Engaging the anomalous: reflections from the anthropology of the paranormal
What is Paranormal? April 2, 2016 DOI: 10.1080/13642537.2016.1170063 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThis review examines parallels between research on paranormal experiences and insights from several anthropological subfields, including the anthropology of religion, consciousness, and the paranormal. It traces the history of anthropology's engagement with paranormal phenomena, from early evolutionist perspectives to contemporary experiential approaches. The article concludes that cross-pollination between psychotherapeutic and anthropological research on the paranormal could yield mutual benefits.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Sociology Psychology Philosophy |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key finding | Cross-pollination between psychotherapeutic and anthropological research on the paranormal could be beneficial. |
Abstract
Abstract This review article looks at some of the parallels between the contents of this special issue on the paranormal and insights from the anthropology of religion, the anthropology of consciousness, transpersonal anthropology and the anthropology of the paranormal. The paper introduces the history of anthropology’s engagement with the paranormal, from the early evolutionist perspectives of anthropology’s pioneers to the most recent experiential approaches of the anthropology of consciousness. The paper concludes by highlighting the potential benefits of a cross-pollination of psychotherapeutic and anthropological research on the paranormal.