Yael Dansac
Biographic Data
| ID | 327375 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Yael Dansac |
| GIVEN NAMES | Yael |
| FAMILY NAME | Dansac |
| SIGNATURE | DANSAC Y |
| AFFILIATIONS | Université Libre de Bruxelles |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2681-2301 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 18 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 6 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 17 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2014 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
La vulnerabilidad y los sentidos en la narración etnográfica
Laura Feldt, ‘Ancient Mythologies of the Wilderness. From Babylonia to Late Antique Christianity’
Laura Feldt, Ancient Mythologies of the Wilderness. From Babylonia to Late Antique Christianity (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2025), 342 pp., £ 95.85 (cloth), ISBN: 9781009574556
Extraordinary Bodies, Invisible Worlds
Numerous scholars have signalled that neo-pagan practitioners use their body and their senses to interact with the divine and elaborate a spiritual experience. However, the learning process followed to achieve and produce a sensing body capable of communicating with summoned entities has not been properly assessed, until very recently. For over a decade, I have conducted ethnographic research on neo-pagan ritual practices held at European megalit…
Aprender a ver y sentir lo invisible
This article describes a progressive somatic learning process that aims to produce a body sensitive enough to interact with the non-human agents promoted in New Age and neopagan spiritual practices. Contemporary rituals organized at the archeological site in Carnac, France, are the empirical research subject of this ethnography. These rituals are approached as spaces for sensory learning where participants tune into their body in order to verify …
Creativity, Adaptation, and Innovation in Contemporary Paganism and New Age during the Covid-19 Pandemic
This special issue of Nova Religio aims to document and analyze how creativity, adaptation, and innovation occurred in contemporary Paganism and New Age during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on long-term fieldworks mainly focused on ritual practices, the four articles gathered here provide original ethnographic case studies on the reception of the coronavirus crisis in five European locations: Portugal, Greece, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Franc…
Quand l'expérience « spirituelle » s'éprouve par et dans le corps
Dans le Morbihan, un département français situé en Bretagne, les pratiques qui visent à la découverte de « soi » par l'intermédiaire des mégalithes locaux sont nombreuses. Les dispositifs que ces pratiques fournissent sont censés permettre au pratiquant de développer de nouvelles relations entre « soi et soi » et entre « soi et l'Autre », en utilisant son corps et ses sens comme des facteurs essentiels à une transformation identitaire. Au sein de…
Relating with More-than-Humans
This multi-author volume illustrates how continuous ritual innovation fosters human/non-human relationships in a variety of contexts
Relating to More-Than-Humans
Relating with More-than-Humans
Over the last twenty years, the rejection of singular or unique concepts of nature has given rise to a multiplicity of notions which are not limited to the “living” or “the visible”. Better than “non-humans” or “other-than-humans”, which characterize by opposition to the humans, that remain at the centre, the expression “more-than-humans” provides a framework that accommodates a broader definition of animated being by recognizing the possibility …
Anthropologie des pratiques spirituelles contemporaines
Cette thèse s’interroge sur les dimensions culturelles, organisationnelles, somatiques et émotionnelles des pratiques de réinvestissement rituel des mégalithes dans le Morbihan. L'objectif est de mettre en évidence une compréhension globale des pratiques. Dans le domaine de l’anthropologie, les pratiques analysées continuent à soulever des questionnements concernant notamment leur définition, leur esthétique particulière et leurs modes de représe…
Achieving a Sensing Body
This article explores the learning process to develop a sensing body through visualization and bodily attention in alternative spiritual practices held at Brittany's megaliths, located in northwest France. Drawing on the sensory ethnography approach, this article argues that participants achieve the experience of their sensing body following four main actions: Practicing visualization techniques to interact with summoned entities, learning anothe…
Embodied Engagements with the Megaliths of Carnac
