Universität Wien
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240537 SE Anthropological approaches to myth and ritual (P4) (2017S)

Lessons from 18th-century Kamchatka and new perspectives

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 24 - Kultur- und Sozialanthropologie
Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung
Moodle

An/Abmeldung

Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").

Details

Sprache: Englisch

Lehrende

Termine (iCal) - nächster Termin ist mit N markiert

  • Montag 22.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum A, NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 23.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum A, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 24.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum A, NIG 4. Stock
  • Freitag 26.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum A, NIG 4. Stock
  • Montag 29.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum A, NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 30.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum A, NIG 4. Stock
  • Mittwoch 31.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum A, NIG 4. Stock
  • Donnerstag 01.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum A, NIG 4. Stock

Information

Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung

This course aims to provide an overview of the "myth and ritual" debate in anthropology. To examine the question of the relation of myth(s) and ritual(s), we will take as point of departure a
text originally published in 1755 by Russian scholar and explorer Stepan Krasheninnikov.
Entitled Description of the Land of Kamchatka, this text contains the first known description of the seasonal ritual that Itelmen communities used to celebrate every November all around
Kamchatka (Russian Far East). The description appears in a chapter on "Feasts and Ceremonies" and prefigures major methodological and theoretical developments in the anthropological study
of myth and ritual. In many respects, Krasheninnikov’s seminal work constitutes a landmark of (proto-)anthropological theory and is worth revisiting.
During this course, we will do a close reading of Krasheninnikov’s description of Kamchatkan livelihoods and worldviews, and we will compare it to a selection of classical anthropological texts on myth and ritual. A main goal is to increase students’ ability to critically evaluate the classical literature by examining the history of the myth and ritual theory and its related assumptions. The course is taught in seminar format, and involves reading, discussion, and
writing. Students will learn:
• How to read and analyze 18th-century (proto-)ethnographic works, including archival material (maps, manuscripts, letters, reports, censuses, etc.)
• How to analyze and evaluate key arguments in the "myth and ritual" debate in anthropology
• Why classics of anthropological literature matter and how to use them in contemporary anthropological research
• How to explore new venues in the anthropological study of myth(s) and ritual(s)
Textbook (recommended, not required):
Robert A. Segal (ed.), 1998. The Myth and Ritual Theory: An Anthology. Malden/Oxford: Blackwell.
All assigned articles and texts for this course will be sent as PDF files to the students before the first day of class (May 22)

Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel

Assignments:
• Participation: This course is designed to be a discussion/intensive class. Therefore, you participation is important. Participation will be evaluated on the basis of evidence that you have read, understood, and thought about the assigned readings in advance of class discussion.
• Research term paper: You will write one in-depth paper (10-15 pages). Your paper may be written on any topic of your choice, as long as it relates to one or more of the themes studied in this course. The content of the paper must reflect serious use of published books and scholarly articles. More complete instructions will be handed out in class.

Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab

Prüfungsstoff

Literatur

Will be announced in course

Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis

Letzte Änderung: Mo 07.09.2020 15:40