ANY3180 - Witchcraft in the modern world

Leader(s): Nicholas Herriman

Offered

Clayton First semester 2009 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit presents witchcraft as a topic integral to the anthropology of religion, relevant both to earlier generations of scholars attempting to study religion objectively and to present-day scholars exploring witchcraft as a cultural phenomenon in the industrialised West. In this unit, students approach the study of witchcraft from both angles, asking: Why have narratives of witchcraft circulated so successfully in different cultural contexts for long historical periods? In what ways do pagan groups borrow from mainstream ideologies and practices, and in what ways subvert them? How can anthropologists investigate the interplay between religious practices and their representations?

Objectives

After successfully completing this unit, students will be able to: a. discuss the development of anthropological theories of religion through the lens of ethnographic work on witchcraft b. identify key definitions of witchcraft in the anthropological canon, and discuss their relevance to studies of modern neopagan religious movements c. discuss the emerging ethnography of modern neopagan religious movements d. use specific case studies to evaluate the validity of generalisations about witchcraft. For students taking the unit at Level 3 as part of a major in Anthropology there is the additional objective of: e. critically evaluating how the literature on witchcraft has contributed to broader developments in anthropological theory. Aims: Students are expected to develop their abilities to: i. use analytic and interpretive skills in dealing with ethnographic accounts ii. read written sources and view visual material critically iii. assess their own preconceived ideas about what witchcraft is vi. present logical, coherent arguments both orally and in writing

Assessment

Participation : 10%
In-class exam (1000) : 20%
Research essay 1 (1500) : 30%
Research essay 2 (2000) : 40%
Students taking the unit at Level 3 as part of a major in Anthropology will be required in their essays to show how the literature on witchcraft has contributed to broader developments in anthropological theory.

Contact hours

2 hour seminar

Prohibitions

Either ANY2180 or ANY3180 but not both