Studying Religion

Studying Religion PDF Author: Russell T. McCutcheon
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317491661
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 221

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Book Description
Widely used as a primer, a text and a provocation to critical thinking, 'Studying Religion' aims to develop students' skills. The book clearly explains the methods and theories employed in the study of religion. Essays are offered on a range of topics: from the history and functions of religion to public discourse on religion and the classification of religions. The works of key scholars - from Karl Marx, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Rudolf Otto to Mircea Eliade, James G. Frazer, and Sigmund Freud - are analysed and explored. 'Studying Religion' represents a shift away from the traditional focus of describing the exotic or curious religious 'Other' to an examination of how religious behaviours and institutions are studied. The book will be invaluable to students of religious studies.

Studying Religion

Studying Religion PDF Author: Russell T. McCutcheon
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317491661
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 221

Get Book

Book Description
Widely used as a primer, a text and a provocation to critical thinking, 'Studying Religion' aims to develop students' skills. The book clearly explains the methods and theories employed in the study of religion. Essays are offered on a range of topics: from the history and functions of religion to public discourse on religion and the classification of religions. The works of key scholars - from Karl Marx, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Rudolf Otto to Mircea Eliade, James G. Frazer, and Sigmund Freud - are analysed and explored. 'Studying Religion' represents a shift away from the traditional focus of describing the exotic or curious religious 'Other' to an examination of how religious behaviours and institutions are studied. The book will be invaluable to students of religious studies.

Studying Lived Religion

Studying Lived Religion PDF Author: Nancy Tatom Ammerman
Publisher: NYU Press
ISBN: 1479804339
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 157

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Book Description
Offers an overarching definition and framework for the study of religion as it manifests itself in everyday life Look around you as you walk down the street; somewhere, usually hidden in plain sight, there will be traces of religion. Perhaps it is the person who walks past with a Christian tattoo or a Muslim hijab. Perhaps it is the poster announcing a charity auction at the local synagogue. Or perhaps you open your Instagram feed to see what inspiring images and meditations have been posted by spiritual guides to help start the day. Studying Lived Religion examines religious practices wherever they happen—both within religious spaces and in everyday life. Although the study of lived religion has been around for over two decades, there has not been an agreed-upon definition of what it encompasses, and we have lacked a sociological theory to frame the way it is studied. This book offers a definition that expands lived religion’s geographic scope and a framework of seven dimensions around which we can analyze lived religious practice. Examples from multiple traditions and disciplines show the range of methods available for such studies, offering practical tips for how to begin. The volume opens up how we understand the category of lived religion, erasing the artificial divide between what happens in congregations and other religious institutions and what happens in other settings. Nancy Tatom Ammerman draws on examples ranging from Singapore to Accra to Chicago to show how deeply religion permeates everyday lives. In revealing the often overlooked ways that religion shapes human experience, she invites us all into new ways of seeing the world around us.

A Critical Introduction to the Study of Religion

A Critical Introduction to the Study of Religion PDF Author: Craig Martin
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315474395
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 259

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Book Description
A Critical Introduction to the Study of Religion introduces the key concepts and theories from religious studies that are necessary for a full understanding of the complex relations between religion and society. The aim is to provide readers with an arsenal of critical concepts for studying religious ideologies, practices, and communities. This thoroughly revised second edition has been restructured to clearly emphasize key topics including: Essentialism Functionalism Authority Domination. All ideas and theories are clearly illustrated, with new and engaging examples and case studies throughout, making this the ideal textbook for students approaching the subject area for the first time.

Cultural Approaches to Studying Religion

Cultural Approaches to Studying Religion PDF Author: M. Cooper Minister
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1350303127
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 388

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Book Description
Examining the analytic tools of scholars in religious studies, as well as in related disciplines that have shaped the field, this updated textbook includes cultural approaches from anthropology, history, literature, and critical studies in race, sexuality, and gender. Each chapter is written by a leading scholar and includes: the biographical and historical context of each theorist their approaches and key writings analysis and evaluation of each theory a list of key terms suggested further reading Part One: Comparative Approaches considers how major features such as taboo, texts, myths, and ritual work across religious traditions. This section explores the work of Mary Douglas, Phyllis Trible, Wendy Doniger, Catherine Bell and, new to this edition, Tomoko Masuzawa, whose contributions reveal the colonialist assumptions of the comparative, world religions model. Part Two: Examining Particularities analyzes the comparative approach through the work of Alice Walker, Charles Long, and Caroline Walker Bynum, who all suggest that the specifics of race, body, place and time must be considered. Part Three: Expanding Boundaries examines Gloria Anzaldúa's language of religion, as well as the work of Judith Butler on performative, queer theories of religion, Saba Mahmood, whose work considers postcolonial religious encounters, secularism, and the relationship between “East” and “West”. New to this edition is Jasbir Puar's work on work on affect, gender, sexuality, and disability. Along with a list of key terms, each section now includes an introduction highlighting the contributions of each thinker and their relation to previous theories that dominated the field.

