Identity Turn: Managing Decolonialization and Identity Politics in the Study of Religion

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Jørn Borup
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Identity Politics ◽  
Critical Study ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Theoretical Orientations ◽  
History Of Religion ◽  
Western Power ◽  
History Of ◽  
Academic Study

Abstract The academic study of religion, with its concepts and theories that originate in a Western, Protestant context, has justly been criticized in postmodern and identity-focused discourses, in recent years under the umbrella of decolonization and social justice activism. It has been suggested that allegedly universally-applicable theories and methodologies are relativized and revealed as particularized Eurocentrism in the hegemonic representations of “white” or “Western” power regimes. While acknowledging such reorientations in the philosophy, sociology, psychology, and history of religion, this article also critically investigates and discusses the “critical study of religion.” It is suggested that the revisionist deconstruction emphasized by contemporary identity perspectives, with their discourses of difference and re-essentialized understandings of religion and culture, are not only problematic as theoretical orientations. Radical identity politics also imply methodological constraints on the academic study of religion, where comparison, analytical categories, and reflexive emic–etic distinctions must remain key factors.

‘Religion,’ ‘the Secular’ and the Critical Study of Religion

2011 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Engler
Keyword(s):  
Religious Studies ◽  
Critical Study ◽  
History Of Religion ◽  
Critical History ◽  
Il Y A ◽  
History Of ◽  
A Current ◽  
Academic Study

This essay critically engages Timothy Fitzgerald’s Discourse on Civility and Barbarity (2007), arguing that it takes an important step beyond Fitzgerald’s first book, The Ideology of Religious Studies ( 2000 ), in diagnosing a current malaise of the academic study of religion and in modelling a way past this malaise. Highlighting this valuable aspect of the book, I argue, requires correcting certain problems with its argument. Specifically, there is a tension between two overarching goals: writing “a critical history of ‘religion’ as a category,” and criticizing “modern discourses on generic religion.” Once these genealogical and critical projects are brought into more effective alignment, the book models an approach where a properly critical study of religion begins with a contingently and strategically theorized domain of ‘religion’ and explores its relation to other domains—not only ‘the secular.’ Cet essai reconsidère d’un œil critique le livre Discourse on Civility and Barbarity (2007), de Timothy Fitzgerald. Il soutien qu’il donne un pas important au-delà du premier livre de Fitzgerald, The Ideology of Religious Studies ( 2000 ), dans les faits de diagnostiquer une malaise actuelle de l’étude des religions et de modeler une piste alternative. Pourtant, pour accentuer cet aspect important du livre, on doit corriger des problèmes logiques avec son argument. Spécialement, il y a une tension problématique entre les deux buts du livre : l’écriture « d’une histoire critique de ‘religion’ comme une catégorie »; et la critique « des discours modernes sur la religion générique ». Dès que ces projets généalogiques et critiques sont apportés dans une meilleure alignement, le livre modèle une approche de grande valeur : c’est le travail d’une étude proprement critique du concept ‘de religion’ de le suivre où il mène, et d’analyser ses relations avec des autres concepts.

scholarly journals Robert Bellah, religion og menneskelig evolution

2013 ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans J. Lundager Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Human Evolution ◽  
English Abstract ◽  
History Of Religion ◽  
Early States ◽  
Axial Age ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of ◽  
Robert Bellah ◽  
Academic Study

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction to and discussion of Robert Bellah's major book, Religion in Human Evolution (2011). which defines and describes tribal religion (religion in pre-state societies), archaic religion (religion in early states) and religious currents in the axial age, the period in the middle of 1st mill. BC, where new radical and intellectual ideas and practices, sceptial or world renouncing, appeared in China, India and Greece. Hopefully, Bellah's book will be a standard reference work in the academic study of religion and an inspiration for the history of religion in the future to engage in historical and comparative studies.DANSK RESUMÉ: Introduktion til og diskussion af Robert Bellahs hovedværk fra 2011, Religion in Human Evolution, der definerer og beskriver tribal religion, dvs. religion i før-statslige samfund, arkaisk religion, dvs. religion i tidlig-statslige kulturer samt religiøse strømninger i aksetiden, perioden i midten af 1. årt. f.Kr., hvor nye radikale og intellektuelle, skeptiske eller verdensafvisende, tankegange og livsformer formuleres i Kina, Indien og Grækenland. Bogen bør betragtes som et hovedværk i aktuel religionsforskning, og den vil forhåbentlig kunne inspirere religionshistorien til også at drive historisk-komparativ forskning.

scholarly journals The History of Scholarship on Ancient Israelite Religion: A Brief Sketch

2020 ◽  
pp. 17-47
Author(s):  
Theodore J. Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Critical Study ◽  
History Of Religion ◽  
Israelite Religion ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The Enlightenment ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
History Of ◽  
History Of Scholarship ◽  
Critical Turning Point

In order to study the broad topic of divinity, it is essential to survey the history of scholarship, especially to understand the foundation of views inherited by modern scholars. The Enlightenment is chosen as a starting point due to the growth of the critical study of the Bible during these times. Germanic scholarship of the Hebrew Bible in nineteenth century is articulated as a critical turning point. Subsequent developments include the emergence of sociological methods, the “history of religion” comparative approach, and the “myth-and-ritual” school of thought. Newly discovered archaeological remains caused yet another shift, with scholars now debating whether ancient Israel’s religion was in fact as unique as confessional traditions taught. More recently, varying methodological approaches have exploded on the scene including epigraphy, socio-historical linguistics, revisionist historical hermeneutics, feminist approaches, intertextuality, and iconographic studies together with the maturing of the fields of archaeology and sociology.

scholarly journals Esoteric discourse and the European history of religion: in search of a new interpretational framework

