E312   AFRICAN RELIGIONS, OLD WORLD AND NEW

****2nd 8-week course****

This course is an introduction to the variety of religious beliefs and
practices in sub-Saharan Africa. It will examine important themes that
are common to all indigenous African religions and their descendents
in the New World, themes such as myth and cosmos, ancestors and
ethics, gender and spirit possession, and the problem of evil. The
focus will be on how religion is interwoven with social, political and
economic aspects of life and is expressed in myth, ritual, and art.

Requirements: group presentation with short individual paper, video
log with commentary, and take-home final exam.