ANTH 211 - Religions of the World

Credits: 3
Lecture Contact Hours: 3
Description: This course provides a survey of religious traditions using anthropological concepts and theories. Ethnographic and archaeological examples from both indigenous and world religions are analyzed, demonstrating commonalities and diversity among cultures. Topics include the function and meaning of religious elements such as myth, ritual, symbols, altered states of consciousness and religious specialists. The historical background and cultural context of religious traditions are emphasized, including perspectives of both cultural insiders and outsiders. Religious change and the influence of religious traditions on contemporary societies are explored.

Prerequisites: None.
Corequisites: None.
Recommended: ANTH 112 or ANTH 201

Course Category: Liberal Arts | Social Science
This course counts toward Schoolcraft’s General Education Requirements.
This course counts toward a Michigan Transfer Agreement General Education Requirement.

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Course Competencies

Identify the theories, methods, and perspectives used in the anthropology of religion.
Describe the contributions of the four sub-fields of Anthropology to the study of religion.
Compare cultural insider and outsider perspectives on religious traditions.
Compare features common to diverse religious traditions.
Explain the functions of various religious traditions in societies around the world.
Analyze indigenous religious traditions in small-scale societies from an anthropological perspective.
Analyze world religions from an anthropological perspective.
Identify the influence of religious elements on contemporary societies.
Outline examples of change within religious traditions.