Dr. Kane
This course providesa comprehensive introduction to the anthropological perspective on human experiences of religious beliefs and practices. It explores the various concepts and theories used by anthropologists in the study of religion then and now, and here and there. The course is by nature critical and comparative on human systems of beliefs across time and space. By the end of the course students will be familiarized with the central debates and conversations among anthropologists on theoretical, methodological, and epistemological aspects of knowledge formation on religious thoughts and practices. Course materials include selected classical and contemporary texts based on ethnographic fieldwork on small-scale religions as well as on the so called the world’s major religions. The course value critical thinkingand self-reflexivityfrom students in their contribution to class discussions. In engaging the class reading and discussions, students are reminded the important of being aware of how their subjectivity (as religious or non-religious subjects) influences the way they see things and the questions they ask.