In a book based on more than three years of fieldwork, Nils Bubandt argues that cannibal witches for people in the coastal, and predominantly Christian, community of Buli in the Indonesian province of North Maluku are both corporeally real and fundamentally unknowable.
The exploration of Indonesia's democracy reveals a complex interplay between political realities and spiritual beliefs, highlighting its flawed and predatory nature despite a successful transition. The book delves into how these paradoxes manifest in the political imagination, intertwining the realms of media and elite influence. By examining the unique relationship between politics and spirituality, it posits that Indonesia's democratic challenges mirror broader global contradictions, suggesting a deeper understanding of democracy itself.