The Case for a Universal, Symptom-Based Definition of Possession
Ideas of Possession October 29, 2024 DOI: 10.1093/9780197679951.003.0023 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that spirit possession should be defined by a set of widely encountered symptoms rather than by cultural interpretation or self-designation, so that events with those symptoms are categorized as possession regardless of the meanings the subject or society assigns. This approach, the author contends, preserves a viable unified cross-cultural category while still allowing for society-specific meanings. |
Abstract
Abstract Recent scholarship on spirit possession has tended to focus on the differences between cultural contexts alongside the claim that an event is only a possession if the subject and his or her society designate it as a possession. One of the results of this fracturing trend is that it becomes difficult to maintain a viable unified category of spirit possession across cultures and in different periods. This chapter argues that the category of spirit possession can be maintained if scholars define it according to a set of phenomena or “symptoms” rather than according to cultural interpretation. If a group of widely encountered symptoms occurs together, then scholars should place the event in the category of “possession” regardless of the interpretation provided by the subject or society. This method maintains a viable category of spirit possession while still allowing room for particular meanings in each society.