This article explores bodily interactions, somatic experiences, and embodiment of New Age and contemporary Paganism practitioners conducting spiritual practices in the megaliths of Carnac in northwest France. Inspired from the sensory ethnography approach and applying a specific methodological framework elaborated for this study, the article argues that participants’ spiritual experiences are constructed using three main elements: somatic experie…
O encantamento de sítios arqueológicos e a busca da transformação pessoal
Os estudos etnográficos atestam cada vez mais a conversão de sítios arqueológicos em lugares utilizados para uma miríade de propósitos espirituais associados à cultura da transformação pessoal. A partir da análise de dados coletados sobre as práticas espirituais contemporâneas realizadas em Carnac, um sítio megalítico localizado no noroeste da França, este artigo argumenta que a ressignificação de lugares antigos como "sagrados" e "energéticos" é…
Efectos Culturales De La Creatividad Ritual Del Neopaganismo
En los últimos cincuenta años han surgido diferentes movimientos espirituales que no corresponden al modelo de iglesia y que debido a su carácter fluido y dinámico han propiciado un avance de redes globales y han contribuido a hacer de las fronteras especializadas campos cada vez más porosos y permeables. Ha surgido así un abanico de prácticas y creencias relacionadas con el neopaganismo, el New Age, los neoindianismos y las neoetnicidades. Estas…
The cultural effects of neo-paganism's ritual creativity
In the last fifty years, different spiritual movements-that do not correspond to the church model and that-have emerged, due to their fluid and dynamic character, have propitiated an advance of global networks and have contributed to making specialized frontiers increasingly porous and permeable fields. A range of practices and beliefs related to Neo-paganism, New Age, and neo-Indianisms/neo-ethnicities have thus emerged. These three spiritual mo…
Son más que piedras
En las biografías culturales sobre elementos materiales se exploran los roles de los objetos en las dinámicas sociales, teniendo en cuenta que el ciclo de vida de la cultura material está anclado al universo social y simbólico de las personas. Usando testimonios orales recolectados en la población rural de Teuchitlán, el presente artículo expone la biografía cultural del sitio arqueológico Los Guachimontones, que es un conjunto de estructuras arq…
Un patrimoine polysémique
Le patrimoine archéologique est un réservoir de significations en constante reformulation, d’où son caractère polysémique. Dans cet esprit, j’expose les résultats d’une enquête ethnographique consacrée à l’exploration des connaissances locales portant sur le site précolombien du Guachimontones, à l’Ouest du Mexique. L’analyse de l’information recueillie parmi la population de Teuchitlán, le village le plus proche, a permis d’identifier trois modè…
Voices about the impact of tourism on the Agave Landscape
Tourism development can be a desirable or undesirable phenomenon for the host communities. This document presents and compares the positive and negative social perceptions about tourism development in Tequila and Teuchitlan, two Mexican settlements on the Agave Landscape World Heritage Site . Both are respectively associated with the two most visited tourist attractions in the area, the Magic Town of Tequila and Los Guachimontones Archaeological …
Achieving a Sensing Body
This article explores the learning process to develop a sensing body through visualization and bodily attention in alternative spiritual practices held at Brittany's megaliths, located in northwest France. Drawing on the sensory ethnography approach, this article argues that participants achieve the experience of their sensing body following four main actions: Practicing visualization techniques to interact with summoned entities, learning anothe…
O encantamento de sítios arqueológicos e a busca da transformação pessoal
Os estudos etnográficos atestam cada vez mais a conversão de sítios arqueológicos em lugares utilizados para uma miríade de propósitos espirituais associados à cultura da transformação pessoal. A partir da análise de dados coletados sobre as práticas espirituais contemporâneas realizadas em Carnac, um sítio megalítico localizado no noroeste da França, este artigo argumenta que a ressignificação de lugares antigos como "sagrados" e "energéticos" é…
Efectos Culturales De La Creatividad Ritual Del Neopaganismo
En los últimos cincuenta años han surgido diferentes movimientos espirituales que no corresponden al modelo de iglesia y que debido a su carácter fluido y dinámico han propiciado un avance de redes globales y han contribuido a hacer de las fronteras especializadas campos cada vez más porosos y permeables. Ha surgido así un abanico de prácticas y creencias relacionadas con el neopaganismo, el New Age, los neoindianismos y las neoetnicidades. Estas…
