Birthday Shankar's Birthday falls on 25th July. This course surveys the traditional religions of Micronesia, with an emphasis on myth and ritual. Analysis of select samples of traditional ritual and myth from primary sources.
Critical analysis is emphasized.
The course begins with a statement of the key working assumptions. Part two summarizes the social science approach to the study of religion, a working definition of religion and socio-psychological functions of religion according to leading theorists, and finally a summary of the main ethnographic sources for the religion of Micronesia. Part three ends with a statement of the thematic values expressed in Micronesian religion. Part four is a detailed descriptive and analytical study of Micronesian religion in action ritual. The section opens with methodologies of studying ritual and moves to specific examples from Micronesia for application of the methodology.