Rumour of angels and heavenly midwives: anthropology of transpersonal events and childbirth

Some contemporary women can experience non-ordinary states of consciousness when childbearing. The purpose of this paper is to bring a ‘transpersonal’ frame to these non-ordinary states of consciousness (hereafter: NOSC). Transpersonal psychology is an interdisciplinary movement in Western science that studies ‘religious’, ‘peak’ or ‘healing’ experiences in different cultures and social contexts. Between 2001 and 2006 in Auckland, New Zealand, while engaged in anthropological fieldwork, I collected stories from mothers, fathers, and midwives who had participated in transpersonal events during childbirth.I will compare the local women's NOSC with ethnographic accounts of spirit-possession and its relationship to indigenous midwifery then revisit and reconstruct the witch-hunts of Medieval Europe from this perspective. Midwives are encouraged to learn to identify and support women's NOSC during labour and birth as many women find strength and wisdom by passing through these states in labour. The subject is also critical to men, whether they are present with women and birth as fathers or health professionals. The hoped for result of this inquiry is to revalorise NOSC among birth-giving mothers, and to educate birth attendants in this field.     

The ‘digital glimpse’ as imagining home

This paper proposes the concept of the ‘digital glimpse’, which develops the existing framing of imaginative travel. Here it articulates the experiences of mobile workers digitally connecting into family life and everyday rituals when physically absent with work. The recent embedding of digital communication technologies into personal relationships and family life is reconfiguring how absence is experienced and practiced by workers on the move, and through this, new digital paradigms for life on-the-move are emerging. This paper explores how such social relationships are maintained at-a-distance through digital technology – using evidence from qualitative interviews with mobile workers and their families. Digital technology now enables expressive forms of ‘virtual travel’, including video calling, picture sharing, and instant messaging. This has implications for the ways in which families can manage the social and relational pressures of being apart. Experiences of imaginative travel created through novel media can enrich the experience and give a greater sense of connection for both those who are at home and those who are away. While technology is limited in its ability to replicate a sense of co-presence, ‘digital glimpses’ are an emergent set of sociotechnical practices that can reduce the negative impact of absence on family relationships.     

电视仪式:电视人类学研究发展

相较于其他艺术现象,电视及其传播、接受、反应行为具有更多的人类学涵意。对电视仪式的揭示与探索是电视人类学研究的核心。本文指出,电视节目的策划制作与收视实践,是一种仪式的现代性表征。电视仪式就是以电视为媒介中心组织起来的结构性行为。人类学仪式借助电视这一现代传媒技术已经深刻地切入到人们的日常生活之中,发挥着重要的结构性作用。对电视仪式的研究既可以展示古代仪式的现代表征,亦可以揭示当代电视人类学的深刻意义与广阔前景。     

在山沟村民与神灵共娱的艺术世界里思考(一)——甘肃环县道情皮影表演仪式及其剧目举隅

国家级扶贫的一个革命老区县,其首批国家级"非遗"代表作"道情皮影"红火不衰,足显其"文化遗产"的不菲.物质极度贫困,又何以保存、传承了传统民间文化的丰富?本文据近年数次田野工作,对所观察到的这一"事象"的生态与文化植被、生存与生活态度、神灵与人的谋略和智慧等,思考、描述,期以引发今天的我们对民俗学与人类学某些问题的联想,以挖掘一种深远意义的表述.     

论“於菟”的音乐与文化内涵——黄南州同仁县年都乎乡祭祀仪式音乐田野调查

青海是多民族聚居地区,一些地区至今仍然保存着先民的宗教仪式、仪轨,这种传承与沿袭下来的远古文化的"活化石"折射出一个民族的历史演变、文化传承、宗教信仰以及社会结构等等.从黄南藏族自治州同仁县年都乎乡年都乎村的"於菟"舞音乐中,我们可以更好地诠释原始祭祀乐舞中仪式音乐的本真和所蕴舍的文化内涵,以及阐释信仰、仪式、仪式音乐三者之间的互动关系.     

The Importance of “Empty Gestures” in Recovery: Being Human Together

What do clients/patients want or value from their encounters with healthcare providers? Based on ethnographic research conducted with individuals suffering from drug addiction and mental health issues, this article argues that clients/patients treasure “everyday” or “human” interaction with medical staff. Everydayness is accomplished through three generic social processes: **co‐silence, inclusion in back‐stage activity, and physical dramatizations of authenticity. These processes and other ordinary interactional strategies for “being human together” should be seen as vital tools for recovery.     

“德礼为政教之本,刑罚为政教之用”的历史分析

分析中国古代立法的指导思想,应置之于中国古代德主刑辅的儒家治国方略的历史维度中进行。德礼教化作为一种伦理功能,其实效性必须依赖于法律保障,否则只能是虚有其表的抽象观念。唐律以刑罚为后盾不遗余力地推行伦理教化、加强礼教的合法性与强制性,其根本目的在于实现伦理教化在现实社会中的实际效用。     

戏剧仪式的跨界想象——基于伊瑟尔的文学人类学论述

为了回应后学的“理论终结说”与“戏剧衰退论”,伊瑟尔在文学人类学视阈下,重述虚构与想象在文本游戏中的相互作用,并且绘制其历史流变的美学图谱,进而搭建主体间性交往诗学的理论框架。伊瑟尔藉由转换问题的提问方式,达到如下双重目的：一是阐释早期接受美学所遗存之“何为戏剧”与“戏剧何为”的不解之间,二是呈现公共观演空间中身心一体的戏剧交往。     

云南少数民族民居灵物的人类学研究

本文运用人类学理论方法,对在云南少数民族民居建筑中普遍存在、内容多元、形式丰富、极富功利色彩的民居灵物进行与之有结构性关联的少数民族宇宙观、宗教仪式禁忌和空间象征几个范畴的解读,以阐释民居灵物所蕴含的丰富的地方性知识和其背后的文化意义.并时与之相关的中国少数民族文化遗产保护的现状与策略提出个人观点.     

古希腊悲剧的礼法问题——索福克勒斯悲剧主题研究之三

理解古希腊悲剧的主题,就得进入剧作的线索脉络,情节线索恰是人物冲突的充分表现,而人物冲突又构成政治和礼法理解的重要线索.本文试图以索福克勒斯的经典剧作<俄狄浦斯在科罗诺斯>为例,分析其中两类王者:君王和僭主的政治和礼法理解,及两类王者的品性,其中包含俄狄浦斯之罪的问题,由此试图探察古希腊悲剧的礼法问题.