'The Stars Down to Earth'
Why Educated Women in the Western World Use Astrology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/bsor.v41i2.3Keywords:
astrology, women, popular culture, rationalityAbstract
Astrology is immensely popular in the modern, Western world. Studies have shown that 'belief' in astrology is mainly found among the lesser educated parts of the population, however, astrology is mainly used by educated middle-class women. This article explores why.
References
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Boy, Daniel, and Guy Michelat. 1986. “Croyance aux parascience: Dimensions sociales et culturelles.” Revue Francaise de Sociologie 27 (2): 175–204.
Broch–Bue and T. Ødegård. 1991. “Alt menneskeligt er kjønnet—samtidigt og altid: Om forståelsen af sosialt kjønn I samfunnsvitenskapene.” Sosiologi i dag 4: 76–99.
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Maitre, Jaques. 1966. “La consummation d’astrologie dans la societe contemporaine.” Diogenes 53:92–109.
Munk. Kirstine. 2007. “Nature Is Not What It Used to Be…New Cosmological Orders in Contemporary, Western Astrology.” Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture 1:157–171.
Munk, Kirstine. 2011. “’Baby in a Bowl’ and Other Stories: Socialization in Astrological Narrative.” In Religious Narrative, Cognition amd Culture. Image and World in the Mind of Narrative, edited by Armin W. Geertz and Jeppe Sinding Jensen. London: Equinox.
Munk, Kirstine. Forthcoming. Signs of the Times. Why Modern People Believe in Astrology. Sheffield: Equinox.
Paloutzian, Raymond. 1996. Invitation to the Psychology of Religion. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Paloutzian, Raymond, and Crystal L. Parke. 2005. Handbook of the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. New York: Guildford Press.
Plug, C. 1975. “An Investigation of Superstitious Beliefs and Behaviour.” Journal of Behavioural Science 2(3):169–178.
Salter, C.A., and L.M. Routledge. 1974. “Intelligence and Belief in the Supernatural”. Psychological Reports 34:299–304.
Schmidtchen, Gerhard. 1957. “Soziologishes über die Astrologie.” Zeitschrift für Parapsychologie und Grenzgebiete der psychologie 1:47–72.
Slone, Jason. 2004. Theological Incorrectness. Why Religious People Believe what They Shouldn’t. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Spilka, Bernhard et al. 2003. The Psychology of Religion. An Empirical Approach. New York: Guildford Press.
Svensen, Stuart, and Ken White. 1995. “A Content Analysis of Horoscopes”. Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs 121/1: 5–38.
Tester, Jim. 1987. A History of Western Astrology. New York: Ballatine Books
Tyson, G.A. “People who Consult Astrologers: A Profile” Personality and Individual Differences 5(2):247–250.
Wuthnow, Robert. 1976. “Astrology and Marginality.” Journal of the Scientific Study of Religion 15(2):157–168.
Arendt, Hannah. 1958. The Human Condition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Arroyo Stephen, and Liz Greene. (1984) 1991. New Insights in Modern Astrology. Sebastopol, Calif.: CRCS Publications.
Barrett, Justin. 2004. Why Would Anyone Believe in God? Walnut Creek, Calif.: Altamira Press.
Bauer, Martin, and John Durant. 1997. “Belief in Astrology: A Social–Psychological Analysis.” Culture and Cosmos 1: 55–71.
Belenky, Mary Field et al. 1986. Womens’ Ways of Knowing. The Development of Self, Voice, and Mind.
Boy, Daniel, and Guy Michelat. 1986. “Croyance aux parascience: Dimensions sociales et culturelles.” Revue Francaise de Sociologie 27 (2): 175–204.
Broch–Bue and T. Ødegård. 1991. “Alt menneskeligt er kjønnet—samtidigt og altid: Om forståelsen af sosialt kjønn I samfunnsvitenskapene.” Sosiologi i dag 4: 76–99.
