Governing Spirits

Religion, Miracles, and Spectacles in Cuba and Puerto Rico, 1898-1956

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism, Caribbean & West Indian, Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Reference, History, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Anthropology
Cover of the book Governing Spirits by Reinaldo L. Román, The University of North Carolina Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Reinaldo L. Román ISBN: 9780807888940
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press Publication: November 30, 2009
Imprint: The University of North Carolina Press Language: English
Author: Reinaldo L. Román
ISBN: 9780807888940
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
Publication: November 30, 2009
Imprint: The University of North Carolina Press
Language: English

Freedom of religion did not come easily to Cuba or Puerto Rico. Only after the arrival of American troops during the Spanish-American War were non-Catholics permitted to practice their religions openly and to proselytize. When government efforts to ensure freedom of worship began, reformers on both islands rejoiced, believing that an era of regeneration and modernization was upon them. But as new laws went into effect, critics voiced their dismay at the rise of popular religions. Reinaldo L. Roman explores the changing relationship between regulators and practitioners in neocolonial Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Spiritism, Santeria, and other African-derived traditions were typically characterized in sensational fashion by the popular press as "a plague of superstition." Examining seven episodes between 1898 and the Cuban Revolution when the public demanded official actions against "misbelief," Roman finds that when outbreaks of superstition were debated, matters of citizenship were usually at stake. He links the circulation of spectacular charges of witchcraft and miracle-making to anxieties surrounding newly expanded citizenries that included people of color. Governing Spirits also contributes to the understanding of vernacular religions by moving beyond questions of national or traditional origins to illuminate how boundaries among hybrid practices evolved in a process of historical contingencies.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Freedom of religion did not come easily to Cuba or Puerto Rico. Only after the arrival of American troops during the Spanish-American War were non-Catholics permitted to practice their religions openly and to proselytize. When government efforts to ensure freedom of worship began, reformers on both islands rejoiced, believing that an era of regeneration and modernization was upon them. But as new laws went into effect, critics voiced their dismay at the rise of popular religions. Reinaldo L. Roman explores the changing relationship between regulators and practitioners in neocolonial Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Spiritism, Santeria, and other African-derived traditions were typically characterized in sensational fashion by the popular press as "a plague of superstition." Examining seven episodes between 1898 and the Cuban Revolution when the public demanded official actions against "misbelief," Roman finds that when outbreaks of superstition were debated, matters of citizenship were usually at stake. He links the circulation of spectacular charges of witchcraft and miracle-making to anxieties surrounding newly expanded citizenries that included people of color. Governing Spirits also contributes to the understanding of vernacular religions by moving beyond questions of national or traditional origins to illuminate how boundaries among hybrid practices evolved in a process of historical contingencies.

More books from The University of North Carolina Press

Cover of the book Forging Diaspora by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Cold Harbor to the Crater by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Country People in the New South by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book How the Arabian Nights Inspired the American Dream, 1790-1935 by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book The Jeanes Teacher in the United States, 1908-1933 by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Holding Fast the Inner Lines by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book A Luminous Brotherhood by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book The Politics of Fashion in Eighteenth-Century America by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Synthetic Socialism by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Hot Springs, Arkansas by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Promoting Worker Health by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Country Soul by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Cuba and the Tempest by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book The German Colonial Empire by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Stonewall's Prussian Mapmaker by Reinaldo L. Román
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy