Ritual Theory and Attitudes to Agency in Brazilian Spirit Possession
Method & Theory in the Study of Religion 2009 DOI: 10.1163/094330509x12568874557298 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that formal aspects of ritual, such as indexicals, mark culturally variable attitudes to agency within rituals, which are related to but fundamentally distinct from non-ritual attitudes to agency. |
Abstract
AbstractThis article works with theory of ritual in order to begin addressing a series of questions raised by Brazilian spirit possession rituals (in Kardecism and Umbanda). Four contributions to theory of ritual highlight relevant conceptual issues: Humphrey and Laidlaw on non-intentionality; Bloch on deference; Houseman and Severi on social relations; and Kapferer on virtuality. Strawson’s philosophical distinction between objective and reactive attitudes toward intentionality is used to make a case (i) that certain formal aspects of ritual (indexicals) serve to (ii) mark culturally-variable attitudes to agency within rituals, which are related to, but fundamentally distinct from, non-ritual attitudes to agency.