The Possessed and the Dispossessed

Download or read book The Possessed and the Dispossessed written by Lesley A. Sharp and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1993 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Sharp concludes this study with an analysis of how indigenous spirit mediums and Protestant exorcists treat extreme cases of possession and madness, revealing contradictions inherent in cross-cultural psychiatric praxis. More generally, the book challenges current views about possession and marginal status, particularly in reference to gender and age, insightful discussions of the lives of migrant adults and children as they seek relief. Some personal and social ills make Sharp's investigation relevant to gender studies, medical anthropology religion and ritual, and the politics of culture as well as African and Madagascar studies."--Jacket