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 217-236
Author(s):  
Kocku Von Stuckrad
Keyword(s):  
Western Culture ◽  
New Age ◽  
European History ◽  
History Of Religion ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of Religions ◽  
History Of ◽  
Inner Circle ◽  
Western Esotericism ◽  
Academic Study

Often, when people nowadays talk of ‘esotericism’, they are using this word either as more or less synonymous with ‘New Age’, or as a term for movements that are based on a secret wisdom that is only accessible to an ‘inner circle’ of initiates. In academic discussions, however, during the past fifteen years, a field of research has been established that critically engages these assumptions and applies the term ‘esotericism’ in a very different way, namely as a signifier of a number of currents in Western culture that have influenced the history of religions in manifold ways. ‘New Age’ and secret initiatory knowledge are but two aspects of these traditions, and certainly not the most important ones. In this article, the author reflects on the various scholarly approaches to the concept of ‘Western esotericism’. He proposes an analysis that takes in­to account the manifold pluralisms that have shaped Western culture—not only in modernity. He argues that the academic study of Western esotericism should be understood as part and parcel of a broader analysis of European history of religion, with all its complexities, polemics, diachronic developments, and pluralistic discourses.

The problem of periodization of the history of religion

1997 ◽  
pp. 3-8
Author(s):  
Borys Lobovyk
Keyword(s):  
Religious Studies ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Religious Development ◽  
History Of Religion ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Role Of Religion

An important problem of religious studies, the history of religion as a branch of knowledge is the periodization process of the development of religious phenomenon. It is precisely here, as in focus, that the question of the essence and meaning of the religious development of the human being of the world, the origin of beliefs and cult, the reasons for the changes in them, the place and role of religion in the social and spiritual process, etc., are converging.

The European Charter of Local Self-Government

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Himsworth
Keyword(s):  
Critical Study ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Future Prospects ◽  
Council Of Europe ◽  
International Treaty ◽  
Additional Protocol ◽  
Domestic Courts ◽  
The Status ◽  
History Of ◽  
Regional Authorities

The first critical study of the 1985 international treaty that guarantees the status of local self-government (local autonomy). Chris Himsworth analyses the text of the 1985 European Charter of Local Self-Government and its Additional Protocol; traces the Charter’s historical emergence; and explains how it has been applied and interpreted, especially in a process of monitoring/treaty enforcement by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities but also in domestic courts, throughout Europe. Locating the Charter’s own history within the broader recent history of the Council of Europe and the European Union, the book closes with an assessment of the Charter’s future prospects.

Utopophobia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Estlund
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Political Thought ◽  
Political Action ◽  
Ideal Theory ◽  
Theory Of Justice ◽  
Sound Theory ◽  
Theory Versus ◽  
History Of ◽  
Practical Guidance

Throughout the history of political philosophy and politics, there has been continual debate about the roles of idealism versus realism. For contemporary political philosophy, this debate manifests in notions of ideal theory versus nonideal theory. Nonideal thinkers shift their focus from theorizing about full social justice, asking instead which feasible institutional and political changes would make a society more just. Ideal thinkers, on the other hand, question whether full justice is a standard that any society is likely ever to satisfy. And, if social justice is unrealistic, are attempts to understand it without value or importance, and merely utopian? This book argues against thinking that justice must be realistic, or that understanding justice is only valuable if it can be realized. The book does not offer a particular theory of justice, nor does it assert that justice is indeed unrealizable—only that it could be, and this possibility upsets common ways of proceeding in political thought. The book's author engages critically with important strands in traditional and contemporary political philosophy that assume a sound theory of justice has the overriding, defining task of contributing practical guidance toward greater social justice. Along the way, it counters several tempting perspectives, including the view that inquiry in political philosophy could have significant value only as a guide to practical political action, and that understanding true justice would necessarily have practical value, at least as an ideal arrangement to be approximated. Demonstrating that unrealistic standards of justice can be both sound and valuable to understand, the book stands as a trenchant defense of ideal theory in political philosophy.

Situs Menanga Solor Flores Timur: Jejak Islam di Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT)

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Muhamad Murtadlo
Keyword(s):  
13Th Century ◽  
History Of Religion ◽  
On This Island ◽  
History Of

Solor Island, East Flores considered as one gate of the presence of three major religions (Islam, Catholicism, Christianity) in East Nusa Tenggara. The existence of Lohayong fort built by Portuguese (1566) became the beginning discussionabout history of religion in that area. This study was formulated to answer the question: whether Islam first present on the Solor Island? What kinds of evidencesthat prove of existence Islam on this island? Using archaeological and literature studies, the study concluded that there is some evidence like the presence of ulama Joe Pattiduri in Menanga at 13th century, the Fort of Menanga and the alliance of the five royal beach (Solor Watanlema). This facts also shows that Islam has been present before the Portuguese presence in the island. Keywords: Sites, Menanga, Watanlema Pulau Solor, Flores Timur menjadi saksi penting masuknya tiga agama besar (Islam, Katholik, Kristen) di Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT). Keberadaan Benteng Lohayong yang dibangun Portugis (1566) menjadi awal diskusi masuknya agama di NTT. Penelitian ini dirumuskan untuk menjawab pertanyaan: apakah Islam lebih dahulu hadir di Pulau Solor? bukti apa saja yang bisa kita saksikan tentang Islam di Pulau Solor ini? Pendekatan kajian menggunakan studi arkeologi dan pustaka. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa ada beberapa bukti seperti hadirnya ulama Joe Pattiduri di Menanga abad 13, keberadaan Benteng Menanga dan Aliansi 5 kerajaan pantai Solor Watanlema. Fakta ini juga menunjukkan bahwa bahwa Agama Islam telah hadir sebelum Portugis hadir di Pulau Solor. Kata-kata Kunci: Situs, Menanga, Watan Lema

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