Religious Studies 218 - Wizards,Sorcerers,and Shamans IM

Institution:

Hiram College

Subject:

Description:

An investigation of the problem of rationality, carefully considering the perspectives of both "insiders" and "outsiders." From the inside, we wiengage with firsthand encounters of wizards, sorcerers, and shamans in non-Western religious traditions, such as Songhay, Mayan, and Hindu. From the outside, we will explore various theoretical positions on rationality, examining classical and contemporary works in religious, anthropological, and philosophical studies, such as Evans-Pritchard's pioneering text on magic among the Azande, Merleau-Ponty's meditations on perception, and Paul Stoller's recent scholarship in "embodiedphenomenology." Questions to be pursued in this course include: Is there one form of rationality that is "universal"? Is rationality "relative" to oneown socio-religious context? Is there an alternative approach to both universalism and relativism that allows the student of religion to make sense of apparent "multiple realities"?

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

WWW.HIRAM.EDU

Phone Number:

(330) 569-3211

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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