The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft

by Rebecca L. Stein, Philip Stein

This concise and accessible textbook introduces students to the anthropological study of religion. Stein and Stein examine religious expression from a cross-cultural perspective and expose students to the varying complexity of world religions. The chapters incorporate key theoretical concepts and a rich range of ethnographic material. The fourth edition of The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft
• increased coverage of new religious movements, fundamentalism, and religion and conflict/violence;
• fresh case study material with examples drawn from around the globe;
• further resources via a comprehensive companion website. This is an essential guide for students encountering anthropology of religion for the first time.

Genres: Anthropology, Nonfiction, Religion, Textbooks, School, History, Witchcraft

332 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2004

Reviews

[Sonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book teaches you about the very many religions out in the world and the principles that define religion. While the text can be card to understand sometimes, if you have the right teacher for it (and i was very lucky to have the right one) it's a very enjoyable class.

This books also talks about how some people take religion too far and how they are not the norm. Which i believe is a great topic to discuss especially because of the current events taking place now.

[Amelia Oswald · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was easy to read, for a text book. This is a text book right 😂

[Larry McCloskey · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a textbook, this book is great. It offers explorations of many different topics and looks at them all from many differing perspectives and from different cultural groups and culture areas.

The depth of some topics is a bit light, but the "easy reading" writing style makes the trade-off worth it. The book is definitely written from a position of cultural relativism, though, which makes discussion a bit lacking at times - culture's beliefs are stated as fact and left alone. For higher level courses, more time spent on understanding the whys and hows would be nice - but, again, this is a textbook so a good instructor could and should certainly fill in those gaps.

[mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not super in-depth, but a very approachable textbook for a complex set of subjects.

[jacqueline]

yay i love religion & society class

[Paige Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never will forget the Brazilian custom to make banana stew out of loved ones’ ashes to be closer to them.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

read this for school and it was painfully white

[Yvette · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is the book my professor used in my Anthropology class. I read the last 2 chapters on my own (the professor was fond of going off on tangents) to complete the book because the information about the development of religion, magic, and witchcraft was comprehensively presented with plenty of interesting photographs and tables. I am keeping this book for future reference.

[Amylyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contains a lot of interesting material. Elaboration was stingy but variety was definitely not. There were many different types of cultures looked at, traditions acknowledged, and terms defined. There were parts that were hard to get through because of the lack of enthusiasm. It was pretty blunt and lacked passion, but it is a book mainly meant to teach an overview and not meant to really get into the subject matter in a deep and meaningful way. Overall, I enjoyed the knowledge gained.

[Kiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for my World Religion class. I thought it was really good, but a Native American coworker took a look at it and informed me of the bias it presented. It's extremely difficult to find anything without bias these days. That being said, I did enjoy reading it. It was very easy to get through especially for a textbook.

[Shelly Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a textbook we use for a class I teach. The anthropology of religion is a really interesting topic, but this text makes it seem tedious. It’s informative, which is why it gets three stars instead of two. If you’re looking for an Anthropology of Religion text for your class, keep going- there has got to be a better one out there.

[Erik Bodien · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an incredibly well-written and in-depth exploration of the anthropology of religion. It provides a thorough examination of key theories, terms, and case studies, making it a valuable resource for both students and general readers interested in the subject. The work never felt too dense or overwhelming, yet it still engaged with complex ideas in a meaningful way.

The reason I’m giving it four instead of five stars is less about any major flaw and more about personal preference. While the book covers a lot, I occasionally found myself wanting deeper engagement with certain topics or more critical discussions on specific theories. That said, it remains an excellent introduction to the field and a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the anthropology of religion.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the logical structure of this textbook as I thought it did a great job of providing a progression of topics which fall in to the categories or religion, magic, and witchcraft. My only real critique of this book is that I wanted more from it! It fits perfectly to a semester course and provides a pretty general overview of a lot of great topics, but will leave the reader wanting more detail in some sections; however, the recommended readings at the end of each chapter are pretty great as it provides nonfiction and fiction literature to read to allow the reader to learn more of a topic that may interest them.

[Juan Arboleda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great and easy to follow

This is a great book of you want to learn and see beliefs, magic, and rituals in a different light. Having used this book for the class gave me a new appreciation the things other cultures do different.

[Alesa West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Needed for anthropology course

This book was required but overall it was a good read. Ended up with an A so it was easily read although the course itself was challenging. As long as you enjoy anthropology you will enjoy this book.

[Liam Scales · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read. It kept my attention thought most of it, and the authors did a really good job of establishing definitions and a vocabulary, so when it got more complex, it didn't get confusing. I'm glad I got to add it to my bookshelf and didn't just rent it.

[DawnOfSpice · Rating 3 out of 5]

At times it was very hard to get through, although the little stories and examples sprinkled throughout made it easier to read.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this! Very informative.

[Lukasz]

recommendation: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is fairly basic and easy to read. A good introduction to some concepts and themes.

[Mitchell Stern · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good introductory textbook for those who are interested in the topics. However please consult other resources too

[Haley]

ANTH 4751

[Gissell Del Castillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introductory textbook

[Dakota Evans]

Amazing :D

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Educational, interesting, and written with an appropriate amount of background and rigor for a student new to anthropology

[elise Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible dense with really amazing commentary and also super reader friendsly for beginner anthropologists! Wonderful wonderful

[Amy Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure I've ever been happier that a professor made us read the entire textbook cover to cover.

[Alexandria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for an intro anthropology class into religion. Covers the basics of what religions are made up of while remaining respectful, with both emic and etic perspectives.

[stephen baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

if you are looking for a book on anglo witchcraft this will not be it, but understanding origins of spiritualism is essential if you are interested in modern day witchcraft.

[Chase Parsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Co-authors Stein and Stein write a very good textbook about all concepts associated with religion. I admit to being extremely interested when I read the parts about symbols, withcraft, the dangers of religion, and more. A readable book for anyone interested in religious studies!