Nov 22, 2024
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2024-25
CARS 4000 - Magic, Sorcery, and Witchcraft in Classical Civilizations and the World’s Religions
This course is intended for all CARS majors as a capstone covering the topics of magic, witchcraft, and sorcery in classical civilizations as well as in the world’s religious traditions, past and present. Engaging with primary and secondary sources, archaeological data, historical narratives, and comparative studies, students develop an inclusive humanistic view of the range of subjects taught in the department by looking at them all through the prism of magic. Magical beliefs, objects, and practices covered in the course may include the Salem Witch Trials, Greek curse tablets, Sanskrit mantras, Egyptian amulets, Islamic alchemy, Jewish Kabbalah, and sex magic. This course also emphasizes the development of oral presentation skills.
Requisites: 3 hrs from any CARS course between 2000-2599 and 3 hrs from any CARS course between 2600-3799 (or their CLAR, CLAS, CLWR equivalents, if taken before Spring 2022)
Credit Hours: 3
OHIO BRICKS: Bridge: Speaking and Listening, Capstone: Capstone or Culminating Experience
Repeat/Retake Information: May be retaken two times excluding withdrawals, but only last course taken counts.
Lecture/Lab Hours: 3.0 seminar
Grades: Eligible Grades: A-F,WP,WF,WN,FN,AU,I
Learning Outcomes:
- Students will be able to use information from primary and secondary sources to provide historical context for a variety of issues related to magical beliefs, practices, and objects in classical civilizations and the world’s religious traditions.
- Students will be able to demonstrate a developing sense of themselves as learners by systematically analyzing their assumptions about magic, building on prior experience, and incorporating feedback to make more effective arguments and nuanced judgments.
- Students will be able to make connections across disciplines and perspectives concerning the different forms of magic and their roles in ancient and modern cultures.
- Students will be able to deliver well-organized and persuasive oral presentations supplemented by visual materials, providing relevant and convincing information organized around a compelling main point and supported by credible evidence.
- Students will be able to use unbiased vocabulary, terminology, and sentence structure appropriate to the academic study of magic and to their audience in their presentations.
- Students will be able to use posture, gestures, eye contact, and voice to enhance the effectiveness of their presentations and make themselves appear polished and confident.
- Students will be able to critically state, describe, and consider an issue or problem related to the history of magic.
- Students will be able to use information from primary and secondary sources related to the history of magic with enough interpretation/evaluation to develop a comprehensive analysis or synthesis.
- Students will be able to analyze assumptions about the history of magic systematically and methodically and to carefully evaluate the relevance of contexts when presenting a position.
- Students will be able to state a specific perspective, thesis, or hypothesis about the history of magic that is thoughtful, recognizes complexities, and acknowledges limitations.
- Students will be able to state conclusions about the history of magic (along with their consequences and implications) logically and in a priority order.
- Students will be able to connect relevant experience and academic knowledge about the history of magic.
- Students will be able to see and make connections across disciplines, including history, archaeology, philology, comparative religion, and gender and sexuality studies.
- Students will be able to prepare presentations using a format, language, or visual representation in ways that enhance meaning.
- Students will be able to adapt and apply face-to-face oral presentation skills to new media (e.g., podcasting).
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