The cultural effects of neo-paganism's ritual creativity
In the last fifty years, different spiritual movements-that do not correspond to the church model and that-have emerged, due to their fluid and dynamic character, have propitiated an advance of global networks and have contributed to making specialized frontiers increasingly porous and permeable fields. A range of practices and beliefs related to Neo-paganism, New Age, and neo-Indianisms/neo-ethnicities have thus emerged. These three spiritual mo…
Son más que piedras
En las biografías culturales sobre elementos materiales se exploran los roles de los objetos en las dinámicas sociales, teniendo en cuenta que el ciclo de vida de la cultura material está anclado al universo social y simbólico de las personas. Usando testimonios orales recolectados en la población rural de Teuchitlán, el presente artículo expone la biografía cultural del sitio arqueológico Los Guachimontones, que es un conjunto de estructuras arq…
Voices about the impact of tourism on the Agave Landscape
Tourism development can be a desirable or undesirable phenomenon for the host communities. This document presents and compares the positive and negative social perceptions about tourism development in Tequila and Teuchitlan, two Mexican settlements on the Agave Landscape World Heritage Site . Both are respectively associated with the two most visited tourist attractions in the area, the Magic Town of Tequila and Los Guachimontones Archaeological …
Voices about the impact of tourism on the Agave Landscape
Tourism development can be a desirable or undesirable phenomenon for the host communities. This document presents and compares the positive and negative social perceptions about tourism development in Tequila and Teuchitlan, two Mexican settlements on the Agave Landscape World Heritage Site . Both are respectively associated with the two most visited tourist attractions in the area, the Magic Town of Tequila and Los Guachimontones Archaeological …
Un patrimoine polysémique
Le patrimoine archéologique est un réservoir de significations en constante reformulation, d’où son caractère polysémique. Dans cet esprit, j’expose les résultats d’une enquête ethnographique consacrée à l’exploration des connaissances locales portant sur le site précolombien du Guachimontones, à l’Ouest du Mexique. L’analyse de l’information recueillie parmi la population de Teuchitlán, le village le plus proche, a permis d’identifier trois modè…
Son más que piedras
En las biografías culturales sobre elementos materiales se exploran los roles de los objetos en las dinámicas sociales, teniendo en cuenta que el ciclo de vida de la cultura material está anclado al universo social y simbólico de las personas. Usando testimonios orales recolectados en la población rural de Teuchitlán, el presente artículo expone la biografía cultural del sitio arqueológico Los Guachimontones, que es un conjunto de estructuras arq…
Embodied Engagements with the Megaliths of Carnac
This article explores bodily interactions, somatic experiences, and embodiment of New Age and contemporary Paganism practitioners conducting spiritual practices in the megaliths of Carnac in northwest France. Inspired from the sensory ethnography approach and applying a specific methodological framework elaborated for this study, the article argues that participants’ spiritual experiences are constructed using three main elements: somatic experie…
O encantamento de sítios arqueológicos e a busca da transformação pessoal
Os estudos etnográficos atestam cada vez mais a conversão de sítios arqueológicos em lugares utilizados para uma miríade de propósitos espirituais associados à cultura da transformação pessoal. A partir da análise de dados coletados sobre as práticas espirituais contemporâneas realizadas em Carnac, um sítio megalítico localizado no noroeste da França, este artigo argumenta que a ressignificação de lugares antigos como "sagrados" e "energéticos" é…
Efectos Culturales De La Creatividad Ritual Del Neopaganismo
En los últimos cincuenta años han surgido diferentes movimientos espirituales que no corresponden al modelo de iglesia y que debido a su carácter fluido y dinámico han propiciado un avance de redes globales y han contribuido a hacer de las fronteras especializadas campos cada vez más porosos y permeables. Ha surgido así un abanico de prácticas y creencias relacionadas con el neopaganismo, el New Age, los neoindianismos y las neoetnicidades. Estas…
The cultural effects of neo-paganism's ritual creativity
