La première partie de cette thèse fait le bilan des formes de possessions sorcière, démoniaque ou liée à l’esprit d’un mort, par une incursion historique et anthropologique. Elle aborde aussi les rites, mis en œuvre par les sociétés, pour s’en protéger et pour traiter les cas de possessions. Des éléments propres à la question des démons, du diable et de l’exorcisme dans le christianisme sont ensuite présentés, avant de faire le bilan de la problématique par les aliénistes et les psychiatres, français pour la plupart. Les liens entre médecins et prêtres, face à de telles plaintes sont abordés. La seconde partie traite des aspects contemporains de la problématique. En effet, bien que ce thème puisse sembler à contre-courant de notre époque et de notre culture occidentale organisée par le discours scientifique, il est très actuel. Nous présentons les plaintes qui apparaissent sur des sites Internet qui parfois n’hésitent pas à tenter d’en tirer profit. Au début du 21e siècle, des crimes qualifiés de « satanistes » ont été médiatisés et les exorcistes invités à prendre place dans le débat. Le recours à l’exorciste et les demandes d’exorcismes se sont multipliées. L’Eglise catholique a dû s’organiser et de nombreux prêtres ont été amenés à tenir ce “Ministère” d’exorcisme. La liberté dont ils jouissent, les amène à pratiquer des rituels en adéquation avec leur croyance à un diable métaphorique ou, au contraire, personnifié. Des chapitres sont consacrés à leur organisation, à leur pratique dans le cadre d’un travail d’observation participante. Celle du père J., un exorciste qui chasse le diable est longuement abordée. Selon notre hypothèse, elle tend à générer le sentiment de possession par le diable, chez le consultant. Enfin, la troisième partie est constituée tout d’abord d’un bilan des points de vue psychanalytiques sur la question du diable et de la possession. Puis nous présentons des cas cliniques rencontrés dans le cadre de nos travaux de recherches et de notre profession. Des réflexions personnelles sur la problématique viennent conclure cette thèse. / The first part of this thesis makes an assessment of the various forms of possession witch possession, demonic possession or bound to the spirit of a deceased person, by reference to history and anthropology. It also approaches the rites implemented by societies to protect themselves and to handle the cases of possession. Various elements appropriate to the question of evil spirits, the devil and exorcism in the Christian religion are then presented, before making an assessment of the problem as seen by alienists and psychiatrists, mostly French. The links between doctors and priests confronted with such complaints are also examined. The second part handles contemporary aspects of the problem. Indeed, although this theme may seem to go against the current of our time and of our scientific oriented western culture, it is very topical. We present the complaints that appear on web sites which sometimes do not hesitate to attempt to make profit out of them. At the beginning of the 21st century, crimes qualified as "Satanists" received considerable media coverage the exorcists were invited to take place in the debate. The recourse to the exorcist and the requests of exorcisms then multiplied. The Roman Catholic Church had to get organized and numerous priests were brought to hold this "Ministry" of exorcism. The freedom which they enjoy brings them to practise rites in adequacy with their faith in a metaphoric devil or, on the contrary, a personified one. Several chapters are dedicated to their organization, to their practice within a period of observation and cooperation task. That of father J., an exorcist who chases away the devil is largely presented. In our hypothesis, this practice tends to generate the feeling of possession by the devil for the consultant. Finally, the third part mainly consists in an assessment of the psychoanalytical points of view on the question of the devil and possession. Then we present clinical cases that we have come across in the course of our research works and of our professional practice. Personal reflections on the problem come to conclude this thesis.

