2015 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Experiences at the Edge of Science and Religion: a Comparative Research on Exorcism in Contemporary Japan, Italy and Austria
| Project/Area Number |
15K16905
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| Research Institution | Ritsumeikan University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
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| Keywords | Exorcism / Spirit Possession / Religious Healing / Psychiatry |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
During the AY 2015, the research focused mainly on fieldwork in Italy (August- September and February) and Austria (August-September and March). I could meet a total of 7 Catholic exorcists (1 in Vienna, 5 in Northern Italy, 2 in Central Italy) and 3 psychiatrists who collaborate with them (1 in Northern Italy and 2 in Central Italy). Moreover, since I took part in the Course on Exorcism and Deliverance Prayers at the Vatican University Regina Apostolorum (May 2015), where I also gave a lecture, I could listen to lectures by exorcists and collaborators, as well as interview several exorcists from all over the world.
Moreover, in August, I took part in an exorcism in Central Italy as a helper. This gave me the possibility to experience the ritual and to get in touch with the possessed woman. She has become a valuable source of information and let me take part in her exorcism again in February. This is a unique experience in the history of anthropology.
As for Japan, I carried out fieldwork at Kenmi Jinja (Tokushima Prefecture), famous for exorcisms, during February 2016, with very positive results.
I also carried out bibliographic and archival research about the history and discourse formation of exorcism and spirit possession in the three contexts.
I published the research results through a number of presentations and invited lectures both nationally and internationally. I co-organized an international workshop at Ritsumeikan University (January 2016), where I presented part of the research results. I published a scientific article and I am currently working on a second.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.
Reason
Although I obtained very encouraging and positive results, the research has been slightly delayed because of working commitments (teaching and administration), that make going to the field difficult. Moreover, since I could go to Italy for an extended period basically only in August, when in Italy all Universities are closed and exorcists go for group trips with the members of their parishes, I experienced several difficulties.
Furthermore, there have been misunderstandings with the President of the International Association of Exorcists, who seems to be very suspicious of anthropologists in general and of me in particular, as a consequence of rumors about my alleged relationships with reiki and reiki practitioners. Although I tried to make clear that I have nothing to do with such practices, the Association does not seem available to collaborate. Moreover, I am not receiving any replies from my research collaborators, which makes me presume that the Association has imposed the closure of any relationship with me. This is only a supposition, though, and I will try to clarify the situation in the next months.
In spite of the above-mentioned difficulties, the relationship with the possessed woman, her partner and other helpers have become strong. Therefore I am positive that I can obtain good results even in case of lack of collaboration from the Association side.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Further fieldwork will be carried out in August, early September, February and March.
I will carry out further fieldwork in Italy and Austria in late August, September and late February. Moreover, since next year I will not teach in Vienna in March, I will be able to focus on fieldwork and on publishing also during this month. I will go on contacting exorcists and psychiatrists who collaborate with them.
As for Japan (Kenmi Jinja) I will carry out fieldwork in August, as well as during weekends when possible. I will also start contacting psychiatrists and medical doctors, in order to understand how spirit possession is dealt with through medical practice in Japan.
Bibliographic research will be carried out during teaching periods. It will be focused in particular on the anthropology of the senses and affect, that has become the main theoretical framework of this research, as well as on the history of medical science and religious healing in Europe and Japan. I will also start a more in-depth investigation of physiotherapy, neuroscience and psychology, with a particular focus on bodily, haptic and (motor-)sensory perceptions, as well as their relationships with mental images, in order to provide a better understanding of religious practices from a phenomenological perspective.
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