Papers by Angela Puca
Critical Dictionary of Apocalyptic and Millenarian Movements, 2024
At the onset of the twenty-first century, humanity is confronted with global challenges that have... more At the onset of the twenty-first century, humanity is confronted with global challenges that have redirected interest in apocalyptic narratives. These challenges, encompassing climate change, environmental degradation, and the ramifications of a global pandemic, have led to a resurgence in exploring eschatological themes. Historically, apocalyptic narratives in various religious traditions are often depicted as linear and catastrophic events, typically linked to divine retribution or human transgression. However, this interpretation does not fully encompass the breadth of apocalyptic thought, especially within the diverse spectrum of contemporary Paganism.
Contemporary Paganism presents a contrasting viewpoint to the traditional Jewish and Christian narrative of apocalypse. In contrast to monotheistic traditions, where the apocalypse often signifies a terminal event, Pagan perspectives are notably different. Paganism tends to conceptualise the apocalypse as a cyclical process of transformation and renewal. This perspective is deeply rooted in observing natural phenomena, emphasising the interconnectedness of all existence. Here, endings are not seen as absolute terminations but as integral phases of ongoing cycles of life, death, and rebirth (Adler 1986; Harvey 2005). In this framework, the apocalypse is not a disastrous end as seen in popular imaginations but a transformative process integral to the natural and cosmic order.
The relevance of this Pagan perspective is particularly significant in the context of contemporary environmental crises. In facing climate change and ecological challenges, Pagan interpretations of the apocalypse offer a unique lens, emphasising balance, respect for nature, and humanity’s role within a larger ecological system. This approach transcends traditional eschatological speculation, offering a framework for understanding and responding to real-world environmental issues (York 1995, 2003; Harvey 2005).
Furthermore, contemporary Paganism’s apocalyptic narratives frequently incorporate elements of prophecy, divine inspiration, and revelation. While differing significantly from their Abrahamic counterparts, these elements contribute to a rich landscape of beliefs and practices that underscore a harmonious and cyclical view of existence (Magliocco 2004; Pike 2004).
This article aims to explore these unique Pagan perspectives on the apocalypse, critically examining how they contrast with, and at times converge with more conventional views. The study seeks to illuminate how these narratives contribute to broader discourses surrounding environmental crises and the envisioning of possible futures, enriching our understanding of Pagan beliefs and offering alternative paradigms for considering the role of humanity in an ever-changing world. 430 Views
Journal of the International Society for Academic Research on Shamanism, 2022
Shamanism has been defined in different ways by scholars over the years. Among practitioners in W... more Shamanism has been defined in different ways by scholars over the years. Among practitioners in Western countries, the most common references are Mircea Eliade and his view of shamanism as a set of ecstatic techniques and Michael Harner's idea of the shaman as a person who journeys to nonordinary realities to gain power and knowledge. The label "shaman" has always worked by superimposition over local identifiers and, being a Western etic category of the nineteenth century, retains some degree of exoticism in its semantics. Yet, when the veil of exoticism is removed, it is possible to acknowledge that its core traits are found in a Western context as well. I will argue for a redefinition of shamanism that is context-sensitive and employs discourse analysis to better understand a malleable living phenomenon. As long as some form of "othering" plays a role in such definitions, an accurate understanding of shamanism will be hindered and retain cultural biases. 979 Views
La Tradizione delle Segnature. Magia popolare e guaritori (non più) di campagna, 2021
The Italian regions have a long history of local healers and folk witches, also known as Segnator... more The Italian regions have a long history of local healers and folk witches, also known as Segnatori. Shrouded in folklore and secrecy, these traditions are still alive and practised across the country, especially in the countryside. Data collected during four years of fieldwork between 2016 and 2020 suggest that folk magic has been concealed within and reshaped by the boundaries dictated by the dominant religious system and the cultural framework, I will argue 2,735 ViewsTop 4%
Contested Concepts in the Study of Religion, 2023
The scholarly concept of magic has been, from the nineteenth century onwards, defined by contrast... more The scholarly concept of magic has been, from the nineteenth century onwards, defined by contrasting it with either religion or science. Both magic and witchcraft have been used as a means of ‘othering’ religious practices that do not comply with the dominant religious system. After the Enlightenment and its rational disenchantment, magic becomes also ‘other’ from the domineering cultural construction of reality and what the field of human agency is deemed to be.
