ANTH 1155 Magic, Religion, Witchcraft Exam 2

What might cause magic to fail?

1) the performer of the spell broke a taboo

2) the magic is prevented by counter-magic

3) the spell was inexact/wrong

According to Malinowski, how are magic and SCIENCE similar?

1) Both science and magic are practical.

2) Both science and magic are governed by theory and develop a special technique.

According to Malinowski, how are magic and RELIGION similar?

1) Magic and religion are both responses to emotional stress.

2) Both magic and religion deal with the sacred, rather than the profane.

3) Magic and religion are both based on mythological traditions.

According to Malinowski, what kind of activities require magical intervention?

1) Activities in which a person's economic survival is at stake, such as gardening.

2) Activities in which a person's reputation is at stake, such as dancing.

3) Activities that are physically dangerous, such as deep-sea fishing.

In early modern Europe, what percentage of witch trials ended with a conviction?

About 25%

True or False: among the Azande, witchcraft is just an excuse that people use to get away with lies and laziness.

False

True or False: in early modern Europe, witches were loners who attacked random strangers.

False

Which of the following are examples of contagious magic?

1) Stabbing a person's footprint in order to cripple them.

2) Using a person's hair to put a spell on them.

Which anthropologist defined sympathetic and contagious magic?

James George Frazer

Which anthropologist thought that anxiety motivated magic?

Bronislaw Malinowski

_______ is communication with a God, gods, a dead ancestor, etc. with an aim to uncover some past secret or future outcome.

Divination

What is this? Name of the object and the group it comes from.

Azande Granary (gbamu)

True or False: Azande people explain personal faults like lying or adultery by witchcraft.

False

Name one Trobriand use for yams besides eating them.

Pay rent, put yam in yam house, celebrate the death of a loved one, etc.

What emotion did Malinowski associate with the performance of Trobriand magic?

Anxiety

A "Voodoo doll" (better described as "volt sorcery" because it has nothing to do with vodun) is an example of what kind of magic, according to Frazer's types of magic?

Sympathetic Magic

What is the name of religious ritual that involves:

• Verbal or involves inner (thought) speech

• Is often addressed to superhuman others (God, gods, ancestors, etc.)

• Is marker off from everyday speech in various ways

Prayer

The kind of magic based on the logic that things once physically connected are able to affect one another is called?

Contagious Magic

True or False: Suspected witches were tried in religious courts in Early Modern Europe?

False, they were tried in civil courts

According to the David Simmons reading, what happened when British colonial authorities tried to stamp out witchcraft accusations in Zimbabwe through the "Witchcraft Suppression Act of 1899?"

1) Many Zimbabweans instead accused British colonial witches or being witches themselves

2) Most Zimbabweans embraced this legislation because it decreased accusations

3) It led to widespread acceptance of witchcraft by Zimbabweans elites

4) British colonial authorities changed their mind and adopted local ideas of witchcraft

The study 2022 "Conspiracy Mentality and Political Orientation across 26 Countries" resulted in two major findings:

1) Individuals at both extreme left and extreme right ends of the political spectrum exhibited higher levels of conspiracy

2) On the political right is higher than the extreme left, whatever political persuasion you are more likely to accept conspiracy if your political party is not in power.

True or False: Most Azande witches are women?

False

The moral panic consisting of over 12,000 unsubstantiated cases of Satanic rituals beginning in the 1980s is called ____.

(Extra points if we get the book title)

Satanic Panic, Michelle Remembers

The Trobriand word for "yam" is also the word for what calendrical event?

Year

Malinowski argued that magic was supplementary practical activity that it was a response to the things we cannot control in risky actions. What did Alfred Gell argue?

There is no distinction

True or False: mechanical casualty vs. intentional causality are the same?

False

What is the difference between mechanical causality and intentional causality?

Mechanical causality explains how something happens (natural/physical causes), while intentional causality explains events as caused by someone's will or intention (e.g., witchcraft).

What is the "modernity of witchcraft"?

Witchcraft beliefs are not just "traditional" or disappearing—they continue to exist and adapt in modern societies, often tied to politics, inequality, and uncertainty

What are similarities between witchcraft and conspiracy theories?

Both explain misfortune by blaming hidden, intentional actors; both arise during uncertainty or anxiety; both create a sense of control and meaning.

What are differences between witchcraft and conspiracy theories?

Witchcraft is usually local and tied to personal relationships and cultural systems, while conspiracy theories are often large-scale, political, and spread through media.

What is magic according to Frazer?

Magic is a way of thinking about how objects affect each other.

What is sympathetic magic?

Magic based on similarity—things that resemble each other affect each other.

What is contagious magic?

Magic based on contact—things once connected continue to influence each other.

What is an example of sympathetic magic?

Using a doll resembling a person to affect that person.

What is an example of contagious magic?

Using someone's hair to affect them.

What is iconicity?

A sign that resembles what it represents.

What is indexicality?

