Cultural Approaches to Studying Religion: An Introduction to Theories and Methods

This textbook provides an updated and comprehensive introduction to the analytic tools used in religious studies,including cultural approaches from anthropology,history,literature,and critical studies in race,sexuality,and gender. It explores how major features such as taboo,texts,myths,and ritual work across religious traditions and examines the comparative approach through the work of Alice Walker,Charles Long,and Caroline Walker Bynum. It also includes Gloria Anzaldúas language of religion,Judith Butler on performative,queer theories of religion,Saba Mahmood on postcolonial religious encounters,secularism,and the relationship between “East” and “West”,and Jasbir Puars work on affect,gender,sexuality,and disability.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 28 December 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This extensively revised textbook delves into the analytical tools employed by scholars in religious studies, as well as related disciplines, that have significantly shaped the field. It encompasses cultural approaches from anthropology, history, literature, and critical studies in race, sexuality, and gender. The book is organized into three parts:

Part One: Comparative Approaches explores how significant aspects like taboo, texts, myths, and ritual manifest across religious traditions. This section examines the work of renowned scholars such as Mary Douglas, Phyllis Trible, Wendy Doniger, Catherine Bell, and, for the first time in this edition, Tomoko Masuzawa. Their contributions shed light on the colonialist underpinnings of the comparative, world religions model.

Part Two: Examining Particularities delves into the comparative approach by examining the insights of Alice Walker, Charles Long, and Caroline Walker Bynum. They emphasize the importance of considering the specificities of race, body, place, and time in religious studies.

Part Three: Expanding Boundaries examines Gloria Anzaldúas language of religion, as well as the groundbreaking work of Judith Butler on performative, queer theories of religion. Saba Mahmood's work explores postcolonial religious encounters, secularism, and the complex relationship between "East" and "West." Jasbir Puar's contribution focuses on the study of affect, gender, sexuality, and disability.

In addition to a comprehensive list of key terms, each section now includes an introduction that highlights the contributions of each thinker and their relationship to previous theories that have dominated the field. This textbook serves as a valuable resource for students, scholars, and researchers seeking to understand the diverse and evolving landscape of religious studies.

Weight: 630g
Dimension: 251 x 177 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350303089
Edition number: 2 ed