عنوان

Pentecostalism, Witchdemonic Accusations, and Symbolic Violence in Ghana

Number

LA124457

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

Pentecostalism, Witchdemonic Accusations, and Symbolic Violence in Ghana

General Material Designation

[Article]

First Statement of Responsibility

Seth Tweneboah

Place of Publication, Distribution, etc.

Leiden

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

Brill

Text of Note

The increasing numerical strength of Ghanaian pentecostalism and the movement's involvement in filling in the socioeconomic vacuum in society means that the position of the pastor-prophet cannot be a neglected one. Yet, the extent to which human rights violations are involved in the activities of some of these pastor-prophets has raised some concerns. This article will focus on the often violent treatment of alleged witches during exorcism and explore how these challenge human rights development and implementation in Ghana. Bourdieu's notion of habitus and symbolic violence will be applied to a discussion of human rights and Ghanaian popular deliverance-oriented pentecostal/charismatic ministries. I will argue that pentecostal/charismatic discourse on witchcraft fashions an ideological foundation for symbolic and actual violence against those accused of witchcraft. The increasing numerical strength of Ghanaian pentecostalism and the movement's involvement in filling in the socioeconomic vacuum in society means that the position of the pastor-prophet cannot be a neglected one. Yet, the extent to which human rights violations are involved in the activities of some of these pastor-prophets has raised some concerns. This article will focus on the often violent treatment of alleged witches during exorcism and explore how these challenge human rights development and implementation in Ghana. Bourdieu's notion of habitus and symbolic violence will be applied to a discussion of human rights and Ghanaian popular deliverance-oriented pentecostal/charismatic ministries. I will argue that pentecostal/charismatic discourse on witchcraft fashions an ideological foundation for symbolic and actual violence against those accused of witchcraft.

Date of Publication

2015

Physical description

375-393

Title

Pneuma

Volume Number

37/3

International Standard Serial Number

1570-0747

Subject Term

human rights

Subject Term

pastor-prophets

Subject Term

Pentecostalism

Subject Term

symbolic violence

Subject Term

witch accusations

Seth Tweneboah

Call Number

10.1163/15700747-03703003

Electronic name

p

[Article]

275578

a

Y