ATS2371 - Magic, science and spirituality - 2017

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.

Students successfully completing the 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.

Within semester assessment: 60% + Exam: 40%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Dr Julian Millie

Indigenous cultures and histories

Religious studies

Anthropology

Twelve credit points of first-year Arts units. It is highly recommended that students only take this unit after they have completed two gateway units in Anthropology.

ATS3371