A partir da controvérsia entre John Webster (1610-1682) e Joseph Glanvill (1636-1680) em torno da bruxaria como um pacto diabólico propõe-se compreender em alguma medida o sentido que a demonologia poderia adquirir na Inglaterra da Restauração e relacionar a polêmica de ambos com o declínio da perseguição às bruxas. A demonologia é entendida como uma literatura controversa dotada de dimensão cognitiva e social e dedicada ao preternatural, ou seja, a eventos que estariam nas fronteiras entre o natural e o sobrenatural. As obras de demonologia se apropriaram de modo eclético de argumentos, teorias e de episódios oriundos das mais diversas fontes e os organizaram em torno de alguns tópicos fundamentais. A demonologia esteve relacionada com diferentes lugares, épocas e saberes, em especial a filosofia natural e a teologia. Tendo isso em vista, os tratados de demonologia de Webster e Glanvill, The displaying of supposed witchcraft (1677) e Saducismus triumphatus (1688), foram estudados em paralelo, colocados em confronto, relacionados com outros escritos deles, associados às discussões demonológicas e ao contexto intelectual e histórico. A polêmica entre Webster e Glanvill mostrou que a demonologia se apresentava como uma maneira de advogar compromissos de natureza filosófica e religiosa que estavam relacionados com o surgimento da ciência moderna e com a diversidade religiosa existente na Inglaterra. Mas, apesar dessa flexibilidade, a demonologia entrou em declínio à medida que avançou o ceticismo das autoridades com relação ao crime da bruxaria e a experiência se tornou experimentação. O fim dos julgamentos de bruxas impossibilitou que a demonologia se adequasse a requisitos mais rigorosos, e impossíveis, de evidência. / From the controversy between John Webster (1610-1682) e Joseph Glanvill (1636-1680) about witchcraft as diabolical pact it is proposed to comprehend in some sort the meaning that demonology could acquire in Restoration England and to relate the polemics of both to the decline of the witches\' persecution. Demonology is understood as a controversial literature endowed of cognitive and social dimensions and dedicated to the preternatural, that is, to events that would be in the border between natural and supernatural. The works of demonology would appropriate in a eclectic way the arguments, theories and episodes from different sources and would organize them into some essential topics. Demonology was related to different places, times and fields of knowledge, specially to natural philosophy and theology. Keeping that in mind, Webster\'s and Glanvill demonology treatises, The displaying of supposed witchcraft (1677) and Saducismus triumphatus (1688), were studied in parallel, put in conflict, related to other works of the authors, associated with the demonological controversies and with the intellectual and historical context. The controversy between Webster and Glanvill showed that demonology presented itself as a manner of defending philosophical and religious compromises that were related to the rise of modern science and religious diversity in England. However, despite this flexibility, demonology declined as skepticism of the authorities about the crime of witchcraft advanced and the experience was turn into experimentation. The end of the witch trials made impossible for demonology to adapt to more strict, and unreachable, requirements of evidence.

Wiccan witchcraft, a contemporary religion, frequently suffers from misunderstandings; the worst of which, arguably, being that it thrives in a postfeminist society. Although it remains unclear why witches, despite their specific traditions, would not immediately embrace feminism, this study claims that whether practitioners agree or disagree, they are performing feminism. In this study, I argue that Wiccan rhetoric (both discursive and non-discursive) functions epistemically to encourage feminist values. The thesis analyzes three typical forms of Wiccan rhetoric using Sonja K. Foss and Cindy L. Griffin’s approach of invitational rhetoric and the values of equality, immanent value, and self-determination. