IHST 221 IH-1: Myth, Magic & Ritual                    
Mikita Brottman, Ph.D
Monday 9.00-11.45am  B480
Office and Hours: Bunting 412; MTW 8-9 am
Telephone: 225-2498    e-mail: mbrottma@mica.edu

Required Book (available in MICA Bookstore):

Richard Smoley & Jay Kinney, "Hidden Wisdom: A Guide to Western Inner Traditions," Revised edition, Quest Books, 2006.

Course Guidelines

Attendance: is expected at all classes and all film screenings. You come to class with your reading and writing assignments completed, ready to participate in class discussion, although, due to the size of this class, most sessions will be lecture-based. You should visit the course site at Blackboard and post your required response at least 24 hours before the next class. Doing the reading and responding on Blackboard is just as important as coming to class. Please show respect for other students by arriving promptly for class and posting promptly on Blackboard.

Midterm and Final: These will both be in-class exams. Please take note of the dates: it is impossible for me to give make-ups for in-class exams! If you become ill or the victim of emergency circumstances, please let me know as soon as possible. Evidence of plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the assignment. The midterm is 20 points of your final grade, and the final is also 20.

Blackboard: In the first week of class you will be given a group number, and introduced to the other members of your group. For 10 weeks, your group will have the responsibility of posting material on Blackboard. Individually, you will be asked to either: (1) comment on style and structure; (2) comment on themes & ideas; (3) comment on the week’s theory, OR (4) respond to any of the above comments. You must post BY MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY in advance, allowing time for responses to be posted before class. Every Blackboard entry must consist of (a minimum of) TEN grammatically correct sentences.

Quizzes: The course will involve two quizzes on concepts and vocabulary related directly to the course reading. Each of these quizzes will consist of 15 questions, and will be worth 15 points towards your final grade.

Writing Tutorials: You are strongly encouraged to visit the writing studio throughout the semester to discuss your work in progress. Please make an appointment to visit in order to discus any aspect of your writing. Tutorial appointments can be arranged to work on developing paper ideas, improving
writing style, or discussing other ideas. You can also visit me during my office hours, MTW 8-9am, or make an appointment to see me at another time. My
office is Bunting 412; if I'm not there, you can leave me a message, or speak to Judy Lidie, the Departmental Administrator, in B402.

Grades:
2 quizzes (15 points each): 30
10 Blackboard Responses (2 points each): 30
Mid-Term (in-class): 20
Final Paper (in-class): 20
Total: 100

95-100 = A+    90-94 = A       
85-89 = A-       80-84 = B+
75-79= B         70-74= B-
65-69=C+       60-64=C
55-59=C-        50-54=D+
45-49=D         40-44=D-

(1) January 28
Introduction to the Course
Documentary: Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth part 1

(2) February 4
Read: Smoley & Kinney, 1. “Jung & the Discovery of the Unconscious”
Erik Davis: “Hermes on the Seine”
Images: The Tarot
Group 1: Questions on Hidden Wisdom
Group 2: Questions on Davis
Group 3: Response to Hidden Wisdom Questions
Group 4: Response to Davis Questions

(3) February 11
Read: Smoley & Kinney, 2. “Gnosticism: The Search for an Alien God”
Erik Davis, “TechGnosis”
Images:
Group 1: Response to Davis Questions
Group 2: Questions on Hidden Wisdom
Group 3: Questions about Davis
Group 4: Response to Hidden Wisdom

(4) February 18                          Quiz
Movie, What The *!*#* Do We Know?
Group 1: Response to Hidden Wisdom questions
Group 2: Response to Davis Questions
Group 3: Questions on Hidden Wisdom
Group 4: Questions about Davis

(5) February 25
Read: Smoley & Kinney, 4. “A Ladder Between Heaven and Earth: The Kabbalah”
Blackboard: Rushkoff, “The New Kabbalah”
Images: Weird Science
Group 1: Questions about the Movie
Group 2: Response to Hidden Wisdom Questions
Group 3: Response to Movie Questions
Group 4: Questions on Hidden Wisdom

(6) March 3
Read: Smoley & Kinney, 5. “Magicians: Sculptors of the Astral Light”
Blackboard: Erik Davis, “The New Eye: Visionary Art and Tradition”
Clip: Alan Moore
Group 1: Questions on Hidden Wisdom
Group 2: Questions about Davis
Group 3: Response to Hidden Wisdom Questions
Group 4: Response to Davis Questions

(7) March 10
Read: Smoley & Kinney, 6. “The Return of the Pagans”
Blackboard: Erik Davis, Remains of the Deities,” “Technopagans”
Art: Angels and Demons (Cornell)
Movie: Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages
Group 1: Response to Davis Questions
Group 2: Questions on Hidden Wisdom
Group 3: Questions about Davis
Group 4: Response to Hidden Wisdom questions

SPRING BREAK

(9) March 24
Read: Smoley & Kinney, 7. “Shamans: Technicians of Ecstasy”
Erik Davis, “Ecstasy: In and About Altered States”
Group 1: Response to Hidden Wisdom Questions
Group 2: Response to Davis Questions
Group 3: Questions on Hidden Wisdom
Group 4: Questions on Davis

(10) March 31
Midterm

(11) April 7
Movie: TBA

(12) April 14
Read: Smoley & Kinney, 8. “The Gold of the Philosophers”
Images: Weird Science (Cornell), The Alchemy Web Site.
Group 1: Questions about the Movie
Group 2: Response to Hidden Wisdom Questions
Group 3: Response to Movie Questions
Group 4: Questions on Hidden Wisdom

(13) April 21
Read: Smoley & Kinney, 11. “Rumors of the Brotherhood”
Group 1: Questions on Hidden Wisdom
Group 2: Questions about
Group 3: Response to Hidden Wisdom Questions
Group 4: Response to

(14) April 28
Read: Smoley & Kinney, 12. “The Eternal New Age”
Group 1: Response to Documentary Questions
Group 2: Questions on Hidden Wisdom
Group 3: Questions about
Group 4: Response to Hidden Wisdom Questions

(15) May 5
Final Exam
Movie: TBA

ADA Compliance

In order to provide the highest quality educational experience for every student, MICA is committed to compliance with the ADA and Section 504. Any student who has (or suspects he or she may have) a physical, cognitive, or psychological disability and who wants to request accommodations must immediately schedule an appointment to meet with the Director of the Learning Resource Center, Dr. Kathryn Smith, by calling the LRC Administrative Assistant, Mary Walsh, at (410) 669-3177. The LRC is MICA’s designated department for determining reasonable accommodations based on legal requirements and will provide the eligible student with an official Accommodation Verification letter to the instructor. Each semester the student must formally request accommodations from the LRC each semester, and format of the Verification letters change each semester to ensure currency.
NOTE: Students with disabilities who want assistance during emergency evacuations must register with the LRC within the first week of each semester.

Health and Safety Compliance

MICA has developed policies and practices to ensure a healthful environment and safe approaches to the use of equipment, materials, and processes. It is the mutual responsibility of faculty and students to review health and safety standards relevant to each class at the beginning of each semester. Students should be aware of general fire, health, and safety regulations posted in each area and course specific polices, practices, and cautions. Students who have concerns related to health and safety should contact the Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator.
The Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator, Quentin Moseley, may be reached at 410 225-0220 or by email at qmoseley@mica.edu.