Spirit Possession and Trance. New Interdisciplinary Perspectives, edited by Bettina Schmidt and Lucy Huskinson
Religions of South Asia November 23, 2012 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1558/rosa.v6i1.135
Summary
This edited volume presents interdisciplinary perspectives on spirit possession and trance, drawing from anthropology, religious studies, psychology, and other fields. The collection examines cultural and historical contexts of possession practices, challenging simplistic pathologizing interpretations. Chapters explore case studies from various traditions, analyzing how possession and trance states function as meaningful cultural phenomena and forms of religious experience. The book argues for understanding these practices within their own frameworks rather than through Western biomedical or psychological models.
Study at a glance
| Design | edited volume |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Spirit possession and trance should be understood as culturally meaningful phenomena rather than pathological states. |
Abstract
Spirit Possession and Trance. New Interdisciplinary Perspectives, edited by Bettina Schmidt and Lucy Huskinson. London and New York: Continuum, 2010. x + 246pp. ISBN: 978-0-826435-74-3 (hbk), ISBN: 978-1-441108-28-9 (pbk). £65.00/£24.99.