Name of class: ANTH 330 – Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion
Professor who teaches: Katrina Worley
What semester is it offered? Spring/Fall
What makes this class so interesting?
No, you won’t learn how to make a voodoo doll of your ex or finally pull a coin out of your ear; there’s YouTube for that. Anthropology 330, Magic, Witchcraft and Religion, is as engaging as the title.
Students are given insight into the symbolic meaning of rituals, myths and religious beliefs.
This class goes into and beyond the study of belief systems, with its main focus on small-scale societies and major world religions. Students learn the cultural differences in colors, foods and gestures.
Something as simple as the color white, in American culture, represents a symbol of purity and innocence although in many other cultures it is known as the color of death. This course is not only for the superstitious but for the curious and open-minded as well.
Ever heard of magical thinking? Do you clap your hands in hopes of changing the red light to green or maybe you walk around poles to avoid bad luck. We all have our own weird things we do and learning about them makes this class a great educational experience.
With discussions on magic, death and birth, this class gives students an opportunity to compare their own rituals and beliefs to other cultures around the world.
What the professor says: “It is not a how-to course; it’s basically a way of looking at belief systems around the word,” stated Worley. “Belief systems can include religious and non-religious supernatural beliefs.”
What a student says: “I love this class,” stated Valencia Dussault. “I’m an anthropology major, I like learning about this stuff, plus Katrina is a great professor and I enjoy hearing (about) all the weird things people do.”
