Shamanism Introduction
Michael J. Pettid, Andrew David Jackson
Routledge eBooks March 13, 2026 DOI: 10.4324/9781003591689-29 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Key points | Argues that Korean shamanism, though marginalised by Buddhism and Confucianism, maintained a vital influence across all levels of Korean society from the Koryŏ and Chosŏn periods to the present, and that it is defined by female leadership in authoritative spiritual roles not otherwise available to women in Korean society. |
Abstract
Shamanism is an umbrella term used to describe folk practices in pre-modern Korea that were designed to placate, petition, honour, or otherwise interact with the various deities that influenced everyday life. Although shamans were increasingly marginalised with the arrival of the Great Tradition of cultural practices, such as Buddhism and Confucianism, shamanism has continued to exert a vital influence on all levels of society throughout the Koryŏ and Chosŏn periods and up to the present. Many Koreans still seek assistance from shamans during rituals. A defining characteristic of Korean shamanism is that it is still predominantly led by women who fulfil authoritative spiritual roles that are not accorded in Korean society.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience, Shamanism and the Rock Art of Native California | 1998 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From Culture to Experience: Shamanism in the Pages of the Soviet Anti-Religious Press | 2020 | Historical analysis | |
| Anthropology, Shamanism, and Alternate Ways of Knowing–Being in the World: One Anthropologist's Journey of Discovery and Transformation | 2010 | Reflective essay or personal narrative |