Vernacular Knowledge: Contesting Authority, Expressing Beliefs

Vernacular knowledge is a realm of discourses and beliefs that challenge institutional authorities and official truths, transmitted through multiple communication strategies and covering various realms of the supernatural. It operates in creative tension with institutional forms of religion, secularism, state-sponsored atheism, and scientific rationalism, challenging the homogeneity of dominant discourses and the hegemony of institutionalised authorities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 434 pages
Publication date: 03 October 2022
Publisher: Equinox Publishing Ltd

Vernacular knowledge encompasses a rich tapestry of discourses and beliefs that boldly challenge the established authorities and official truths, defying regulations and evading monolithic expressions of the status quo. In stark contrast to the monolithic "truths" of religious or secular traditions, vernacular knowledge is characterized by its dynamic, fluid, and often ambivalent nature. It emerges in diverse forms, embracing a multitude of alternatives, and thrives in culturally, religiously, geographically, politically, and socially varied contexts. Vernacular Knowledge delves into the heteroglot expressions of knowledge revealed through various genres, including traditional tales, personal experience narratives, rumors, jokes, alternative histories, material culture, placelore, and ritual. This knowledge is transmitted through various communication strategies, including face-to-face interactions, social media platforms, online forums, publications, and more, fostering a communal sharing and shaping process. However, it is simultaneously individualized and actualized, with each person bringing their unique perspective to the knowledge. Vernacular knowledge extends its reach to encompass various realms of the supernatural, such as ghosts, saints, spirits, magic, energy lines, and divination. It underpins beliefs and assertions that challenge prevailing wisdom, including conspiracy theories, critiques of politically and ideologically determined creeds, and other socially compelling ideas that undermine established norms. Vernacular religion operates in a creative tension with not only institutional forms of religion but also secularism, state-sponsored atheism, and scientific rationalism. It consistently challenges the homogeneity of dominant discourses and the hegemony of institutionalized authorities in a multitude of contexts. This volume is dedicated to Leonard Norman Primiano (1957–2021), a visionary scholar who made significant contributions to the study of vernacular knowledge and religion.

Dimension: 234 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781781792377