Mapping the Society of the Chinese Gods: Social network analysis and divine assemblages in early modern China
Vincent Goossaert (École Pratique des Hautes Études, PSL, Paris)
About the Talk:
This talk explores processes of subjectification whereby Chinese gods affirm unique personas and engage humans and each other in intersubjective interactions. In so doing, it develops relational approaches to study divine–human sociability. The vast array of ritual techniques developed over the longue durée in China to allow the gods to “talk back” to humans and create bonds have allowed thee gods to affirm themselves as persons and subjects—even though there was also resistance against such developments.
About the speaker:
Vincent Goossaert (Phd, EPHE, Paris, 1997) is Professor of Daoism and Chinese religions at EPHE, PSL. He is co-editor of T'oung Pao, a leading journal in sinology established in 1890. His research deals with the social history of Chinese religion in late imperal and modern times, especially Daoism, religious professions, socio-religious regulations, productions of moral norms, and human–divine sociability. His most recent book is Making the Gods Speak: The Ritual Production of Revelation in Chinese History (Harvard University Asia Center, 2022).