History of Monsters, Aliens & the Supernatural

Catalog description

HIST 203N course considers the role of the supernatural and otherworldly forces in a variety of human societies. The course focuses on narratives of the supernatural/anomalous, as well as the social power that such stories can afford their tellers, who may include poets, writers, filmmakers, journalists, and camp counselors, among many others. Students will read and analyze texts from history, folklore, anthropology, and popular media. A primary tool for describing and understanding the supernatural in human history is ethnography; as such, ethnographic texts dealing with the supernatural will also form an important component of the course, and students will have the opportunity to conduct ethnographic research of their own. In all cases, supernatural beliefs will be considered in their social contexts, rather than as texts divorced from the lives of groups and individuals.