Religion and politics Books

Book SynopsisAfrican American Catholics, though small in number and historically the targets of racial intolerance, are now the backbone of the church. The vast majority of African American Catholics do not perceive racial marginalization and intolerance in the church. African American Catholics are among the strongest religious identifiers in the church, while whites show a more fragile Catholic identity. The Catholic church may have finally overcome its racist past for the vast majority of African American Catholics, but serious concerns remain for white Catholics. Based on data from a national religion survey, this book explores religious attitudes from an African American Catholic perspective.Table of Contents1. African American Catholics and contradictions; 2. The shaping of an African American Catholic identity; 3. African American Catholics in the American religious context; 4. Religious engagement, religiosity, and faithfulness; 5. The importance of clergy and declining vocations; 6. Perceptions of racial intolerance; 7. Racial resentment among white Catholics; 8. Conclusion. A new narrative.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book examines 111 types of state religion policy in 177 countries between 1990 and 2008. Jonathan Fox argues that policy is largely a result of the competition between political secular actors and religious actors, both of which try to influence state religion policy. While there are other factors that influence state religion policy and both the secular and religious camps are divided, Fox offers that the secular-religious competition perspective provides critical insight into the nature of religious politics across the globe. While many states have both increased and decreased their involvement in religion, Fox demonstrates that states which have become more involved in religion are far more common.Trade Review'Drawing on an impressive wealth of new data, Fox offers more detail and nuance on the relationship between religion and state than any publication to date. He demonstrates that the relationship is often not what it seems: apparent efforts to support religion can serve as mechanisms for control; despite expectations of insignificance, religion remains a central concern in state policies; and rather than being stable, as constitutions might suggest, the relationships between religion and state are ever changing.' Roger Finke, Pennsylvania State University'Despite the apparent clarity of Jesus's admonition to 'Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's', secular and religious leaders have always competed over issues of religious policy. Jonathan Fox provides an analysis of this competition that is nuanced, sophisticated, and compelling. This is an example of the 'science' of comparative politics at its best.' Ted G. Jelen, University of Nevada, Las Vegas'Fox's detailed categorization and analysis of the phenomenon of state religion policy is essential reading.' Journal of Church and StateTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Secularism or secularization?; 3. Establishment, support, neutrality, or hostility: the varieties of official religion policy; 4. State support for religion; 5. Regulation, restriction, and control of the majority religion; 6. Religious discrimination; 7. Education, abortion, and proselytizing; 8. Religion in constitutions; 9. Conclusions; Appendix A. Data collection and reliability.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe past two decades have seen an increasing association between Lebanese Salafism and violence, with less attention being paid to Salafis who focus on peaceful proselytization. In reality, it is these Salafis whose influence has dramatically grown since the eruption of the Syrian conflict that profoundly affected Lebanon as well. Based on extensive fieldwork, Zoltan Pall offers insights into the dynamics of non-violent Lebanese Salafi groups and examines the importance of transnational links in shaping the trajectory of the movement. In particular, he shows how the internal transformation of Salafism in Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia led to the fragmentation of the Lebanese Salafi community. By analysing Salafism as a network, we see how the movement creates and mobilizes material and symbolic resources, and how it contributes to reshaping the structures of authority within the country''s Sunni Muslim community.Trade Review'The spread of Salafi Islam in recent years has significantly changed religious scene in the Arab world. Focusing on Lebanon, Zoltan Pall's careful study sheds new light on our understanding of Salafism, its transnational network, and its effects on public life in the Middle East and beyond.' Asef Bayat, Bastian Professor of Global and Transnational Studies and Professor of Sociology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign'Pall has written a highly informative book on the Salafi movement in Lebanon. Based largely on years of fieldwork in northern Lebanon and supported by deep knowledge of the country's sectarian and political relations, this book sheds important light on the 'purist' and 'haraki' (activist) Salafis and their transnational links to the Gulf.' Joas Wagemakers, Universiteit Utrecht, The NetherlandsTable of ContentsPreface; Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. The transformation of Salafism in the Gulf; 2. Salafi expansion in the 1990s; 3. The fragmentation of Salafism in northern Lebanon; 4. The authority of Salafi Shaykhs; 5. The structure of Lebanese Salafi networks at the local level; 6. Transnational networks of Lebanese Salafis; 7. Recruitment; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA pioneering comparative study of the two major attempts to build secular states - where the state''s constitutional identity and fundamental character are not