Anthropology of Black Religions in the Americas
RELI 387
Spring 2006
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
AFAM 387 |
This course examines Afro-Creole religions and cultural expressions in selected communities throughout the Atlantic world. How were religious communities created under colonial domination? Under what conditions were religions shaped, and what shapes did they take? How are African-based religions produced through aesthetics and the ritual arts of spiritual talk and sermons, song, dance, drumming and medicine-making? How do these religions continue to survive, thrive, and in some cases, grow in the current historical period? This course will pay special attention to the yearly ritual cycle and its attendant festivals: Christmas, Carnivals, Lent, Easter, saint's days, feasts and pilgrimages as well as the emergent spiritual and aesthetic traditions such as Capoeira and Rara. We will study Orisha religions like La Regla de Ocha, or Lukumi, in Cuba and the Latino United States; Candomble in Brazil; Vodou in Haiti; and Garifuna traditions and spiritism in Puerto Rico. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Reading Non-Verbal Texts, Writing, Writing |
| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS RELI |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (AFAM-MN)(AFAM)(AMST)(ANTH)(CBST-MN)(CEAS-Phil/Reli)(LAST)(RELI-MN)(RELI) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Karen McCarthy Brown, MAMA LOLA: A VODOU PRIESTESS IN BROOKLYN (Revised edition)
Yvonne Daniel, DANCING WIDSOM: EMBODIED KNOWLEDGE IN HAITAIN VODOU, CUBAN YORUBA, AND BAHIAN CANDOMBLE
Paul Gilroy, THE BLACK ATLANTIC: MODERNITY AND DOUBLE CONSCIENCE
Paul C. Johnson, SECRECY, GOSSIP, AND GODS: THE TRANSFORMATION OF BRAZILIAN CANDOMBLE
J. Lowell Lewis, RING OF LIBERATION
Mintz and Price, THE BIRTH OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE
Joesph Murphy, WORKING THE SPIRIT
Joesph Roach, CITIES OF THE DEAD: CIRCUM-ATLANTIC PERFORMANCE
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Examinations and Assignments:
This research seminar prepares the student to write a major 16-20 pp. research paper on one of the religious traditions in the Black Atlantic world. You will be required to use at least two primary sources to investigate a topic that must be approved. For anyone interested in documenting some aspect of an Afro-Atlantic religion, the paper may be an ethnographic project. However you must demonstrate that you have the language skills and entree (proper introductions and access) to do fieldwork. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course fulfills a "Religion in Society" requirement for the department major. |
| Instructor(s): McAlister,Elizabeth Times: ..T.... 02:40PM-04:00PM; ....R.. 02:40PM-04:00PM; Location: FISK115; JUDDB6; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 18 | | SR major: 3 | JR major: 5 | | |
| Seats Available: 5 | GRAD: 0 | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 5 | SO: 2 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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