ANTH 428

Ritual and Myth

In-depth examination of the approaches, theories, and methodologies in the anthropological study of ritual and myth. Topics include the feasibility of distinguishing ritual from non-ritual both cross-culturally and within particular societies, most recent studies of ritual focusing on sacrifice, ritual as performative action, ritual symbolism, ritual function vs. form, types of rituals, the study of myths, structural-symbolic analysis of sacred myths, phenomenological-symbolic analysis of myths, myths of origin and myths of death, and the relationship between myth and ritual. Ritual and myth also considered in relation to ideas about the maintenance of cosmological and sociopolitical systems

Units: 3.0