740-466 Music and the Shaman

A pass in 740-105 Music and Ideas or equivalent or permission of the coordinator

An examination of the musical, verbal and dramatic performance of communication between the human and other-than-human worlds, including the performance of diagnosis and healing, from Siberia to Southeast Asia.

On completion of this subject, students should be able to (a) articulate how the ethnography of communication applies to musical practices in ceremonial life in Asia (b) analyse music and performance by identifying principles common to social organisation, cosmological organisation and musical organisation (c) undertake independent research on topics related to music outside the Western traditions.

Seminar paper of 1000 words (25%); a journal of research readings and assigned tasks due at the end of the semester (40%); a research essay of 3000 words due at the end of the semester (35%).

A reading pack will be available for purchase before the commencement of the subject.

• Carol Laderman and Marina Roseman, eds, The Performance of Healing. Routledge, New York and London, 1996.