Methods for Studying Video Games and Religion

Methods for Studying Video Games and Religion PDF Author: Vít Šisler
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315518317
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 319

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Book Description
Game studies has been an understudied area within the emerging field of digital media and religion. Video games can reflect, reject, or reconfigure traditionally held religious ideas and often serve as sources for the production of religious practices and ideas. This collection of essays presents a broad range of influential methodological approaches that illuminate how and why video games shape the construction of religious beliefs and practices, and also situates such research within the wider discourse on how digital media intersect with the religious worlds of the 21st century. Each chapter discusses a particular method and its theoretical background, summarizes existing research, and provides a practical case study that demonstrates how the method specifically contributes to the wider study of video games and religion. Featuring contributions from leading and emerging scholars of religion and digital gaming, this book will be an invaluable resource for scholars in the areas of digital culture, new media, religious studies, and game studies across a wide range of disciplines.

Studying Religion and Society

Studying Religion and Society PDF Author: Titus Hjelm
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135121486
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 221

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Book Description
How do you study religion and society? In this fascinating book, some of the most famous names in the field explain how they go about their everyday work of studying religions in the field. They explain how the ideas for their projects and books have come together, how their understanding of religion has changed over the years, and how their own beliefs have affected their work. They also comment on the changing nature of the field, the ideas which they regard as most important, and those which have not stood the test of time. Lastly they offer advice to young scholars, and suggest what needs to be done to enable the field to grow and develop further.

A Beginner's Guide to the Study of Religion

A Beginner's Guide to the Study of Religion PDF Author: Bradley L. Herling
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472506030
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 201

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Book Description
How should we understand and interpret the strange but familiar thing that we call “religion”? What are the foundations of a methodical approach to this subject, and what theoretical tools are available to students who are new to this area of inquiry? A Beginner's Guide to the Study of Religion provides an accessible, wide-ranging introduction to theories and basic methodology in the field. Now in its second edition and updated throughout, this concise but comprehensive book includes:- - A case for the urgency and relevance of studying religion today - Discussion of the role and perspective of the student of religion - Description of the nature of theory and its function - An accessible survey of classic theorists in the modern study of religion - Feature boxes highlighting essential quotations and guiding principles for application of theories An expanded consideration of contemporary issues in the field, including gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, globalization, violence, science, and new media. - Recommended further reading A Beginner's Guide to the Study of Religion offers a thorough but concise body of material suitable for introductory courses on the study of religion, or to provide theoretical context for survey courses. Study questions and worksheets can be found on the book's webpage.

Studying Religion: An Introduction Through Cases

Studying Religion: An Introduction Through Cases PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN: 0077385128
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description


Understanding Religion

Understanding Religion PDF Author: Paul Michael Hedges
Publisher: University of California Press
ISBN: 0520298918
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 583

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Book Description
A cutting-edge introduction to contemporary religious studies theory, connecting theory to data This innovative coursebook introduces students to interdisciplinary theoretical tools for understanding contemporary religiously diverse societies—both Western and non-Western. Using a case-study model, the text considers: A wide and diverse array of contemporary issues, questions, and critical approaches to the study of religion relevant to students and scholars A variety of theoretical approaches, including decolonial, feminist, hermeneutical, poststructuralist, and phenomenological analyses Current debates on whether the term "religion" is meaningful Many key issues about the study of religion, including the insider-outsider debate, material religion, and lived religion Plural and religiously diverse societies, including the theological ideas of traditions and the political and social questions that arise for those living alongside adherents of other religions Understanding Religion is designed to provide a strong foundation for instructors to explore the ideas presented in each chapter in multiple ways, engage students in meaningful activities in the classroom, and integrate additional material into their lectures. Students will gain the tools to apply specific methods from a variety of disciplines to analyze the social, political, spiritual, and cultural aspects of religions. Its unique pedagogical design means it can be used from undergraduate- to postgraduate-level courses.

Studying Religion

Studying Religion PDF Author: Russell T. McCutcheon
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1003825842
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 333

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Book Description
Widely used as a primer, a class text, or just a provocation to critical thinking, Studying Religion clearly explains the methods and theories employed in the academic study of religion by tackling the problem of how scholars define and then study religion. Written for all newcomers to the field, its brief chapters explore the three main ways in which religion is defined and, along the way, also consider a range of related topics, from the history and functions of religion to its public discourse, religion in the courts, and the classification of diverse groups into world religions. The works of classic and contemporary scholars—from Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud to Bruce Lincoln and Naomi Goldenberg—are analyzed and explored in readable chapters and detailed supporting materials. Studying Religion represents a shift away from the traditional descriptive and comparative approach and, instead, uses the study of religion to invite readers to consider how they divide up, name, and come to know the world around them. This edition also includes a new final chapter, Identification Matters, adding to the case studies included throughout this book to present a collection of contemporary instances where different approaches to defining and studying religion make it possible to study other issues of contemporary relevance, including those involving gender, race, and the rights of indigenous peoples. The new chapter makes explicit the practical topics of identity and status that have always been implicit throughout the entire book, bringing into the classroom a wide variety of timely and relevant topics that can be better understood by its approach. This book therefore remains invaluable to all students of religious studies—whether in the introductory class or as an example of an alternative way of approaching the field.