Presentarion: Charisma: power, authority, and devotion in the Middle East and North Africa

Abstract

Since the publication of Max Weber’s foundational work on the conceptualization of charisma, the concept has been subject to a wide range of interpretations, often marked by contradictions. Acknowledging the fragmentary nature of Weber’s framework, this special issue examines the concept of charisma from an anthropological perspective, engaging with Weber’s theoretical model to explore the diverse forms and manifestations through which charisma is created and legitimized. Ethnographies conducted in religious contexts across the Middle East and North Africa have shed light on the various configurations of charismatic communities, movements, and relations, which produce multiple forms of emotional expression and religious experience. In order to contribute to the anthropological debate on the applicability of Weber’s concept to different forms of charisma in distinct social and religious contexts, this collection features five ethnographic accounts from Turkey, Morocco, Lebanon, and Iraq. These studies explore the processes through which charisma is constructed, maintained, and transmitted across different religious, political, and institutional contexts. By integrating Weberian theory with ethnographic perspectives, this issue seeks to advance our understanding of charisma as a dynamic, relational, and culturally embedded phenomenon. The contributions to this issue deepen our insight into diverse forms of religious and political commitment, belonging, and emotional attachment to a religious leader, community, or movement, fostering a productive dialogue between different analytical perspectives and ethnographic contexts.