Developing the Dead: Mediumship and Selfhood in Cuban Espiritismo

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(as of Jul 15, 2025 23:16:28 UTC – Details)

Studying the relationships cultivated by mediums between the living and the dead
   Based on extensive fieldwork among espiritistas and their patrons in Havana, this book makes the surprising claim that Spiritist practices are fundamentally a project of developing the self.
           
When mediums cultivate relationships between the living and the dead, argues Diana Espírito Santo, they develop, learn, sense, dream, and connect to multiple spirits (muertos), expanding the borders of the self. This understanding of selfhood is radically different from Enlightenment ideas of an autonomous, bounded self and holds fascinating implications for prophecy, healing, and self-consciousness. Developing the Dead shows how Espiritismo’s self-making process permeates all aspects of life, not only for its own practitioners but also for those of other Afro-Cuban religions.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University Press of Florida
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 10, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 338 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 081308038X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0813080383
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.76 x 9 inches