Ritual and Religion

Course Code:

ANT 513

Semester:

Autumn

Course Type:

Core

P:

3

Lab:

0

Credits:

3

ECTS:

8

Course Language:

English

Course Objectives:

This course is designed to familiarize students with the anthropology of religion by addressing central topics and major thinkers. Lectures will be organized around key topics that have formed debate in the anthropology of religion, and which continue to be of fundamental importance for anthropologists today. This course will include the question of belief (associated with the debate and overlaps between science and religion), the classification of nature, the definition of efficacy of ritual, rites of passage, moralization (Durkheim) and theories of myth. In addition, we will focus on the “disenchantment of the world” and Weber's approach to religion and discuss the relationship between religion and ideology.

Course Content:

Roles of religions in processes of social change, functions of religions in contemporary world, secularism-religion, religion-nation-state relations, anthropological history of religion, religious experiences, dynamics of religious change, dreams, myths, rituals, fortune telling, theories of magic, shamanism, healing.

Teaching Methods:

1: Lecture, 2: Question-Answer, 3: Discussion 4: Simulation 5: Case Study

Assessment Methods:

A: Testing, B: Multiple Choice C: Homework D: Fill in the blanks E: True or false F: Oral exam G: Portfolio

Vertical Tabs

Course Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes	Program Learning Outcomes	Teaching Methods	Assessment Methods
1) Explains the basic concepts and principles of the anthropology of religion	2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9	1,2,3	A,C
2) Informs about the sociological and anthropological theories of religion	2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9	1,2,3	A,C
3) Studies the different religious understandings, discourses and practices in different cultures	2,3,4,5,6,7,8	1,2,3	A,C
4) Sanctions and conceptions of religion over human bodies, its roles in determining gender roles and its functions in the establishment of social categories	2,3,4,5,6,7,8	1,2,3	A,C
5) Functions of religion in the contemporary world, secularism-religion relations, nation-state-religion relations will be discussed	2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9	1,2,3	A,C

Course Flow

COURSE CONTENT
Week	Topics	Study Materials
1	Anthropology of Religion: Approach and Scope	Anthropological approach to religion, scope of the anthropology of religion, defining religion
2	Theories of Religion: Sociological	Karl Marx - Max Weber - Emil Durkheim
3	Theories of Religion: Anthropological	Max Müller, Herbert Spencer, Edward B. Tylor, James Frazer, Bronislaw Malinowski, Alfred R. Radcliffe Brown, Clifford Geertz
4	Magic, Healing, Sorcery	Healing and culture, trance, healing, sorcery, witchcraft, witchcraft and social change in Africa, Christianity and witches
5	Religious Practice: Rituals	Ritual as performance, rites of passage, Victor Turner, rituals of rebellion, creation and representation of social order in ritual, rituals of fertility, secular rituals
6	Religious Discourse: Myths	Lévi-Strauss and structuralist analysis, myths and history
7	Midterm
8	Body, Gender and Boundaries	Purity and danger, social control of the body, gender, sexuality and the sacred, religious identity politics, objection to boundaries
9	Religion and Social Change: Resurrection Movements, Cargo Cults, Millenniarism, Mehdîcilik	Resurrection movements, syncretism, Rafızi movements in the middle ages, Religious ideology of the poor: İsmailiyye
10	Nation-state and Religion	Religious nationalism: Poland, Mexico, India cases, State law and religion: Israel, Indonesia cases, Religion in Turkey
11	Globalisation and Religion	Minority religions, new religious movements
12	Student Presentations
13	Student Presentations
14	Student Presentations
15	Final

Recommended Sources

RECOMMENDED SOURCES

Textbook

Tayfun Atay. Din Hayattan Çıkar. İletişim Yayınları. Ankara, 2004.

Clinton Benett. In Search of the Sacred – Anthropology and the Study of Religions. Cassell, Londra, New York 1996.

John R. Bowen. Religions in Practice. An Approach to the Anthropology of Religion.

Boston, Londra, Toronto, Sydney, Tokyo, Singapur. Allyn & Bacon, 1998.

Fiona Bowie. The Anthropology of Religion. Oxford, Blackwell Publishers, 2000.

Additional Resources

David Hicks. Ritual and Belief, Readings in the Anthropology of Religion. McGraw Hill College, 1999.

Michael Lambek (ed.). A Reader in The Anthropology Of Religion. Blackwell Publishers, 2002.

Silvia Marcos (der.). Dinler, Bedenler ve Toplumsal Cinsiyet. Ütopya Yayınları, Ankara, 2006.

Brian Morris. Dine Antropolojik Yaklaşımlar. İmge Yayınları, Ankara, 2004.

Claude Rivière. Socio-anthropologie des religions. Armand Colin, Paris,

Material Sharing

MATERIAL SHARING
Documents	Books and Articles
Assignments	Student presentations
Exams	Take home exam and Final

Assessment

ASSESSMENT
IN-TERM STUDIES	NUMBER	PERCENTAGE
Presentations	1	25
Attendance	1	10
Assignment	1	25
Final	1	40
Total		100
CONTRIBUTION OF FINAL EXAMINATION TO OVERALL GRADE		40
CONTRIBUTION OF IN-TERM STUDIES TO OVERALL GRADE		60
Total		100

Course’s Contribution to Program

COURSE'S CONTRIBUTION TO PROGRAM
No	Program Learning Outcomes	Contribution
No	Program Learning Outcomes	1	2	3	4	5
1	Main theories and concepts of social sciences in general and anthropology in particular, the physical and cultural development of humanity in the historical process, a wide spectrum of cultural patterns and archaelogical knowledge are understood and absorbed,					X
2	The ability to analyze current phenomena with an anthropological perspective and to think analytically and critically are acquired,					X
3	Good communication and written/oral expression skills are developed,			X
4	Acquires professional and social ethics, as well as an elevated sense of responsibility,				X
5	By studying the dynamics of a variety of cultural phenomena in detail, students become able to perceive and interpret the general features, geographical conditions, historical processes and dynamics of change in Turkish and other world cultures,					X
6	Establishes and builds on a wide perception and understanding of local and global issues and develops personally and professionally,				X
7	In accordance with Life Long Learning principles, students acquire the skill and vision to continuously seek to utilize knowledge and information from outside their fields of expertise; to make collaborations and and syntheses with their own respective repertoire of knowledge,					X
8	Students become able to spot social issues fit for anthropological research; acquire the methods, techniques and cultural equipment necessary for field work,			X
9	Their solo and team work skills, critical social gaze and scientifically and ethically responsible investigation abilities become augmented.			X

ECTS

ECTS ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD BY THE COURSE DESCRIPTION
Activities	Quantity	Duration (Hour)	Total Workload (Hour)
Course Duration	15	3	45
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	15	1	15
Presentations	1	5	5
Quizzes	-	-	-
Assignments	1	5	5
Final examination	1	30	310
Total Work Load			100
Total Work Load / 25 (h)			4
ECTS Credit of the Course			4

Search form