My fieldwork in Italy evidenced a discrepancy in how keen practitioners are in labelling their own practices as magic or not. While Pagans – as a minority - embrace the otherness of their religiosity as a whole and reclaim their rituals as forms of magic, Catholics – as the majority - will show an aversion towards the use of that definition for practices that do present the traits of a magic rite.
By analysing how lived religious practitioners engage with the label of magic in relation to their own practices, I will argue that the challenges offered by the employment of this term on the part of scholar will add complexity and nuance to the understanding of religious phenomena. 639 Views
Indigenous and Trans-cultural Shamanism in Italy
Shamanism is a growing religious movement in Italy and manifests itself in two main forms. The fi... more Shamanism is a growing religious movement in Italy and manifests itself in two main forms. The first is trans-cultural shamanism, a cross-cultural set of practices inspired by one or multiple indigenous traditions, which get ‘translated’ when imported into Western cultural discourse. Second, encountering on the field a web of underground yet widespread vernacular magic traditions prompted the inquiry on whether such practices might constitute an indigenous Italian shamanism, native of the land. This thesis aims to fill an ethnographical gap on trans-cultural forms of shamanism in Italy and the relation between contemporary forms of folk magic and shamanism. The selection of participants for both trans-cultural shamanism and folk magic traditions was on the basis of networking derived from fieldwork and online engagement with practitioners. The label ‘shaman’ has worked by superimposition over local identifiers and, being a Western etic category of the 19th Century, retains some degree of exoticism in its semantics. These traits are found in reference to the Italian context, too, as every region calls their vernacular healers with a term sourced from the local dialect or parlance. It is also easier for trans-cultural practitioners to identify foreign practices as shamanistic than to acknowledge that what the town healer does may fall under the same category. This, I argue, may be due to the absence of romantic exoticism embodied by the ‘next-door neighbour’. Even when the label ‘shamanism’ is employed spontaneously by Segnatori (folk magic practitioners), it is reportedly the result of the person leaving their native place (moving from regions in the South to the North of Italy), thus creating an ‘exoticising’ distance
150 Views
Journal of the British Association for the Study of Religion (JBASR), 2020
In the last decade, the use of social media has become widespread among all age groups in Italy. ... more In the last decade, the use of social media has become widespread among all age groups in Italy. Facebook, in particular, has fostered the spreading of information and aided the gathering of like-minded individuals. This process has slowly but steadily affected communities involved with indigenous and trans-cultural shamanism. From the evolution towards a more inclusive and syncretic approach within autochthonous traditions to the wider reception and reinterpretation of imported shamanism, the narratives created online have translated into a tangible change of how practitioners position themselves within the affiliated tradition. By analysing data collected on a Facebook group I created ad hoc for my doctoral research and the content posted on public profiles and groups, I will argue that the use of Social Media reshapes the way practitioners construct their traditions and practices. In the case of vernacular healers, this prompted the development of a shared terminology while foste... 186 Views
New perspectives on Brazilian shamanism: a book review of Bettina Schmidt’s Spirits and Trance in Brazil
Fieldwork in Religion, 2019
32 Views
The tradition of Segnature: underground religious practices in Italy
119 Views
Journal of the British Association for the Study of Religion (JBASR), 2018
The last decades have seen an increasing interest towards Shamanism in the Western world, both am... more The last decades have seen an increasing interest towards Shamanism in the Western world, both among scholars and those who practise shamanism. The academic interest has been mainly focussed on identifying the differences between forms of contemporary Shamanism in the West and traditional Shamanisms as experienced among indigenous peoples. A related aspect that needs further development in the field is the analysis of the philosophical underpinning that lies behind this relatively new religious tradition and its manifestations. Initial findings, derived from data collected as part of a research project on autochthonous and trans-cultural Shamanism in Italy, suggest that there are two paradigms shaping the neo-shamanic experiential approach. I will start by clarifying the notion of paradigm as the founding basis of every reasoning process, cultural production and hence religious movement. Then, I will argue that the Scientistic and Post-truth paradigms represent two founding bases of... 281 Views
Fieldwork in Religion, 2019
Schmidt, Bettina E. 2016. Spirits and Trance in Brazil. London: Bloomsbury. xi + 226 pp. ISBN: 97... more Schmidt, Bettina E. 2016. Spirits and Trance in Brazil. London: Bloomsbury. xi + 226 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4742-5567-7 £81.00 (hbk); 978-1-3500-5792-0 £26.09 (pbk); 978-1-4742-5569-1 £25.04 (e-book). 57 Views
“Witch” and “Shaman”: Discourse Analysis of the Use of Indigenizing Terms in Italy
International Journal for the Study of New Religions, 2018
From the very birth of the term, Strega (“Witch”) has been used with a negative connotation to de... more From the very birth of the term, Strega (“Witch”) has been used with a negative connotation to describe women with powers aimed at harming people. Strega has its etymological origin in the Latin Strix, the owl believed to feed on human blood. Pop culture, books and media alike, also portrayed the witch as an evil character to the point where it became common parlance to address a person deemed evil as a witch. In the last three decades, with the popularization of paganism and Wicca, the term has been reclaimed and somehow sanitized by Pagans who neutrally describe this figure as someone who has the ability to change reality in accordance with the will. In more recent years, with the spread of shamanism, more practitioners start to either renounce the term “witch” in favour of Sciamano/sciamana (“Shaman”) or use them both to define themselves. By analysing the discourses that practitioners create around the terms “witch” and “shaman”by means of Paul Johnson’s categories, I will illus...
