Anth 206: Anthropology of the Supernatural - In-Depth Notes

Exam Overview

• Final Examination Date: Thursday 17 April at 15:30
• Location: Buchanan A101
• Duration: 2.5 hours
• Grade Weight: 50 points, counts for 25% of final grade
• Format: Multiple Choice Questions
• Materials to Bring: Pencil for Scantron sheet

Exam Scope

• Content Coverage: Everything in the course is fair game, with emphasis on slides.
• Exceptions: Not including sections on Hermeneutics and Semiotics.
• Prioritized Readings: Focus on discussions held in class and mentioned slides, comprehensive understanding of all readings is recommended.
• Question Types:
  • Nuanced understanding of material, conceptual items, and application of concepts.
  • Some memory-based questions regarding key thinkers, magic principles, and magical systems.

Sample Questions

1. Participatory Consciousness

   • Proposed as a form of human thought alongside rationality.
   • Emphasizes interconnected worldview and spiritual experiences.
   • Key Thinkers:
     • E.E. Evans-Pritchard
     • Stanley Tambiah
     • Lucien Lévy-Bruhl
     • E.B. Tylor
     • Max Weber

2. E.B. Tylor’s Unilinear Cultural Evolution

   • Development of human societies in progressive phases: Primitive, Barbarian, Civilised.
   • Influenced by Charles Darwin's theory; implications discussed.
   • Test question: Relation of Tylor’s theory to Darwinism.

3. Witchcraft Trials Dynamics

   • Conspiracy linking magic to Paganism.
   • Church persecution of witches during Middle Ages for Pagan associations.
   • Ordinary individuals involved in folk magic were also accused.

4. Magical Principles in Rituals

   • Using photographs of loved ones during rituals illustrates sympathy or representation in magic.
   • Concepts to know:
     • Homeopathy
     • Synchronicity
     • Animism or Personification
     • Sympathy
     • Commonality Controls

5. Schools of Yoga

   • Identification of Hatha Yoga as the form influencing postural practices in the West.
   • Other schools: Raja, Bhakti, Jnana, Karma Yoga.

Ancient Astronauts Mythos

• Origins: Introduced in Erich von Däniken's 1968 book, proposing extraterrestrial contact with ancient civilizations.
• Claims: Aliens as contributors to technology and modern human evolution.
• Evidence: Misinterpretations of myth and art, religious narratives, and monument construction.
• Critical Analysis: Issues with literal interpretations, misinterpretations, ethnocentric assumptions, and fallacies surrounding ancient alien theories.

New Religious Movements

• Emergence due to belief in aliens as deities (e.g., Scientology, Raëlism, Heaven's Gate).
• Concept of humans as descendants heightens exceptionalism, supports exploitation.

Conspirituality and Conspiracy Theories

• Defined as the intersection of spirituality and conspiracy theories.
• Issues highlighted in the analysis of conspiratorial beliefs in spirituality.
• Connection to historical Western esotericism relevant to contemporary beliefs.

Satanic Panic in Modern Context

• Resurgence of diabolical witchcraft legends in the 1980s leading to moral panic.
• Satanic Conspiracy Theory: Unsubstantiated claims against elite members and rituals of abuse.
• Case Studies:
  • McMartin Preschool Trials: Extensive investigation with no corroborating evidence.
  • Pizzagate Allegations: False claims of child trafficking linked to political figures.
• Q-Anon Movement: New conspiratorial claims tied to political narratives and violent acts.

Witch Hunts Today

• Continued witch hunts causing significant casualties globally, particularly in vulnerable communities.
• Societal causes include social inequalities, the spread of pandemics, and political opportunism.

Formal Apologies for Witch Trials

• Governments in Scotland, Switzerland, Norway, and Catalonia acknowledge past injustices against accused witches.
• Recognition of misogyny at the core of witch persecutions.

Research Directions

• Ongoing exploration of magical practices intersecting with scientific approaches.
• Potential for metaphorical language in understanding advancements in sciences like physics and cognitive science.
• Invitation for engagement and future communications on this research.