Haunting the State: Rumours,Spectral Apparitions and the Longing for Buddhist Charisma in Laos

Buddhist ascetic monks and hermits that move largely outside of the institutional structures of the monastic order (sangha) have a long history in mainland Southeast Asia. In Lao Buddhism these figures seem to have largely disappeared, but due to their charismatic qualities they still occupy a crucial position in the social imaginary. This article explores rumours and narratives about the existence of ascetic monks and hermits in contemporary Laos. I argue that rumours about, and narratives of, spectral apparitions of these figures express a longing for Buddhist charisma that is partially rooted in Laos’ revolutionary past, and in recent social and economic changes. As Buddhist charisma can point to alternative, personalised sources of power, I argue that rumours and spectral apparitions can be interpreted as haunting, and therefore afflicting and challenging the current politics of religion of the Lao state.     

Symbol and power: the Dalai Lama as a charismatic leader

This article originated in a brief but inspiring analysis by Margaret Nowak. Nowak used Sherry Ortner's concept of ‘summarising symbol’ to imply that, much the same way as the American flag was the epitome of the United States to each and every American, the Dalai Lama encompasses everything Tibetan to the Tibetan people. What does this comparison say about the Dalai Lama? I examine the relationship between symbol, power and charisma with Tenzin Gyatso, the current Dalai Lama, as a case in point. With exile, there has been a shift in the symbolic importance of the Dalai Lama, both as a man and as an institution, from a symbol of Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism to a symbol of the Tibetan cause and, more generally, to a symbol of Buddhism in the world. These changes have given Tenzin Gyatso a new authority in the Tibetan community: he is now the unique and unquestioned leader of the Tibetan cause in the world. I discuss the problems that occur when a symbol is also a man and a leader, as well as the solutions proposed, at a moment when the Tibetan community in exile is experiencing democratisation.     

James Ceaser and the Restoration of Political Science

Abstract

Fedor Dostoevsky's The Devils (1872) has been habitually denounced as an artistically lacking, reactionary pamphlet. This article demonstrates how the novel instead presents a lucid analysis of basic functional principles of the political sphere, taking apart the inner mechanisms of political developments, their sources of social and intellectual energy, and the instruments of deception and illusion that are vital for their functioning. The Devils is interpreted as a fundamentally anti-political novel that exposes the irrational foundations, the schemes, and the consequences of political manipulation. Particular attention is devoted to the category of charismatic leadership by offering a new reading of the enigmatic character of Nikolai Stavrogin.     

陈云的人格魅力

陈云在党内外和国内外享有崇高威望,其中一个重要原因,就是他的人格魅力。陈 云的人格魅力表现在:他一生无私无畏,秉公办事,从不计较个人进退得失,为维护人民的利益和 真理的尊严,在关键时刻敢于坦陈直言,讲真话、讲实话,宁肯沉默也不讲违心的话。他视干部为 宝贵财富,格外珍惜和护卫他们的政治生命。不论在战争年代还是和平时期,不论是党内外高级干 部还是普通工作人员,遇有冤假错案,只要条件允许,他都仗义执言。他位高权重,却平易近人, 总是把自己放在群众之中,以诚相待。他性格内向深沉,严肃冷峻,却善解人意,热情谦和。用两 个成语来概括陈云的人格魅力,便是"桃李无言,下自成蹊"、"高山仰止,景行行止"。     

解构与重塑:司马懿历史形象再思考

王朝鼎革时期的开国之君多为具有"卡里斯玛"品质的人,司马懿虽受儒学之风的熏染,却具备"卡里斯玛"的气质,他的身上兼有狮子和狐狸两种习性。曹操去世后,谁来统一三国,历史最终选择了司马懿。司马父子最主要的功绩就是"除三国之大害,静汉末之交争",使天下归于一统。虽然司马父子是曹魏政权的掘墓人,但从汉魏时代民众的呼声,时代的主旋律来看,司马懿又是"曹操事业的继承人"。近来有人把曹魏灭亡的原因归诸司马懿长寿,但司马懿绝非是靠长寿代魏成晋的。     

Charisma and communities of feeling

Theories of nations and nationalism have serious problems when dealing with the concept of charisma. Besides frequent conceptual confusion, the concept of charisma is predominantly observed from either the structuralist position or the perspective of psychological reductionism. Charisma is so often sought in the properties of an office, within an ideology, character of a leader or general socio‐economic circumstances of an epoch. In the example of the commonly examined case—that of Hitler—this article argues that charisma is a property of experience and it is the emotional reaction of the audience that validates it. This article builds on Erika Fischer‐Lichte's theory of performance to argue that successful performances of charisma create a type of community that is not based solely on common beliefs but more importantly on shared emotions and experiences. Studying charisma as a property of experience is a step toward understanding the emotional character of nationalism itself.