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T19:31:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Antonio Martins Ramos.pdf: 79760537 bytes, checksum: 072e64852f8492d854fe998965b071a9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-18 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work consists of research on the cultural-religious meeting held between Shamanism and Catholicism, focusing on Brazil, between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, involving more directly European missionaries, especially the Jesuits, and Tupinambás shamans, known as pajés. This meeting resulted in a rivalry that, for large similarities in the relations of alterity, was inserted in a broader field, between different indigenous groups in South America, as the Guarani, and other Europeans of different nationalities, religious orders and lay people such as travelers and chroniclers, reaching up to the following centuries. By reading the European written sources, we can find descriptive elements of the Tupi-Guarani shamanism and also of the point of view of European alterity, through many commonalities among the various accounts. From the European point of view, we identify the condemnation of pajés and their association with witchcraft, that although discrediting their practices, they have served to them for their catechetical actions. About tupinambá shamanism, reports realize various practices such as medicinal cures, rituals, speeches and gestural actions, and spiritual intermediary through sacred symbols, such as the maraca, so it is possible to draw a profile of this shamanism. For the methodology of reading these sources, we start from the assumption that it is possible to withdraw relevant information, if not the voice of the Indians, at least the European alterity and processes and facts of meeting and dispute. This is not only to deepen the history of catechesis and of shamanism, but also the elements that constituted the cultural exchange and its consequences / Este trabalho consiste na pesquisa sobre o encontro cultural-religioso ocorrido entre xamanismo e catolicismo, com foco no Brasil, entre os séculos XVI e XVII, envolvendo mais diretamente missionários europeus, especialmente os jesuítas, e os xamãs tupinambás, conhecidos como pajés. Este encontro resultou numa rivalidade que, por grandes semelhanças nas relações de alteridade, esteve inserida num campo mais amplo, entre diversos grupos indígenas da América do Sul, como os guaranis, e outros europeus de diversas nacionalidades, ordens religiosas, e também leigos, como viajantes e cronistas, alcançando até os séculos seguintes. Através da leitura das fontes escritas europeias, podemos encontrar elementos descritivos do xamanismo tupi-guarani e também do ponto de vista da alteridade europeia, através de muitos pontos em comum entre os mais diversos relatos. Do ponto de vista europeu, identificamos a condenação dos pajés e sua associação com a feitiçaria, que embora desacreditando suas práticas, serviram-se delas para suas ações de catequese. Sobre o xamanismo tupinambá, os relatos dão conta de práticas diversas tais como, curas medicinais, rituais, ações dircursivas e gestual, e intermediação espiritual através de simbologias sagradas, como a do maracá, de modo que é possível traçar um perfil deste xamanismo . Para a metodologia de leitura destas fontes, partimos da hipótese que é possível se retirar informações relevantes, quando não da voz dos índios, ao menos da alteridade europeia e dos processos e fatos do encontro e da disputa. Trata-se não apenas de se aprofundar a história da catequese e do xamanismo, mas também dos elementos que constituíram as trocas culturais e as suas consequências

Le droit traditionnel était un système juridique co-religieux, où l’invisible et le sacréjouaient un rôle prépondérant. Le surnaturel et le droit existaient en une sorte d’osmose, l’un àcôté de l’autre. Le droit utilisait le surnaturel comme auxiliaire mais le réprimait aussi dansses aspects négatifs. Avec l’intrusion de la civilisation occidentale durant la période coloniale,le colonisateur va imposer au Gabon son droit malgré sa promesse de respecter les coutumeslocales.L’accession du Gabon à la souveraineté internationale s’est traduite également,lorsqu’il s’est agi de disposer des lois d’un Etat indépendant, par l’adoption quasi-totale desdroits d’inspiration occidentale dits droits modernes. Cependant, le législateur a, dans unecertaine mesure, oeuvré pour le maintien dans certains domaines des droits traditionnels.Toutefois, l’adaptation du droit moderne aux réalités sociales gabonaises ne va pas sans poserdes problèmes d’application auxquels il faudra apporter des solutions. Au niveau législatif, lelégislateur devra préciser autant que possible les lois par lui adoptées afin d’éviter desincriminations ouvertes. Au niveau juridico-judicaire, l’action des pouvoirs publics devras’opérer au niveau de la formation et de la mise en place des banques de données coutumières. / Traditional law was a legal system associated with