Lecture 5_Ghosts and Hauntings

Page 1: Introduction to Anthropology of the Supernatural

• Course Code: Anth 206

• Course Title: Anthropology of the Supernatural: Witches, Zombies, and Vampires

• Focus of Lecture 5: Ghosts and Hauntings

Page 2: Manifest Destiny and Its Implications

• Quote from Donald Trump's inauguration speech:

  • "The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation... and we will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars."

• Historical meaning of "manifest destiny":

  • belief that American expansion was both justified and inevitable.

• Links to Imperialism and concepts of "disenchantment"; implications for cultural understandings of progress and destiny.

Page 3: Assessment 1 – Close Reading on African Witchcraft

• Due Date: Thursday 6 February

• Reading: Chapter 1 by Henrietta Moore and Todd Saunders:

  • Focus on the relationship between colonial influences and practices of witchcraft, including sorcery and the occult.

• Analyze claims with reference to the Bakweri people, using Edwin Ardener's research.

• Essay Length: 800 - 1,000 words; focus on key details and understanding the Bakweri experiences.

Page 4: Guidelines for Close Reading Assignment

• Definition: Close Reading means detailed analysis of a specific text.

• Emphasis on analyzing Ardener’s work with the Bakweri and limited additional research.

• Encouragement to attend the lecture on "Witchcraft in Anthropology" on Tuesday 28 January for further context.

Page 5: Assessment 2 – Mid-Term Examination

• Scheduled for Thursday 6 March

• Coverage: All material from Weeks 1 to 8.

• Format: Two essay questions, select one from each pair (A or B; C or D).

• Expectation: Approximately one handwritten page per question.

Page 6: Assessment 3 – Final Essay Options

Option 1: Research Project on Supernatural Practices

• Compare a cultural belief related to the supernatural with folk tradition and analyze using anthropological theories.

• Sources: Auto-ethnography or digital ethnography (online folklore archives, social media, etc.).

Option 2: Analysis of Literary Work

• Choose a literary or popular fiction source depicting the supernatural.

• Compare its representation with the cultural and folkloric context, examining changes through popular culture.

Option 3: Museum Object Study

• Visit UBC’s Museum of Anthropology to find an object linked to supernatural beliefs.

• Analyze its cultural context, production, and implications of its display in a museum.

Option 4: System of Magic Study

• Focus on one system of magic studied in the course.

• Contextualize its historical roots and role in the Western Magical Revival.

• Analyze how it operationalizes principles of magic discussed in Lecture 12.

Page 10: Preparing for the Final Essay

• Discussion on expectations and research approaches in Week 9, Lecture 15.

• Requirements: At least 3-4 peer-reviewed sources outside of assigned readings.

• Essay Proposal Due: Thursday 20 March; format and content guidelines provided.

• Final Essay Due: Tuesday 8 April.

Page 11: Ghosts and Hauntings

• Ghosts as common supernatural narratives occurring cross-culturally.

• Statistics: 45% of Americans believe in ghosts; 28% report personal ghostly encounters.

Page 12: Ambivalent Attitudes Towards Ghosts

• Ghosts seen as possible proof of life after death.

• However, they can also be perceived as frightening entities.

Page 13: The Memorate or Personal Narrative

• Told from a first-person perspective often involving encounters with deceased individuals or experiences with apparitions.

Page 14: The Death Omen or Wraith

• Experiences occurring at the moment of a loved one’s death, including apparitions or sensory hallucinations.

• Typically unaware of the death until later, providing context for the experience.

Page 15: The Return of the Dead

• Post-death experiences where the dead return to offer advice, predictions, or comfort.

• Usually involves a relative or significant person to the narrator.

Page 16: Stories about Hauntings

• Hauntings characterized by long-lasting, usually nocturnal phenomena; concentrated in specific locations.

• May include noises, lights, and interactions with humans, but generally no physical contact.

Page 17: Stories about Poltergeists

• Short-lived phenomena associated with individuals or families.

• Include both characteristics of hauntings plus physical manifestations such as moving objects.

Page 18: Influence of Narrative Sharing on Belief

• Sharing ghost narratives shapes and contributes to folk beliefs.

• Media accounts also play a role in shaping beliefs and ideologies.

Page 19: Experiences and Cultural Framing

• Individuals seek explanations for anomalous experiences framed within cultural beliefs about the spirit world.

• Sharing narratives helps negotiate the nature of reality.

Page 20: Classic Ghost Legends

• Differ from personal stories; often involve unfamiliar ghosts associated with violent deaths or unfinished business.

• Commonly linked to specific locations like houses or graveyards.

Page 21: Purpose of Ghosts

• Ghosts typically reveal circumstances of death, finish unfinished business, or issue warnings about danger.

Page 22: Ghostly Legends in Communities

• Local legends often involve specific rites for summoning or regular appearances, leading to 'legend trips'.

Page 23: The Legend Trip

• A trip to the site of a local legend usually involving shared storytelling, sometimes enhanced by mind-altering substances and rituals.

Page 24: Interaction of Legend Trips and Memorates

• Legend trips may feature in memorates; however, these ghosts seldom become focal points of personal narratives.

Page 25: Causes of Ghost Experiences: Psychological Factors

• Research by Claire White indicates psychological responses to loss and mourning can manifest as ghost experiences, especially during early grief stages.

Page 26: Electromagnetic Hypothesis

• Suggests ghostly appearances result from electromagnetic energy recorded in materials; lacks conclusive evidence linking this to personal experiences.

Page 27: Frank Podmore's Poltergeist Hypothesis

• Suggests poltergeist phenomena arise from psychokinesis, often associated with 'poltergeist agents' (usually teenagers) dealing with repressed emotions.

Page 28: Materialist Theories

• Propose that what are perceived as ghostly phenomena can often be misinterpretations of natural events or sounds, deliberate hoaxes, or animal activity.

Page 29: Traditional Responses to Ghost Phenomena

• Commonly suggested techniques include exorcisms, proper funerary actions, and psychic communication to resolve the haunting.

Page 30: Case Analysis of Ghost Phenomena

• Research by William G. Roll shows inconsistent outcomes for ghost phenomena interventions; cases include total cessation, temporary halting, or no impact at all.

Page 31: Impact of Ghost Experiences on Individuals

• James McClenon’s study found those who report ghost sightings often have additional anomalous experiences, with skeptics reporting few encounters.

Page 32: Coping with Ghostly Experiences

• Recommendations: Remain calm, look for logical explanations, focus thoughts positively, and act assertively towards the experience as one would with an unwanted guest.

Page 33: Understanding Séance Practices

• Explores responses to skepticism in séance practices among the Hakka people, highlighting the dichotomy between belief and doubt among participants.