Religion and Anthropology: A Critical Introduction

ISBN-13: 9780521617796 / Angielski / Miękka / 2005 / 362 str.

Brian Morris

Opis

Focusing on more recent classical ethnographies, this important study provides a critical introduction to the social anthropology of religion. It covers all the major religious traditions that have been studied concretely by anthropologists--Shamanism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and its relation to African and Melanesian religions and contemporary Neopaganism. Treating religion as a social institution and not simply as an ideology or symbolic system, the book follows the dual heritage of social anthropology in combining an interpretative approach with sociological analysis.

Recenzje

'As a sequel and complement to Morris's previous reader on theoretical approaches to religion this book of impressive scholarship is an admirable success and a thoroughly enjoyable read. The book is characterized by a refreshing, commonsense approach to religion that is eminently accessible due to the consistent avoidance of unnecessary jargon, psycho-babble or lyrical prose. … The sympathetic and nonjudgmental ethnographic descriptions, the dynamism of the theoretical polemic, the clear use of English, and the elegance of the narrative structure made this book difficult to put down. A rare experience when reading much modern anthropological writing.' Jerome Lewis, London School of Economics and Political Science

Spis treści

Preface; Introduction; 1. Shamanism; 2. Buddhism and spirit cults; 3. Islam and popular religion; 4. Hinduism and new religious movements; 5. Christianity and religion in Africa; 6. African American religion; 7. Religions in Melanesia; 8. Neopaganism and the New Age movement.