RELS 2160

Demons, Ghosts, and Jinn in Indian Religious Traditions

An introduction to supernatural entities found on the Indian subcontinent. Students discover that ghosts and demons are not mere peripheral religious figures in India, but instead are powerful forces that inform and confront dominant religious orthodoxies. Topics include material from ancient texts to modern folklore and cover a wide range of popular beliefs about what transpires after death, ritual practices used to beckon or repulse these entities, possessions, exorcisms, and communalism. Fulfills the Cultural [C] or Textual [T] requirement.

Units: 3.0