religion where the invisible andsacred matters played key roles. The supernatural and Law mingled in some type of osmose.Law used supernaturalism as contingency on one hand on the other hand it was rejected dueto its negative aspects. The infiltration of western civilization in Gabon through the colonialsystem will build the path to establish the western legal system by pushing aside the locallegal system. The infiltration of western civilization during the colonial occupation, created aperfect path to introduce and to enforce western legal system in Gabon despite the promise torespect the local custom system.Furthermore, moving from a colonial time to the independent republic of Gabon fewlocal traditional laws have been kept and are being applied in some legal aspects, but most ofthe Gabonese legal architecture has been inspired by the western's modern laws.In addition, the adaptation of Modern Law on the Gabonese legal system has metsome inconsistency as far as its implementation and its enforcement are concerned. Thereforesome solutions can be provided.From the legislative point of view perspective, the legislator should be as precise aspossible on the adopted laws in order to avoid open criminality.From legal and judicial's view government should work on educating people anddevelo

FundaÃÃo Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnolÃgico / Esta pesquisa se compÃe no cruzamento entre a conjuraÃÃo da morte em trabalhos artÃsticos e em prÃticas de rituais de bruxaria, tendo como ponto de interseÃÃo a performance como experiÃncia de materializaÃÃo de uma poÃtica da morte. Aqui, à traÃada uma noÃÃo acerca da morte como aÃÃo de desestabilizaÃÃo da noÃÃo de identidade do corpo, convergindo o pensamento sobre a dinÃmica performativa da bruxaria e a arte da performance. Com base nessa relaÃÃo entre a bruxaria e a arte da performance como experiÃncia de desindividuaÃÃo, sÃo analisados os trabalhos artÃsticos SÃrie Silhuetas (1973-1980) e Chicken Piece/Death of a Chicken (1972), ambos da artista cubana Ana Mendieta, e The Burden of Guilt (1995), da artista cubana Tania Bruguera. Na performance experienciada pelas artistas nessas obras, elementos relevantes para uma investigaÃÃo sobre o corpo em experiÃncia ritual da morte se combinam aos elementos que permeiam o processo de criaÃÃo artÃstica vivenciado por mim no trabalho chamado OssuÃrio. Nesse processo, proponho a composiÃÃo de um trabalho artÃstico que se apresenta como experiÃncia ritualÃstica da morte, que se desdobra em imersÃes em descampados Ãridos no Piauà e em dunas no CearÃ, e em experimentos coreogrÃficos com ossos de animais mortos, cujos relatos compartilhados emergem como uma leitura da experiÃncia do corpo no mundo atravÃs da morte.

Thesis (M. A. (African Languages)) -- University of Limpopo, 2004 / Refer to the document

The folklore collections amassed by Jean-François Bladé in nineteenth-century southwestern France are problematic for modern readers. Bladé's legacy includes a confusing combination of poorly received historical works and unimportant short stories as well as the large collections of proverbs, songs, and narratives that he collected in his native Gascony. No writer has ever attempted to study any of Bladé's informants in detail, not even his most famous narrator, the illiterate and "defiant" Guillaume Cazaux. Rather than dismissing Bladé as a poor ethnographer whose transcripts do not reflect what his informant Cazaux said, I propose taking Bladé's own confusion about authenticity seriously. This confusion suggests that Bladé was trapped between three competing models that depicted the authenticity of folklore as residing in either the audience or folklorist, or the tradition, or the performer. The texts of Cazaux's legends that Bladé published were not just invented by Bladé, but forged in a dynamic interaction between the folklorist, Cazaux, and the force of tradition. When Cazaux described his beliefs in witchcraft to Bladé, he did not just reveal his own worldview; he also relied on the power of anonymous forces and silence to threaten and coerce the folklorist. The legend texts that Bladé published are not simply monovocal re-writings of some things Cazaux said; they enact a conversation between the two men about place and time. This conversation is a very limited example of an important question that has occupied historians: the "modernization" of the rural population by national forces. Although Bladé and Cazaux had very different backgrounds and education and only knew each other for ten years, their memories are intertwined for posterity.

