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“Permanently unstable”? A culture-centered approach to jinn possession stigmas and management strategies among Nigerian Muslims
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Abstract
In many Muslim communities, jinn possession is recognized as one of the non-biomedical conditions that can disrupt one’s physical and mental health. Many individuals possessed by jinn—supernatural being invisible to the human eye—often exhibit symptoms such as extreme anger, intermittent psychosis, incurable illnesses, infertility, among others which expose them to different forms of stigmatization. They may be labeled as mentally ill, mad, crazy or psychotic, and in some cases, perceived as contagious, leading to social isolation. In this study, the articulation of the stigmas experienced by Nigerian Muslims due to jinn possession and how those stigmas impacted their social relationships are examined. Thereafter, Meisenbach's (2010) stigma management communication (SMC) theory was utilized to highlight the management strategies they adopted to cope with the stigmas. Findings show that participants experienced self, public, enacted interpersonal and family-induced stigmas. These stigmas resulted in adverse outcomes such as social isolation, social distancing, and loss of spousal relationships, shame, neglect, suicidal ideation and hopelessness. To navigate these challenges, participants challenged and evaded the stigma narratives, concealed or selectively disclosed their jinn possession experiences, sought social support from the Muslim community, and found solace through prayer and faith in divine predestination. This study advances theoretical understanding by extending the SMC theory to the context of spiritual non-biomedical condition, and contributes to epistemological discussions on culturally grounded approaches to health and illness.
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These are the slides from a presentation given at the 67th African Studies Association (ASA)Annual Meeting on 12/12/2024.
Date
2024-12-12
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University of Kansas
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Keywords
Jinn possession, Ruqyah, Stigma management communication, Muslim health beliefs, Culture-centered approach (CCA)