Gender and Power in Contemporary Spirituality: Ethnographic Approaches.Edited by Anna Fedele and Kim Knibbe.

Abstract

This book is a collection of papers from the panel ‘Spirituality against Religion: Gender and Power’ presented at a conference of the European Association of Social Anthropologists. Chapters consider Goddess groups in the United Kingdom, Greek New Age spirituality, Soka Gakkai Buddhists in Spain, Umbanda practioners in Paris, pilgrimages to black and white Madonnas in Europe, mediums and healers in Germany and the Netherlands, a Jewish group in Israel, neo-Pagan witchcraft in Germany, two Hindu groups in Portugal, and a 12-step programme in Mexico. Panel conveners and editors Anna Fedele and Kim E. Knibbe each contribute a chapter. The central question posed for the panel was whether or not groups that defined themselves as ‘spiritual not religious’ were non-authoritarian, gender inclusive, and non-hierarchical. I had a hard time getting my head around this question as I know of any number of New Age spiritual groups led by male gurus who expect members of their groups to accept male authority (their own) without question. Feminist spiritual groups I am familiar with question male authority and hierarchy in general, but struggle with issues regarding female empowerment, female leadership, ritual conventions, and ‘traditional’ teachings. Thus for me the question posed was a non-question and the types of groups surveyed were too broad to form interesting comparisons.