Paul Stoller Knihy

Challenges social theorists and cultural critics who, using the notion of embodiment to critique Eurocentric and phallocentric predispositions in scholarly thought, consider the body primarily as a text that can be read and analyzed. This book argues that this attitude is in itself Eurocentric.

An ingeniously constructed springboard for a criticism of anthropology.--

Combining memoir, ethnography, and philosophy through a series of interconnected narratives, this book tells a story of remarkable friendship and the quest for well-being. It's a story of difference and unity, of illness and health, a lyrical reflection on human resiliency and the shoulders we lean on.

This book emerges from the author's 35 years of research and thought about the Songhay people of Niger. This ethnographic novel follows the life of Omar Dia, the oldest son of a West African sorcerer. When his father falls ill and dies, the great sorcerer vomits a small metal chain onto his chest. Following the path of his ancestors, Omar swallows the chain, becoming his father's successor, which means that he takes on the sorcerer's burden. The book also describes how custodians of traditional knowledge are creatively adapting to the forces of globalization—all in a highly accessible narrative text.

After more than fifty years of good health, anthropologist Paul Stoller suddenly found himself diagnosed with lymphoma. The only thing more transformative than his fear and dread of cancer was the place it ultimately took twenty-five years back in time to his days as an apprentice to a West African sorcerer, Adamu Jenitongo.Stranger in the Village of the Sick follows Stoller down this unexpected path toward personal discovery, growth, and healing. The stories here are about life in the village of the healthy and the village of the sick, and they highlight differences in how illness is culturally perceived. In America and the West, illness is war; we strive to eradicate it from our bodies and lives. In West Africa, however, illness is an ever-present companion, and sorcerers learn to master illnesses like cancer through a combination of acceptance, pragmatism, and patience.Stoller provides a view into the ancient practices of sorcery, revealing that as an apprentice he learned to read divining shells, mix potions, and recite incantations. But it wasn't until he got cancer that he realized that sorcery embodied a more profound meaning, one that every person could "Sorcery is a body of knowledge and practice that enables one to see things clearly and to walk with confidence on the path of fear."

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.

“You have cancer.” Three words that will change your life forever. The diagnosis is often followed by surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and many other stress-inducing treatments. Your future will seem like an insurmountable mountain. John, a 50-year-old corporate lawyer, found himself facing this exact situation when he was diagnosed with a low grade follicular lymphoma. But John was determined to win his fight. Doing research on how to cope with cancer, he found a way to cope with it and is now in long-term remission. Using his story, the authors provide a guide to climbing that mountain. They show how using preparation (research), practice (exercise and activity), and a variety of social supports to live well within the parameters that cancer imposes can help you deal with the disease. They consider how to cope with the stresses and strains of diagnosis, first treatment, short-term remission, second treatment, long-term remission and palliative care. In particular, the authors stress the important relationship between exercise, activity, and well-being.

In this collection of selected blog posts, Stoller models good writing while sharing his insights on politics (including the emergence of Trumpism and the impact of ignorance on US political practices), higher education, social science, media, and well-being.

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.

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