On individual variations regarding belief

The author argues, that anthropology often interprets religious beliefs as shared by the believers and assumes that believers straightforwardly think that their beliefs are true. In her article "On individual variations regarding beliefs", she shows, however, that the relations between believers and their beliefs are malleable. They vary between different believers and even an individual believer's relation to his beliefs might change from situation to situation. She makes her point with reference to two Moroccan city-dwellers who hold a common belief, namely, in the existence of djnns. However, they ascribe different identities to the djinns and confrontation with a different perspective on djinns strengthens their belief in the truth of their own perspective. Moreover, the validity of beliefs that are firmly embedded in their actions as tacit knowledge becomes suspended when the beliefs become a theme of discourse. Furthermore, believers can differ in how much they doubt a belief. Next the author argues that, an actor's emotions in a specific situation can strengthen his belief. Finally, beliefs can become emblematic for one's cherished way of life and this can make the actor hold on to a belief. The author thus concludes that a shared belief does not imply that the relation towards the belief is also shared. Individuals, as she shows, rather have a relation to their beliefs that is specific to them and specific to their present circumstances.