based on or derived from any religious faith - in the non-Western world. This book explains the origins, evolution and latterly the decline of secularism as a core principle of the state in India and Turkey. The anti-secular political transformations of the twenty-first century are the rise of a Sunni-Islamist definition of Turkish national identity to hegemonic power, and Hindu nationalism as India''s pre-eminent political force. Both secular-state models adopted a similar operational doctrine of state intervention in and regulation of the religious sphere, rather than a Western-style separation of church and state. But, Turkish state-secularism took a culturally deracinated and harshly authoritarian form that led to its failure, whereas India''s secular state - though flawed in practice - followed a culturally rooted and democTrade Review'The book shows why secular politics consistently fails to deliver on its promises.' Nick Spencer, The TabletTable of ContentsPreface; 1. The discontents of secularism; 2. Paths to the secular state; 3. Paradoxes of the secular state; 4. India: the anti-secularist ascendancy; 5. Turkey: the anti-secularist triumph; 6. Secular and anti-secular authoritarianisms: i. The case of Kemalism ii. The case of Hindu-nationalism; 7. The futures of secularism; Bibliography; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisProtectors of Pluralismargues that local religious minorities are more likely to save persecuted groups from purification campaigns. Robert Braun utilizes a geo-referenced dataset of Jewish evasion in the Netherlands and Belgium during the Holocaust to assess the minority hypothesis. Spatial statistics and archival work reveal that Protestants were more likely to rescue Jews in Catholic regions of the Low Countries, while Catholics facilitated evasion in Protestant areas. Post-war testimonies and secondary literature demonstrate the importance of minority groups for rescue in other countries during the Holocaust as well as other episodes of mass violence, underlining how the local position of church communities produces networks of assistance, rather than something inherent to any religion itself. This book makes an important contribution to the literature on political violence, social movements, altruism and religion, applying a range of social science methodologies and theories that Trade Review'Braun's book should be of considerable interest to organizational scholars, who have increasingly come to situate the selection of organizational activities within a spatial and historical context.' Martin Ruef, Social ForcesTable of Contents1. Introduction; Part I. Theory and Context: 2. Theory; 3. Religious minorities in the Low Countries: from the Reformation: to the Holocaust; Part II. Religious Minorities in the Netherlands: 4. Minority empathy 1900–1942; 5. Religious minorities and evasion in the Netherlands; 6. Religious minorities and clandestine collective action in Twente; 7. Religious minorities and rescue beyond Twente; Part III. Exceptions and Scope Conditions: 8. Off-the-line cases; 9. Christian rescue in Belgium; 10. Conclusion: minority protection across time and space; Bibliography; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA pioneering comparative study of the two major attempts to build secular states - where the state''s constitutional identity and fundamental character are not based on or derived from any religious faith - in the non-Western world. This book explains the origins, evolution and latterly the decline of secularism as a core principle of the state in India and Turkey. The anti-secular political transformations of the twenty-first century are the rise of a Sunni-Islamist definition of Turkish national identity to hegemonic power, and Hindu nationalism as India''s pre-eminent political force. Both secular-state models adopted a similar operational doctrine of state intervention in and regulation of the religious sphere, rather than a Western-style separation of church and state. But, Turkish state-secularism took a culturally deracinated and harshly authoritarian form that led to its failure, whereas India''s secular state - though flawed in practice - followed a culturally rooted and democTrade Review'The book shows why secular politics consistently fails to deliver on its promises.' Nick Spencer, The TabletTable of ContentsPreface; 1. The discontents of secularism; 2. Paths to the secular state; 3. Paradoxes of the secular state; 4. India: the anti-secularist ascendancy; 5. Turkey: the anti-secularist triumph; 6. Secular and anti-secular authoritarianisms: i. The case of Kemalism ii. The case of Hindu-nationalism; 7. The futures of secularism; Bibliography; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe threat of personal harm and destruction from terrorist attacks is nowhere near as great as in Arab nations. However, are counter-terrorism laws in the Arab world formulated and enforced to protect or oppress? Colonialism, Neo-Colonialism, and Anti-Terrorism Law in the Arab World examines the relationship between Western influence and counter-terrorism law, focusing on the Arab world, which is, on the one hand, a hostile producer of terrorist organizations, and on the other, a leader in countering ''terrorism''. With case studies of Egypt and Tunisia, Alzubairi traces the colonial roots of the use of coercion and extra-legal measures to protect the ruling order, which are now justified in both the West and the Arab world in the name of counter-terrorism. Colonialism, Neo-Colonialism, and Anti-Terrorism Law in the Arab World provides important lessons for counter-terrorism, not just in these countries but also elsewhere in the world.Trade Review'An excellent examination of the neglected but vital subject of counter-terrorism in the Arab world and an essential text in the field of comparative counter-terrorism. A must read