Papers by Camilla Uddgren
This study, based on ethnographic fieldwork, explores how spiritual teachers in Ubud, manage self... more This study, based on ethnographic fieldwork, explores how spiritual teachers in Ubud, manage self-presentation to be assigned charisma. By understanding contemporary spirituality as a spiritual marketplace, applying Max Weber's apprehension of charismatic authority as received through sociological interaction as well as Erving Goffman's dramaturgical theory of everyday performances, this thesis investigates how the role of the Spiritual Teacher is performed in pursuit of charisma. The research focuses on both the performers and the audience; how the role is performed to give the impression of having superpowers and/or closeness to the divine, and how it is received by the consumers on the spiritual marketplace. The results points to two distinct variations of performing this role: by embodying distance or closeness. Both these variations are constructed to meet the demands of the consumers. Teachers embodying distance understand themselves as enlightened and their performance is characterized by hiding any sign of humanness. Those teachers who have chosen to embodying closeness, highlight themselves as rockstars, showing up with a façade of perfection. The audience on the spiritual marketplace is fast to judge whereas the teachers are only assigned charisma if they adjust and manage their performance to meet the high expectations of the students.
Emmanuel Lévinas is one of the great ethics in the 20th century. His contribution to the philosop... more Emmanuel Lévinas is one of the great ethics in the 20th century. His contribution to the philosophical discourse defies our thinking and behavior in a revolutionary way. He dismisses every categorization, every tematization, every moral based on an analytical reflection and compels us with an ethics that demands us not only to think, but to act and be responsible. The 21st century’s emphasis of the individual, globalization, plurality and the questioning of authorities has created new challenges for the individual who sees herself as the nave of morality. The aim of this study is to analyze the philosophy of Lévinas in the context of the postmodern tendencies to try to find an approach that might meet the challenges and the needs of the individual in this new society that effloresce. The analysis has shown that Lévinas’ emphasis on autonomy, individualization and sensibility as well as his accentuation of the Other, the stranger worthy of our respect and responsibility, harmonizes w...
The purpose of the present study is to investigate mindfulness as a New Age phenomenon in the mod... more The purpose of the present study is to investigate mindfulness as a New Age phenomenon in the modern western society. Since a religious phenomenon does not exist in a vacuum, but is dependent on its historical and cultural context, my aim is to give a broad depiction of mindfulness and New Age in its wider context, the historical background and the societal implications of common values, themes and concepts that are frequent in the literature, how mindfulness is presented by the authors of popular literature and also how it is presented in science. In order to bring forward a deeper understanding of New Age and mindfulness’ role in the modern western society, my intention is to see how the authors of mindfulness claim validity of their doctrines in the discourse. Mindfulness attracts a wide range of perpetrators and is used in many areas in the society today. The values evident in the literature are very different from the traditional Buddhist context and it is obvious how the autho...
The purpose of the present study is to investigate mindfulness as a New Age phenomenon in the mod... more The purpose of the present study is to investigate mindfulness as a New Age phenomenon in the modern western society. Since a religious phenomenon does not exist in a vacuum, but is dependent on its historical and cultural context, my aim is to give a broad depiction of mindfulness and New Age in its wider context, the historical background and the societal implications of common values, themes and concepts that are frequent in the literature, how mindfulness is presented by the authors of popular literature and also how it is presented in science. In order to bring forward a deeper understanding of New Age and mindfulness' role in the modern western society, my intention is to see how the authors of mindfulness claim validity of their doctrines in the discourse. Mindfulness attracts a wide range of perpetrators and is used in many areas in the society today. The values evident in the literature are very different from the traditional Buddhist context and it is obvious how the authors are using mindfulness almost as an emblem to legitimize their own doctrines, often in accordance with the values central in New Age in general. They claim validity by claiming that their doctrines are either scientific, based on tradition and/or founded on personal experience, but by examination these claims are used only rhetoric with no authenticity. The values found in the literature may be seen as a radicalization of the values in the modern western society. Also, the themes appearing in the literature are often new translations of scientific discoveries, like evolutionism, that are given a spiritual meaning or they are secular values like individualism, which are understood spiritually. This may be understood as a process of re-sacralization of a secular world, using themes that are accepted in the discourse.
Emmanuel Lévinas is one of the great ethics in the 20 th century. His contribution to the philoso... more Emmanuel Lévinas is one of the great ethics in the 20 th century. His contribution to the philosophical discourse defies our thinking and behavior in a revolutionary way. He dismisses every categorization, every tematization, every moral based on an analytical reflection and compels us with an ethics that demands us not only to think, but to act and be responsible. The 21 st century's emphasis of the individual, globalization, plurality and the questioning of authorities has created new challenges for the individual who sees herself as the nave of morality. The aim of this study is to analyze the philosophy of Lévinas in the context of the postmodern tendencies to try to find an approach that might meet the challenges and the needs of the individual in this new society that effloresce. The analysis has shown that Lévinas' emphasis on autonomy, individualization and sensibility as well as his accentuation of the Other, the stranger worthy of our respect and responsibility, harmonizes well with the postmodern tendencies in the 21 st century. Lévinas sees the autonomy of the individual as a prerequisite for her ability to meet the Other with an open mind and with deep respect, to see her as a unique human being apart from the totality of the oppressive potentate. Lévinas asks us to be in the moment, see the stranger as he is and not as we want him to be, and be open enough to see the Infinity in his eyes. In a world of globalization and plurality, Lévinas' nonjudgmental approach to the Other, is an ethics that neither forces the individual to listen to authorities, nor becoming dependent, being a part of the ideology of the totality, but encourages her to stay independent, responsible of her own life and freedom. Lévinas' ethics stands in total opposition of the modern objective-subjective approach, goes against preconceptions and a narrow thinking, encourages openness, autonomy, the uniqueness of the individual, the gift of infinity that exists in the face of the stranger and does as such go hand in hand with globalization, individualization and plurality that are important elements in postmodernism.
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Papers by Camilla Uddgren