Paul Stoller is een antropoloog en romanschrijver wiens werken ernaar streven de wijsheid van Afrikaanse denksystemen over te brengen. Zijn etnografisch onderzoek in Niger en onder West-Afrikaanse immigranten in New York informeert zijn schrijven, waarin hij complexe familieleven en mondiale veerkracht onderzoekt. Stoller's proza fungeert als een brug tussen culturele werelden en biedt lezers diepgaande inzichten in verschillende filosofieën en levenswijzen. Zijn geschriften nodigen uit tot begrip van de complexiteit van de menselijke ervaring door een antropologische lens.
Focusing on the intersection of anthropology and contemporary social issues, this book offers a framework for effectively communicating indigenous wisdom to a broader audience. It guides readers on how to apply anthropological insights to address and find solutions for pressing societal challenges, making it a vital resource for those interested in the relevance of anthropology in today's troubled times.
Embodying Colonial Memories is the first in-depth study of the West African Hauka, spirits in the body of (human) mediums which mimic and mock Europeans of the colonial epoch. Paul Stoller, who was initiated into a spirit possession troupe, recounts an insider's tale of the Hauka with respect and "brotherly" deference. He combines narrative description, historical analysis, and reflections on the importance of embodiment and mimesis to social theory, with particular reference to the Songhay peoples of the Republic of Niger. Why have the Hauka mimicked white men and their colonial behaviors? In this innovative book, Stoller argues that mimicry is about power. To copy something is to master it. Through the Hauka, the Songhay try to divert the power of the Europeans. Embodying Colonial Memories not only desribes a spirit possession cult; it considers such significant subjects as the cultural sentience of the body, the dynamics of colonial movements of resistance, and the particularly poignant political discourses of West African postcolonies. -- Back cover.