LFU:online

To guide students in forming their own syntheses of anthropological views of Religion, Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion, based on readings and videos selected by the instructor. 

Specific Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course, students will: ) become familiar with the kinds of questions anthropologists ask and answer about magic, witchcraft and religion, as well as other cultural phenomena, 2) will acquire specific knowledge about the topics selected by the instructor, 3) will share their insights through online and verbal presentation of an item of interest to the class. 

There are no prerequisites, but a background in cultural anthropology will benefit students. This course seeks to acquaint students with selected topics in the areas of religion, magic, and witchcraft, as studied from the discipline of anthropology. This course provides a cross-cultural base of knowledge concerning world religions and spiritual traditions so that culturally relative comparisons can be made. In this regard students will engage readings about Voodoo, spirit possession, syncretism, witchcraft, Maya spiritual traditions, the religious use of entheogens (such as peyote and ayahuasca), etc. This will lead students to develop a nuanced appreciation for the diversity of the human spiritual experience

The University of New Orleans International Summer School program has a mandatory class attendance policy. All students are required to attend class for all morning classes and any required afternoon and/or weekend fields trips and lectures. No unexcused absences are allowed. However, LFU students who have to miss a UNO class due to LFU examinations in the first two weeks of our program, can receive one excused absence for this. Any further unexcused absences will result in an academic penalty. Each faculty member determines the penalty for missed classes. Most professors deduct a letter grade for each additional missed class day. For details, please refer to your course syllabi, which will be distributed on the first day of class. The listed ECTS credits are a recommendation by the University of New Orleans Innsbruck Summer School, based on contact hours, anticipated out-of-classroom requirements such as field trips, and projected workload for readings, assignments, and exam preparation. Mail: Center-New-Orleans@uibk.ac.at