Supernatural power, sexuality, and the paradigm of ?women's space? in religion and culture

Abstract

Many traditional social scientists still hold to the analytical view that dichotomizes magic and religion. By placing magic and religion in discrete categories we underdetermine the extent of “women's space” in religion and culture. In religion women were dipicted as subordinate ritually and spiritually. In magic, things feminine were usually identified with evil and witchcraft. The paradigm of women's space transcends the traditional dichotomy of magic and religion in a way that enhances feminine attributes in magicoreligious systems. Women are unique sources of supernatural power which emanates from their sexuality and reproductive capacities. This study examines several categories of supernatural power that are uniquely feminine and help delimit the paradigm of “espace feminine” or women's space in religion and culture. It takes the view that, as sources of supernatural power, women constitute a unique spiritual resource vital to religion and culture.