Sangam: A Confluence of Knowledge Streams

The Ravenous Spirit (phii pob) Belief Tradition in Contemporary Thailand: Pluralistic Practices versus Monolithic Representation

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dc.contributor Foster, Michael Dylan
dc.creator Wattanagun, Kanya
dc.date 2016-03-31T01:54:22Z
dc.date 2016-03-31T01:54:22Z
dc.date 2016-03
dc.date.accessioned 2023-02-21T11:20:29Z
dc.date.available 2023-02-21T11:20:29Z
dc.identifier http://hdl.handle.net/2022/20764
dc.identifier.uri http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/CUHPOERS/253072
dc.description Thesis (Ph.D.) - Indiana University, Folklore and Ethnomusicology, 2016
dc.description The ravenous spirit belief tradition in northeast Thailand is practiced variably in different belief communities. However, Thai academia and mass media exclusively draw on the abusive aspects of this belief tradition. The negative and monolithic representation reinforces the preconceived idea of the "superstitious" folk whose false logic generate barbaric social practices that need to be eliminated. Also, it reinforces a simplistic but dominant understanding among non-believers that ravenous spirit beliefs are practiced in the same way everywhere and generate abusive social practices in all contexts. In response to this problem, this dissertation illustrates three main points: (1) The ravenous spirit belief tradition is practiced variably in different social contexts. (2) The dominant discourses about the ravenous spirit belief tradition produced by Thai academia and mass media are problematic because they neglect the benign variants of the tradition. (3) Ravenous spirit beliefs, rather than reflecting a false logic, are believers' logical attempts to make sense of, and devise sensible reactions to, baffling and troublesome experiences.
dc.language en_US
dc.publisher [Bloomington, Ind.] : Indiana University
dc.subject folk belief
dc.subject northeast Thailand
dc.subject phi pob
dc.subject spirit
dc.title The Ravenous Spirit (phii pob) Belief Tradition in Contemporary Thailand: Pluralistic Practices versus Monolithic Representation
dc.type Doctoral Dissertation


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