Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

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RELI0373A-S21

Possessions

Possessions: Theories of Power in American Religion
Upon reading Faust, Karl Marx concluded that Goethe’s wisdom was simple: “the extent of the power of money is the extent of my power.” Or, in other words: money represents the power to possess a thing and, in possessing it, to wield that thing’s power. Despite this connection made at the roots of Western theories of power, we do not typically regard our possession of private property as akin to the Devil’s possession of human bodies. In this seminar we will explore the rich and troubling overlaps between private property, demonic possessions, mediumship, and power in the Americas. 3 hrs. sem.
Course Reference Number (CRN):
22079
Subject Code:
RELI
Course Number:
0373
Section Identifier:
A

Course

RELI 0373

All Sections in Spring 2021

Spring 2021

RELI0373A-S21 Seminar (Doran)