I. Trends in social scientific study of religion
  A. Tendency to find economics in religion & magic
      1. Rodney Stark and William Sims Bainbridge
      2. Laurence Iannacone
  B. Tendency to find religion & magic in economics
      1. Michael Taussig
      2. Avery Gordon

II. Karl Marx - Commodity Fetishism
  A. Commodification of death
  B. Turning relationships between people into relationships between things
  C. Animation of an otherwise lifeless thing
  D. Reify cultural as natural
  E. Supernatural claims
  F. Ignore human process & costs of production
  G. Aging as a disease to be treated in exchange relationship
  H. Heaven on earth

return to syllabus