Butinage: The Art of Religious Mobility

Butinage: The Art of Religious Mobility explores the concept of religious butinage, which refers to the movement of believers between religious institutions, in urban, predominantly Christian settings in Brazil, Kenya, Ghana, and Switzerland. It identifies religious mobility as existing at the intersection of religious-institutional rules, narratives, social norms, and individual agency and practice.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 240 pages
\n Publication date: 24 March 2021
\n Publisher: University of Toronto Press
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Butinage: The Art of Religious Mobility delves into the captivating concept of religious butinage, a conceptual framework designed to unravel the intricate dynamics of everyday religious practice. This term, derived from the French word butiner, which captures the foraging behavior of bees and other pollinating insects, is metaphorically employed by the authors to signify the movement of believers between religious institutions. With a primary focus on urban, predominantly Christian contexts in Brazil, Kenya, Ghana, and Switzerland, Butinage conducts a comparative analysis of these four case studies, uncovering both commonalities and disparities. It identifies religious mobility as a phenomenon that thrives at the intersection of religious-institutional rules, narratives, social norms, and individual agency and practice. Drawing upon the rich tapestry of academic traditions from anglophone, francophone, and lusophone realms, Butinage strives to foster a dialogue between ethnographic findings and theoretical ideas. It explores the potential for reimagining prevailing conceptions of religious normativity, offering a fresh perspective on the complex interplay between faith, institutions, and the human experience.

\n Weight: 534g\n
Dimension: 160 x 240 x 28 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781487508807\n \n