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 Hoover, Blacks, and Lily-Whites by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book American Sugar Kingdom by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book The Age of Youth in Argentina by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Race and the Shaping of Twentieth-Century Atlanta by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Colors of Confinement by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book The Won Cause by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book I Am a Man! by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book The Land Question in Palestine, 1917-1939 by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Civilizing Argentina by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book When the Fences Come Down by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Modernization as Ideology by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Many Excellent People by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Mount Mitchell and the Black Mountains by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Cabins in the Laurel by Reinaldo L. Román
Cover of the book Religious Intolerance in America 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