ABSTRACT
Religion is a major force in contemporary society. It is also one of the least understood social and political influences on individuals and communities. In this innovative collection of original essays and classic readings, experts explore the significance of contemporary religiosity: as a source of meaning and motivation, how it unites and divides us, and how it is used politically and culturally. Readers will be introduced to the broad debates in ways that will equip them to analyze, discuss, and make their own judgments about religion and society. This book should be read by anyone interested in understanding religion as a central source of meaning and politics, and is ideally suited for undergraduate teaching on religion and social issues and from a global perspective.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|110 pages
What is Religion?
part 1|39 pages
Defining Religion
chapter 2|21 pages
Contested Meanings and Definitional Boundaries
part 2|55 pages
Imagining Religion's Future
chapter 7|21 pages
Selections from “Bringing the Sacred to Life
part II|102 pages
Religion and Social Institutions
part 3|40 pages
Religion, State, and Law
chapter 9|19 pages
Realigning Religion and Power in Central Asia
part 4|48 pages
Religion and the Nation
part III|105 pages
Religion and Social Power
part III 5|25 pages
Theorizing Religion and Power
chapter 16|11 pages
Nepantla Spirituality
part 6|62 pages
Enacting Religion and Power
chapter 19|12 pages
Queering Religious Texts
chapter 20|9 pages
“Intersexed Bodies in Mishnah
part IV|90 pages
Religion and Social Movements
part 7|41 pages
Religion in Social Movements
chapter 23|14 pages
Displacing Religion, Disarming Law
part 8|35 pages
Religions as Social Movements
part V|109 pages
Religion, Local and Global
part 9|41 pages
Religion, Immigration, and Transnationalism
part 10|56 pages
Religion and Violence, Local and Global