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Palgrave Macmillan

The Sorcerer's Burden

The Ethnographic Saga of a Global Family

  • Book
  • © 2016

Overview

Authors:
  1. Paul Stoller

    1. West Chester, USA

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  • Presents the work of a top anthropologist-writer in the field
  • Appeals to interdisciplinary interests in Anthropology, African Studies as well as ethnography writing, literature, and sociology
  • Expands on the widespread interest in magical practices and the clash of western and emerging cultures

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Literary Anthropology (PSLA)

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Table of contents (31 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xi
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  2. Prologue

    • Paul Stoller
    Pages 1-2

  3. Paris, 2000

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 3-3
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    2. Chapter 1

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 5-9

    3. Chapter 2

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 11-19

  4. Tillaberi, Niger 2000–2001

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 21-21
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    2. Chapter 3

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 23-27

    3. Chapter 4

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 29-33

    4. Chapter 5

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 35-38

    5. Chapter 6

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 39-41

    6. Chapter 7

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 43-47

    7. Chapter 8

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 49-55

    8. Chapter 9

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 57-59

    9. Chapter 10

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 61-64

    10. Chapter 11

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 65-69

    11. Chapter 12

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 71-72

    12. Chapter 13

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 73-75

    13. Chapter 14

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 77-84

    14. Chapter 15

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 85-87

    15. Chapter 16

      • Paul Stoller
      Pages 89-93
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Keywords

About this book

This book emerges from the author's 35 years of research and thought about the Songhay people of Niger. This ethnographic novel follows the life of Omar Dia, the oldest son of a West African sorcerer. When his father falls ill and dies, the great sorcerer vomits a small metal chain onto his chest. Following the path of his ancestors, Omar swallows the chain, becoming his father's successor, which means that he takes on the sorcerer's burden. The book also describes how custodians of traditional knowledge are creatively adapting to the forces of globalization—all in a highly accessible narrative text.  




Authors and Affiliations

  • West Chester, USA

    Paul Stoller

About the author

Paul Stoller is Professor of Anthropology at West Chester University, USA. He has been conducting anthropological research for more than 30 years in West Africa (Niger) and among African immigrants in New York City. In 2015, The American Anthropological Association awarded him the Anthropology and Media Award (AIME) in recognition of his longstanding Huffington Post blog that brings to the general public an anthropological perspective on politics, higher education, culture and media.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Sorcerer's Burden

  • Book Subtitle: The Ethnographic Saga of a Global Family

  • Authors: Paul Stoller

  • Series Title: Palgrave Studies in Literary Anthropology

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31805-9

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Social Sciences, Social Sciences (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2016

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-31804-2Published: 05 October 2016

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-81124-6Published: 14 June 2018

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-31805-9Published: 24 September 2016

  • Series ISSN: 2946-4218

  • Series E-ISSN: 2946-4226

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XI, 209

  • Topics: Social Anthropology, Ethnography, Fiction

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