Publisher's Synopsis
A cutting-edge introduction to contemporary religious studies theory, connecting theory to data.
This innovative coursebook introduces students to interdisciplinary theoretical tools for understanding contemporary religiously diverse societies-both Western and non-Western. Using a case-study model, the text considers:
- A wide and diverse array of contemporary issues, questions, and critical approaches to the study of religion relevant to students and scholars
- A variety of theoretical approaches, including decolonial, feminist, hermeneutical, poststructuralist, and phenomenological analyses
- Current debates on whether the term "religion" is meaningful
- Many key issues about the study of religion, including the insider-outsider debate, material religion, and lived religion
- Plural and religiously diverse societies, including the theological ideas of traditions and the political and social questions that arise for those living alongside adherents of other religions
