Is illness good or evil?  How are religion, allopathic medicine, and
alternative remedies related?  Can religion be good for your
health?  How is spiritual healing practiced?  Why are healing claims
so often hotly contested?  This course will explore these and other
questions that arise in cultural discourses surrounding religion,
illness, and healing.  Assignments and classroom activities will
draw upon a wide variety of cultural artifacts, such as empirical
research, cartoons, audio and video recordings, fiction, internet
resources, and feature films.  The course will develop skills in
critical thinking, written and oral communication, and analysis of
primary and secondary documents.  Evaluation of undergraduates will
be based on participation in classroom activities, two short papers,
and midterm and final examinations.  Graduate students will be
responsible for writing a research paper.