Anthropology Book Review

Anthropology Book Review


Mind Over Mind: The Anthropology and Psychology of Spirit Possession. Morton Klass. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2003. 138 pp.

Morton Klass was a noted Anthropologist who focused primarily on religion, race relations, and social structures. He taught at Barnard College and Columbia University and was very driven by various cultures throughout the world. He also received his master’s degree and Ph.D. from Columbia University as well.

This book was published after the author’s death in 2001. His wife, Sheila Soloman Klass, put his manuscripts together while preserving as much of his own words as possible. She noted that his book’s intentions were to reach readers beyond anthropology, including psychology, as well. Dr. Klass seemed unsettled from anthropologists who seemed quick to dismiss spirit possession as fraudulent and deceptive with, perhaps, a hint of psychosis. But not true “spirit” or “demon” possession.

I selected this book because it dealt with many subjects that I’m passionate about. Cultural anthropology being one. The topic of other cultures, religions, and ways of life experienced by people different from myself is like a surprise on Christmas day. There is always something new to learn and some things are quite surprising! I also have a personal interest in the paranormal and how different groups view it. I felt that this book would put everything together perfectly. I did not have a definitive personal opinion regarding spirit possession, and since I was practically unbiased, I felt it would be a great topic to read about.

I respect Klass and his work, however this particular book was rather hard to read at times. I’m not an expert on anthropology by no means, but I felt the information he provided in the first few chapters to “introduce” the reader to anthropology was rather grueling. Sometimes it’s hard to find who his target audience is intended to be. At one point it seems somewhat elementary, and other times more of an experienced audience. He seems to go piece by piece introducing anthropology, but at the same time speaks to a more advanced audience. At the end of chapter two, however, Klass does point out the following:
“I am aware that in this chapter I have dragged the reader down an intricate and possibly even wearying road. My defense, simply, is that it was absolutely necessary if the nonanthropologist reading this book is to understand the suggestions I propose to offer about the nature of spirit possession. I think that this chapter is even necessary for my anthropological readers.” (35)

He moves on in chapter three by introducing James G. Frazer and his research of the spirit possession phenomenon. According to Klass, Frazer’s work on spirit possessions observed in countries around the world were questionable considering his observations were never made in the field. Klass moved on to compare Frazer with other anthropologists whose work did include first-hand observations. These include Alfred Metraux and his observations from Haiti, and Melville J. Herskovits and his work in Africa, Haiti, and the Caribbean.

Klass compared the work of Metraux and Herskovits and the similarities between the two regarding the onset of possession. However, he noted that others, such as Lesley Sharp, noted a far different onset. One that was more calm than the epileptic sort that they described. But Klass did a fantastic job giving detailed descriptions of the possessions that he experienced. He turns his attention later in the chapter to what is going on during the spirit possessions and finds that it is a topic often ignored in anthropology. Frazer’s proposal was that it was not as genuine as people are made to believe and that anthropologists even play in to the deception. Klass concedes that it is possible that at some point in history even an educated anthropologist can be fooled into believing, but does not agree this is always the case.

Klass later introduces anthropologist Paul Rabin as having his own explanation of what is going on in spirit possession. He describes it more of a “mental abnormality” affecting the shamans and medicine men of magic-centered cultures. But brings up the interesting question of “What is considered abnormal?” What is normal to one culture may be extremely abnormal to another. He even went on to describe his interactions with a “healer” (olja) in India in the 1960’s. The olja explains that the illnesses are caused by “tejos” and affect some people but not others to varying degrees.

Klass offers in the end of the chapter that we often try to offer simple explanations for something that is anything but simple. We are often biased and try to find a simpler explanation that soothes our own minds and doesn’t leave us thinking twice. I have to agree with how he thinks on the topic overall.

That leads in to the matter at hand in the next few chapters, which is the anthropologists place in “deciding” what really takes place in something such as spirit possession. In other cultural observations the anthropologist is keen to stay unbiased in their observations and conclusions, looking at “just the facts”. He also touches upon the need to understand fields, such as psychology, so that they can be contributing factors to the anthropologist. Klass focuses more on the psychopathological aspect of people being studied. Most notably dissociation and things such as Multiple Personality Disorder (Dissociative Identity Disorder).

Klass ends the book with combining everything into one. The hopes of getting a more thorough explanation as to what is going on with regards to spirit possession. From an anthropologists point of view, he leans away from using “mental disorder” as the explanation for what goes on with alleged spirit possession. Instead he offers up new categories that are not indicative of any sort of mental illness. He even wanders into the question of the uniqueness of this by humans only. If animals have any hint of personality, could they too be affected by the same things we find in humans with regards to dissociative disorders? Klass also goes further by identifying it as a phenomena rather than a disorder. Personally, I tend to agree with this approach.

