Full Description
This concise introductory textbook emphasizes the major concepts of both anthropology and the anthropology of religion. It is aimed at students encountering anthropology for the first time. Reviewers describe the text as vivid, rich, user-friendly, accessible, and well-organized.The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft examines religious expression from a cross-cultural perspective while incorporating key theoretical concepts. In addition to providing a basic overview of anthropology, including definition of key terms and exposure to ethnographies, the text exposes students to the varying complexity of world religions.
Contents
1 The Anthropological Study of Religion 1The Anthropological Perspective 1The Holistic Approach The Study of Human Societies The Fore of New Guinea: An Ethnographic Example Two Ways of Viewing Culture Cultural Relativism BOX 1.1 * Karen McCarthy Brown and Vodou The Concept of Culture The Study of Religion Attempts at Defining Religion The Domain of Religion Theoretical Approaches to the Study of Religion BOX 1.2 * Malinowski and the Trobriand Islands BOX 1.3 * Evans-Pritchard and the Azande The Biological Basis of Religious Behavior Conclusion Summary Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Study Questions Endnotes2 Mythology The Nature of Myths Worldview Stories of the Supernatural The Nature of Oral Texts BOX 2.1 * Genesis BOX 2.2 * The Gender-Neutral Christian Bible Understanding Myths Approaches to Analysis of Myths BOX 2.3 * The Gururumba Creation Story Common Themes in Myths BOX 2.4 * The Navaho Creation Story: Dine Bahane BOX 2.5 * The Raven Steals the Light BOX 2.6 * Joseph Campbell Conclusion Summary Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Study Questions Endnotes3 Religious Symbols What Is a Symbol? Religious Symbols BOX 3.1 * Religious Toys and Games Sacred Art The Sarcophagus of Lord Pakal The Meaning of Color Sacred Space and Sacred Time The Meaning of Time BOX 3.2 * The End of Time Sacred Time and Space in Australia The Symbolism of Music and Dance The Symbolism of Music The Symbolism of Dance Conclusion Summary Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Study Questions Endnotes4 Ritual The Basics of Ritual Performance Prescriptive and Situational Rituals Periodic and Occasional Rituals A Classification of Rituals A Survey of Rituals Technological Rituals Social Rites of Intensification Therapy Rituals and Healing Salvation Rituals Revitalization Rituals Rites of Passage The Structure of a Rite of Passage Coming-of-Age Rituals Alterations of the Human Body Pilgrimages BOX 4.1 * The Hajj The Huichol Pilgrimage Religious Obligations Tabu Jewish Food Laws BOX 4.2 * Menstrual Tabus Conclusion 1BOX 4.2 * The Way of the Amish Summary Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Study Questions Endnotes5 Altered States of Consciousness The Nature of Altered States of Consciousness Entering an Altered State of Consciousness The Biological Basis of Altered States of Consciousness BOX 5.1 * Altered States in Upper Paleolithic Art Drug-Induced Altered States BOX 5.2 * The Native American Church Ethnographic Examples of Altered States of Consciousness The Holiness Churches San Healing Rituals The Sun Dance of the Cheyenne Religious Use of Drugs in South America Rastafarians Conclusion Summary Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Study Questions Endnotes6 Religious Specialists Shamans Defining Shamanism Siberian Shamanism Shamanism among the Akimel O'odham Korean Shamanism Pentecostal Healers as Shamans Neoshamanism BOX 6.1 * Clown Doctors as Shamans Priests Aztec Priests Zuni Priests Okinawan Priestesses Eastern Orthodox Priests Other Specialists Healers and Diviners BOX 6.2 * African Healers Meet Western Medicine Prophets Conclusion Summary Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Study Questions Endnotes7 Magic and Divination The World of Magic Magic and Religion Magic and Science Rules of Magic The Function of Magic Why Magic Works Magic in Society Magic in the Trobriand Islands BOX 7.1 * Trobriand Island Magic Magic among the Azande Sorcery among the Fore Wiccan Magic Divination Forms of Divination Divination Techniques BOX 7.2 * I Ching: The Book of Changes Fore Divination Oracles of the Azande Divination in Ancient Greece: The Oracle at Delphi Astrology Conclusion Summary Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Study Questions Endnotes8 Souls, Ghosts, and Death Souls and Ancestors Variation in the Concept of the Soul Souls, Death, and the Afterlife BOX 8.1 * How Do You Get to Heaven? Examples of Concepts of the Soul Ancestors BOX 8.2 * Determining Death Bodies and Souls Ghosts The Living Dead: Vampires and Zombies Death Rituals Funeral Rituals Disposal of the Body U.S Death Rituals in the Nineteenth Century U.S Funeral Rituals Today BOX 8.3 * Roadside Memorials Days of Death Conclusion Summary Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Study Questions Endnotes9 Gods and Spirits Spirits The Dani View of the Supernatural Guardian Spirits and the Native American Vision Quest Jinn Christian Angels and Demons Gods BOX 9.1 * Christian Demonic Exorcism in the United States Types of Gods Gods and Society BOX 9.2 * Games and Gods The Gods of the Yoruba The Gods of the Ifugao Goddesses Monotheism: Conceptions of God in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Atheism Conclusion Summary Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Study Questions Endnotes10 Witchcraft The Concept of Witchcraft in Small-Scale Societies Witchcraft among the Azande Witchcraft among the Navaho Witchcraft Reflects Human Culture Sorcery, Witchcraft and AIDS Euro-American Witchcraft Beliefs The Connection with Pagan Religions The Witchcraze in Europe The Witchcraze in England and the United States BOX 10.1 * The Evil Eye BOX 10.2 * Satanism Modern Day Witch Hunts Conclusion Summary Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Study Questions Endnotes11 The Search for New Meaning Adaptation and Change Mechanisms of Culture Change Acculturation Syncretism Haitian Vodou Santeria Revitalization Movements The Origins of Revitalization Movements Types of Revitalization Movements Cargo Cults BOX 11.1 * The John Frum Cult The Ghost Dance of 1890 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormonism) Neo-Paganism and Revival The Wiccan Movement New Religious Movements The "Cult" Question Characteristics of High Demand Religions Examples of New Religious Movements UFO Religions Fundamentalism Characteristics of Fundamentalist Groups BOX 11.2 * Religious Violence and Terrorism Conclusion Summary Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Study Questions EndnotesGlossary Index
