Exploring the Occult and Paranormal in West Africa

Download or read book Exploring the Occult and Paranormal in West Africa written by Josephat Obi Oguejiofor and published by LIT Verlag Münster. This book was released on 2012 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The point of departure for this book is a phenomenon which is often referred to as the "return of the religious," a recent but apparently ubiquitous phenomenon which does not fit the modernist axiom of secularization, neither in the "developed" nor the "developing" worlds. In Africa, the last two decades have witnessed a remarkable and steady increase in the spread and reinforcement of occult and paranormal phenomena. The reports on these developments are not restricted to specific countries or areas; they cover the whole continent and surface in the most diverse images, media, stories, and rumors. The credence accorded to them has become an important factor that shapes social relationships in everyday life, economic and political actions, medical decisions, and religious adherence. (Series: African Studies / Afrikanische Studien - Vol. 47)