Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft

by Stein, Rebecca L.; Stein, Philip L.

• ISBN13: 9780205344215
• ISBN10: 0205344216
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

This concise introductory textbook emphasizes the major concepts of anthropology in general and the anthropology of religion in particular, and is aimed at students encountering anthropology for the first time. Highlights of This Edition: Illustrates concepts with examples drawn from primarily tribal or traditional societies, along with examples from the ";world's great religions,"; exposing students to a wide range of cultures and religious traditions. Draws examples from societies of varying technological complexity, classic ethnographies, and everyday scenarios. Incorporates research from both classic and recent literature. Represents all major geographic regions, giving students a global view of the subject matter. Focuses on the varieties of religious expression cross-culturally, not on theory, although some theory is discussed. Discusses the basic nature and concepts of anthropology and carefully defines basic terms and concepts so that students get a good working knowledge of the discipline. Don't Miss This Special Value Pack Option: Research Navigatortrade; Research Navigatortrade; can be a student's best friend when they're facing a large research project. Especially helpful with the toughest challenge-getting started-Research Navigatortrade; offers a comprehensive, step-by-step walk-through of the research process, along with access to some of the most respected source databases available. Access to Research Navigatortrade;-a $15 value-is FREE when packaged with a new Allyn & Bacon Social Work textbook! If this text did not come packaged with Research Navigatortrade;, look for it in your bookstore or visit http://www.researchnavigator.com today to purchase immediate access. Contact your local Allyn & Bacon representative and request special packaging codes to take advantage of this great offer.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
The Anthropological Study of Religion	1	(30)
The Anthropological Perspective	1	(17)
The Holistic Approach	2	(2)
The Study of Human Societies	4	(4)
The Fore of New Guinea: An Ethnographic Example	8	(2)
Two Ways of Viewing Culture	10	(1)
Cultural Relativism	11	(2)
Karen McCarthy Brown and Vodou	13	(1)
The Concept of Culture	14	(1)
Viewing the World	15	(3)
The Definition of Religion	18	(9)
Attempts at Defining Religion	18	(2)
The Domain of Religion	20	(1)
Theoretical Approaches to the Study of Religion	21	(2)
Malinowski and the Trobriand Islands	23	(1)
Evans-Pritchard and the Azande	24	(2)
The Universality of Religion	26	(1)
Conclusion	27	(1)
Summary	28	(1)
Suggested Readings	29	(1)
Suggested Web Sites	29	(1)
Study Questions	29	(1)
Endnotes	29	(2)
Mythology	31	(25)
The Nature of Myths	31	(12)
Worldview	31	(2)
Stories of the Supernatural	33	(1)
Myths	34	(1)
The Nature of Oral Texts	34	(1)
Genesis	35	(3)
Wogeo Narratives	38	(1)
The Gender-Neutral Christian Bible Controversy	39	(1)
The Navaho Creation Story	40	(1)
The Navaho Creation Story: Dine Hahane	41	(2)
Understanding Myths	43	(9)
Approaches to Analysis of Myths	43	(2)
The Gururumba Creation Story	45	(1)
Common Themes in Myths	46	(3)
The Return of Ananse	49	(1)
The Raven Steals the Light	50	(2)
Conclusion	52	(1)
Summary	53	(1)
Suggested Readings	54	(1)
Suggested Web Sites	55	(1)
Study Questions	55	(1)
Endnotes	55	(1)
Religious Symbols	56	(27)
What Is a Symbol?	56	(2)
Religious Symbols	58	(3)
The Swastika	58	(1)
The Pentagram	59	(1)
Christian Symbols	60	(1)
Sacred Art	61	(4)
The Sarcophagus of Lord Pakal	61	(2)
The Meaning of Color	63	(2)
Sacred Self, Space, and Time	65	(8)
Symbolic Alterations to the Human Body	65	(3)
The Meaning of Time	68	(2)
Sacred Time and Space in Australia	70	(3)
The Symbolism of Music and Dance	73	(5)
The Symbolism of Music	74	(1)
The Symbolism of Dance	75	(2)
Symbolism among the Asmat: Art, Music, and Dance	77	(1)
Conclusion	78	(2)
Summary	80	(1)
Suggested Readings	81	(1)
Suggested Web Sites	81	(1)
Study Questions	81	(1)
Endnotes	82	(1)
Ritual	83	(27)
Ritual and Myth	83	(1)
The Basics of Ritual Performance	84	(2)
Prescriptive and Situational Rituals	84	(1)
Periodic and Occasional Rituals	85	(1)
A Classification of Rituals	86	(18)
Technological Rituals	86	(3)
Therapy Rituals	89	(2)
Anti-Therapy Rituals	91	(1)
Ideological Rituals	91	(1)
Rites of Passage	92	(7)
Alterations of the Human Body	99	(1)
Revitalization Rituals	100	(1)
Pilgrimages	100	(3)
The Hajj	103	(1)
Religious Obligations	104	(3)
Tabu	104	(1)
Jewish Food Laws	105	(1)
The Amish Way of Life	106	(1)
Conclusion	107	(1)
Summary	107	(1)
Suggested Readings	108	(1)
Suggested Web Sites	108	(1)
Study Questions	108	(1)
Endnotes	109	(1)
