witchcraft and Healing: The Supernatural in Cross-Cultural Perspective

1. The anthropological study of religion
2. Myth, ritual, and symbolism in cross-cultural perspective
3. Religious practitioners in selected cross-cultural contexts
4. Altered states of consciousness
5. Witchcraft, sorcery, and forces of evil in cross-cultural perspective
6. The afterlife in selected cross-cultural contexts
7. Religion and social change in selected cross-cultural contexts
8. Non-traditional beliefs in Western society
9. Selected belief systems in a cross-cultural perspective

1. Distinguish among major theories of the origin of religion. (1)
2. Contrast the major characteristics of tribal religion with those of world religions. (1)
3. Define magic, myth, ritual, and symbol and describe their functions to the individual and the social group using selected examples from belief systems in various regions of the world. (2, 4)
4. Classify types of religious action in selected cross-cultural contexts. (2)
5. Describe and analyze how religious healing rituals affect illness states. (2-4).
6. Define and differentiate between the major types of religious practitioners/healers. (3)
7. Classify categories of altered states of consciousness and describe their social and psychological functions. (4)
8. Define the major classifications of evil forces in selected cross-cultural contexts. (5)
9. Analyze attitudes about witchcraft and evil in the context of social control and social harmony. (5)
10. Describe the functions of funerals and death ceremonies in selected cross-cultural contexts. (6)
11. Distinguish between various attitudes/beliefs concerning life after death in selected cross-cultural contexts. (6)
12. Identify the major forces of religious change and innovation. (7)
13. Analyze the occurrence of nontraditional beliefs in western society. (8)
14. Identify characteristics of belief in the occult. (8)
15. Compare and contrast selected culturally-specific belief systems in different regions of the world. (9)