“Heterodox Religiousness” in Today’s Russia: Results of an Empirical Study

Belyaev, Demyan

doi:10.1177/0037768611412135

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 29 publications

(51 reference statements)

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“…As formal religion ebbs, paranormalism and informal religion flow. Across recent studies in Western countries, younger people have higher levels of belief in the paranormal than older people (Anderson, 2010;Bader et al, 2012: 716; also see Belyaev, 2011). It seems that younger generations have both considerably more interest in the paranormal and less interest in organized religion than previous generations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

A social anthropology of ghosts in twenty-first-century America

Baker

Bader

2014

Social Compass

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Although belief in ghosts or analogous concepts is prevalent cross-culturally, including in contemporary Western cultures, social scientific treatments of spirit belief and experience often dismiss such views as superstitious, or overlook this dimension of culture completely. Using mixed methods, we examine ghost belief, experience, and media consumption, as well as the practice of 'ghost hunting' in the United States. Results from a national survey demonstrate that these beliefs and practices are common and concentrated strongly among younger generations of Americans, especially moderately religious 'dabblers.' Fieldwork with multiple groups centered on 'hunting' ghosts reveals several notable themes, including rhetorical appeals to both science and religion, magical rites, the extensive use of technology to mediate evidence and experiences of ghosts, and the narrative construction of hauntings. We argue that the inherent liminality of spirits as cultural constructs accounts for their persistence, power, and continual recurrence. RésuméBien que la croyance liée aux fantômes ou à des concepts analogues est courante dans de nombreuses cultures, y compris les cultures occidentales contemporaines, les traitements sociaux et scientifiques qui lui sont réservés la relèguent au rang de CompassBaker and Bader: A social anthropology of ghosts in twenty-first-century America research-article2014 Article at TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY on December 2, 2014 scp.sagepub.com Downloaded from 570 Social Compass 61 (4) superstition, ou la négligent complètement en tant que dimension culturelle. Employant des méthodes variées, les auteurs examinent des croyances en la présence de fantômes, des expériences personnelles, la consommation médiatique, ainsi que l'exercice de « la chasse aux fantômes » aux États-Unis. Les résultats d'une enquête nationale démontrent que ces croyances et ces exercices sont communs et concernent les générations les plus jeunes d'Américains, particulièrement des « dilettantes » modérément religieux. Le travail de terrain consacré à la chasse aux fantômes parmi de multiples groupes révèle plusieurs thèmes notables tels que des appels rhétoriques à la science ainsi qu'à la religion, des rites liés à la magie, une utilisation extensive de la technologie pour négocier l'évidence et l'expérience des fantômes, et une construction narrative des apparitions. Les auteurs soutiennent que la liminalité inhérente aux spectres, considérés comme construction culturelle, explique leur persistance, leur pouvoir, et leur récurrence continuelle.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%