Conjuring Hope: Healing and Magic in Contemporary Russia - Ingram Academic
✍️ Lindquist, GalinaAn ethnographic study on magic, healing, and healer-patient relationships in contemporary urban Russia.
This academic volume from Berghahn Books explores how magical practices and healing rituals operate within urban Russian culture. Drawing on meticulous anthropological fieldwork, ethnographer Galina Lindquist investigates local structures of self and power. The text focuses heavily on the interactions between healers and their patients, providing theoretical contributions to semiotics and medical anthropology. Reviewed favorably by Slavic Review and Anthropos, it examines how everyday magical traditions address human agency and affect in modern society.
This study sits within contemporary urban Russia, focusing on modern life where various forms of magic and local ideas of power play a central role.
Praise for this book
“Lindquist's book makes two important contributions, the first anthropological, and the second ethnographic...Lindquist clearly brought passion, care, and the highest ethical standards to her role as ethnographer, to the great benefit of her readers. When telling these stories, her writing is always clear, often elegant, and sometimes deeply moving.”
“Whoever wants to learn about life in today's Russia, where various forms of magic play a central role, should read this book. And of course all those interested in Semiotic or medical anthropology who will gain further insight into the relationships between healer and patient.”
📝 Description: Conjuring Hope: Healing and Magic in Contemporary Russia - Ingram Academic
💎 Expert review
📖 Why choose it
Why this book is worth reading
Readers deeply interested in the anthropological dimensions of magic and healing will find immense value in this text. It offers a rare, insider perspective on how contemporary Russians navigate societal structures through magical beliefs. Those seeking to understand the psychological underpinnings of personal agency and selfhood in non-Western contexts will appreciate the detailed analysis. It is ideal for scholars and practitioners who wish to see how ancient traditions evolve within modern urban settings, providing a profound look at the human quest for well-being beyond conventional norms.
⭐ Reader reviews
Reader rating
Lindquist provides a rigorous anthropological journey into Russia's hidden magical currents. While the study is insightful regarding societal structures and emotional landscapes, it is strictly academic in tone. Readers seeking narrative flair, practical spellcasting instructions, or casual folklore will likely find it dry and dense. It does not suit those looking for entertainment or immediate practical application of magic. Instead, it demands a scholarly interest in how magical beliefs function as expressions of individual power and personal agency within complex modern frameworks.
❓ Frequently asked questions
📖 Who should read this
If you're fascinated by the intersection of culture, spirituality, and personal well-being, or curious about post-Soviet social dynamics, this book is for you. It offers a sophisticated look at how magic persists and evolves, providing rich insights for anyone exploring the deeper currents of human belief and healing.
🎯 Key themes and symbolism
Modern Magic's Shifting Sands
This book traces how traditional magical and healing arts are not static, but fluid, constantly adapting to the challenges and opportunities of contemporary Russian society. It explores the dynamic transformations these practices undergo, demonstrating their resilience and continued relevance in a rapidly changing world, far from being mere relics of the past.
Agency Through Esoteric Means
Lindquist illuminates how individuals in modern Russia utilize magical and healing rituals to assert control and influence over their lives. These practices become potent tools for personal empowerment, reflecting deeply held beliefs about one's capacity to shape destiny and navigate complex social realities, offering a sense of mastery in an often unpredictable world.
Selfhood and Emotional Landscapes
The text delves into how magical engagement profoundly shapes an individual's sense of self, subjectivity, and emotional life. It examines the intricate connections between spiritual beliefs, personal identity, and the ways people experience and express their feelings, illustrating how esoteric practices contribute to the construction of a unique inner world and emotional resilience.
📜 Historical context
📚 Glossary
- Agency
- Subjectivity
- Affect
📔 Questions to reflect on
- How do your own cultural beliefs or personal experiences shape your understanding of "magic" and "healing" in contemporary society?
- In what ways do you seek agency or exert power over your own life, and how might these methods relate to or differ from the esoteric practices described in the book?
- Consider how the concept of "self" is constructed in your own cultural context. How might magical or spiritual beliefs further influence or alter this construction?
📖 Read on the blog
📖 From the series “Epistemologies of Healing”
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