Campion, Nick, and Nick Kollerstom. 2003. Galileo’s Astrology: A Special Issue of Culture and Cosmos, 7 (1).
Cohen, Anthony. 1994. Self–Consciousness. An Alternative Anthropology of Identity. London: Routledge.
Cunningham, Donna. (1978) 1994. An Astrological Guide to Self–Awareness. Sebastopol, Calif.. CRCS Publications.
Duncan, Adrian Ross. 2002. Astrology. Empowerment and Transformation. Boston. Weiser .
Forrest, Steven. 1993. The Night Speaks: A Meditation on the Astrological Worldview. San Diego: ACS Publications.
Gallup, George, and Frank Newport. 1991. “Belief in Paranormal Phenomena among Adult Americans.” The Skeptical Inquirer 15:137–146.
Geddes, Sheila. 1990. Self–Development with Astrology. London: Foulsham.
Guthrie, Steward. 1993. Faces in the Clouds. A New Theory of Religion. New York: Oxford University Press.
Jackson, Michael. 1989. Paths Toward a Clearing: Radical Empiricism and Ethnographic Enquiry. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Koch-Westenholz, Ulla. 1995. Mesopotamian Astrology: An Introduction to Babylonian and Assyrian Celestrial Divination. København: Museum Tusculanum Press.
Kristensen, Catharina Juul. 2001. “’If People Believe Ideas are Real…’ Women’s Self–Perception as Active Individuals in Late Modernity.” In Transformations of Modernity: Aspects of the Past, Present and Future of an Era, edited by Mikael Carleheden and Michael Hviid Jacobsen. Aldershot: Ashgate,165–182.
Maitre, Jaques. 1966. “La consummation d’astrologie dans la societe contemporaine.” Diogenes 53:92–109.
Munk. Kirstine. 2007. “Nature Is Not What It Used to Be…New Cosmological Orders in Contemporary, Western Astrology.” Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture 1:157–171.
Munk, Kirstine. 2011. “’Baby in a Bowl’ and Other Stories: Socialization in Astrological Narrative.” In Religious Narrative, Cognition amd Culture. Image and World in the Mind of Narrative, edited by Armin W. Geertz and Jeppe Sinding Jensen. London: Equinox.
Munk, Kirstine. Forthcoming. Signs of the Times. Why Modern People Believe in Astrology. Sheffield: Equinox.
Paloutzian, Raymond. 1996. Invitation to the Psychology of Religion. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Paloutzian, Raymond, and Crystal L. Parke. 2005. Handbook of the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. New York: Guildford Press.
Plug, C. 1975. “An Investigation of Superstitious Beliefs and Behaviour.” Journal of Behavioural Science 2(3):169–178.
Salter, C.A., and L.M. Routledge. 1974. “Intelligence and Belief in the Supernatural”. Psychological Reports 34:299–304.
Schmidtchen, Gerhard. 1957. “Soziologishes über die Astrologie.” Zeitschrift für Parapsychologie und Grenzgebiete der psychologie 1:47–72.
Slone, Jason. 2004. Theological Incorrectness. Why Religious People Believe what They Shouldn’t. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Spilka, Bernhard et al. 2003. The Psychology of Religion. An Empirical Approach. New York: Guildford Press.
Svensen, Stuart, and Ken White. 1995. “A Content Analysis of Horoscopes”. Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs 121/1: 5–38.
Tester, Jim. 1987. A History of Western Astrology. New York: Ballatine Books
Tyson, G.A. “People who Consult Astrologers: A Profile” Personality and Individual Differences 5(2):247–250.
Wuthnow, Robert. 1976. “Astrology and Marginality.” Journal of the Scientific Study of Religion 15(2):157–168.
Published
2012-04-12
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Munk, K. (2012). ’The Stars Down to Earth’: Why Educated Women in the Western World Use Astrology. Bulletin for the Study of Religion, 41(2), 3-9. https://doi.org/10.1558/bsor.v41i2.3
