Abstract

This research examines the role of mediumship in contemporary United States society through the lens of Victor Turner’s theories of liminality and rites of passage. It aims to highlight the experiences of mediums throughout the ritual of spirit communication, their occupation, and how they obtained their abilities, underscoring how mediums are always liminal. I use Turner’s theories to argue that mediums transcend the conditions of liminality and can remain liminal after a reading ritual is complete. I pull out themes of gender, religion, and spirituality that arise from the three formal interviews I conducted with mediums as well as from previous scholarship on mediumship. These themes highlight a relationship between perceptions of gender, religion, and spirituality within the U.S. and their significance in mediumship. Previous scholarship illuminated that the discipline of anthropology has just started to scratch the surface of mediumship practices in the U.S. as there is a shift away from emphasizing exoticism in research. The goal of this research is to emphasize the experiences and significance of mediums within the U.S.

Advisor

Frese, Pamela

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

Disciplines

New Religious Movements | Social and Cultural Anthropology

Keywords

mediumship, mediums, psychic, death, religion, spirituality, spirits, gender

Publication Date

2024

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2024 Madeline Lawrence