ANT 107 - Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion

Credits: 3

Description: For what reasons do humans fill their world with sacred places, imaginary beings, and supernatural forces? Since the beginning of humankind, our species created complex rituals and stories that are encapsulated in our worldviews. In a world of unpredictability and chaos, humans strived to make sense of the natural order and meaning of the universe, leading to detailed stories of our origin, a belief in supernatural beings, and elaborate rituals of grandeur. This effort to make sense of our world is manifested in a myriad of diverse religious themes, many of which are prevalent in pop culture, contemporary literature, and popular movies. These themes, and many more, will be explored over the course of the semester.

Transferable
Transferable to both UC and CSU

General Education:

CalGETC: Transfer General Education Requirements ( 4- Social and Behavioral Sciences )

Student Learning Outcomes:

Summarize how religion is defined anthropologically and how varying religions impact the sociocultural development of societies in our contemporary world
Explain the various rituals, including rites of passages, prescriptive rituals, situational rituals, periodic rituals, occasional rituals, rites of intensification, healing rituals, and pilgrimages, and their impacts on Western and Non-Western religions
Summarize how religion can affect conflict and warfare

Total Course In-Class (Contact) Hours: 54
Course Duration (Weeks): 18
Weekly Student Hours (In-Class) Lecture Hours: 3