Grief, Memory, and Ritual: Anthropological Perspectives
( 24 Modules )
Module #1 Introduction to Grief, Memory, and Ritual Overview of the course, exploring the intersections of grief, memory, and ritual in anthropological perspectives
Module #2 Defining Grief:Cultural and Psychological Approaches Examining different cultural and psychological understandings of grief, including its emotional, social, and cultural dimensions
Module #3 The Anthropology of Death and Mourning Surveying anthropological theories and ethnographic studies on death, mourning, and the cultural construction of mortality
Module #4 Memory and Memorialization Exploring the concepts of memory, memorialization, and commemoration, and their role in shaping cultural identity and collective memory
Module #5 Rituals of Mourning:Cross-Cultural Comparisons Comparing and contrasting mourning rituals across cultures, including funeral rites, burial practices, and ancestor worship
Module #6 Emotions and Embodiment in Grief Analyzing the emotional and embodied experiences of grief, including the role of the body in mourning and the expression of emotions
Module #7 Grief, Trauma, and Cultural Response Examining the relationships between grief, trauma, and cultural response, including the concept of collective trauma
Module #8 Memory and Material Culture Exploring the role of material culture in shaping and preserving memories, including artifacts, memorials, and museums
Module #9 Rituals of Remembrance:Anniversaries and Commemorations Analyzing the cultural significance of anniversaries, commemorations, and other rituals of remembrance
Module #10 Personal Grief, Public Mourning Examining the intersection of personal grief and public mourning, including the role of media and social networks
Module #11 Grief, Identity, and Belonging Exploring the relationships between grief, identity, and belonging, including the impact of grief on individual and collective identity
Module #12 Rituals of Transition:Funerary Rites and Life-Cycle Rituals Comparing funerary rites and life-cycle rituals across cultures, including their role in marking transitions and negotiating identity
Module #13 Grief, Culture, and Power Analyzing the relationships between grief, culture, and power, including the impact of colonialism, globalization, and social inequality
Module #14 Contested Memories and Competing Narratives Examining the ways in which memories and narratives about the past can be contested, manipulated, or silenced
Module #15 Digital Mourning and Online Rituals Exploring the emergence of digital mourning and online rituals, including their impact on traditional mourning practices
Module #16 Grief, Memory, and the Body Politic Analyzing the relationships between grief, memory, and the body politic, including the role of grief in shaping collective identity and social change
Module #17 Rituals of Healing and Recovery Examining the role of rituals in promoting healing and recovery, including their impact on mental health and well-being
Module #18 Memory, Memorialization, and Social Justice Exploring the relationships between memory, memorialization, and social justice, including the role of memorials in promoting social change
Module #19 Grief, Culture, and Mental Health Analyzing the relationships between grief, culture, and mental health, including the impact of cultural norms on mental health outcomes
Module #20 Rituals of Repair and Reconciliation Examining the role of rituals in promoting repair and reconciliation, including their impact on intergroup relations and social conflict
Module #21 Grief, Memory, and the Anthropocene Exploring the relationships between grief, memory, and the Anthropocene, including the impact of environmental degradation on human and non-human experiences
Module #22 Ethnographic Methods for Studying Grief and Memory Introducing ethnographic methods for studying grief and memory, including participant observation, interviewing, and content analysis
Module #23 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Grief, Memory, and Ritual Surveying interdisciplinary approaches to grief, memory, and ritual, including psychology, sociology, literature, and philosophy
Module #24 Course Wrap-Up & Conclusion Planning next steps in Grief, Memory, and Ritual: Anthropological Perspectives career
