REL 419.001

Myth, Ritual, & Magic

T, R | 3:30-4:45 pm

Manly 102

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This Core Writing course explores a wide range of rituals, from the stereotypical to the unexpected: initiation rites, religious ceremonies, daily interaction rituals, and soccer hooliganism, among others. We examine various theories about the definitions, meanings, and roles of ritual, sometimes by conducting mini-fieldwork to observe rituals in action. W

the initiation scene from Finding Nemo

Readings

Buford, Bill
Among the Thugs
Vintage, 1993
0679745351

Goffman, Irving
Interaction Ritual: Essays in Face to Face Behavior
Aldine Transaction, 2005
0202307778

Luhrmann, T.M.
Persuasions of the Witch's Craft
Harvard University Press, 1989
0674663241

Herdt, Gilbert
The Sambia: Ritual, Sexuality, and Change in Papua New Guinea
Wadsworth Publishing, 2005
0534643833

Books are available at the SUPe Store and online through vendors such as amazon.com.