The conquest of magic over public space: Discovering the face of popular magic in contemporary society
Although magic is today visible in many new forms and is expressed differently in different social groups, it is not, however, a novel element in contemporary Western society. Magic as a form of knowledge-control of reality has never completely disappeared, and maintains today, at a symbolic level,...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
[1997]
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| In: |
Journal of contemporary religion
Year: 1997, Volume: 12, Issue: 1, Pages: 51-67 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) |
| Summary: | Although magic is today visible in many new forms and is expressed differently in different social groups, it is not, however, a novel element in contemporary Western society. Magic as a form of knowledge-control of reality has never completely disappeared, and maintains today, at a symbolic level, a close link between past and present in local cultures. Although magic refers to meaning and beliefs that are restricted to the select few, some mysteries are revealed to a large number of people, a process through which its clandestine nature is profoundly altered and its character sui generis is strengthened, especially in times of rapid social change. Where magic assumes a less fragmentary and more visible character, stepping out of the private sphere to occupy public space, its social presence is extended not only to the in-between spaces', but also to more institutionalised environments. Magic is as present in the daily interaction between individuals as it is in wider contexts, such as the fashion-industry and product-consumption, where it assumes forms that are at times more visible, at other times more covert'. The present diffusion of magic beliefs is not, however, an indication of a return to primitivism', but a revival of a form of knowledge-control of reality. Rather than offering a means of escape from reality, magic provides a reassuring mechanism through which to confront both concrete as well as spiritual problems to which the more traditional institutions often cannot provide satisfactory solutions. |
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| ISSN: | 1469-9419 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of contemporary religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/13537909708580789 |