A Spatial Analysis of Shamans in South Korea's Religious Market
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5654560 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jungsun Kim (0009-0009-3139-6910), J S Kim (0000-0002-9387-4078, Purdue University West Lafayette, corresponding author), Yuanfei Li (0000-0002-0258-8843, Shanghai University, corresponding author), F Yang (0000-0002-4723-9735, Purdue University West Lafayette) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 10 |
| Pages | 1327 |
| Publication date | 2025-10-21 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Religions (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/rel16101327 |
| OpenAlex | W4415402734 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 11 |
This study examined the spatial distribution of shamanic practice in contemporary South Korea, focusing on its territorial relationship with institutional religions. Contrary to portrayals of shamanism as a rural remnant or as absorbed by Pentecostal Christianity, population-adjust maps and spatial models reveal substantial concentrations in urban and peri-urban districts. Drawing on a geocoded dataset of 15,639 shamanic sites and 78,323 religious facilities across 229 districts, we estimated the ordinary least squares (OLS), spatial error models, and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models to evaluate how Protestant, Buddhist, and Catholic infrastructures were associated with shamanic site density. Protestant church density showed a consistent negative association with shamanic presence, strongest in regions with concentrated Protestant institutions. Buddhist temples had no uniform national effect but showed positive local associations in certain areas, suggesting localized symbiosis. Catholic sites displayed limited and inconsistent spatial relationships. These results demonstrate two contrasting dynamics: expulsion in Protestant strongholds and symbiosis, where Buddhist institutions allow more accommodation. Shamanism's contemporary geography reflects adaptation to the territorial politics of institutional religion rather than a cultural revival
Buddhism · Geographically Weighted Regression · Human geography · Ordinary least squares · Politics · Protestantism · Shamanism · Halal products and consumer behavior · Religion, Society, and Development · Religious Tourism and Spaces
The Palgrave Handbook of Urban Ethnography
Introduction to Pentecostal Witchcraft and Spiritual Politics in Africa and Melanesia
Sacred Stories, Spiritual Tribes
Evolutionary Adaptation of Korean Divination to Religious Markets
Religious Syncretism in the Shilla Period
The Foucault Effect
Nonofficial Religion in South Korea
Neoliberalism as Exception
The Red, Black, and Gray Markets of Religion in China
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |