ANTH 331(S) Witchcraft, Sorcery, and Magic
Beliefs in magic, malign and otherwise, have been nearly universal in human experience. This course examines these beliefs in an attempt to understand their cognitive basis, symbolic effectiveness, and social consequences. In particular we will approach the question of "magical thinking": is magical thought "mistaken science" or a universal non-rational way of seeing the world? What does the fact of presumably rational people holding apparently irrational beliefs say about the whole idea of rationality? Are witches self-aware agents who believe in the malign magic they practice, or are they innocent, marginalized victims of hegemonic powers? To answer these and other questions we will draw on case studies from a broad range of ethnographic and historic sources, including Aguaruna love magic, Azande oracles, Voodoo in Brooklyn, and witches in Renaissance Italy and twentieth-century England.
Format: seminar. Requirements: a midterm, class presentation, and a term paper.
Prerequisites: Anthropology 101 or permission of instructor. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 15). Preference given to Anthropology and Sociology majors and upperclassmen.
Hour: JUST