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REL 521.001

Self & Society

W | 1:00-3:20

PRH 210

View Online Syllabus

This seminar will investigate the construction of “the self” and “society” through specific case studies and theory. The course will use professional wrestling as a case study for exploring theories of ritual, implicit religion, functionalism, sacrifice, and capitalism.

Michael J. Altman

  • Office hours: 

    Monday, 12:30pm-1:30pm; Tuesday, 9:00am-10:00am, and by appointment.

  • (205) 348-5271
  • michael.altman@ua.edu
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin hangs on a cross-shaped icon high above the head of the Undertaker.

Readings

Hubert, Henri and Marcel Mauss
Sacrifice: Its Nature and Function
Chicago, 1981
9780226356792

Mazer, Sharon
Professional Wrestling: Sport and Spectacle, Second Edition
Univ. of Mississippi Press, 2020
9781496826619

Levi, Heather
The World of Lucha Libre: Secrets, Revelations, and Mexican National Identitiy
Duke, 2008
9780822342328

Bataille, Georges
The Accursed Share, Volume I
Zone Books, 1991
9780942299113

Ngai, Sianne
Theory of the Gimmick: Aesthetic Judgement and Capitalist Form
Harvard, 2022
9780674278745

Lofton, Kathryn
Oprah: The Gospel of an Icon
Univ. of California Press, 2011
9780520267527

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

Online Readings

UA Box Readings from outside of the required texts can be found in REL {course number}'s UA Box.