This course examines spirit “possession” as a form of religious experience and ritual practice in India and beyond. Through case studies, theoretical texts, and cross-cultural comparison—particularly with European traditions—students explore how possession is embodied, interpreted, and contested. Emphasis is placed on emotion, myth, ritual specialists, and critical reflection on the term “possession” itself. No prior knowledge of Indian languages is required; all readings are in English.
This course offers an in-depth exploration of spirit, deity, and ancestor “possession”—a phenomenon in which a human body is believed to be temporarily inhabited or controlled by a supernatural being. While such experiences are particularly prominent in South Asia, they are also found in European and other global contexts. The course invites students to reflect on how “possession” is framed across cultures, including in European religious and medical traditions, where it has often been associated with madness, demonic influence, and otherness.
Focusing primarily on Indian religious traditions, the course examines “possession” as both a personal religious experience and a collective emotional and ritual expression. Students will analyze how “possession” is enacted, interpreted, and theorized through embodied practices, mythological narratives, and the roles of ritual specialists such as mediums, and priests. Case studies from across India—with special emphasis on the bhuta and Siri cults of Tulunadu (Karnataka, South India)—serve as focal points for discussing broader themes of gender, healing, social authority, and communication with the sacred.
Students will engage with both scholarly and indigenous perspectives and develop interdisciplinary tools from anthropology, religious studies, and cultural theory to understand human–supernatural interaction across contexts.
All readings are provided in English (including translations), and no prior knowledge of Indian languages is required.
At the end of the course, the learner will be able to
– critically evaluate the concept of “spirit” possession across cultural contexts
– interpret ritual performances and embodied religious experiences in relation to myth, gender, power, and community dynamics
– compare and contrast interpretations of “possession” in South Asian and European contexts, highlighting differing cultural assumptions and implications
– reflect on and articulate the methodological challenges involved in studying “possession”, including issues of translation, representation, and academic bias
Brückner, Heidrun. 2009. “Bhuta-Worship in Coastal Karnataka: An oral Tulu myth and festival ritual of Jumadi.” In: Heidrun Brückner, On an auspicious day, at dawn: Studies in Tulu culture and oral literature. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, S. 13-28.
Claus, Peter J. 1979. “Spirit Possession and Spirit Mediumship from the Perspective of Tulu Oral Traditions.” Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 3 (1), 29-52.
Schömbucher-Kusterer, Elisabeth. 1993. “Gods, Ghosts and Demons: Possession in South Asia.” In: H. Brückner, L. Lutze and A. Malik (eds.), Flags of Fame. Studies in South Asian Culture. Delhi: Manohar, S. 239-267.
lectures and multi-media presentations, discussions, group work, film, student-led presentations and reflections
Transcript of records
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
