Animacy and the Agency of Spiritual Beings in Pluriversal Societies

Bibliographic Data

ID2236693
AuthorsAmaya Querejazu (0000-0001-9565-9083, Universidad de Antioquia, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume18
Issue2
Publication date2024-03-20
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Political Sociology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1749-5679 • E-ISSN: 1749-5687
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/ips/olae012
OpenAlexW4399202417
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited70

The concept of agency has long been a focal point of research in the social sciences. While traditional discussions primarily centered on human agency, recent scholarship has increasingly turned its attention to agency beyond the human realm. This paper introduces a framework for comprehending the agency of spiritual beings within complex pluriversal sociopolitical systems. It contends that exploring the agency of spiritual beings challenges established binary distinctions and acknowledges their inherent complexities. Drawing from a relational understanding of animacy, this framework reveals that the agency of spiritual beings cannot be simply equated with gods or fixed other-than-human agencies. Instead, it enriches our understanding of agency by highlighting how diverse agencies shape and influence social interactions. The paper compares Jane Bennett's 'thing power' and social assemblages to the Andean concepts of camaq (creating animating force) and Ajayu (spirit). By doing so, it uncovers both tensions and connections between these approaches, underscoring the need for pluriversal methodologies in analyzing pluriversal societies. In conclusion, the paper reflects on the implications of re-enchantment through animacy and its potential to provide fresh insights into understanding international phenomena

Agency (philosophy · Animacy · Environmental ethics · Epistemology · Political science · Realm · Scholarship · Social science · Sociology · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Law · Philosophy · Psychology · Religion and Society Interactions · Religious Tourism and Spaces

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