The Conundrum of the Fluidity and Continuity of Judaism
A colossal question that has begun to emerge throughout our first four classes has been “Why is Judaism able to be so fluid while retaining continuity.” Judaism, over the course of ~3,000 years has...
View ArticleThe Power of Popular Practice
In his conclusion, Josef Meri presents the issue that emerges when comparing ziyāra culture between ancient and modern times. He states at “a hierarchical model emerges which recognizes the existence...
View ArticleThe use of fear as a social constraint
In class today (Friday, the 27th) we discussed excerpts from Westermarck’s chapters on the jnun and the role these spirits play in the daily life of religious individuals. He goes more in depth about...
View ArticleWhat does it mean to become sick?
Throughout the works that we have read so far, the way that the various communities interpret disease has been what i find to be both the most interesting and the most different from modern Western...
View ArticleUsing religion to remove the stigmatization of mental illness
When you grow up highly accustomed to modern practices of Western medicine, having the ability and perspective to appreciate a culture that views medicine in a completely alternative perspective can be...
View ArticleTreatment
This post is somewhat of a continuation of my post last week about mental illness in Moroccan culture and how it has an external locus of responsibility which removes a lot of the stigma. Another...
View ArticleZaar, Nushu, and mental health
The idea of zaar possession, especially of women, has many parallels with the mental health culture of the modern western world. The very basis of comparison is that “The symptoms that nubians...
View ArticleShuwwafa(t)
The women described by Raush in “Bodies, Boundaries, and Spirit Possession” have a remarkable amount of power in a highly repressive society. The women who often endure possession themselves and...
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