Mystic South

While human protagonists may do well to try to escape the clutches of Chucky, Annabelle, and Talky Tina (of Twilight Zone infamy) among a host of other spirit-possessed dolls depicted in modern cinematic and television horror over the decades, a thriving (predominantly online) market of afficionados intent on acquiring haunted dolls precisely as points of contact and communication with the dead exists in the United States today. Based on ethnographic research conducted in both virtual and non-virtual spaces, this paper explores the ways that haunted-doll enthusiasts interact with and reflect upon their effigies, existing as they do within an American cultural landscape that increasingly blurs the lines between spirituality and entertainment. Many collectors contend that their dolls are potent tools for personal development in fostering direct access to spirit intelligences that can serve as companions or guides in their daily spiritual lives. The dolls themselves are often displayed on altars or clustered among other religious objects in collectors' homes and are handled in ritualized ways that emphasize their sacrality as sentient beings deserving of devotion and respect. I argue that the current fascination with haunted dolls, as occultural objects, reflect and embody the deep contradictions that stand at the heart of a reenchanted modernity in which capitalist consumerism and human desires for meaning-making and transcendence are vitally entwined. I also contend that haunted dolls, the majority of which are fashioned anthropomorphically, provide a case study for deeper reflections on the material productions of race, ethnicity, gender, and class within contemporary American culture.