Programme

The first part of the course is an introduction to cultural anthropology: basic features of anthropological reasoning, the notions of relativism, culture, ethnic identity, and ethnographic method, the different subjects of anthropological knowledge, and processes of globalization will be introduced in a historical view.
The second part will focus on magic and witchcraft, through the notion of history, power, body and relatedness. In particular lessons will address belief between spirituality and matter, rationalities and systems of belief, the role of historical and colonial aspects.

Core Documentation

Testi d’esame (gli studenti che hanno già sostenuto un esame di antropologia culturale possono concordare con la docente un testo alternativo):

Fabietti, Malighetti, Matera, Dal tribale al globale. Introduzione all'antropologia, Bruno Mondadori, 2012 (disponibile anche in versione digitale).

Più un testo a scelta tra i seguenti:

Bellagamba, Alice, L'Africa e la stregoneria. Saggio di antropologia storica, Laterza, 2008.
Evans-Pritchard, Edward, Stregoneria, oracoli e magia tra gli Azande, Raffaello Cortina, 2002.
Taussig, Michael T., Il diavolo e il feticismo della merce, Derive Approdi 2017.

Gli studenti non frequentati dovranno aggiungere:
Fabietti, Ugo, Elementi di antropologia culturale, Mondadori, 2015, parte quarta (sistemi di pensiero): cap. 1. Sistemi chiusi e aperti, cap. 2. Pensiero metaforico e pensiero magico, cap. 3. Il pensiero mitico (pp. 141-166).

Type of evaluation

Students involvement is particularly welcome, through critical remarks and comments, starting from specific case studies and the literature. In order to involve students frontal teaching and collegial discussions will alternate. Articles and essays to read and comment together will be shared during classes. During classes essays and articles will be discussed. One or two short documentaries will be screened and discussed. Students' participation will contribute to the mark of the final exam.