Skip to navigation – Site map

HomeNuméros117L’Expansion et la réinvention des...

L’Expansion et la réinvention des religions afro-brésiliennes : réenchantement et décomposition

Roberto Motta
p. 113-125

Abstracts

The Afro-Brazilian religions have experienced, in the last three or four decades of the 20th century, a strong expansion, both under their syncretic versions, associated with the rise of the Umbanda and their more traditional, often re-Africanized forms. They are now present in the most modernized cities and regions of Brazil. Following some intuitions of Roger Bastide the sociological meaning of this expansion is questioned in this paper. Their dissociation from their original ethnic and social communities implies their transformation into highly standardized symbolic goods directed to a market composed of people of all regional and ethnic backrounds. This entails the “ecclesification” of these religions and their drift toward kitsch and showy ritual expressions. The ambiguity of these changes is highlighted, as a certain “reenchantment” of society seems to be counterbalanced by the virtual dissolution of the Afro-Brazilian religious legacy.

Top of page

References

Bibliographical reference

Roberto Motta, « L’Expansion et la réinvention des religions afro-brésiliennes : réenchantement et décomposition », Archives de sciences sociales des religions, 117 | 2002, 113-125.

Electronic reference

Roberto Motta, « L’Expansion et la réinvention des religions afro-brésiliennes : réenchantement et décomposition », Archives de sciences sociales des religions [Online], 117 | janvier - mars 2002, Online since 18 November 2005, connection on 28 March 2024. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/assr/2486 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/assr.2486

Top of page

About the author

Roberto Motta

Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brésil

Top of page

Copyright

The text only may be used under licence © Archives de sciences sociales des religions. All other elements (illustrations, imported files) are “All rights reserved”, unless otherwise stated.

Top of page
  • Logo Éditions de l’EHESS
  • Logo CNRS - Institut des sciences humaines et sociales
  • OpenEdition Journals
Search OpenEdition Search

You will be redirected to OpenEdition Search