Social Anthropology Seminar - Dr Victor Cova (University of St Andrews)
| Dates: | 29 February 2016 |
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| Times: | 16:00 - 18:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | School of Social Sciences |
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| Speaker: | Dr Victor Cova |
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Title: Back from the Future.
In this paper I ask how it is that humans can experience the future in the present, even though the future, by definition, can never be made present. I focus on the technologies used by people in the Ecuadorian Amazon to provoke encounters with futures under the guise of persons. I describe three such technologies: hallucinogenic plants, the Proclaimer (a loudspeaker that can only play readings from the New Testament), and a personal diary. In all three cases I focus on the experiences of women, some indigenous Shuar, others North American, some Christian, others not. I show that these various experiences of the future-as-person follow a similar structure, even as the nature of the futures in question changes. I also show that these encounters provide these women with “power” (kakaram, existential intensification) both personal and political.
2.016/2.017, Second Floor Boardroom, Arthur Lewis Building
(Tea and Coffee will be available outside the boardroom at 4pm)
All welcome.
Speaker
Dr Victor Cova
Organisation: University of St Andrews
Travel and Contact Information
Find event
2nd floor Boardroom 2.06 / 017
Arthur Lewis Building
Manchester
