Anthropology
Religion, Ritual & Global Transformation
Module code: L6072
Level 5
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Essay
On this module, you’ll learn about anthropological approaches to the understanding of religion and ritual, and its transformations in the modern world.
You’ll be introduced to the main theoretical debates in the field of anthropology of religion and ritual. You’ll gain historical awareness of how religion and ritual have affected global economic, political and socio-cultural transformations. You’ll also confront broad assumptions made about modern life, progress, rationality and even science through ethnographic texts and discussion. We ask ‘what is religion?’ and ‘what is the secular?’.
You’ll explore topics such as:
- cultural taboos on clothing
- totemism in contemporary politics
- elements of belief in science
- witchcraft in economics
- magic in daily practice
- animism in environmental contexts
Module learning outcomes
- To demonstrate knowledge/understanding of anthropological approaches to understanding religion and ritual.
- To analyse/evaluate/assess main theoretical debates in the field of anthropology of religion and ritual, and an awareness of the history of these debates and how specific theoretical trends have developed over time.
- To relate theory to specific ethnographic contexts of religious and ritual practice.
- To evaluate/compare strengths and weaknesses of anthropological theory that has been developed and deployed to understand actual practices.