Hutterite belief in evil eye: beyond paranoia and towards a general theory of invidia

Most studies of 'evil eye' link economic and political inequality to the fear of appropriation of property while tying envy (invidia) to paranoia. In both psychiatric and anthropological studies of evil eye, explanation of the phenomenon is problematic because the data are retroductive - involving a rationalization of the part of the patient or informant in terms of either delusions or world-view respectively. In this paper the connection between invidia and paranoia is questioned by grounding the analysis of Hutterian beliefs in evil eye in social interaction rather than retroductive explanation. In the case of the Hutterities it is envy itself which is feared and linked to high anxiety levels and sometimes to anxiety attacks or even depression.