Spirit Possession in Buddhist Southeast Asia: Worlds Ever More Enchanted Performing Arts Before the late nineteenth century

Before the late nineteenth century the Siamese understanding of the territory of a state precluded the delineation of boundaries in the modern sense

” —Charles Keyes

"Pragmatics" comprises the management of the ambitions and needs of key supporters in tightly knit informal political groups

Its resilience is often explained in human rights terms or by reference to close military engagement with drug-dealing warlords

Burma (and possibly the rest of Southeast Asia) … It is a tour de force

Spirit Possession in Buddhist Southeast Asia: Worlds Ever More Enchanted Performing Arts Before the late nineteenth centuryEdited by Bndicte Brac de la Perrire & Peter A. Jackson In dramatic contrast to the reported growing influence of doctrinal and fundamentalist forms of religion in some parts of Southeast Asia, the predominantly Buddhist societies of the region are witnessing an upsurge of spirit possession cults and diverse forms of magical ritual. This is found in many social strata, including the urban poor, rising middle classes and elite groups, and across the