Advisory: ENGL 035 or ENLA 100 or appropriate placement; READ 043 or appropriate placement
Transfers to: UC, CSU

This course is for students interested in learning about the diverse religious beliefs and practices that exist around the world. As an introduction to the anthropological study of religion, the course includes an overview of the various forms of religious belief systems; the variety of gods and other supernatural forces; the use of myths, rituals, and ceremonies in religious practice; and the types of shamans, priests, and other religious specialists found in religious systems. The religious use of drugs is explored, along with traditional healing practices and folk medicine remedies used in many Western cultures. A survey of witchcraft, sorcery, the occult, demons, exorcism rites, sacrificial practices, and magic is included. Additionally, concepts relating to death and the afterlife (e.g., souls, ghosts, reincarnation, and zombies) are explored.