This course treats the supernatural and the paranormal as phenomena warranting serious exploration in their entanglement with race, gender, the psyche, and the body. Texts and audio-visual materials will introduce us to ghosts, fairytales, monsters, witches, spirit possession, and many forms of enchantment. Through a series of case studies, we will investigate how several key concepts work together to create our sense of reality: nature, science, religion, magic, reason, modernity. Ultimately, the course will push students to interrogate their assumptions about what is natural, normal, rational, and real.
