The Department of Comparative Religion
Subject: Comparative religion, religion and war, religion and uncertainty, apotropaic amulets, magic and religion, magic and war, materiality of religion, materiality of magic, philosophy of religion, anthropology of religion, religion and mystery.
Advisor: Prof. Brouria Biton-Ashkelony
Abstract: Why do we do actions we do not understand? Does war give religion an increased power over humans? This research will focus upon religio-magical materials gathered during the Iron Swords war, regarding the usage of religio-magical apotropaic amulets by Jewish soldiers. This research is based upon the amulets gathered during the war, auto-ethnographic analysis, and methodological and theoretical analysis based on Yoram Bilu's psychological anthropology and Robert Orsi's method of "Lived Religion", as well as on theories of the materiality of religion, materiality of magic, magic studies, and the philosophy of religion.
MA Honors 2023/24