A sign that has a direct or causal connection to what it represents.

What is a symbol?

A sign whose meaning is based on convention.

What motivates magic according to Malinowski?

Anxiety.

What is the function of magic according to Malinowski?

To give people a sense of control in uncertain situations.

What does it mean that magic is a supplement to practical activity?

Magic is used alongside real work, not instead of it.

When is magic used in Trobriand fishing?

In dangerous and uncertain open-sea fishing.

When is magic NOT used in Trobriand fishing?

In safe and predictable lagoon fishing.

Why is magic used in risky activities?

Because uncertainty creates anxiety.

Do all societies have magic, religion, and science?

Yes

What are the two domains in all societies according to Malinowski?

The sacred and the profane.

What is science based on?

Observation, reason, and experience.

What is magic based on?

Belief, tradition, and ritual.

What is religion based on?

Appeal to higher powers like gods or spirits.

What is the difference between magic and science?

Science uses observation and reason; magic relies on belief and tradition.

What is the difference between magic and religion (Frazer)?

Magic tries to control nature directly; religion appeals to higher powers.

Do people confuse magic and practical knowledge?

No

What do people use for predictable situations?

Knowledge and work.

What do people use for unpredictable situations?

Magic

Do Trobriand Islanders rely only on magic for crops?

No

When do Trobriand Islanders use magic in gardening?

To deal with unpredictable forces like weather or pests.

Who argued religion is based on animism?

Edward Tylor.

Who defined sympathetic and contagious magic?

James George Frazer.

Who argued magic is based on anxiety?

Bronislaw Malinowski.

Who argued religion reflects society?

Émile Durkheim.

What is totemism?

A relationship between a social group and a natural object or species.

What did Durkheim argue religion represents?

Society itself.

Do "primitive" societies lack science?

No

What kind of knowledge do "primitive" societies have?

Practical, experience-based knowledge.

Do magic and rational knowledge exist together?

Yes

What is divination?

Communication with a god, ancestor, or supernatural force to reveal hidden knowledge or predict the future

How is magic understood in this lecture (Week 8)?

As a form of communication.

What does Mauss focus on in relation to magic and religion?

Reciprocity and communication.

How is sacrifice understood according to Mauss?

As a form of communication between humans and the sacred.

How is divination understood in Mauss's framework?

As communication between humans and supernatural beings.

Did Mauss write directly about divination?

No, but divination fits his framework of communication.

What is the goal of divination?

To uncover hidden truths or predict future outcomes.

Who communicates during divination?

An otherworldly agent (god, spirit, ancestor).

How does communication occur in divination?

Through ritual media (objects, techniques, symbols).

What does the proverb "the lot is cast... but its decision is from the Lord" mean?

The outcome appears random but is believed to be controlled by a divine force.

Why do ritual media matter in divination?

Because the method used shapes how communication with the supernatural occurs.

What is an example of divination using objects?

Yarrow stalk divination (I Ching).

What is another example of divination?

four tablet divination (Southern Africa).

What is the key idea connecting sacrifice, prayer, and divination?

They are all forms of communication with the sacred.

What is prayer in this framework?

Communication directed toward a supernatural being.

What is prayer according to this lecture?

A request directed toward a supernatural being that may or may not be granted.

What is the key difference between prayer and magic?

Prayer requests help from a higher power; magic attempts to directly control outcomes.

Why would "invariable success" in prayer suggest magic rather than religion?

Because it would imply humans can control outcomes rather than request them.

What is the main idea of Mauss's framework?

Rituals are forms of communication based on reciprocity.

What connects sacrifice, divination, and prayer?

They are all forms of communication with the sacred.

What is reciprocity in religious practice?

An exchange relationship between humans and supernatural beings.

What is prayer typically directed toward?

Superhuman beings such as gods, spirits, or ancestors.

What makes prayer different from everyday speech?

It is formal, structured, and often poetic or repetitive.

What are key features of prayer?

Verbal or internal speech, directed to supernatural beings, and marked off from everyday language.

Why is special language used in prayer?

To distinguish it from ordinary communication and make it ritually effective.

What are diagrams in this lecture?

Icons that represent relationships and structures of something else.

How do diagrams function in magic?

Manipulating the diagram is believed to affect reality.

Why are diagrams considered iconic signs?

Because they resemble the structure of what they represent.

What does it mean that diagrams represent "relations"?

They show how parts of something are connected, not just what it looks like.

What is the connection between diagrams and magic?

Creating or manipulating a diagram can symbolically influence the real world.

What is shown in the Trobriand yam planting example?

Magic is used alongside practical gardening.

What is the purpose of Trobriand garden magic?

To ensure successful crop growth and reduce uncertainty.

What is a magical formula in Trobriand gardening?

A structured spoken ritual guiding action and desired outcomes.

How is the yam spell structured?

It includes commands, responses, descriptions, and expectations.

What does the magician do in the yam spell?

Addresses the yams and instructs them to grow and remain.