Theory, History, and the Study of Religion in Late Antiquity: Speculative Worlds

Theory is a style of approach to engage in speculation and re-imagine the crises of living, a primer for understanding critical theory in the study of religion in late antiquity, and a history of speculative leaps in the field. It also presses us on the ethical stakes of our uses of theory and asks how the field's interests in theory help us understand what's going on in the disciplinary unconscious.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 75 pages
Publication date: 09 February 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The theory is not a collection of texts, but rather a philosophical approach. It involves engaging in speculative activities that re-imagine and dramatize the crises of human existence. This element serves as both a primer for understanding some of the major strands of critical theory in the study of religion in late antiquity and a history of speculative leaps in the field. It explores the dilemmas that the field has grappled with repeatedly, such as questions about subjectivity, the body, agency, violence, and power. Furthermore, this element prompts us to consider the ethical implications of our theoretical approaches and asks how the field's interests in theory can help us gain insight into the often-unspoken dynamics of the disciplinary unconscious.

ISBN-13: 9781009012003