Date of Award
9-1981
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Anthropology
Supervisor
William L. Rodman
Language
English
Abstract
Throughout the thesis, I examine the interrelationship between illness and the Sicilian-Canadian notion of evil eye (mal'uocchiu). Based on an analysis of evil eye beliefs and actual case histories of victims of mal'uocchiu, I arrive at the following conclusion: the illness/evil eye interrelationship involves a stress generating discrepancy between an individual's personal expectations and what actually takes place. This discrepancy may, in certain cases, cause physical symptoms. I discuss the implications of my work for evil eye, witchcraft and folk illness studies.
Recommended Citation
Migliore, Sam, "Mal'uocchiu: The Sicilian-Canadian Evil Eye Complex" (1981). Open Access Dissertations and Theses. Paper 110.
http://digitalcommons.mcmaster.ca/opendissertations/110
McMaster University Library