136-279 Sorcery, Witchcraft and the Anthropology of Evil

Note

Available as 136-379 at 3rd-year level.

Credit Points

Coordinator

Prerequisites

None.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

The subject entails a cross-cultural and historical investigation of the beliefs and activities seen as manifestations of evil in the world, from sorcery and witchcraft in Africa, the Pacific and the Americas to witchcraft revivals and 'witch hunts' in the modern world. Students completing this subject should be able to: make a critical analysis of the ways in which anthropologists have attempted to explain the phenomena in question, understand the nature of beliefs and practices about supernatural malevolence in relation to arguments about rationality and present some arguments about the interpretation of evil in society in relation to issues of race, class, gender and colonialism.

Assessment

Essays and/or assignments of no more than 5000 words. An examination may be substituted for part of this written work.