Anthropology of Religion: Fetishism and Decolonization

What does the anthropology of religion teach us about construction of identity or the ethics and politics of difference? This course introduces students to the anthropology of religion and a key debate of the field on the fetish. Students will learn about the colonial history of the study of religion and the role of fetishism therein. They will gain the tools to critically intervene in ongoing conversations about race, sexuality, cultural difference, and decolonization by becoming familiar with debates on fetishism in anthropology, critical theory, and Black and queer studies.