Magic & Medicine

Designed to give students an interdisciplinary experience, this course will explore historical and contemporary theories and practice of medicine, examining in parallel ancient, non-Western and Western views of health, disease and healing. Studies will include inter-relationship between ancient religions and medicine (e.g. shamanism, magico-medical healing) and the worldwide development of various cultural medical systems (CMS) and epistemologies. Students will journey through time studying the evolution of medical thought and practice across cultures in the last several thousand years as well as the contemporary resurgence of CMS. Cross listed with RE-388