In the last fifty years, different spiritual movements-that do not correspond to the church model and that-have emerged, due to their fluid and dynamic character, have propitiated an advance of global networks and have contributed to making specialized frontiers increasingly porous and permeable fields. A range of practices and beliefs related to Neo-paganism, New Age, and neo-Indianisms/neo-ethnicities have thus emerged. These three spiritual mo…
Relating with More-than-Humans
This multi-author volume illustrates how continuous ritual innovation fosters human/non-human relationships in a variety of contexts
Relating to More-Than-Humans
Relating with More-than-Humans
Over the last twenty years, the rejection of singular or unique concepts of nature has given rise to a multiplicity of notions which are not limited to the “living” or “the visible”. Better than “non-humans” or “other-than-humans”, which characterize by opposition to the humans, that remain at the centre, the expression “more-than-humans” provides a framework that accommodates a broader definition of animated being by recognizing the possibility …
Anthropologie des pratiques spirituelles contemporaines
Cette thèse s’interroge sur les dimensions culturelles, organisationnelles, somatiques et émotionnelles des pratiques de réinvestissement rituel des mégalithes dans le Morbihan. L'objectif est de mettre en évidence une compréhension globale des pratiques. Dans le domaine de l’anthropologie, les pratiques analysées continuent à soulever des questionnements concernant notamment leur définition, leur esthétique particulière et leurs modes de représe…
Achieving a Sensing Body
This article explores the learning process to develop a sensing body through visualization and bodily attention in alternative spiritual practices held at Brittany's megaliths, located in northwest France. Drawing on the sensory ethnography approach, this article argues that participants achieve the experience of their sensing body following four main actions: Practicing visualization techniques to interact with summoned entities, learning anothe…
Creativity, Adaptation, and Innovation in Contemporary Paganism and New Age during the Covid-19 Pandemic
This special issue of Nova Religio aims to document and analyze how creativity, adaptation, and innovation occurred in contemporary Paganism and New Age during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on long-term fieldworks mainly focused on ritual practices, the four articles gathered here provide original ethnographic case studies on the reception of the coronavirus crisis in five European locations: Portugal, Greece, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Franc…
Quand l'expérience « spirituelle » s'éprouve par et dans le corps
Dans le Morbihan, un département français situé en Bretagne, les pratiques qui visent à la découverte de « soi » par l'intermédiaire des mégalithes locaux sont nombreuses. Les dispositifs que ces pratiques fournissent sont censés permettre au pratiquant de développer de nouvelles relations entre « soi et soi » et entre « soi et l'Autre », en utilisant son corps et ses sens comme des facteurs essentiels à une transformation identitaire. Au sein de…
Extraordinary Bodies, Invisible Worlds
Numerous scholars have signalled that neo-pagan practitioners use their body and their senses to interact with the divine and elaborate a spiritual experience. However, the learning process followed to achieve and produce a sensing body capable of communicating with summoned entities has not been properly assessed, until very recently. For over a decade, I have conducted ethnographic research on neo-pagan ritual practices held at European megalit…
Aprender a ver y sentir lo invisible
This article describes a progressive somatic learning process that aims to produce a body sensitive enough to interact with the non-human agents promoted in New Age and neopagan spiritual practices. Contemporary rituals organized at the archeological site in Carnac, France, are the empirical research subject of this ethnography. These rituals are approached as spaces for sensory learning where participants tune into their body in order to verify …
La vulnerabilidad y los sentidos en la narración etnográfica
Laura Feldt, ‘Ancient Mythologies of the Wilderness. From Babylonia to Late Antique Christianity’
Laura Feldt, Ancient Mythologies of the Wilderness. From Babylonia to Late Antique Christianity (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2025), 342 pp., £ 95.85 (cloth), ISBN: 9781009574556
Art (9 works) · Philosophy (6 works) · Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices (6 works) · Sociology (6 works) · Aesthetics (5 works) · Humanities (5 works) · Psychology (5 works) · Christianity (4 works) · Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies (4 works) · Anthropology (3 works)