Ülitaju ja usundisidus intersektsionaalne agentsus
Extraordinary modes of perception and religion-bound intersectional agency

Summary/Abstract: So far, intersectionality has been viewed predominantly in a rather unidirectional way – mainly in the context of vulnerability and discrimination. In recent years, however, there has also been increasing discussion that the interplay of characteristics encompassed within the definition of intersectionality may likewise give rise to certain unique modes of coping. In this article, I experiment with placing specific ways of perception associated with religious or spiritual experiences across many cultures (e.g., heightened sensitivity to „energies“, altered states of consciousness, communication with spiritual beings, clairvoyance) within an intersectional framework. Often, in addition to their unusual perceptual modes, religious specialists possess other traits that align more closely with the classic definition of intersectionality – such as belonging to an ethnic minority, having a physical disability, being an orphan or a widow/er, living in poverty, etc. Their experiences may be accompanied by emotional and physical traumas; people around them may persecute them or regard them as mentally ill. Therefore, I discuss the possibilities of broadening the definition of intersectionality to include certain types of agency, and I consider the extent to which such an integrative perspective is relevant in the context of analyzing distinctive spirituality‑related perceptual modes.

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