Klass did a fantastic job of breaking down his ideas into various phenomena. The ones mentioned are Dissociative Consciousness Phenomena, Dissociative Identity Phenomena, and Imposed Dissociative Phenomena. His intention of identifying the various phenomena is to make a contribution to other sciences and specialties to reach more of an understanding. He makes a point to explain that there are still a lot of unanswered questions that still need to be resolved, but hopes that this is a big stepping stone.

Like most of Klass’ work, there is a lot of genius (for lack of a better word) in his approach and research into this topic. He is able to separate myth and preconceived ideas from what he was truly able to observe. He took subject matter that has no clear cut answer and attempts to make a modest explanation “achievable”. Overall the book is interesting, though difficult to read at times. But once you are able to get on a roll and understand his goals you see the real genius in his thought processes.

School Vouchers should be used in Georgia’s Schools - Writing Essay

School Vouchers should be used in Georgia’s Schools

As the parent of an elementary school age child, I find myself with a wealth of concerns regarding my child’s education. Will he receive an education competitive with other schools in the area? Is his school safe? The deplorable spread of drug-use, crime, and promiscuity in public schools means that my child is exposed to an environment that is anything but conductive to his education. Does the school share the same concerns that I do, as a parent? If the answer is no, then my only other options are sending him to a private school, which I cannot afford; or to have him home schooled, which isn’t feasible given the fact that my husband and I both work full-time and I also attend college. So what am I left with? Nothing. But if school vouchers were used in the State of Georgia, there would be one more option available to me that could more realistically be utilized that would benefit our whole family, and many other Georgians.

There is a large degree of controversy surrounding school vouchers. Much of the controversy arises from individuals worried that it will force atheist children, for example, to be exposed to a religious education. Or that it would put more favoritism on religious private schools. This is not the case however. Although, attending a religious school would still be an option, it is not the only one. Traditional schools still exist. School vouchers would create a competitive environment, much like the retail market in the United States.

Take for example Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble, and a Christian bookstore. You can find a book at all three of these stores. You have the right to choose where you want to purchase your book. You can purchase a book from a limited, but lower priced selection at Wal-Mart. But you might not get exactly what you are looking for, therefore the money you spent on a lower priced novel was a waste. The Christian bookstore is still an option, but for the sake of argument let’s say that what you are looking for isn’t a book with a religious theme. Because you are free to choose you do not have to purchase your book there. Based on what you know about Barnes & Noble you decide to purchase a book there. It offers the wide selection that you are looking for, and doesn’t subject you to anything you do not believe in. This is similar to how the educational system would work under the school voucher system. You can take your money and apply it to the school that is most fit for your child’s education.

Competition is another parallel between the school voucher system and the retail market. Great customer service and products that are safe and reliable tend to be successful in the United States. Why should a child’s education be any different? If schools had to compete with every other school in any given area for higher enrollment, and subsequently higher revenue, the result would be a better education available to all children. Not just minorities, not just Christians, not just the upper class. All children. I don’t see the prejudice in that. What I see is a more successful educational system across Georgia, and the United States, producing higher-achieving, more intelligent individuals entering adulthood.

With the freedom to choose which school your child attends, also comes the freedom to live where you see fit. How many times, during a new home search, do people inquire about the school system? What if the perfect home in a perfect neighborhood comes along with the perfect price? Do you turn away from this dream because the school system is substandard? With school voucher system, you are free to live wherever you want, without the concerns of whether or not the closest school is right for your child. From my own personal experience, this makes purchasing a new home much easier. During my own new home search, I was appalled at the limited area I had to work with to keep my child in a particular school district. But just a mile away was the “perfect house” in a worse school district.

Vouchers are not about handouts for the poor, or even for the rich. It is about opening the doors to more educational opportunities. Some private schools may find that they have to raise tuition costs to offset any possible spike in enrollment, but they have that right. With the increase in competition with private schools, public schools will need to increase the quality of the education being given to children. For families on the lower end of the income spectrum it means a decent education, once only offered from private schools. Under the current system, public schools do not have much incentive to raise test scores or to provide a better learning environment. They only do enough to pass, as an entire school, the minimum guidelines set forth by the state. But given competition and an incentive to higher enrollment, higher revenue, and possibly even higher pay, you will find a surge in their efforts. Very similar to the way that states across the United States work to move to the top of the list when it comes to standardized test scores. Private schools will not be the only option parents have for their children’s higher education. It can be provided by public schools whom step up their efforts. As opposed to the system today, where your child often receives a substandard education and there isn’t much say you have in the matter.

They say that children are our future. If we, as a country, expect to move to the front of the line in a world full of ever increasingly more intelligent individuals, we need to make a change with our own educational system. Funneling more and more dollars to failing schools is not the answer for all American children. I believe that a more competitive educational environment is the first, and most productive step, in the right direction. All families should have the right to select which school their child attends, based on their own educational goals, personal values, and beliefs. School vouchers provide just that. A step in the right direction.