Vieda Skultans Books

The narrative explores the complexities of returning to Latvia after years of exile, intertwining personal experiences with broader cultural reflections. Through over 100 interviews conducted post-independence, it reveals the untold stories of dispossession, exile, and the challenges of reintegration faced by Latvians. The author delves into the interplay between individual memories and the collective narratives shaped by national history, providing a profound insight into a people's struggle to reconcile their past with an uncertain future.

Focusing on spiritualist activities, this study explores the intricate relationship between these practices and the everyday lives of practitioners. Through immersive fieldwork as a 'participant observer' in a South Wales town, the author provides a sympathetic view of the rituals and beliefs that shape the community. The book delves into how spirituality intertwines with secular existence, offering insights into the cultural significance of these practices.

Focusing on the societal attitudes towards insanity in the nineteenth century, the book explores the evolving perceptions and treatment of the mentally ill. Vieda Skultans provides an insightful introduction that highlights significant developments and shifts in understanding madness, revealing the complexities and implications of these views during a transformative period in mental health history.

For more than three decades the author has been concerned with issues to do with emotion, suffering and healing. This volume presents ethnographic studies of South Wales, Maharashtra and post-Soviet Latvia connected by a theoretical interest in healing, emotion and subjectivity.