Jody Renee Hance | University of Oklahoma (original) (raw)
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"Presenter: Jody Hance Title of Presentation: Curanderismo: The Preservation of ... more "Presenter: Jody Hance
Title of Presentation: Curanderismo: The Preservation of
Mexican- American Folk Healing in
South Texas
Department: Anthropology
Mentor: Jamon Halvaksz II, Ph.D.
Institution: University of Texas at San Antonio
This ethnographic research examines curanderismo, an age-old Mexican-American traditional healing practice, and its wavering sustainability in the South Texas region. Senior and emerging folk healers educate the audience on the world of South Texas curanderismo by illuminating their individual perceptions on the current state of traditional healing through intimately filmed observation and in-depth ethnographic interviews. Moreover, this study and subsequent ethnographic documentary explores the worldviews of healers from contrasting generations to obtain a well-defined understanding of the varying attitudes towards today’s folk healing practices. Despite the age gap amongst healers, this study ultimately aims to also highlight the shared enduring hope amongst all healers that curanderismo can withstand a perpetually transforming culture that questions whether the traditional can survive in a modern world. The necessity of this ethnographic investigation is pertinent to the survival of Mexican-American cultural practices in general. By bringing awareness to the public of the struggle to keep curanderismo alive in South Texas, this research intends to preserve such an integral part of South Texas Mexican-American culture which will give a better understanding of social, educational, political, and cultural values to yet unborn generations.
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This study explores the categorization of magical thinking within cultural anthropology from a hi... more This study explores the categorization of magical thinking within cultural anthropology from a historical context. Across all cultures and throughout history, man has carried the inherent ability for magical cognizance. Magical thinking appears to be clearly universal. The concept persists despite instances when it is not consciously recognized or acknowledged. The argument then, for the intent of this study, is not as to whether magical thinking exists universally, or as to the effectiveness of magic; the argument is about how to define and categorize the very concept of magical thinking. Magic has been a key component in defining religion since the latter half of the nineteenth century when the social sciences and religious studies were developing as academic disciplines. It has also been investigated as to what role magic plays in relation to science, and furthermore as a possible catalyst in mediating the bridge between religion and science. There has been much debate since the nineteenth century as to how to distinctly define magical thinking and as to what category the amorphous concept belongs. Where then does magic ultimately belong, into which category does it fall, or is magic completely something unto itself? In order to answer these questions, ‘magical thinking’ needs to be explored in terms of the relationship the concept has with science and with religion. Throughout the history of anthropology, many theorists in the discipline have explored magical thinking, and just as with the many other facets of cultural concepts, the elusive concept of magical thinking has been diversely defined and categorized. In examination from a historical context, an evolution of theories regarding the concept of magic will be critically analyzed in the attempt to decode the categorization of magical thinking.
The Journal of Student Writing, 2012
"Presenter: Jody Hance Title of Presentation: Curanderismo: The Preservation of ... more "Presenter: Jody Hance
Title of Presentation: Curanderismo: The Preservation of
Mexican- American Folk Healing in
South Texas
Department: Anthropology
Mentor: Jamon Halvaksz II, Ph.D.
Institution: University of Texas at San Antonio
This ethnographic research examines curanderismo, an age-old Mexican-American traditional healing practice, and its wavering sustainability in the South Texas region. Senior and emerging folk healers educate the audience on the world of South Texas curanderismo by illuminating their individual perceptions on the current state of traditional healing through intimately filmed observation and in-depth ethnographic interviews. Moreover, this study and subsequent ethnographic documentary explores the worldviews of healers from contrasting generations to obtain a well-defined understanding of the varying attitudes towards today’s folk healing practices. Despite the age gap amongst healers, this study ultimately aims to also highlight the shared enduring hope amongst all healers that curanderismo can withstand a perpetually transforming culture that questions whether the traditional can survive in a modern world. The necessity of this ethnographic investigation is pertinent to the survival of Mexican-American cultural practices in general. By bringing awareness to the public of the struggle to keep curanderismo alive in South Texas, this research intends to preserve such an integral part of South Texas Mexican-American culture which will give a better understanding of social, educational, political, and cultural values to yet unborn generations.
"
This study explores the categorization of magical thinking within cultural anthropology from a hi... more This study explores the categorization of magical thinking within cultural anthropology from a historical context. Across all cultures and throughout history, man has carried the inherent ability for magical cognizance. Magical thinking appears to be clearly universal. The concept persists despite instances when it is not consciously recognized or acknowledged. The argument then, for the intent of this study, is not as to whether magical thinking exists universally, or as to the effectiveness of magic; the argument is about how to define and categorize the very concept of magical thinking. Magic has been a key component in defining religion since the latter half of the nineteenth century when the social sciences and religious studies were developing as academic disciplines. It has also been investigated as to what role magic plays in relation to science, and furthermore as a possible catalyst in mediating the bridge between religion and science. There has been much debate since the nineteenth century as to how to distinctly define magical thinking and as to what category the amorphous concept belongs. Where then does magic ultimately belong, into which category does it fall, or is magic completely something unto itself? In order to answer these questions, ‘magical thinking’ needs to be explored in terms of the relationship the concept has with science and with religion. Throughout the history of anthropology, many theorists in the discipline have explored magical thinking, and just as with the many other facets of cultural concepts, the elusive concept of magical thinking has been diversely defined and categorized. In examination from a historical context, an evolution of theories regarding the concept of magic will be critically analyzed in the attempt to decode the categorization of magical thinking.
The Journal of Student Writing, 2012