You will study the main themes in theoretical and ethnographic writing on religion and ritual, from the early work of Emile Durkheim to the more recent contributions of anthropologists currently working in the area.
The course as a whole is organised around several related themes, which in turn stem from some common assumptions made about religion and ritual, including the centrality of belief within religion, the separation of the world into a rational, scientific us and a superstitious them, and the assumed centrality of morality within religious practice. Addressing these assumptions also addresses some of the most central concerns in social anthropology, about how to understand cultural difference, and how to theorise the relationship between culture and society.
Period
25-06-2012 - 20-07-2012 (4 weeks)
Target group
The University of Sussex International Summer School welcomes applicants from a wide range of educational backgrounds. Although most of you will be currently enrolled at a university or college, we also welcome applicants who have been away from education for some years, as well as highly committed senior high school students - for some courses a good general education, an open mind and lots of enthusiasm are the main qualifications. For some other courses you will see that prerequisites are listed - applicants for these courses are expected to submit transcripts to demonstrate that they have taken, or are currently taking, the necessary precursors.
Course aim
This is a great opportunity for secondary school students to prepare for college and acquire college credit, which you will usually be able to transfer to a future undergraduate degree. The International Summer School provides an opportunity to meet and study with people from different countries and cultures, on a cosmopolitan campus. The large range of courses on offer allows you to get ahead with credit in core courses, or simply to experiment with something new.
Credits
7.5 ECTS credits
Summer School courses carry 15 credits and last for four weeks. Since the standard annual load for a Sussex student is 120 credits, this means that each course is equivalent to four semester hours or seven and a half ECTS credits.
Students can take only one course per session, as the courses are intensive. You can expect to spend 25 to 35 hours each week on your course between attending classes, labs and workshops, as well as time spent outside class preparing the readings and assignments. You can find information about the courses offered by the International Summer School through our course directory or courses by subject pages of our website.
Course fee
GBP 1325: Tuition only (four week session)
GBP 2450: Tuition only (both four week ISS sessions)
Course leader
Alex Aisher
Scholarships
The University of Sussex offers a limited number of scholarships for participation in the ISS in the form of partial fee waivers to students from developing countries who have high potential for future leadership in their field of study or career.
University of Sussex
Address: University of Sussex Brighton
Postal code: BN1 9RF
City: Brighton
Country: United Kingdom
Website: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/iss/
E-mail: issoffice@sussex.ac.uk
Phone: 00441273678406
Religion and Ritual
