Magic, Myth & Supernatural

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course will examine phenomena often viewed as irrational and superstitious to see how they can be understood in cultural terms. All societies have some beliefs in another world, yet beliefs vary widely between societies. The course will examine traditional anthropological topics such as magic, traditional healing, divination, fengshui, witchcraft, and ghosts, as well as more recent issues such as ESP, psychokinesis, qigong, vampires, zombies, monsters, UFOs and alien abduction. The role of myth in modern society and the cultural creation of reality will be highlighted. The power of a cultural approach in explaining the supernatural and the limits of what science can explain will also be discussed.