a critical analysis of the issues surrounding Caribbean religions

Your final paper is a research paper. It should be 6-8 pages (not including your cover page and bibliography) and is worth 100 points. Your paper should be 12 pt. font and follow all standards of good academic writing. You must cite your sources and edit your paper.  You must have at least 5 sources outside of the course textbooks and Canvas articles. Three of your sources must be academic. If you have questions about the sources you are using please let me know.

The paper should be a critical analysis of the issues surrounding Caribbean religions, their ability to sustain their religious beliefs and rituals in the face of domination, and how the religions we have studied this semester exemplify forms of resistance. The religions we have examined have responded in a variety of ways to issues of race, class, gender, labor, power, and sexuality. Your paper should take a creative look at the way Caribbean religions have faced in the past and continue to face these issues.

A small section of the paper needs to be a firsthand account of why you selected the topic answering questions such as: Are there examples of this religion in your local community of Tampa Bay? Give an example. Why did you pick this topic?  What type of effect did the religion or the topic have on you?

Above all your paper should be a creative examination. You may use poetry, music, art, narrative, (either your own or an analysis of someone elses) or a personal account of interactions with the religions, etc. You may take any topic you choose as long as you are engaging at least one religion we have discussed in class this semester. Some examples of topics are: Caribbean religions and alternative medicine, music in Caribbean religions (which can range from the ritualistic use of drumming to an examination of song lyrics to delineate some of the Caribbean religious beliefs), gender within the Caribbean religions, the approach to sexuality within the Caribbean religions, forms of resistance within the Caribbean religions, the use of animal sacrifice in multiple Caribbean religions, an examination of ritual from two or more Caribbean religions, magic in Caribbean religions, the emphasis on belief within Caribbean religions, etc.