Religion Today: Tradition, Modernity and Change

This new Open University/Ashgate series of textbooks offers an in-depth introduction to contemporary themes and challenges in religious studies. The contents highlight the central issues and ideas that are shaping religion today. The textbooks offer readers an understanding of the relevance of methodologies to lived experience and gain the ability to transfer analytic skills and explanatory devices to the study of religion in context. The textbooks focus on the following key issues in contemporary religious studies: representation and interpretation; modernity and social change; civil religion; the impact of globalization on religion; and the growth of alternative religion. The accompanying Reader presents primary and secondary source material structured around these core themes. Each textbook includes: ¢ Introductions to the issues and controversies relevant to each topic discussed. ¢ Detailed case studies, spanning many countries and religions. ¢ Extracts from other publications, which address the same issue from different perspectives. ¢ Extensive references and guidance on other published material. ¢ Supporting colour and black-and-white illustrations throughout.