Nordic Neoshamanisms

Nordic Neoshamanisms proposes that the drive for religiosity and experiences of the sacred are far from lost in contemporary western societies. However, the spiritual quest in Nordic countries comes in some very surprising and innovative forms which make it necessary to rethink the relationship between the religious and the secular world. The contributors do just this by focusing on the mechanisms of contemporary shamanism in these contexts. The contributors' objective is to explore the myriad of ways late modern shamanism is becoming more vital and personally significant to people, communities, and economies in Nordic countries. This book intends to survey how the field of modern shamanism is entwined with the political, the social and the popular in this area of the world. Drawing on case studies of particular persons, groups and institutions, well-known historians of religion and folklorists discuss how modern shamanism can be said to contribute to self-knowledge, identity, and community life in Northern European countries.