From Gregarious Syncretism to Reflexive Individualism: a Critical Review of New Age Studies in Latin America

Abstract

This article reviews the recent scholarship on the New Age in Latin America, and contributes with a theoretical framework predicated on the rise of reflexive individualism. It questions claims that gregariousness and radical autonomy are distinctive traits of a “Latin American New Age,” and also points out a misguided trend to misclassify unqualified syncretic groups as “New Age.” These scholarly effects stem from methodological, conceptual, and disciplinary biases. Rather than being specifically Latin American features, gregariousness, syncretism, and autonomy are also abundantly found across North America and Western Europe. What is particularly distinctive about the New Age (globally and in Latin America) is how religious, scientific, and therapeutic traditions are retooled for the reflexive cultivation of the self.