As a part of the celebration of Dies Academicus, the Rector of Masaryk University has awarded the Rector’s Award in several categories. Our Martin Lang is one of the recipients.
One of the award categories is that for outstanding research results achieved by young scientists under 35 in the social sciences and humanities. Our Martin Lang has been honored in this category for his interdisciplinary research on religion and ritualized behavior.
You can find out more here: https://bit.ly/2Hpbha8.
In a new study published in Human Nature, LEVYNA was part of a team lead by A.K. Willard, studying how witchcraft beliefs affect social norms and behaviors. Specifically, researchers investigated whether witchcraft is regarded to be motivated by envy and how this notion influences community interactions. The findings show that, while witchcraft accusations were common, they were mostly directed at persons suspected of acting out of envy.
In an ethnographic survey-based study published in the journal Religions, D. Xygalatas and P. Maňo looked at variation in motivations for ritual practice and how it relates to the socioeconomic status of respondents. The findings indicate that whereas people of lower socioeconomic standing address more immediate concerns related to material security and safety in their ritual practices, people at the other end of the socioeconomic spectrum tend to focus on the fulfillment of spiritual, social, or cultural needs.
