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SUMMARY:Native-izing Therapies: shamanic healing and the value of homeland
  connection in Mongolia  - Elizabeth Turk\, University of Cambridge
DTSTART:20201201T180000Z
DTEND:20201201T193000Z
UID:TALK154237@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Bianca De Sanctis
DESCRIPTION:The Cambridge Psychedelic Society and the Cambridge University
  Social Anthropology Society are teaming up for the first time to host thi
 s exciting talk! \nThe zoom link for this talk is here:\nhttps://us02web.z
 oom.us/j/84704727345?pwd=K0FVWkRma1dLaUN5MFg1b2lKeWU0Zz09\n\nAbstract: Bei
 ng native to rural homelands carries particular value in contemporary Mong
 olia. This value is especially salient for shamans\, considered proximate 
 and able to 'speak for' the natural world\, both localized landscape (part
 icular mountains\, rivers\, etc.)\, and the nation's nature writ large. In
  this paper\, I argue that this dual local/national understanding of the n
 atural world was inadvertently shaped by Soviet-era indigenization policie
 s that encouraged a sense of ethno-national belonging in borderland republ
 ics. Throughout much of the 20th century\, being local was simultaneously 
 a way to identify with the larger socialist ecumene. In recent decades mar
 ked by heightened urbanization\, shamanic healing practices involve re-for
 ging rural homeland connections\, as shamans mediate relations between cli
 ents and deities associated with earth and water attributed with causing i
 llness. Such practices and discourses 'root' people into localized\, natio
 nal soil. This case study reveals indigeneity not as essence\, but as a fo
 rm of positioning (Li 2000) in which the body is central. \n\nElizabeth Tu
 rk is a Research Associate and Affiliated Lecturer in the Department of So
 cial Anthropology\, University of Cambridge. She is currently working on t
 he AHRC-funded project 'Mongolian Cosmopolitical Heritage: Tracing Diverge
 nt Healing Practices Across the Chinese-Mongolian Border'. She earned her 
 doctoral degree in Social Anthropology from the University of Cambridge in
  2018\n\nDr Turk's research focuses on nature-based and 'alternative' medi
 cine in contemporary Mongolia\, exploring themes in both medical and envir
 onmental anthropology. She first began research in Mongolia in 2010 as a F
 ulbright scholar exploring shamanic healing practices\, specifically the c
 onnection between spiritual illness and the impending mining boom. Researc
 h interests since then have shifted towards a practice-focused approach to
  the study of healing\, historicizing such practices as they have and cont
 inue to relate to political economy. Dr Turk is in the process of preparin
 g her first manuscript which explores the articulation of healing practice
 s with nationalist and social progressivist discourses.\n\nThe Cambridge P
 sychedelic Society was started last year as a platform to encourage discus
 sion and education about psychedelic substances\, their use in medicine\, 
 as well as their cultural\, legal\, philosophical\, and artistic impacts. 
 Everyone welcome. Advertising or soliciting illegal drugs is strictly proh
 ibited.\n\nJoin the Psychedelic Society Facebook page here: https://www.fa
 cebook.com/psychedelicsoc/\n\nJoin the Psychedelic Society mailing list he
 re: https://mailchi.mp/f0eb54c6cbf6/psychedelics\n\nThe Cambridge Universi
 ty Social Anthropology Society (CUSAS) is the student-led society of the D
 epartment of Social Anthropology. CUSAS aims to provide a forum for underg
 raduates and postgraduates of the University to discuss and debate anthrop
 ological issues. As a student-led society\, we also function as a platform
  for students to organise events of interest to the society’s membership
 . As our membership includes both undergraduates and postgraduates\, CUSAS
  also serves as a hub for different cohorts in the Department to come toge
 ther\, to discuss ideas and to meet socially.\n\nMore information on the C
 ambridge University Social Anthropology Society here: https://www.socanth.
 cam.ac.uk/about-us/cusas 
LOCATION:Online
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