Trance Mediums and New Media
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Trance Mediums and New Media
Heike Behrend’s *Trance Mediums and New Media* offers a crucial perspective shift, moving the study of spirit possession from purely ethnographic observation to a rigorous analysis of media’s transformative role. By framing possession within media anthropology, Behrend challenges assumptions about its static nature, demonstrating how technological advancements actively reshape its expression and reception. A particular strength lies in her detailed exploration of how electronic media, from radio to digital platforms, become implicated in the performance and interpretation of trance states, moving beyond the simple idea of mediation to active participation in the phenomenon itself. The work’s limitation, perhaps, is its academic density, which may present a barrier to readers less familiar with theoretical frameworks in media studies. However, Behrend’s examination of how globalization accelerates the recontextualization of these practices, as seen in the global spread of specific mediumistic traditions via the internet, is exceptionally well-articulated. The book’s verdict: a vital, if demanding, contribution to understanding contemporary spirituality.
📝 Description
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Heike Behrend's 2015 book examines spirit possession through the lens of media anthropology.
Heike Behrend's "Trance Mediums and New Media" analyzes how technical media affect traditional trance mediumship. Published in 2015, the work argues that globalization and mass media are not external forces but are integral to how spirit possession practices change and are redefined. Behrend positions her study within media anthropology, a field that looks at cultural practices through the development of technology. This book builds upon earlier ethnographic studies of possession by specifically including the influence of 20th and 21st-century media technologies, moving beyond accounts that do not foreground this technological impact.
The book's central idea is that spirit possession is a phenomenon actively reshaped by media. It considers "mass mediation" not merely as a way to spread information, but as something that alters the experience itself and its social setting. Behrend investigates how communication technologies influence spiritual experiences, particularly in a globalized world. This approach is suited for academics and students in media anthropology, religious studies, and cultural history who are interested in the connection between technology, belief, and altered states of consciousness.
This work engages with spiritualism and occult traditions by examining the phenomenon of spirit possession. While not a manual for practitioners, it analyzes how contemporary media, from early 20th-century technologies to modern digital platforms, become channels or mediators for spiritualistic communication and altered states of consciousness. Behrend's study places these practices within a historical and anthropological framework, demonstrating how the very experience and expression of trance are shaped by the technological environment, a topic of interest to those studying the historical development of esoteric beliefs and practices.
💡 Why Read This Book?
• Gain a concrete understanding of how electronic media actively influence and alter the experience of spirit possession, a concept detailed in Behrend's analysis of "mass mediation." • Learn about the specific ways globalization, as discussed in the book, reconfigures traditional trance practices for a wider, technologically-connected audience. • Discover how "technical media," beyond mere communication tools, become integral to the performance and social meaning of trance in the 21st century.
⭐ Reader Reviews
Honest opinions from readers who have explored this book.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central argument of *Trance Mediums and New Media*?
The book argues that spirit possession is not a fixed phenomenon but is actively transformed by the integration of new technical media and processes of globalization, thereby reshaping religious expression in the modern era.
Which academic fields does this book engage with?
The work is situated within media anthropology and significantly engages with religious studies, cultural history, and sociology of religion, particularly concerning the impact of technology on belief systems.
When was *Trance Mediums and New Media* first published?
The book was first published in 2015, placing its analysis within the context of the early 21st-century "renaissance of the religious."
How does the book define 'mass mediation' in relation to trance?
Mass mediation is explored not just as the distribution of information but as a process that fundamentally alters how trance states are experienced, perceived, and socially integrated due to widespread technological reach.
What is the significance of 'technical media' in Behrend's analysis?
Technical media, ranging from early communication devices to digital platforms, are presented as active agents that redefine the boundaries, performance, and reception of trance phenomena, rather than passive conduits.
What does the book suggest about the future of spirit possession?
The work implies that spirit possession will continue to evolve, becoming increasingly influenced by and integrated with various forms of media and global communication networks, leading to new manifestations.
🔮 Key Themes & Symbolism
Spirit Possession and Technology
This theme investigates the dynamic interplay between traditional practices of spirit possession and the advent of modern technical media. Behrend examines how technologies, from early broadcast media to digital communication, are not merely tools for recording or disseminating trance experiences but actively shape their very manifestation and interpretation. This challenges prior understandings by positioning technology as an intrinsic element in the evolution of these spiritual phenomena, altering their performance, reception, and social embedding across different cultures.
Globalization and Religious Transformation
The work critically analyzes how globalization, propelled by mass mediation, influences the diffusion and adaptation of spirit possession practices. It moves beyond a simple model of cultural exchange to explore how globalized media networks facilitate new forms of spiritual expression and community formation. This theme highlights how local traditions are recontextualized and transformed as they encounter broader audiences and diverse technological infrastructures, leading to syncretic and evolving spiritual landscapes worldwide.
