Nov 23, 2024
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2017-18
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2017-18
[Archived Catalog]
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CLWR 2300 - The Global Occult: Ghosts, Demonology, and the Paranormal in World Religions
What does it mean to believe in ghosts? How do people who cast hexes, perform a Black Mass, or hold séances understand their actions and experiences? Designed to address these kinds of questions, this course is a survey, from the perspective of religious studies, of beliefs about ghosts, demons, and supernatural phenomena throughout history and around the world. In their readings, films, and lectures, students will look at ghost traditions from North India, Hawaii, and Europe; exorcism in the U.S., Sri Lanka, and Tibet; demonology in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Zoroastrianism; and witchcraft in England, Italy, and Niger. They will also examine the scientific claims of parapsychology, the practice of necromancy, and accounts of people who report being attacked by evil spirits in their sleep.
Credit Hours: 3
General Education Code: 2CP
Repeat/Retake Information: May be retaken two times excluding withdrawals, but only last course taken counts.
Lecture/Lab Hours: 3.0 lecture
Eligible Grades: A-F,WP,WF,WN,FN,AU,I
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