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Exploring the UnknownOracles, divination and spirit possession in Africa
| Dozent/in |
Till Förster |
| Veranstaltungsart |
Kurs
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| Wann |
Fr 14-16 Uhr |
| Ort |
Ethnologisches Seminar |
| Sprechstunde |
nach Vereinbarung |
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Inhalt |
| Exploring objects and events out of ordinary human reach is for many Africans as normal as a look at the barometer to learn more about tomorrow’s weather for most Europeans. Divination may then be described as the practice of ascertaining information about things and events inaccessible in time or in space. If a distinction is to be made with fortune-telling, divination has a formal or ritual, and often social character, usually in a religious context. Divination is a universal cultural phenomenon. It is present in virtually all religions and cultures in all ages up to the present day. However, Western scholars have tended to make their findings subjective, often asserting their own value system where an objective viewpoint is required in order to understand African village and urban life. Divination has often been dismissed as mere “superstition” or as a means of discovering “occult knowledge”. The performance of rituals such as prayer, sacrifice or spirit possession—such as Vodoun, Santeria and Shamanism—as a means of exploring the unknown or of influencing the outcome of various events is also widely spread. This course is an introduction to prominent studies of divination and spirit possession in Africa and elsewhere, but also into anthropological thought about this subject. |
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Programm |
| Because of the late beginning of this course, we will have some meetings from 2 til 6 p.m. Please have a look at the pdf-file "Detailprogramm" (right margin). |
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Literatur |
| A reading list will be accessible as PDF-file for download.
Required texts:
Behrend, Heike / Luig, Ute (eds.), Spirit Possession and Power in Africa. Oxford: James Currey, 1999.
Langer, Axel, et. al. (eds.), Orakel. Zürich: Museum Rieberg, 1999.
Pemberton, John (ed.), Insight and Artistry in African Divination. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Inst. Pr., 2000
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Bemerkungen |
| Teaching and communication in the course will be in English, but you may also use German. Papers may be written in English, French or German.
Prerequisites in Social Anthropology as major and in African Studies: Proseminar Kultur/Cultural Anthropology (Proseminar/Module »Basics«) is strongly suggested, but not required.
Social Anthropology as Major: Kurs aus dem Wahlpflichtbereich des Grundstudiums, Sach- oder Regionalthema.
African Studies: Qualified examination by an essay of about 25 pages (see study regulations for African Studies). |
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Shortcuts
Inhalt
Programm
Literatur
Bemerkungen
Download
Detailprogramm (pdf)
Turners Ritualtheorie (pdf)
handout 19.12.03 (pdf)
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studium