RLB06 Afro-American Religions

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2006
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Recommended Type of Completion: k (colloquium). Other types of completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Dr. Hans Gerald Hödl (lecturer), PhDr. Dalibor Papoušek, Ph.D. (deputy)
PhDr. Iva Doležalová (alternate examiner)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Dušan Lužný, Dr.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Lucie Čelková
Timetable
Tue 28. 3. 16:40–19:55 J31, Wed 29. 3. 16:40–19:55 B12, Thu 30. 3. 15:00–16:35 B11, Tue 4. 4. 16:40–19:55 J31, Wed 5. 4. 16:40–19:55 B12, Thu 6. 4. 15:00–16:35 B11
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 9 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
Introduction to Afro-American Religions in Brazil, the Carribean and the USA.
Syllabus (in Czech)
  • Afro-American Religions. Introductory Course. Overview with special focus on Afro-Caribbean Religion (Santería, Vodun, Shango, Spiritual Baptists, Rastafarianism) This course deals with Afro-American Religions. These are religions that have developed in the Americas among the (descendants of the) slaves brought from Africa to the Americas. One can roughly distinguish five groups: 1. Religions that have preserved and transformed the autochthonous African religions, mainly of West African (Gold & Ivory Coast), but also of Central African origin (Bantu-traditions). 2. Christian Churches or denominations characterised by elements of African spirituality (Black Churches) 3. Religious-political movements (many of them sharing a millenarian worldview or a Back-to-Africa approach). 4. Specific forms of Catholicism amongst the Afro-American people (Black Catholicism) 5. Specific forms of Islam among these people (Black Muslims). The course will give a short overview on history and development of these religious movements and focus mainly on the first form, also getting a short grip on group #2 & 3. Geographically, according to the circumstances of transatlantic slave trade there have been 2 main places of origin of Afro-American religions with a strong foundation in the African heritage (group #1), Bahia in Brazil and the Caribbean islands. Nowadays these religions (the main ones being Candomblé and Umbanda in Brazil, Vodun and Santería on the West Indian islands) have not only spread all over the Americas, but have also found adepts in other parts of the world. This process brings with it a vivid development of cultural transformation. The course will give an introduction to this field of study in 4 parts: 1) Overview on the history of the transatlantic slave trade and the history of preserving and transforming the West-African heritage under the circumstances of slavery in the Caribbean, In Brazil and in the USA. 2) Worldview and ritual in Cuban Santería (regla ocha) compared to traditions of the Yorůbá in West-Africa, which this religion stems from. 3) Worldview and ritual among the followers of Haitian Vodu (Voodoo), compared to Ewe and Fon traditions of West Africa, which are the main sources for this religion (religious cults). 4) Other Afro-Caribbean Religions. 5) Overview of history, rites & practices in Afro-Brazilian religions and Afro-American religions within the USA. 6) Material culture and syncretism: systematic interpretation of cultural change; evaluation of the theories brought forth by diverse scholars seeking to explain the role of Christian elements in Afro-American religions. Comparing the development of Slave-Religions in catholic and protestant milieus.
Assessment methods (in Czech)
Výuka bude probíhat v blocích, ukonení bude písemnou formou dle pokyn vyuujícího.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught only once.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujícího.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2006/RLB06