An Introduction to Shamanism (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780521695367)

Shamans are an integral part of communal religious traditions, professionals who make use of personal supernatural experiences, especially trance, as a resource for the wider community's physical and spiritual well-being. This Introduction surveys research on the topic of shamanism around the world, detailing the archaeology and earliest development of shamanic traditions as well as their scientific 'discovery' in the context of eighteenth and nineteenth century colonization in Siberia, the Americas, and Asia. It explores the beliefs and rituals typical of shamanic traditions, as well as the roles of shamans within their communities. It also surveys the variety of techniques used by shamans cross-culturally, including music, entheogens, material culture and verbal performance. The final chapters examine attempts to suppress or eradicate shamanic traditions, the revitalization of shamanism in postcolonial situations, and the development of new forms of shamanism within new cultural and social contexts.

Author: Thomas A. DuBois
ISBN-10: 0521695368
ISBN-13: 9780521695367
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 05/14/2009
Pages: 330
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 8.90h x 5.90w x 0.80d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 05/01/2010
Foreword 03/12/2009