Connecting-Africa | Find publications

Advanced search

Find:


Title The influence of contemporary social changes on the magico-religious concepts and organization of the southern Ewe-speaking people of Ghana
Full text http://hdl.handle.net/1842/30191
Date 1959
Author(s) Fiawoo, Dzigbodi Kodzo
Abstract Materials for the present thesis were gathered in the course of field research in the Anlo District of South- eastern Ghana, between March 1956 and December 1957. The main objective was to investigate and describe the influence of Western European culture on the magicoreligious concepts and organization of an unindustrialised West African community. In i_:ursuance of this objective, it was necessary to indicate the degree of success or failure in the assimilation of European factors of change. Relative values of the institutions concerned on both sides were not thought relevant to the study. What was considered of fundamental value was an indication of the manner in which traditional cults served the needs of the community concerned and how far a changed situation, resulting from a money economy, a new political system, Christianity and education, contributed to modification or alteration of the traditional picture. If the traditional religious system was modified or altered, this would imply adaptation of old cults in new shape, to essentially new cults or to new religious systems. Framed as specific enquiries, the main questions being asked from one stage to another are: - (i) How did the traditional cults serve the social needs of the Anloawo? - (ii) To what extent does the introduction of a money economy, a new political system, Christianity and education lead to a changed situation? - (iii) What forms of religious adaptation are the by- products of this new situation? - In accordance with these objectives, the thesis has been divided into three parts: (a) Traditional Background; (b) Transition; (c) The Contemporary Scene. The first part examines the interrelationship of the traditional religion and social structure, and how cult groups are designed to the need -satisfaction of members. It is the study of religion in terms of social reality. - The second part deals largely with the nature of the European impact. The introduction of money as involving a medium of exchange, a method of buying services and its relation to the traditional life and belief, is examined. Similarly, the role of the - Christianity, education, new administration - in relation to the traditional culture is analysed. This part of the study lays the ground for the next section. - In the contemporary scene, the effects of contact, as they manifest themselves in various forms of religious adaptation, are described. Adaptation or reintegration is at two levels: (a) traditional religious adaptation; (b) Christian church adaptation. In both forms of adaptation, almost equal emphasis is given to both cultural and social factors in the adaptive process. - It is evident from the above statement of aims and objectives that the present study does not intend to make theoretical contributions to the origins of religion; nor does it intend to compare on ethical grounds the different religious systems involved in our study. It rather seeks by inductive analysis of observed facts in a culturally homogenous area in West Africa to make some contribution to the existing knowledge of "social change ". This leads us to methodology.
Publisher The University of Edinburgh
Relation Annexe Thesis Digitisation Project 2018 Block 19; Already catalogued
Type of publication Thesis or Dissertation; Doctoral; PhD Doctor of Philosophy
Format application/pdf
Repository Edinburgh - University of Edinburgh
Added to C-A: 2020-06-29;09:54:02