47 Views
Journal of the Irish Society for the Academic Study of Religions, 2019
From the Janare in Campania to the Masche in Piemonte, the Italian regions have a long history of... more From the Janare in Campania to the Masche in Piemonte, the Italian regions have a long history of local healers and folk witches, also known as Segnatori. Shrouded in folklore and secrecy, these traditions are still alive and practised across the country, especially in the countryside. Data collected during two years of fieldwork between 2016 and 2018 suggest that the sole way to engage with these local healers is through either being part of the community or their family. There is also a firm reticence on the part of the witches and their community members to talk about the practice and the rituals involved. By analysing how folk magic has been concealed within and reshaped by the boundaries dictated by the dominant religious system and the cultural framework, I will argue that this practice is ingrained in the life of local Italian communities, somehow framing the way people explain their sense of religiosity or lack thereof. The matter of an evolving syncretism-from Catholicism to Paganism-will also be addressed as a key element to confirm the resilience of such traditions. Lastly, I will analyse the significance of their enduring core for the conceptualisation of magic found in the cultural fabric. 728 Views
‘Witch’ and ‘shaman’: Discourse analysis of the use of indigenizing terms in Italy, 2018
From the very birth of the term, Strega (‘Witch’) has been used with a negative connotation to de... more From the very birth of the term, Strega (‘Witch’) has been used with a negative connotation to describe women with powers aimed at harming people. Strega has its etymological origin in the Latin Strix, the owl believed to feed on human blood. Pop culture, books and media alike, also portrayed the witch as an evil character to the point where it became common parlance to address a person deemed evil as a witch.
In the last three decades, with the popularisation of paganism and Wicca, the term has been reclaimed and somehow sanitised by Pagans who neutrally describe this figure as someone who has the ability to change reality in accordance with the will. In more recent years, with the spread of shamanism, more practitioners start to either renounce the term ‘witch’ in favour of Sciamano/sciamana (‘Shaman’) or use them both to define themselves.
