RELS 3714 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Mccarthyism, Gossip, Zande People
28 Sep 2016
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Lecture 10: witchcraft: witchcraft explains unfortunate events, evans-pritchard granary example a. i. Azande acknowledge that termites caused fall of granary, but that it fell on those people, at that specific time because of witchcraft a. i. 1. a. Just adds more of an explanation: french villagers b. i. Also helps people see hope that the misfortune will end b. i. 1. b. Also, diagnosing something relieves anxiety (they feel they can take steps to fix it: offers examples of how not to behave, witches are opposite of social ideals a. i. Reinforce norms: outlet for pent up aggression and hostility, this is where you question the social/psychological benefit, scapegoating: relieves tensions through misplaced aggression, the witch is outlet, acceptable target of hatred and malicious gossip c. i. May be hard to just attack them, but you can gossip c. i. 1. Othering : a form of social control, fear of witchcraft used against one"s self a. i.