Altered States of Consciousness and Religious Specialists	110	(26)
Altered States of Consciousness	110	(13)
Entering an Altered State of Consciousness	111	(2)
The Native American Church	113	(2)
The Role of Altered States in Religious Practices	115	(2)
The Biological Basis of Altered States of Consciousness	117	(1)
Ethnographic Examples of Altered States of Consciousness	118	(1)
Drug-Induced Altered States	119	(4)
Religious Specialists	123	(9)
Priests	124	(1)
Ethnographic Examples of Priests	125	(2)
Shamans	127	(1)
Ethnographic Examples of Shamanism	128	(2)
Healers and Diviners	130	(1)
Prophets	131	(1)
Conclusion	132	(1)
Summary	132	(1)
Suggested Readings	133	(1)
Suggested Web Sites	134	(1)
Study Questions	134	(1)
Endnotes	135	(1)
Magic and Divination	136	(28)
Magic and Religion	136	(1)
Magic and Science	137	(1)
Magic in the Trobriand Islands	138	(5)
Magical Knowledge	138	(1)
Learning Magic	139	(1)
Magical Ritual	140	(1)
The Function of Magic	141	(1)
Trobriand Island Magic	142	(1)
Rules of Magic	143	(8)
Homeopathic Magic	144	(1)
Contagious Magic	145	(1)
Magic and the Determination of Longitude	145	(1)
Why Magic Works	146	(2)
Magic among the Azande	148	(1)
Sorcery among the Fore	149	(1)
Wiccan Magic	150	(1)
Divination	151	(10)
Forms of Divination	151	(2)
Divination Techniques	153	(2)
I Ching: The Book of Changes	155	(2)
Fore Divination	157	(1)
Oracles of the Azande	158	(1)
Bunyoro Divination	159	(1)
Astrology	160	(1)
Conclusion	161	(1)
Summary	161	(1)
Suggested Readings	162	(1)
Suggested Web Sites	162	(1)
Study Questions	163	(1)
Endnotes	163	(1)
Souls, Ghosts, and Death	164	(30)
Souls and Ghosts	164	(7)
The Soul	164	(3)
Examples of Concepts of the Soul	167	(4)
Ancestors	171	(3)
Yoruba Ancestors	171	(1)
Tana Toraja Ancestors	172	(1)
Determining Death	173	(1)
Ancestors in China	174	(1)
Bodies and Souls	174	(5)
Souls without Bodies: Ghosts	175	(2)
Bodies without Souls: Vampires	177	(1)
Bodies without Souls: Zombies	178	(1)
Death Rituals	179	(9)
Funeral Rituals	179	(1)
Disposal of the Body	180	(1)
The African Burial Ground	181	(2)
Secondary Burials	183	(1)
Cremation	184	(1)
Mummification	185	(1)
Exposure	185	(1)
American Death Rituals in the Nineteenth Century	185	(2)
American Funeral Rituals Today	187	(1)
Days of Death	188	(3)
Roadside Memorials	188	(1)
Halloween	189	(1)
Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos)	189	(1)
Tomb Sweeping Day (Qing Ming Jie)	190	(1)
Conclusion	191	(1)
Summary	191	(1)
Suggested Readings	192	(1)
Suggested Web Sites	193	(1)
Study Questions	193	(1)
Endnotes	193	(1)
Gods and Spirits	194	(30)
Spirits	194	(7)
The Dani View of the Supernatural	195	(1)
Guardian Spirits and the Native American Vision Quest	196	(1)
Jinn	197	(2)
Christian Angels and Demons	199	(1)
Christian Demonic Exorcism in the United States	200	(1)
Gods	201	(19)
Types of Gods	203	(1)
Gods and Society	204	(1)
Games and Gods	205	(2)
Cultural Examples of Gods	207	(2)
Goddnesses	209	(6)
Monotheism: Conceptions of God in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam	215	(4)
Atheism	219	(1)
Conclusion	220	(1)
Summary	221	(1)
Suggested Readings	222	(1)
Suggested Web Sites	222	(1)
Study Questions	222	(1)
Endnotes	223	(1)
Witchcraft	224	(23)
The Concept of Witchcraft in Small-Scale Societies	225	(7)
Witchcraft among the Azande	225	(3)
Witchcraft among the Navaho	228	(1)
Witchcraft and AIDS in Africa	229	(2)
Witchcraft Reflects Human Culture	231	(1)
Euro-American Witchcraft Beliefs	232	(7)
The Connection with Pagan Religions	232	(2)
The Witchcraze in Europe	234	(2)
The Witchcraze in England and the United States	236	(1)
Functions of Euro-American Witchcraft Beliefs	237	(1)
Witches as Women	237	(1)
The Evil Eye	238	(1)
Wicca	239	(5)
Roots of the Wiccan Movement	239	(1)
Wiccan Beliefs and Rituals	240	(1)
The Growing Popularity---and Persecution---of Wicca	241	(1)
Other Neo-Pagan Religions	242	(1)
Satanism	243	(1)
Conclusion	244	(1)
Summary	244	(1)
Suggested Readings	245	(1)
Suggested Web Sites	245	(1)
Study Questions	246	(1)
Endnotes	246	(1)
Syncretism and Religious Movements	247	(32)
Adaptation and Change	247	(10)
Mechanisms of Culture Change	248	(1)
Acculturation	249	(2)
Syncretism	251	(1)
Trobriand Cricket	252	(1)
Haitian Vodou	252	(4)
Santeria	256	(1)
Revitalization Movements	257	(7)
Types of Revitalization Movements	259	(1)
Cargo Cults	259	(2)
The Ghost Dance of 1890	261	(1)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormonism)	262	(2)
New Religious Movements	264	(11)
The ``Cult'' Question	264	(1)
Characteristics of High Demand Religions	265	(2)
Religion and the Law	267	(1)
Examples of New Religious Movements	268	(3)
UFO Religions	271	(2)
Fundamentalism	273	(1)
Religious Violence and Terrorism	274	(1)
Conclusion	275	(1)
Summary	276	(1)
Suggested Readings	277	(1)
Suggested Web Sites	277	(1)
Study Questions	277	(1)
Endnotes	278	(1)
Glossary	279	(6)
Index	285