Is ~magic~ a mysterious force shaping our societies and minds through control?
On a whim, I wanted to review something a little different. So I have chosen a paper by Jesper S?rensen called Magic Published in The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology. The editor of which was Hilary Callan, and was published by Wiley in 2018 available here.
What I found most interesting in this article is how magic is contrasted with religion (which unites people around shared values when it was prosocial - or about community, socialising and coming together), and how it has been contrasted with science (which seeks to control the environment through empirical means).
Acha (btw), disclaimer: all desi (South Asian) references or examples are my own addition to this review, and not the author's fault!
Magic instead, is seen as pragmatic, aimed at controlling uncertainties or risks in everyday life.
Why Does Magic Stick Around?
When seen through a lens of both psychology and anthropology, magic isn’t just about ancient spells or supernatural forces.
It’s part of how humans think.
It blends the logical and the mysterious, helping us cope with uncertainty, feel connected to rituals, or even just make sense of the world when things get confusing.
Magic isn’t going anywhere—it’s woven into our cultures, our stories, and even our everyday habits.
And while magic might not have the power to control the weather or guarantee good luck, it gives us something just as important: a sense of hope, wonder, and possibility.
So What Is Magic, Really?
According to this article, magic has fascinated people for centuries, from ancient priests casting spells to modern superstitions like carrying a lucky charm. But what is magic? Anthropologist Jesper S?rensen takes us on a journey through history, psychology, and culture to explore this mysterious concept.
What’s Magic All About?
According to S?rensen, at its core, magic is about changing things—people, objects, events—through special actions that don’t have obvious, logical causes.
Like Abida Parveen singing a religious/spiritual song that was known to bring rain in a part of Sindh during a drought. Which many know to be true and so although these actions may not make sense scientifically, but they feel powerful to those of us who believe in them.
We don't need to know How it happens to Believe in it. For people who choose Faith, magic is simply easier to believe in.
If we trace the history of the term “magic” actually comes from ancient Greece and Persia, where it was used to describe mysterious practices of foreign priests. That being so, over time, "magic" became a way to label anything that seemed strange, unconventional, or outside the mainstream.
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This history makes it tricky to use “magic” as a one-size-fits-all concept across different cultures.
How Scholars See Magic (according to S?rensen)
The Early Theories
Scholars like James Frazer thought magic was a “primitive science,” used by early humans who didn’t understand how the world worked. He described two main types of magic:
Later though, this view shifted so instead, people started seeing magic as a rational way to deal with life’s uncertainties, even if it’s not scientifically correct. Like not going out during sunset, or burning red chillies to ward off nazar (evil eye) for protection.
Magic as a Social Tool
In some societies however, magic is deeply tied to culture as in South Asian ones. What I read is that French scholars like Marcel Mauss saw it as the “bad boy” of social power—used for personal gain or to bend society’s rules. So like imagine a medieval alchemist crafting love potions to manipulate hearts, wielding mystical knowledge to control rather than unite people.
"Uss ne toh bechari pe jaadoo kar diya hai!" (poor thing, someone is controlling her mind/heart/self with magic)
On the other hand, others, like Bronis?aw Malinowski, apparently said magic helps people feel less anxious when facing big risks, like dangerous trips or unpredictable investments like weddings in our culture. Which is why wedding rituals, even if they don’t change the outcome of the marriage, make people feel more in control.
How It Plays with Our Minds
Psychologists have explored why people believe in magic, and it turns out magical thinking isn’t just for kids. Think of students clinging to their lucky pens during exams, maano a mannat (a vow to do something to benefit society in exchange for a wish coming true), or wearing lucky socks or sports gear before a cricket match to help their team win!
Even adults have magical thinking, especially in situations where they feel uncertain or lack control. So for example, we might get istakhara - which a specific prayer performed to ask Allah for the purpose of seeking clarity and blessings in making the right choice through spiritual means - that either guides us, or makes the decision for us for making major choices!
So these reactions stem from mental shortcuts that help us make decisions quickly.
And that, my friends, in a nutshell is the psychology behind what is known as magic.
Sorry for the #spoilers, for any disappointment incurred by being too logical or anti-climactic by explaining the psychology behind magic. Hazards of reading the perspective on something magical, from a scientist! hehe.