<abstract>Most literature on state-society relations in Indonesia assumes an overbearing and oppressive state. In this thesis, I argue that local communities can exert far more influence over state officials, and can be far more resistant to state control, than has previously been acknowledged. I critically analyse the idea of a state with extensive control by focusing on killings alleged sorcerers in a rural area in which I undertook fieldwork. Killings of 'sorcerers' occur when neighbours, family members, and friends believe that one among them is a sorcerer. They group together and, assisted by other local residents, kill the 'sorcerer'. Such killings have been occurring intermittently for at least the past half-century. These usually sporadic killings turned into an outbreak in 1998. The outbreak was precipitated by three factors, in particular: 1. An attempt by the district government to stop killings, which was seen to confirm the identity of sorcerers; 2. Local residents' understanding of the Indonesian reform movement (Reformasi) to incorporate violent attacks on 'sorcerers'; and, 3. The perceived slowness of the police and army response which was understood as tacitly permitting the killings. Local residents interpreted these factors as providing an 'opportunity' to attack 'sorcerers', accounting for around 100 deaths. Although the outbreak was triggered by national- and district-level events, the killings remained local; neighbours, family, and acquaintances of the victims undertook the killings. At this time, the New Order regime of President Soeharto?which scholars have tended to characterise as a state which exerted far-reaching control over society?had just collapsed. Nevertheless, violent actions against 'sorcerers' had occurred during the New Order period, even though they stood in contrast to the order and rule of law and the controlled use of violence that this regime promoted. In order to explain the persistence of anti-'sorcerer' actions, my original findings identify a significant weakness in central state control. Local state officials cannot, and, in many cases, do not want to, stop killings. These officials are connected by ties of locality and kinship to the overwhelming majority of local people, and believe that the 'sorcerer' is guilty. Instead of following demands of law and order from superiors, they are influenced by local communities. Local communities thus exert control over local state representatives, accounting for a breakdown of state control at the local level. This finding of strong community ties and limited state control calls for a reexamination of violence in Indonesia. Violence is usually portrayed as being perpetrated by an aggressive, culpable state on an innocent and passive society. In Banyuwangi, violence emanated from within communities and local state representatives were either unwilling or unable to control it. Eventually, a crackdown by non-local police and army forces brought the outbreak of killings to a halt. However, after these forces left, actions against 'sorcerers' resumed. By demonstrating that ties of locality and kinship undermine state attempts to control local community, I contribute to a revision of the image of an overbearing and violently repressive state in Indonesia.

This dissertation deals with religious conflict in a number of local communities of Sweden during early modern times, i.e. from 1630 to 1800. Religious conflict, in my understanding, comprises all kinds of conflicts in which the religious element is essential. The area of investigation in the dissertation is the northern part of the county of northern Hälsingland in northern Sweden. It is an area of particular interest in this context, since it featured a multitude of religious conflicts during early modern times. For the area and period of time under consideration here, the study of religious conflicts entails a study of three phenomena: major community conflicts in connection with outbreaks of witchcraze; major community conflicts during religious revivals; and minor conflicts, such as individual court cases involving witchcraft or blasphemy. The purpose of the dissertation is understand the pattern of such religious conflicts in northern Hälsingland in its local context. The local perspective is central and has also made me direct my interests towards the prelude to and aftermath of the conflicts in question. Particularly the latter has, to a large part, been neglected in earlier research. Theoretically the dissertation is inspired by the theoretical discussions of social scientist Walter Korpi. He maintains that identifying the distribution of power resources in society is essential to understanding conflict. This has proved to be a fruitful approach to the understanding of local, religious conflict in northern Hälsingland and I have been able interpret the witchcraze of the 1670s and the religious revivals in the latter part of the 18th century as the results of changes in power relations in the local community. The major community religious conflicts of northern Hälsingland – i.e. the conflicts during the witchcraze and the religious revivals -- were serious local traumas. The dissertation has also dealt with the aftermath of these conflicts, and the result does, among other things, emphasize the importance of honour in early modern society. Those accused during the witch trials of the 1670´s fought extensively for their right to attend communion together with the other members of their congregation -- a struggle to a large part due to the fact that taking part of the communion together with other honourable people could serve to restore their honour and reintegrate them in society. / <p>Sammanfattning på engelska med titeln: Religious conflicts in northern Hälsingland from 1630 to 1800</p>