The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft PDF
Preview The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft
The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft This concise and accessible textbook introduces students to the anthropological study of religion. Stein and Stein examine religious expression from a cross-cultural perspective and expose students to the varying complexity of world religions. The chapters incorporate key theoretical concepts and a rich range of ethnographic material. The fourth edition of The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft offers: increased coverage of new religious movements, fundamentalism, and religion and conflict/violence; fresh case study material with examples drawn from around the globe; further resources via a comprehensive companion website. This is an essential guide for students encountering anthropology of religion for the first time. Rebecca L. Stein is Professor of Anthropology and Department Chair at Los Angeles Valley College, USA. Philip L. Stein is Professor of Anthropology (Emeritus) at Los Angeles Pierce College, USA. He is a fellow of the American Anthropological Association and a past president of the Society for Anthropology in Community Colleges. The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft Fourth Edition Rebecca L. Stein and Philip L. Stein Fourth edition published 2017 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2017 Rebecca L. Stein and Philip L. Stein The right of Rebecca L. Stein and Philip L. Stein to be identified as authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. First published 2005 by Prentice Hall Third edition published 2011 by Prentice Hall British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Names: Stein, Rebecca L., 1970- author. | Stein, Philip L., author. Title: The anthropology of religion, magic, and witchcraft / Rebecca L. Stein, Philip L. Stein. Description: Fourth edition. | Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY : Routledge, 2017. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2016050966 (print) | LCCN 2017007888 (ebook) | ISBN 9781138719972 (hardback : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781138692527 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781315532172 (e-book) Subjects: LCSH: Religion. | Anthropology of religion. | Religion and culture. Classification: LCC GN470. S73 2017 (print) | LCC GN470 (ebook) | DDC 306.6—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016050966 ISBN: 978-1-138-71997-2 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-138-69252-7 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-53217-2 (ebk) Typeset in Sabon by Keystroke, Neville Lodge, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton Visit the companion website: www.routledge.com/cw/stein For Elijah Contents Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments 1 The anthropological study of religion The anthropological perspective The holistic approach The study of human societies The Fore of New Guinea: an ethnographic example Two ways of viewing culture Cultural relativism Box 1.1 Karen McCarthy Brown and Vodou The concept of culture The study of religion Attempts at defining religion The domain of religion Theoretical approaches to the study of religion Box 1.2 Malinowski and the Trobriand Islands Box 1.3 Evans-Pritchard and the Azande The biological basis of religious behavior Conclusion Summary Study questions Suggested readings Suggested websites Notes 2 Mythology The nature of myths Worldview Stories of the supernatural The nature of oral texts Box 2.1 Genesis Box 2.2 The gender-neutral Christian Bible Understanding myths Approaches to the analysis of myths Box 2.3 The Gururumba creation story Common themes in myths Box 2.4 The power of storytelling Box 2.5 The Navaho creation story: Diné Bahane’ Conclusion Summary Study questions Suggested readings Suggested websites Notes 3 Religious symbols What is a symbol? Religious symbols Box 3.1 Religious toys and games Sacred art The sarcophagus of Lord Pakal The meaning of color Sacred time and sacred space The meaning of time Box 3.2 The end of time Sacred time and space in Australia The symbolism of music and dance The symbolism of music The symbolism of dance Conclusion Summary Study questions Suggested readings Suggested websites Notes 4 Ritual The basics of ritual performance Prescriptive and situational rituals Periodic and occasional rituals A classification of rituals A survey of rituals Technological rituals Social rites of intensification Therapy rituals and healing Revitalization rituals Rites of passage Alterations of the human body Pilgrimages Box 4.1 The Hajj The Huichol pilgrimage Religious obligations Tabu Jewish food laws Box 4.2 Menstrual tabus Conclusion Summary Study questions Suggested readings Suggested websites Notes 5 Altered states of consciousness The nature of altered states of consciousness Entering an altered state of consciousness The biological basis of altered states of consciousness
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