1_Lecture 1_Welcome and Introduction_What is the Supernatural

Lecture Overview

• Course Title: Anth 206: Anthropology of the Supernatural: Witches, Zombies and Vampires

• Lecture 1: Welcome and Introduction; Exploration of the Supernatural

Instructor Background

• Instructor: Byron Arthur Clark

  • Origin: Cape Town, South Africa

  • Education: BA Humanities in Philosophy and English Studies, Stellenbosch University

  • Dance and Drama study: Waterfront Theatre School in Cape Town

  • BA Honours: Philosophy and Intellectual History, completed at University of Amsterdam via exchange

  • Publishing experience: Worked for Penguin Random House and Macmillan Education

  • Masters of Science in Cultural Anthropology: University of Oxford on a Chevening scholarship (focused on Neo-Pagan textuality and publishing)

  • Work experience: EduTech startup

  • PhD student: Enrolled at UBC in 2019, under Prof. Sabina Magliocco

Course Structure

• Teaching Team: TAs for the course include Oriana Smy and Asya Savelyeva.

• Syllabus: Important to review; final version available on Canvas. Graphic of key points:

  • Readings should be completed before class.

  • First assignment on African Witchcraft due February 4.

  • Final essay topic parameters to be released shortly.

Communication & Office Hours

• Contact: Email: byron.clark@ubc.ca

• Office Hours:

  • Tuesday: 10:00 – 11:00

  • Friday: 11:30 - 12:30 ANSO 153

• Appointments for online or in-person meetings encouraged.

• TA office hours: To be announced on Canvas.

Assessment Outline

• Assessment Types:

  • Assessment 1: Close Reading on African Witchcraft (30/200 points, 15% of grade) - Due February 4

  • Assessment 2: Mid Term Examination (40/200 points, 20% of grade) - Scheduled for March 6

  • Essay Proposal: Feedback provided without a grade, necessary for the final essay (40% of grade)

  • Assessment 3: Final Essay (80/200 points, 40% of grade)

  • Assessment 4: Final Examination (50/200 points, 25% of grade)

Course Outline (Weeks Breakdown)

• Week 1: Introduction to the Supernatural and Academic Study of the Supernatural

• Week 2: Belief, Experiences, and Sources of Supernatural Beliefs

• Week 3: Ghosts, Hauntings, Legends, and Legend Trips

• Week 4: Witchcraft in Anthropology and Witchcraft Trials

• Week 5: Witchcult Hypothesis and Contemporary Paganism

• Week 6: Western Esotericism and Principles of Magic

• Week 8: Systems of Magic, including Kabbalah, the Tarot, Chakras, and Tantra

• Week 9: Midterm Exam preparation and discussions

• Week 10: Abrahamic Theologies, Animism, and Neo-Shamanism

• Week 11: Continued study of Animism, Neo-Shamanism, and Zombies

• Week 12: Continued study of Zombies; Vampires in History and Folklore

• Week 13: Vampires in Modern Imagination; Fairies, Aliens, and New Mythos

Course Positionality and Approach

• Objective: Explore the supernatural as a serious academic subject.

• Emphasis on reflection of personal biases, beliefs, and a scholarly approach to the supernatural.

• The instructor’s perspective as a Neo-Pagan practitioner informs scholarly practices.

Definitions and Understanding of the Supernatural

• Dictionary Definition: Occurring through agency beyond known forces of nature (Funk and Wagnall’s Dictionary, 1967).

• Key Considerations:

  • Distinction between "natural" and "supernatural" involves presuppositions concerning existence and comprehension of laws of nature.

Categories of the Supernatural

1. Supernatural Phenomena: Observable events/experiences witnessed by individuals.

2. Supernatural Practices: Traditions, rituals, and actions that people engage in.

3. Supernatural Beliefs: Often fleeting perceptions; viewed cautiously by scholars.

4. Supernatural Narratives: Includes personal accounts (memorates) and various forms of storytelling that convey experiences and beliefs.

Colonial Nature of Supernatural Concepts

• Supernatural classification emerged in Europe after 1650, linked to colonial encounters.

• Often seen in opposition to scientific paradigms, though their relationship is complex.

Decolonizing the Supernatural

• Examining the supernatural as a Western, colonial categorization of reality.

• Aim: Critique this categorization while acknowledging the nuanced understanding of cultural and historical contexts.

Critical Perspective and Meta-analysis

• Study of the supernatural involves examining how categories are defined and the surrounding epistemology.

• Importance of historical context to understand why certain phenomena are connected as "supernatural".

Enlightenment Influence

• Nature governed by comprehensible laws, leading to categorizing unobservable phenomena as supernatural.

• Post-Enlightenment saw the term “supernatural” take a dominant cultural position, leading to a perceived "disenchantment" of the world.

Non-Western Perspectives

• Pre-Enlightenment cultures perceived no clear distinction between natural and supernatural phenomena; interconnected understanding of reality.

Importance of Enchanted Worldview

• An animated universe where spiritual entities influence everyday life; reflects geographic, economic, and cultural connections.

Resistance to Traditional Knowledge Marginalization

• Traditional ways of knowing persisted as folk traditions and unofficial discourses in response to colonial practices.

Nuances of Science and Enchantment

• Both the Scientific Revolution and enchanted worldviews have their merits; simplistically labeling one as good or bad can overlook complexities.

• Balancing scientific findings with traditional knowledge is key to exploration in this course.

Discussion Invitation

• Explore both denotative and connotative meanings of “supernatural” in class discussion.

• Reflect on emotional responses and the implications of the term in various contexts.