ANTH 571 - The Interpretation of Ritual

Overview of anthropology’s approach to ritual during a century of diverse speculation on the nature and origins of religions, with discussion of such figures as James Frazer, A.M. Hocart, Claude Levi-Strauss, Max Gluckman, and Victor Turner. Focuses on topics announced prior to each semester relating those issues to the whole tradition of interpretation of ritual in anthropology. Topics have included the nature of sacrifice, the expression of hierarchy in ritual, and the compatibility of historical approaches with ritual analysis. (IR)

Prerequisites & Notes
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

Credits: 3