Espiritualismo at the U.S.-Mexican Border Region A Case Study of Possession, Globalization, and the Maintenance of Tradition

"Espiritualismo at the U.S.-Mexican border region : a case study of possession, globalization, and the maintenance of tradition is a sensitive, empathetic, and beautifully detailed account of the Mexican religious movement Espiritualismo Trinitario Mariano as practiced in the U.S.-Mexican Border Region. It is exceptionally important for providing insights in changing religion and society in Mexico and it is critically relevant towards the understanding of religious change in the developing world in general. Espiritualista symbolism at the U.S.-Mexican border, mainly manifested through spirit possession performances, is an effective system of knowledge and empowerment accessible to individuals from all levels in society. This symbolism reflects an awareness of attempts at discrediting tradition through the imposition of a "rational," modernist hegemonic perspective. The efficacy of the symbolic content within espiritualismo resides in its eclecticism and flexibility: it includes aspects of the pre-Hispanic past, of Catholicism, popular local accounts of Mexican history and border folklore, and elements of foreign ideologies such as Eastern mysticism and a popular version of the Quantum Theory. According to espiritualistas at the border, the social arrangements engendered by capitalism and the strong presence of Protestantism in the area are the forces that present a direct attack on Mexican tradition. In an uneasy alliance with Catholicism, espiritualismo stands as a bastion of tradition and, at the same time, it establishes a path to modernity. This book provides a major contribution to the anthropology of religion, Latin American anthropology, gender studies, medical anthropology, and studies of migration. It constitutes an excellent additional reading for undergraduate and graduate courses on the anthropology of religion."--Back cover.