Sorcery, Theft and Affinity

The Estrangement of Intimacy in Eastern Java

Bibliographic Data

ID2174675
AuthorsN Herriman (0000-0001-6702-7070, La Trobe University, corresponding author)
Year2012
Volume13
Issue5
Pages454-468
Publication date2012-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueCanberra Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0314-9099 • E-ISSN: 1740-9314
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14442213.2012.725256
OpenAlexW2055175206
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited17

Research has called attention to the importance placed on incorporating the ‘Other’— turning outsiders into insiders—particularly in local and rural contexts of Southeast Asia. This can be seen in a variety of cultural phenomena such as origin myths, marriage patterns and even home design. Rather than focusing on the way strangers are included, in this article I analyse the converse phenomenon: estrangement among family, neighbours and friends. In Tegalgaring in far east Java, house design and a relaxed trespass etiquette welcome passers-by; nevertheless, while front doors are left open, bedrooms and cupboards remain locked. When something is presumed stolen, it is either said to be ‘missing’ or attributed to ‘outsiders’. Suspicion, however, falls on those who are nearest. Sorcery is thought, in theory, to work over long distances. Yet in ‘actual’ cases, the ‘victim’ is often the alleged sorcerer's neighbour, family member or friend. I contextualise these phenomena in terms of other research from the region and argue that, while the inclusion of the ‘Other’ is crucial, the in-group estrangement is also significant

Aesthetics · Art · Assertion · Converse · Epistemology · Etiquette · Mythology · Phenomenon · Political science · Sociology · Trespass · Variety (cybernetics) · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Asian Studies and History · History · Law · Philosophy · Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies

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