Justice at the Margins: Witches, Poisoners, and Social Accountability in Northern Uganda

Allen, Tim; Reid, K.

doi:10.1080/01459740.2014.936060

Cited by 21 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 19 publications

(5 reference statements)

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“…Instead of doubting their existence, traditional beliefs are so reinforced. Allen and Reid (2015) describe the same phenomenon in regard to witchcraft/sorcery. Curse/ghost invocation as the origin of mental illness may be characteristic of West Nile.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

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Spiritual Explanatory Models of Mental Illness in West Nile, Uganda

Verginer

Juen

2018

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

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Integrating indigenous cultural knowledge into conceptualizing mental illness offers highly valuable insights to better contextualize mental health. The meaning given to symptoms determines what is abnormal and requiring treatment. In Uganda, the formal health care system is neither the only nor the most widespread treatment provider. Help is often sought from traditional and religious healers, too. Despite numerous calls for cooperation between the healing systems, this has translated into reality only to a very limited degree. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into local explanatory models of mental illness, to gain an understanding of the different patients’ needs, and to develop a more comprehensive system of care. We used an ethnographic investigation approach, which allowed for a more holistic view of the research field. This was geographically delimited to the West Nile subregion in Northern Uganda. We conducted a total of 56 semistructured interviews with traditional healers (n = 5), Christian religious healers (n = 3), psychiatric patients (n = 16), their attendants (n = 16), and community members (n = 16). In addition, we used the method of participant observation. The data collected were analyzed using Qualitative Content Analysis and Grounded Theory methodology. For the purpose of this article, we exclusively extracted the spiritual explanatory models. These were spirit possession and curse. Both were traditional concepts with a religious reinterpretation involving the action of spirits.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…More recent research suggested that ghost invocation had faded away (Allen & Storm, 2012; Barnes-Dean, 1986), whereas the concepts of witchcraft and sorcery had experienced a revival (Allen & Reid, 2015). Similarly, by the turn of the millennium, oracles and ghost shrines had almost disappeared.…”

Section: Understanding Traditional Illness Beliefs In West Nilementioning

confidence: 99%

Spiritual Explanatory Models of Mental Illness in West Nile, Uganda

Verginer

Juen

2018

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

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“…In October 2003, PKK reincarnated its Syrian branch as the Democratic Union Party (PYD). 99 The YPG refuses to acknowledge these relations to the PKK as part of its international image building and legitimacy seeking behavior and on paper the two groups are legally separate entities. In reality, the fluidity of fighter movements between PKK and YPG is a well-known fact along the front lines of Iraq and Syria.…”

Section: Armed Groups Relations With External Actorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the Legitimacy of Armed Groups: A Relational Perspective

Podder

2017

Small Wars & Insurgencies

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“…7 By contrast, my argument understands this gap, and concomitantly the frontier nature of local security provision, 5. For example, as documented by Heald (1986a), Abrahams (1987) and Allen and Reid (2015) among others, citizens may hold cultural beliefs that witchcraft is a criminal offence that the state is unable to prosecute. 6.…”

Section: Governing Through Institutionalized Arbitrarinessmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, as documented by Heald (), Abrahams () and Allen and Reid () among others, citizens may hold cultural beliefs that witchcraft is a criminal offence that the state is unable to prosecute.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%