This project focused primarily on the analysis of Pentecostal exorcisms in London, although fieldwork was also conducted in Brussels and on digital platforms. The research includes substantial material from the Brazilian Neo-Pentecostal church, the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG), as well as from other Pentecostal branches—particularly from the United States—in the analysis of the digitalization of exorcisms. Therefore, fieldwork was carried out in loco, allowing the researcher to participate in the rituals. The main objective is to place Pentecostal exorcisms at the core of the analysis, examining how they shape religious practices, materiality, political activity, economic behavior, race, ethnicity, racism, gender roles, and sexuality. Moreover, these rituals were analyzed in relation to their “others,” emphasizing how they engage with groups that become the targets of such rituals—thus going beyond the view of exorcism as merely an intra-community practice. This project employs not only ritual theory but also a sociological analysis of processes of “othering,” adopting a perspective that highlights the dialogical dimension of demonization through which Pentecostal groups construct and interact with what they perceive as Devil-related others.The theme is particularly relevant given the recurrence of violent cases related to exorcisms in Europe; the case of Victoria Climbié, for example, involved the murder of a young girl after she was diagnosed by preachers as a potentially possessed individual. Despite the social and political resonance of such events, the broader impacts of Pentecostal exorcisms—especially their political dimensions and their potential links to violence—remain underexplored. This project therefore seeks to address this gap by examining the social, political, and ethical implications of these rituals. In doing so, it aims to inform public discussions and policy initiatives that engage with religious practices and their regulation, contributing to the prevention of similar cases through a better understanding of the discourses and practices that shape exorcism rituals.
