Undergraduate - UnitATS3371 - Magic, science and religion

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Notes

Synopsis

The unit examines some of the contributions that anthropologists and sociologists have made to our understanding of religion. The unit concentrates in particular on the relevance of the concepts of 'magic', 'science' and 'religion' for a comparative understanding of rituals and associated cosmologies in a variety of sociocultural settings.

Outcomes

Students successfully completing this subject should have:

1. An understanding of the development of Western thought in relation to science and religion and the influence of this on anthropological approaches to the study of non-Western religious traditions.
2. An appreciation of the nature of rationalities underlying behaviour in other cultures.
3. Knowledge of some non-Western magico-religious beliefs and practices through the examination of specific ethnographic case studies.
4. Critical and reflexive skills that will enable them to provide thoughtful, clearly written and logically argued responses to topics and questions provided or chosen.

Assessment

One essay (3500 words): 75%
Class exercise (1000 words): 25%
Third year students will be expected to exhibit an understanding of the theoretical debates associated with the conceptualisation of religion and associated concept of anthropology.

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Matt Tomlinson

Contact hours

2 hours (1 x 1 hour lecture and 1 x 1 hour tutorial) per week

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Sociology
Religion and theology
Anthropology

Prerequisites

Appropriate first-year and/or second year ANY sequence or by permission

Prohibitions

ATS2371, COS2210, COS3220, RLT2110