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OverviewSeances were wildly popular in France between 1850 and 1930, when members of the general public and scholars alike turned to the wondrous as a means of understanding and explaining the world. Sofie Lachapelle explores how five distinct groups attempted to use and legitimize seances: spiritists, who tried to create a new ""science"" concerned with the spiritual realm and the afterlife; occultists, who hoped to connect ancient revelations with contemporary science; physicians, psychiatrists, and psychologists, who developed a pathology of supernatural experiences; psychical researchers, who drew on the unexplained experiences of the public to create a new field of research; and metapsychists, who attempted to develop a new science of yet-to-be understood natural forces. Lachapelle examines the practices, aims, and level of success of these five disciplines, paying special attention to how they interacted with each other and with the world of mainstream science. Their practitioners regarded mystical phenomena worthy of serious study; most devotees-with notable exceptions of physicians, psychiatrists, and psychologists-also meant to challenge conventional science in general and French science in particular. Through these stories, Lachapelle illuminates the lively relationship between science and the supernatural in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century France and relates why this relationship ultimately led to the marginalization of psychical research and metapsychics. An enlightening and entertaining narrative that includes colorful people like ""Allan Kardec""-a pseudonymous former mathematics teacher from Lyon who wrote successful works on the science of the seance and what happened after death- Investigating the Supernatural reveals the rich and vibrant diversity of unorthodox beliefs and practices that existed at the borders of the French scientific culture in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Sofie Lachapelle (Department Chair, Professor, University of Guelph)Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press Imprint: Johns Hopkins University Press Dimensions: Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.90cm , Length: 22.90cm Weight: 0.408kg ISBN: 9781421400136ISBN 10: 1421400138 Pages: 208 Publication Date: 27 July 2011 Recommended Age: From 17 Audience: Professional and scholarly , Professional & Vocational , Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly Format: Hardback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: In stock  We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately. Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. From Turning Tables to Spiritism 2. Occult Wisdoms, Astral Bodies, and Human Fluids 3. Pathologies of the Supernatural 4. Witnessing Psychical Phenomena 5. The Rise and Fall of Metapsychics Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes Bibliographic Essay IndexReviewsInteresting, well-researched book. Choice 2011 Investigating the Supernatural is the product of a great many years of study and makes a solid contribution to a growing field. It will be of interest to scholars in a variety of areas, ranging from French social and religious history to the history of science. -- David Allen Harvey H-France 2011 Investigating the Supernatural is a welcome addition to the growing literature on spiritism, occultism and physical research in modern France. -- Heather Wolffram French History 2012 Interesting, well-researched book. Choice 2011 Interesting, well-researched book. Choice 2011 Investigating the Supernatural is the product of a great many years of study and makes a solid contribution to a growing field. It will be of interest to scholars in a variety of areas, ranging from French social and religious history to the history of science. -- David Allen Harvey H-France 2011 Interesting, well-researched book. Choice Investigating the Supernatural is the product of a great many years of study and makes a solid contribution to a growing field. It will be of interest to scholars in a variety of areas, ranging from French social and religious history to the history of science. -- David Allen Harvey H-France A welcome addition to the growing literature on spiritism, occultism and physical research in modern France. -- Heather Wolffram French History Author InformationSofie Lachapelle is an associate professor of history at the University of Guelph. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |
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