Exorcisms, extraction of unwanted entities, and other spiritual struggles around the body: A comparative perspective Exorcismes, extractions d’entités indésirées et autres combats spirituels autour du corps: une perspective comparative

Abstract

Exorcism is a long-standing practice in the history of religions and has increased in contemporary societies. The introduction to the dossier ‘Exorcisms, extractions of unwanted identities, and other spiritual struggles around the body’ proposes a revision of the production of contemporary social sciences – in particular, anthropology and sociology – on exorcism. First, we propose a reflection on the category of exorcism, and then we discuss some of the issues that underlie research on the contemporary practice: ritual performance, the status of exorcism in modernity, the relationship with therapeutic and healing practices, the discussion of exorcism as a gendered ritual, and the political dimension of the practice.

Medical emergency Team as an accidental witness to the ritual of exorcism performed on a pregnant Muslim woman

“…Unlike other countries [6], our country had, until now, no published records on the experience of health professionals with possessions or spiritual rituals of exorcism. In the Islamic religion, Jinn [8] is the cause of most diseases that can manifest with various symptoms of possession (as in our case) from "whining and howling", and "attacks and screaming", to unintelligible speech, vomiting, nausea, insomnia, headaches and back pain, and poor memory. Contrary to religious views, Kopejko et al interpret delusions of possession and exorcism in the context of delusions and hallucinations as part of mental illness, most often schizophrenia [10].…”