Call for Papers ­ Edited Multi-Volume Series on the Spiritualist Movement

Modern Spiritualism as a religious movement finds its roots in
mid-nineteenth century upstate New York during a time of great spiritual
fervor in New England. Since then, Spiritualism has flourished and
spread world-wide. Studies of Spiritualism have largely focused on the
movement’s relationship to emergent feminism and gender issues or on its

relationship to the paranormal and psychical research. The present
series ­ a 3 volume edited collection titled, The Spiritualist Movement:
Speaking with the Dead in America and Around the World to be published
by Praeger ­ seeks to broaden the scope of the study of Spiritualism,
and to bring together diverse perspectives on this American-made global
religion.

I am seeking the broadest possible range of topics, methodologies, and
approaches to the subject. The series will be roughly divided into three
volumes representing: The History of the Spiritualist Movement in
America and the World; Debates over the Evidential Claims Made by
Spiritualism and Spiritualists; and Other Forms of Mediumship in
Relation to Spiritualism. Possible proposals might include:

? American origins of the Spiritualist movement and its cultural and
political ramifications
? Feminist perspectives on the Spiritualist movement and its leadership
? In-depth overviews of important figures in the history of Spiritualism
(i.e. the Fox sisters, Patience Worth, Arthur Conan Doyle, William
James, Frederic Myers, Harry Houdini, or William Lyon Mckenzie King)
? The spread of Spiritualism and the Spiritualist movement in
non-American contexts (i.e. Iceland, England, Brazil, Europe, East Asia)
? Ethnographic studies of Spiritualism
? Evidence-based claims made by Spiritualism and Spiritualists
? Debates over the findings of psychical research and parapsychological
studies of mediums
? Mediumship as a phenomenon of human experience throughout history and
across the globe.
? Spiritualism in relation to other new religious movements like the
Theosophical Society, the Thelemic Orders, or Wicca
? Spiritualism and mediums as portrayed in popular media and the
popularity of the movement generally
? Death, grief, and the role of Spiritualism in bereavement
? Christian and other dominant religions’ responses to Spiritualism

I encourage proposals from a range of methodologies, including but not
limited to those from the fields of history, religious studies,
anthropology, sociology, gender studies, literature, philosophy, and
psychology. Chapter proposals should be approximately 200-250 words,
submitted by e-mail to Christopher M. Moreman: cmoreman@gmail.com on or
before April 15th, 2011.

--
Christopher M. Moreman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Philosophy
California State University, East Bay
Hayward, CA
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