RELS 121 The History of the Devil
In this course, we will study the various ways in which the devil has been depicted in societies of the Americas since colonialism to the contemporary moment. Considering the devil as both a figure of systemic domination and resistance, we will ask: who gets described as “the Devil” or “devilish”? How has the figure of the devil been used to justify colonization and imperialism? In what ways have marginalized communities challenged and reimagined the devil? We will seek to answer these questions by closely examining manifestations of the devil in various social and historical time periods, starting with the Devil in antiquity and the Middle Ages, moving on to consider witches, demons, and heathens in the “New World,” and ending with Satan and the rise of QAnon.
Core Requirements Met
- Global Connections
- Pre-1800