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Podcast: New Books in Sociology
Episode: Laura Miller, "Occult Hunting and Supernatural Play in Japan" (U Hawaii Press, 2024)
Description: In Occult Hunting and Supernatural Play in Japan (Hawaii 2024), Laura Miller examines the intersections of ludic capitalism with formal and informal religious practices and beliefs in contemporary Japan. Miller shows that womenâoften younger womenâare the primary drivers of industries of religiously flavored entertainment that offer avenues of self-exploration and spiritual capital that are marketed to appeal first and foremost to women âhuntersâ engaged in supernatural play. Millerâs eclectically interdisciplinary analysis reveals the ways that supernatural play, incorporated into the fabric of everyday life in contemporary Japan, can contribute to social and personal wellbeing for these seekers. The book wil...