Cultural Approaches to Studying Religion

Examining the analytic tools of scholars in religious studies, as well as in related disciplines that have shaped the field, this updated textbook includes cultural approaches from anthropology, history, literature, and critical studies in race, sexuality, and gender.Each chapter is written by a leading scholar and includes:the biographical and historical context of each theoristtheir approaches and key writingsanalysis and evaluation of each theorya list of key termssuggested further readingPart One: Comparative Approaches considers how major features such as taboo, texts, myths, and ritual work across religious traditions. This section explores the work of Mary Douglas, Phyllis Trible, Wendy Doniger, Catherine Bell and, new to this edition, Tomoko Masuzawa, whose contributions reveal the colonialist assumptions of the comparative, world religions model.Part Two: Examining Particularities analyzes the comparative approach through the work of Alice Walker, Charles Long, and Caroline Walker Bynum, who all suggest that the specifics of race, body, place and time must be considered.Part Three: Expanding Boundaries examines Gloria Anzaldúa's language of religion, as well as the work ofJudith Butler on performative, queer theories of religion, Saba Mahmood, whose work considers postcolonial religious encounters, secularism, and the relationship between "East" and "West". New to this edition is Jasbir Puar's work on work on affect, gender, sexuality, and disability.Along with a list of key terms, each section now includes an introduction highlighting the contributions of each thinker and their relation to previous theories that dominated the field.

Introduction, M. Cooper Minister, (Shenandoah University, USA) and Sarah J. Bloesch, (University of North Carolina and Chapel Hill, USA)Part I: Comparative Approaches1. The Bounds of Body, State, and Religion: Mary Douglas. Kathryn Lofton, (Yale University, USA)2. Feminist Textual Critique: Phyllis Trible. Rhiannon Graybill, (Rhodes College, USA)3. Myth and the Religious Imaginary: Wendy Doniger, (Laurie Patton, Middlebury College, USA)4. Ritual and Belief: Catherine Bell, Kevin O'Neill, (University of Toronto, Canada)5. Inventing World Religions: Tomoko Masuzawa, Randall Styers, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA)Part II: Examining Particularities6. Signifying Religion in the Modern World: Charles H. Long , (Juan Floyd-Thomas, Vanderbilt University, USA)7. Womanist Religious Interpretation: Alice Walker, Caroline Medine, (University of Georgia, USA)8. Gender and Materiality: Caroline Walker Bynum, Jessica A. Boon, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA)Part III: Expanding Boundaries9. Mestiza Language of Religion: Gloria Anzaldúa, Joseph Winters, (Duke University, USA)10. Peformative, Queer Theories of Religion: Judith Butler, Ellen T Armour, (Vanderbilt University, USA) and Sarah J. Bloesch, (University of North Carolina and Chapel Hill, USA)11. Disrupting Secular Power and the Study of Religion: Saba Mahmood, Sher Ali Tareen, (Franklin and Marshall College, USA)12. Transnational Sexualities and Religion: Jasbir Puar, Jacob Lau, (California State University, Northridge, USA)BibliographyIndex