By analysing the discourses that practitioners create around the terms ‘witch’ and ‘shaman’ by means of Paul Johnson’s categories, I will illustrate how both terms manifest a form of indigenization and extending. In conclusion, I will argue that indigenizing and extending may be seen as two aspects of the same phenomenon entailing the opening of cultural borders to the outside, reshaping both the imported and exported cultural elements. 838 Views
Book Reviews by Angela Puca
New Perspectives on Brazilian Shamanism, a book review of Bettina Schmidt’s Spirits and Trance in Brazil, 2019
85 Views
Books by Angela Puca
Brill, 2024
Shamanism is thriving as an exotic import and a hidden native tradition in Italy today. This ethn... more Shamanism is thriving as an exotic import and a hidden native tradition in Italy today. This ethnographical work uncovers two faces of Italian shamanism. The first is trans-cultural shamans who creatively adapt rituals and beliefs from indigenous cultures worldwide. Second, extensive fieldwork shows how regional folk magic practices of segnatoriand segnatrici constitute a little-known but enduring form of native Italian shamanism. By documenting these parallel worlds, contemporary magic workers appear to be the heirs of ancient local healing traditions. Offering rare insights into vernacular religion, this book vividly portrays shamans' past and present on the Italian peninsula. 1,136 Views
Indigenous Religious Traditions in 5 minutes, 2021
This essay will explore the matter of whether a religion, to be deemed indigenous, needs to neces... more This essay will explore the matter of whether a religion, to be deemed indigenous, needs to necessarily be practised by indigenous people. I will argue that this is not necessarily the case as indigenous people is a political category while indigenous religion is a religious studies concept. By disentangling the two, we will acquire a more nuanced understanding of both. Essay In an attempt to delineate what might be the characteristics of an indigenous religion, James Cox identifies three main ones. The first being a focus on ancestors, which is found in beliefs, rituals, social practices and makes kinship relations of significant importance. The second trait is the identification with one specific geographical area. This implies that their rituals and practices are not universally applicable but rather contingent to the place within which they were developed and that have generated their own specific cosmology. Key is also the means of transmission, for knowledge and practices are passed on orally rather than via books. For Cox, indigenous religions are those practiced by indigenous people but this assimilation between the two is not as clear-cut as language may lead us to believe and has been challenged by more recent scholarship. 118 Views
Uploads
Papers by Angela Puca
Contemporary Paganism presents a contrasting viewpoint to the traditional Jewish and Christian narrative of apocalypse. In contrast to monotheistic traditions, where the apocalypse often signifies a terminal event, Pagan perspectives are notably different. Paganism tends to conceptualise the apocalypse as a cyclical process of transformation and renewal. This perspective is deeply rooted in observing natural phenomena, emphasising the interconnectedness of all existence. Here, endings are not seen as absolute terminations but as integral phases of ongoing cycles of life, death, and rebirth (Adler 1986; Harvey 2005). In this framework, the apocalypse is not a disastrous end as seen in popular imaginations but a transformative process integral to the natural and cosmic order.
The relevance of this Pagan perspective is particularly significant in the context of contemporary environmental crises. In facing climate change and ecological challenges, Pagan interpretations of the apocalypse offer a unique lens, emphasising balance, respect for nature, and humanity’s role within a larger ecological system. This approach transcends traditional eschatological speculation, offering a framework for understanding and responding to real-world environmental issues (York 1995, 2003; Harvey 2005).
Furthermore, contemporary Paganism’s apocalyptic narratives frequently incorporate elements of prophecy, divine inspiration, and revelation. While differing significantly from their Abrahamic counterparts, these elements contribute to a rich landscape of beliefs and practices that underscore a harmonious and cyclical view of existence (Magliocco 2004; Pike 2004).
This article aims to explore these unique Pagan perspectives on the apocalypse, critically examining how they contrast with, and at times converge with more conventional views. The study seeks to illuminate how these narratives contribute to broader discourses surrounding environmental crises and the envisioning of possible futures, enriching our understanding of Pagan beliefs and offering alternative paradigms for considering the role of humanity in an ever-changing world.
My fieldwork in Italy evidenced a discrepancy in how keen practitioners are in labelling their own practices as magic or not. While Pagans – as a minority - embrace the otherness of their religiosity as a whole and reclaim their rituals as forms of magic, Catholics – as the majority - will show an aversion towards the use of that definition for practices that do present the traits of a magic rite.
By analysing how lived religious practitioners engage with the label of magic in relation to their own practices, I will argue that the challenges offered by the employment of this term on the part of scholar will add complexity and nuance to the understanding of religious phenomena.
In the last three decades, with the popularisation of paganism and Wicca, the term has been reclaimed and somehow sanitised by Pagans who neutrally describe this figure as someone who has the ability to change reality in accordance with the will. In more recent years, with the spread of shamanism, more practitioners start to either renounce the term ‘witch’ in favour of Sciamano/sciamana (‘Shaman’) or use them both to define themselves.
By analysing the discourses that practitioners create around the terms ‘witch’ and ‘shaman’ by means of Paul Johnson’s categories, I will illustrate how both terms manifest a form of indigenization and extending. In conclusion, I will argue that indigenizing and extending may be seen as two aspects of the same phenomenon entailing the opening of cultural borders to the outside, reshaping both the imported and exported cultural elements.
Book Reviews by Angela Puca
Books by Angela Puca