Critical Reflections on Indigenous Religions

Critical Reflections on Indigenous Religions
Author: James L. Cox
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 326
Release: 2016-04-22
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1317157052

The study of indigenous religions has become an important academic field, particularly since the religious practices of indigenous peoples are being transformed by forces of globalization and transcontinental migration. This book will further our understanding of indigenous religions by first considering key methodological issues related to defining and contextualizing the religious practices of indigenous societies, both historically and in socio-cultural situations. Two further sections of the book analyse cases derived from European contexts, which are often overlooked in discussion of indigenous religions, and in two traditional areas of study: South America and Africa.

Deep Blue

Deep Blue
Author: Sylvie Shaw
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 329
Release: 2014-12-05
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1317488180

Nature religions look to rivers, lakes and oceans for inspiration and spiritual transformation. 'Deep Blue' brings together the work of influential scholars in the field of nature religion, ranging across anthropology, mythology, sociology and psychology. The essays examine the interrelationship between spiritual practice, critical thinking, and environmental concern. Tracing the ancient history of humanity's close relationship with both salt and fresh water, the book calls for a sustainable relationship with water in contemporary western culture. 'Deep Blue' will be of interest to students of paganism and religion, environmental researchers and activists, and all those involved in the intersection between religion and ecology.

A Phenomenology of Indigenous Religions

A Phenomenology of Indigenous Religions
Author: James L. Cox
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 273
Release: 2022-02-24
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1350250740

This book compiles James L. Cox's most important writings on a phenomenology of Indigenous Religions into one volume, with a new introduction and conclusion by the author. Cox has consistently exemplified phenomenological methods by applying them to his own field studies among Indigenous Religions, principally in Zimbabwe and Alaska, but also in Australia and New Zealand. Included in this collection are his articles in which he defines what he means by the category 'religion' and how this informs his precise meaning of the classification 'Indigenous Religions'. These theoretical considerations are always illustrated clearly and concisely by specific studies of Indigenous Religions and their dynamic interaction with contemporary political and social circumstances. This collection demonstrates the continued relevance of the phenomenological method in the study of religions by presenting the method as dynamic and adaptable to contemporary social contexts and as responsive to intellectual critiques of the method.

Indigenous Religion(s)

Indigenous Religion(s)
Author: Siv Ellen Kraft
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 202
Release: 2020-06-24
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1000095932

What counts as 'indigenous religion' in today ́s world? Who claims this category? What are the processes through which local entities become recognisable as 'religious' and 'indigenous'? How is all of this connected to struggles for power, rights and sovereignty? This book sheds light on the contemporary lives of indigenous religion(s), through case studies from Sápmi, Nagaland, Talamanca, Hawai`i, and Gujarat, and through a shared focus on translations, performances, mediation and sovereignty. It builds on long term case-studies and on the collaborative comparison of a long-term project, including shared fieldwork. At the center of its concerns are translations between a globalising discourse (indigenous religion in the singular) and distinct local traditions (indigenous religions in the plural). With contributions from leading scholars in the field, this book is a must read for students and researchers in indigenous religions, including those in related fields such as religious studies and social anthropology.

Religious Categories and the Construction of the Indigenous

Religious Categories and the Construction of the Indigenous
Author: Christopher Hartney
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 248
Release: 2016-10-18
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 900432898X

This volume significantly advances the academic debate surrounding the taxonomy and the categorisation of ‘indigenous religion’. Developing approaches from leading scholars in the field, this edited volume provides the space for established and rising voices to discuss the highly problematic topic of how indigenous 'religion' can be defined and conceptualised. Constructing the Indigenous highlights the central issues in the debate between those supporting and refining current academic frameworks and those who would argue that present thinking remains too dependant on misunderstandings that arise from definitions of religion that are too inflexible, and from problems caused by the World Religion paradigm. This book will prove essential reading for those that wish to engage with contemporary discussions regarding the definitions of religion and their relations to the indigenous category. Contributors are: Zoe Alderton, Steve Bevis, James L. Cox, Christopher Hartney, Graham Harvey, Milad Milani, Bjørn Ola Tafjord, Daniel J. Tower, Garry W. Trompf, and Jack Tsonis.

Handbook of Indigenous Religion(s)

Handbook of Indigenous Religion(s)
Author: Greg Johnson
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 418
Release: 2017-06-06
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9004346716

Extremely distant and distinct indigenous communities have over recent decades become more like themselves and more like each other – a paradox prevalent globally but inadequately explained by established analytical frames, particularly with regard to religion. Addressing this rich and unfolding context, the Handbook of Indigenous Religion(s) engages a wide variety of locations and perspectives. Drawing upon the efforts of a diverse group of scholars working at the intersection of indigenous studies and religious studies, this volume includes a programmatic introduction that argues for new ways of conceptualizing the field of indigenous religion(s), numerous case study-based examples, and an Afterword by Thomas Tweed.

Italian Witchcraft and Shamanism

Italian Witchcraft and Shamanism
Author: Angela Puca
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 222
Release: 2024-04-11
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9004694188

Shamanism is thriving as an exotic import and a hidden native tradition in Italy today. This ethnographical work uncovers two faces of Italian shamanism. The first is trans-cultural shamans who creatively adapt rituals and beliefs from indigenous cultures worldwide. Second, extensive fieldwork shows how regional folk magic practices of segnatoriand segnatrici constitute a little-known but enduring form of native Italian shamanism. By documenting these parallel worlds, contemporary magic workers appear to be the heirs of ancient local healing traditions. Offering rare insights into vernacular religion, this book vividly portrays shamans' past and present on the Italian peninsula.

Religion in 50 Words

Religion in 50 Words
Author: Aaron W. Hughes
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 438
Release: 2021-09-15
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1000427463

Religion in 50 Words: A Critical Vocabulary is the first of a two-volume work that seeks to transform the study of religion by offering a radically critical perspective. It does so by providing a succinct and critical examination of the key words used in the modern study of religion. Arranged alphabetically, the book explores the historic roots, varied uses, and current significance and utility of the technical terms used within the current field of religious studies. These are the terms that both students and scholars routinely deploy to think about, describe, and analyze data—sometimes without realizing that they are themselves technical tools in need of attention. Among the topics covered: Belief Critical Culture Definition Environment Gender Ideology Lived religion Material religion Orthodoxy Politics Race Sacred/profane Secular Theory This book submits all of its terms to a critical interrogation and subsequent re-description, thereby allowing a collective reframing of the field. This volume is an indispensable resource for students and academics working in religious studies.

NVMEN, the Academic Study of Religion, and the IAHR

NVMEN, the Academic Study of Religion, and the IAHR
Author: Tim Jensen
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 428
Release: 2015-11-24
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9004308466

Nvmen publishes papers representing the most recent scholarship in all areas of the history of religions ranging from antiquity to contemporary history. It covers a diversity of geographical regions and religions of the past as well as of the present. The approach of the journal to the study of religion is strictly non-confessional. While the emphasis lies on empirical, source-based research, typical contributions also address issues that have a wider historical or comparative significance for the advancement of the discipline. Numen also publishes papers that discuss important theoretical innovations in the study of religion and reflective studies on the history of the discipline. Brill is proud to present this special volume of articles compiled to celebrate the occasion of the 60th anniversary of NVMEN: International Review for the History of Religions in 2014. The articles in this volume have been selected under the auspices of the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR), and reflect critically on the past, present, and future of NVMEN, the IAHR and the study of the History of Religions.