Middlebury

ANTH0241A-F21

Anthro Warfare & Polarization

The Anthropology of Warfare and Polarization
In this course we will use the anthropology of human evolution, religion and politics to identify the cognitive patterns that justify feuding, warfare, witchcraft, conspiracy theory, and ideological polarization. Beginning with animal behavior and hunting and gathering societies, we will study natural selection for accountability, moralism, and factionalism; how social groups define themselves through mimesis, othering and scapegoating; how scapegoating justifies aggression; how sacrifice and other forms of ritualizing victimhood generate sanctity, sacrilege, and outrage; and how religious and political loyalty tests enforce social boundaries (not open to students who have taken SOAN 0341 or SOAN 0344) 3 hrs. lect./disc.
Course Reference Number (CRN):
91974
Subject Code:
ANTH
Course Number:
0241
Section Identifier:
A

Course

ANTH 0241

All Sections in Fall 2021

Fall 2021

ANTH0241A-F21 Lecture (Stoll)