In Africa as well as in Europe many spirits and their mediums are part oflocal as well as global cultures. Christian spirits named Hitler Mussolini orKing Bruce... » 

In Africa as well as in Europe many spirits and their mediums are part oflocal as well as global cultures. Christian spirits named Hitler Mussolini orKing Bruce Bruce Lee flourish in a pantheon of new holy spirits in Ugandawaging war against the government. Spirits of airplanes engines guitars andangels are found in Central Africa and thunder snakes and rain as well asplayboys and prostitutes inhabit the spirit world in West Africa.Spirit possession cults have continued to proliferate even in the secularWest and continue to be a subject of intense interest. Despite the continuousexpansion of the field some problems are only now beginning to be explored.The experts in this volume focus on questions of power the history and innerdynamics of cults the role of gender and images of the other based onresearch conducted during the last fifteen years in Africa. The contributorsdocument changes taking place across the continent as possession beliefs andpractices respond to new circumstances and address the shifting localimplications of an increasingly global socioeconomy. Gender ethnicity andclass are examined as intersecting forces and features of spirit phenomena. Thecase studies presented are richly contextualized history social organizationand upheaval alternative religious optionsall are considered relevant to anunderstanding of possession forms.Contributors Leslie Sharp Heike Behrend Adeline Masquelier Mathias KringsJeanPaul Colleyn Alexandra O. de Sousa Susan Kenyon Tobias Wendl Ute Luigand Linda GilesCopublished with James Currey Publishers U.K.The Wisconsin edition is not for sale in the United Kingdon thetraditionalBritish Commonwealth excepting Canada nor in Europe. «