Religión vivida y consumo religioso/espiritual: creyentes, usuarios y vida cotidiana en Santiago de Chile

This article is part of a study carried out between 2018 and 2021, designed to analyze the dynamics of the commercialization of religious and spiritual products in the city of Santiago de Chile. The study focuses on the daily experiences and needs of the believers and users who frequent this space....

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Main Authors: Luis Bahamondes González, Nelson Marín Alarcón
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad de los Andes 2022-10-01
Series:Revista de Estudios Sociales
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revistas.uniandes.edu.co/doi/full/10.7440/res82.2022.08
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author Luis Bahamondes González
Nelson Marín Alarcón
author_facet Luis Bahamondes González
Nelson Marín Alarcón
author_sort Luis Bahamondes González
collection DOAJ
description This article is part of a study carried out between 2018 and 2021, designed to analyze the dynamics of the commercialization of religious and spiritual products in the city of Santiago de Chile. The study focuses on the daily experiences and needs of the believers and users who frequent this space. In contrast to those interpretations that emphasize the calculated search for spiritual benefit as the main driver of decisionmaking in open religious economies, this study analyzes the day-to-day dynamics and motivations that lead individuals to engage in transactions of goods and services in accordance with their practical needs. It also sheds light on their fears, disappointments and hopes, as well as their ability to reconnect with the sacred. To this end, a qualitative design was used, based on ethnographies, in-depth interviews and observations in stores selling religious, spiritual, magical, and esoteric items, as well as on the streets and passages in the city’s historic center where a variety of services (divination, healing, protection) are offered. The results support the existence of flexible individuals who construct their belief systems in relation to the challenges and needs they face in their daily lives, beyond the theological and dogmatic restrictions defined by institutions. They also account for the constitution of associative networks built by suppliers and consumers, which amplifies the impact of new or novel religious/spiritual experiences through multiple interactions with hybrid belief systems.
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spelling doaj.art-164a7bc4b996457abc14cb5a41be268b2022-12-22T04:11:23ZengUniversidad de los AndesRevista de Estudios Sociales0123-885X1900-51802022-10-018213715610.7440/res82.2022.08Religión vivida y consumo religioso/espiritual: creyentes, usuarios y vida cotidiana en Santiago de ChileLuis Bahamondes González0Nelson Marín Alarcón1Universidad de ChileUniversidad de ChileThis article is part of a study carried out between 2018 and 2021, designed to analyze the dynamics of the commercialization of religious and spiritual products in the city of Santiago de Chile. The study focuses on the daily experiences and needs of the believers and users who frequent this space. In contrast to those interpretations that emphasize the calculated search for spiritual benefit as the main driver of decisionmaking in open religious economies, this study analyzes the day-to-day dynamics and motivations that lead individuals to engage in transactions of goods and services in accordance with their practical needs. It also sheds light on their fears, disappointments and hopes, as well as their ability to reconnect with the sacred. To this end, a qualitative design was used, based on ethnographies, in-depth interviews and observations in stores selling religious, spiritual, magical, and esoteric items, as well as on the streets and passages in the city’s historic center where a variety of services (divination, healing, protection) are offered. The results support the existence of flexible individuals who construct their belief systems in relation to the challenges and needs they face in their daily lives, beyond the theological and dogmatic restrictions defined by institutions. They also account for the constitution of associative networks built by suppliers and consumers, which amplifies the impact of new or novel religious/spiritual experiences through multiple interactions with hybrid belief systems.https://revistas.uniandes.edu.co/doi/full/10.7440/res82.2022.08daily lifeflexible believerslived religionreligious market
spellingShingle Luis Bahamondes González
Nelson Marín Alarcón
Religión vivida y consumo religioso/espiritual: creyentes, usuarios y vida cotidiana en Santiago de Chile
Revista de Estudios Sociales
daily life
flexible believers
lived religion
religious market
title Religión vivida y consumo religioso/espiritual: creyentes, usuarios y vida cotidiana en Santiago de Chile
title_full Religión vivida y consumo religioso/espiritual: creyentes, usuarios y vida cotidiana en Santiago de Chile
title_fullStr Religión vivida y consumo religioso/espiritual: creyentes, usuarios y vida cotidiana en Santiago de Chile
title_full_unstemmed Religión vivida y consumo religioso/espiritual: creyentes, usuarios y vida cotidiana en Santiago de Chile
title_short Religión vivida y consumo religioso/espiritual: creyentes, usuarios y vida cotidiana en Santiago de Chile
title_sort religion vivida y consumo religioso espiritual creyentes usuarios y vida cotidiana en santiago de chile
topic daily life
flexible believers
lived religion
religious market
url https://revistas.uniandes.edu.co/doi/full/10.7440/res82.2022.08
work_keys_str_mv AT luisbahamondesgonzalez religionvividayconsumoreligiosoespiritualcreyentesusuariosyvidacotidianaensantiagodechile
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