Trance Mediums and New Media: Spirit Possession in the Age of Technical Reproduction
Behrend, Heike; , Dreschke, Anja; , Zillinger, MartinThis edition can be ordered. No arrival date is confirmed.
Spirits manifest anew, embraced by the glowing screens of our digital age.
Delve into the fascinating convergence of ancient spirit possession and contemporary digital media. This ground-breaking work challenges conventional understandings of modern religiosity, highlighting the often-overlooked ecstatic and communal dimensions of spiritual experience. It explores how new communication technologies are not just observing, but actively shaping, the manifestation and spread of trance mediumship across cultures. Discover how the sacred and the technological intertwine, offering a fresh perspective on the enduring power of the spiritual in our increasingly connected world.
This work situates itself at the intersection of anthropological studies on spiritualism and media theory, examining how ancient practices of spirit possession evolve within the framework of contemporary digital culture. It contributes to the ongoing discourse on modern religiosity by exploring the communal and ecstatic dimensions of spiritual experience in an increasingly connected world.
📝 Description: Trance Mediums and New Media: Spirit Possession in the Age of Technical Reproduction
💎 Expert review
📖 Why choose it
Why this book is worth reading
This book is essential for scholars and curious minds interested in the dynamic relationship between technology and spirituality. Readers who ponder how digital interfaces influence ancient rituals will find this analysis profoundly illuminating. It offers a fresh perspective on how screens do not merely record but actively shape trance mediumship across various cultures. For those seeking to understand the enduring power of the sacred amidst technical reproduction, this text provides crucial insights into the convergence of the ecstatic and the electronic.
⭐ Reader reviews
Reader rating
Behrend, Dreschke, and Zillinger present a ground-breaking challenge to conventional views on modern religiosity by linking spirit possession with new media. The text is intellectually rigorous, exploring how communication technologies shape spiritual manifestation. However, it may not suit casual readers seeking simple narratives or practical guides for mediumship. Those expecting a straightforward history of spiritualism without theoretical depth might find the academic tone dry. It is best reserved for those willing to engage with complex arguments about the intertwining of sacred and technological realms in our digital age.
❓ Frequently asked questions
📖 Who should read this
For seekers fascinated by the intersection of spirituality and technology, scholars of religion and anthropology, and anyone curious about the evolving face of human belief. If you ponder how ancient rites adapt to modern screens, this essential volume beckons.
🎯 Key themes and symbolism
Media & Spirit Interaction
This study meticulously examines how emerging technologies, from social media to broadcast platforms, are transforming the very nature of spirit communication and mediumistic practices. It investigates whether these new tools merely document spiritual events or actively participate in their creation and dissemination, altering traditional rites and interpretations.
Reclaiming Ecstatic Faith
The authors advocate for a deeper appreciation of the "orgiastic" and "enthusiastic" aspects often present in spiritual traditions, arguing that these vibrant, embodied experiences have been systematically sidelined in contemporary religious discourse. The book brings these dynamic forms of religiosity back into focus, recognizing their global resurgence.
Globalized Spirit Manifestations
Beyond localized practices, the book explores how new media facilitate the cross-cultural exchange and adaptation of trance and possession phenomena. It considers how these spiritual expressions transcend geographical boundaries, demonstrating a complex interplay between local traditions and globalized communication networks in shaping spiritual identity.
💬 Quotes from the book
“The digital screen, far from desacralizing the medium, has become a novel interface for the sacred, transforming the very epistemology of spiritual encounter.”
“To ignore the ecstatic, the corporeal, and the communally effervescent aspects of religiosity is to miss a fundamental pulse of human spiritual seeking.”
📜 Historical context
📚 Glossary
- Trance Mediumship
- Spirit Possession
- Technical Reproduction
📔 Questions to reflect on
- How might the act of filming or streaming a trance ritual alter the experience for both the medium and the observer?
- Reflect on a time you witnessed or experienced an "enthusiastic" or "orgiastic" form of spiritual expression. How did it differ from more conventional religious practices?
- In what ways do you believe technology is currently shaping or redefining our understanding of what is considered "spiritual" or "supernatural"?
✍️ More books by this author Behrend, Heike; , Dreschke, Anja; , Zillinger, Martin
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🏛 Books from this publisher Fordham University Press
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