CSP 67 Music and Trance: How Music Influences the Ecstatic State Throughout the World

This course explores the relationship between music and consciousness in different world cultures with the intention of developing an understanding of the role that music plays in ecstatic experiences. Through a survey of various cultures, we will delve into various dimensions of how music operates in culture as an intrinsic part of altered states of consciousness in the human quest for a spiritual connection. This course draws on ethnomusicology, psychology, anthropology, music therapy, dance ethnology, and religious studies. Emphasis will placed upon developing excellent writing skills, research skills, and critical thinking in order to produce a strong and cogent final research paper.