Thinking with Ngangas: What Afro-Cuban Ritual Can Tell Us about Scientific Practice and Vice Versa
$30.00
Description
Book Synopsis: A comparative investigation of Afro-Cuban ritual and Western science that aims to challenge the rationality of Western expert practices. Inspired by the exercises of Father Lafitau, an eighteenth-century Jesuit priest and protoethnographer who compared the lives of the Iroquois to those of the ancient Greeks, Stephan Palmié embarks on a series of unusual comparative investigations of Afro-Cuban ritual and Western science.
What do organ transplants have to do with ngangas, a complex assemblage of mineral, animal, and vegetal materials, including human remains, that serve as the embodiment of the spirits of the dead? How do genomics and “ancestry projects” converge with divination and oracular systems? What does it mean that Black Cubans in the United States took advantage of Edisonian technology to project the disembodied voice of a mystical entity named ecué onto the streets of Philadelphia? Can we consider Afro-Cuban spirit possession as a form of historical knowledge production?
By writing about Afro-Cuban ritual in relation to Western scientific practice, and vice versa, Palmié hopes to challenge the rationality of Western expert practices, revealing the logic that brings together enchantment and experiment.
Details
Unlock the mysterious connection between Afro-Cuban ritual and Western science with "Thinking with Ngangas: What Afro-Cuban Ritual Can Tell Us about Scientific Practice and Vice Versa". This groundbreaking book by Stephan Palmié takes you on a captivating journey through the intriguing world of Afro-Cuban rituals and their surprising parallels to Western scientific methods.
Discover the fascinating parallels between organ transplants and ngangas, complex assemblages of minerals, animals, and plants that embody the spirits of the dead. Explore the convergence of genomics and divination, as well as the astonishing use of Edisonian technology by Black Cubans to project the voices of mystical entities. Palmié poses thought-provoking questions that challenge the boundaries of traditional knowledge: Can Afro-Cuban spirit possession be considered a form of historical knowledge production?
With "Thinking with Ngangas", Palmié pushes the limits of Western expert practices, unveiling the hidden logic that combines enchantment and experiment. This comparative investigation invites you to critically rethink established scientific practices and delve into the rationality of Afro-Cuban rituals. Prepare to be amazed as you discover unexpected connections and gain a fresh perspective on the world.
Don't miss out on this captivating exploration of Afro-Cuban ritual and Western science. Expand your horizons and challenge your understanding of the world. Get your copy of "Thinking with Ngangas" and embark on a transformative intellectual journey today!
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