HIST3285

Course examines how the line between magic and medicine has changed over time. From accusations of witchcraft to proclamations of scientific breakthrough, we will examine the relationship between the supernatural and the natural from the early modern period to today. Specific topics include the practice of exorcism, the concept of the "four humors," the persecution of witches, the development of "voodoo," the effectiveness of placebos, and the professionalization of medicine. Throughout, we will ask how gender, class, and race have affected the construction of "magic" and "medicine."

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