ABSTRACT
This chapter explores recent research on the historical interaction between evolution and religion across various global contexts. Positioned within the current body of work on the history of science and religion, the chapter presents case studies that showcase diverse and intricate relationships between evolutionary science and different religious traditions over time and space. In this chapter we emphasize the need for researchers to understand their local context deeply while also integrating analysis into a broader global framework. We suggest that, rather than diluting the significance of local nuances, adopting a global perspective offers valuable insights, particularly through the inclusion of postcolonial, transnational, and subaltern viewpoints.
Utilizing diverse media sources, including periodicals, books, movies, and television, the chapter highlights challenges faced by historians studying daily perceptions of evolution across diverse societies. The authors demonstrate how their research has benefited from close collaboration with sociologists, social psychologists, and other scholars exploring public perceptions of science and religion. Advocating for reciprocal engagement between social scientists and historians, we contend that social scientists can enhance their own study designs by leveraging insights from historians, such as an understanding of how certain scientific concepts have been used to serve specific imperialist or nationalist agendas.
