Animism
Consider Hornborgs reading “Animism, fetishism, and objectivism as strategies for knowing (or not knowing) the world” (2006). Then watch the
video by researcher John Reid (The power of animism: John Reid at TEDxQueenstown)
(2014) on the importance of animism. Explain the examples provided by Reid about how animism is actually communicating experience of a belief rather than just the belief. Compare Reids examples with the examples of animism used in Western and indigenous societies provided by Hornborg by reflecting on the ways that the two sources agree on animism as an experience in both Western and indigenous societies. Pull-out obvious examples within religious contexts (e.g. monotheistic religions that use animism); secular contexts (e.g. dog as member of the family); Western contexts (e.g. talking to traffic lights, begging them to change to green when youre late to your job); and indigenous contexts (e.g. relating to a mountain as a member of the family).
