Shamanism: Soviet Studies of Traditional Religion in Siberia and Central Asia
Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 1993 DOI: 10.1525/ac.1993.4.1.15
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThis edited volume collects Soviet scholarship on shamanism in Siberia and Central Asia, examining traditional religious practices through the lens of Marxist and ethnographic analysis. The essays explore shamanic rituals, cosmology, and social roles, reflecting both the descriptive richness of Soviet fieldwork and the ideological frameworks that shaped it. The collection provides a window into how state-sponsored researchers documented and interpreted indigenous belief systems, often emphasizing their historical evolution and materialist underpinnings. The book serves as a resource for understanding the intersection of Soviet academic traditions and the study of shamanic traditions in these regions.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Edited volume Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Soviet scholarship on shamanism in Siberia and Central Asia combined ethnographic detail with Marxist interpretations, revealing both the richness of indigenous traditions and the ideological constraints of state-sponsored research. |
Abstract
Shamanism: Soviet Studies of Traditional Religion in Siberia and Central Asia. Marjorie M. Balzer. ed. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, 1990. 195 p. $39.95 (cloth)