Media Anthropology of Belief
Central to the book is the application of media anthropological frameworks to understand contemporary religious phenomena. Behrend posits that media technologies are crucial for understanding the contemporary "renaissance of the religious." The focus shifts to how the mediated nature of modern life influences collective beliefs, altered states of consciousness, and ritual performances, offering a methodological approach to studying the entanglement of media, culture, and spirituality.
The Evolving Medium of the Medium
This theme explores the changing role and perception of the trance medium itself in an era of ubiquitous media. Behrend considers how the medium's presence and performance are affected by the awareness of being potentially recorded, broadcast, or shared across digital platforms. It examines how the traditional boundaries between the sacred space of ritual and the public sphere of media influence the authenticity, authority, and experience of spiritual communication.
💬 Memorable Quotes
Direct passages from the work, attributed to the author.
“spirit possession is transformed by processes of globalization and mass mediation”
— This core statement captures the book's thesis: trance and possession phenomena are not static relics but dynamic, evolving practices actively shaped by the media landscape and global connectivity.
“the renaissance of the religious”
— Behrend situates her research within a broader academic discussion acknowledging a resurgence of interest and activity in religious and spiritual practices in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
“new technical media”
— This phrase refers to the array of communication and recording technologies, from radio and television to the internet, that the book argues are integral to the modern manifestation of trance mediumship.
“media anthropology”
— The theoretical framework employed, which studies cultural phenomena through the lens of their relationship with and mediation by various communication technologies.
“interferences of trance mediums and new media”
— Suggests a complex, reciprocal relationship where trance practices and media technologies mutually influence and alter one another, creating new forms of spiritual expression and engagement.
🌙 Esoteric Significance
Tradition
While not strictly confined to a single esoteric lineage, this work speaks to traditions that explore altered states of consciousness and direct spiritual experience, such as Spiritualism and certain forms of Theosophy, which historically relied on mediums. It departs by analyzing these practices through a secular, anthropological lens, focusing on media's role rather than solely on spiritualist doctrine or occult metaphysics.
Symbolism
The book implicitly engages with symbols of communication and transmission, such as the radio wave or the digital icon, reinterpreting them as conduits for spiritual phenomena. The "medium" itself, both the person and the technology, becomes a complex symbol of connection and transformation, bridging the material and the spiritual in new, technologically mediated ways.
Modern Relevance
Contemporary thinkers in digital religion, media studies, and the anthropology of technology draw on Behrend's insights. Practices involving online spiritual communities, virtual reality rituals, and the use of social media for disseminating spiritual teachings can be better understood through her framework. Her work informs discussions on how technology continues to redefine religious experience and expression in the 21st century.
👥 Who Should Read This Book
• Scholars of media anthropology and religious studies seeking to understand the impact of technology on belief systems. • Researchers interested in the globalization of spiritual practices and their transformation in the digital age. • Students of cultural history examining how communication technologies influence social and religious phenomena.
📜 Historical Context
Heike Behrend's *Trance Mediums and New Media*, published in 2015, emerged within a vibrant academic landscape grappling with the resurgence of religious studies and the burgeoning field of media anthropology. The early 21st century witnessed a "renaissance of the religious," prompting scholars to re-examine the role of belief and spirituality in secularizing societies. Behrend's work distinguishes itself by foregrounding the impact of technology, a perspective gaining traction as scholars like Friedrich Kittler explored the "media specificity" of different technologies. Unlike purely ethnographic studies focused on ritualistic aspects of possession, Behrend’s approach integrates analyses of how electronic and digital media actively reshape these practices. Her work implicitly engages with scholars of globalization, such as Arjun Appadurai, by examining how mass mediation accelerates the transnational circulation and transformation of spiritual traditions, offering a counterpoint to earlier, more localized anthropological accounts of spirit possession.
📔 Journal Prompts
The transformation of spirit possession by "mass mediation."
The role of "technical media" in altering trance experiences.
Globalization's impact on the performance of trance mediumship.
How media anthropology explains the "renaissance of the religious."
The evolving "medium" as both person and technology.
🗂️ Glossary
Spirit Possession
A state in which an individual is believed to be controlled or influenced by a spirit or deity, often involving altered consciousness and behavioral changes.
Trance Mediumship
The practice where an individual (the medium) enters an altered state of consciousness to facilitate communication with spirits, ancestors, or other entities.
Media Anthropology
A subfield of anthropology that studies the relationship between media and culture, examining how media technologies shape human experience and social practices.
Mass Mediation
The process by which information, ideas, and cultural forms are disseminated widely through mass media technologies, influencing their perception and reception.
Technical Media
A broad term encompassing communication technologies, including electronic and digital devices, that play an active role in shaping cultural phenomena.
Globalization
The process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments worldwide, often facilitated by international trade, communication, and technology.
Renaissance of the Religious
A term describing the observable resurgence of interest, activity, and influence of religious and spiritual phenomena in various societies during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
This book appears in 1 collection
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