for all those interested in understanding the effects of both counter-terrorism and colonialism in both Egypt and Tunisia.' Kent Roach, Prichard Wilson Chair in Law and Public Policy, University of Toronto, author of Comparative Counter-Terrorism'This is an extremely timely and cogent investigation into the origins, development and current deployment of counter-terrorism law and policy in Egypt and Tunisia. The application of colonial and neo-colonial lenses to Arab states' counter-terrorism legislation underlies a compelling account of the ways in which these current laws and practices fit into today's global power dynamics.' Lynn Welchman, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London'Overall, Alzubairi's study is certainly a remarkable scholarly work that adds crucial value to our knowledge of the genesis and genealogy of antiterrorism and counterterrorism in the Global South and the Arabic Middle East … which represents a premium contribution to the body of literature in the fields of terrorism and Middle Eastern studies.' Ahmed M. Abozaid, Terrorism & Political ViolenceTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. On imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism; 2. Terrorism and counter-terrorism at the international level: a challenge in the post-colonial world; 3. Terrorism and counter-terrorism in the Arab world; 4. The Colonial and neo-colonial experience in Egypt; 5. Counter-terrorism in Egypt; 6. The colonial and neo-colonial experience in Tunisia; 7. Counter-terrorism in Tunisia; Conclusions.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor readers interested in how international context interacts with domestic politics in producing state policies toward religious minorities in Turkey and France. It is the first study that employs international context in the study of state policies toward religion and that compares Turkey and France with regard to religious minorities.Trade Review'Through a comparative analysis of state policies toward Christian minorities in Turkey and Muslim minorities in France, Ramazan Kılınç effectively demonstrates how international norms and context can interact with domestic actors to shape state policies toward religious minorities. This is a notable work of research and scholarship. It is theoretically sophisticated and provides a new model to understand complex and often changing domestic state policies toward religious minorities.' J. Christopher Soper, Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Pepperdine University, California'This timely and innovative book is a critical resource for anyone seeking to understand state policies towards religious minorities. Kılınç convincingly shows that domestic actors take advantage of changing international contexts to press for their preferred state policies towards religious minorities. The careful comparative analyses of French policies towards Muslims, and Turkish policies towards Christians, with extensions to additional cases, make this work essential reading in religion and politics. Alien Citizens is also a significant contribution to our understanding of the causal role of international factors in national politics.' Carolyn M. Warner, Vail Pittman Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Department of Political Science, University of Nevada, Reno'In this empirically rich and theoretically ingenious book, Ramazan Kılınç brings the perspectives of International Relations in the analysis of state-religion relations. Alien Citizens examines state policies toward Christians in Turkey and Muslims in France by distinctively explaining how international conditions have shaped these policies.' Ahmet T. Kuru, author of Islam, Authoritarianism, and Underdevelopment: A Global and Historical Comparison'What makes this book compelling and refreshing is its emphasis on the interaction between international and domestic policy arenas through an examination of seemingly opposing policies in two very different contexts.' H. Shambayati, ChoiceTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Rethinking state policies toward religious minorities; Part I. Historical Institutions: 2. Secularism and Christians in Turkey; 3. Secularism and Muslims in France; Part II. International Context: 4. The European Union and Christians in Turkey; 5. Islamophobia and Muslims in France; Part III. Domestic Actors and Policy Change: 6. Kemalists, conservatives, and Christians in Turkey; 7. Radical right, liberals, and Muslims in France; Conclusion; 8. Testing the argument beyond the scope of the study; 9: Conclusion.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis sociological study examines the religious movement Falun Gong within the context of the contentious politics literature. Using the 1989 democracy movement as a comparative case, the author explains Falun Gong's intensive grassroots mobilization, its significance for China, and its implications for understanding religious and political movements.Trade Review'Junker's incisive analysis of the two largest and most organized citizen movements in China's reform era - Falun Gong and the post-1989 democracy movement - is an invaluable resource for scholars of contentious politics and state-society relations, as well as those seeking to understand the direction of politics within the overseas Chinese diaspora.' Carl Minzner, Fordham University School of Law, New York'Becoming Activists in Global China is an extraordinarily interesting book. Employing impressive hermeneutic skills, Junker comes up with one eye-popping cultural interpretation after another. These empirical discoveries serve Junker's broader, theoretical ambition, which is to demonstrate that shared meanings - what he terms 'in-group culture' - play a much more consequential role in the formation of social movements than previous sociological thinking has allowed.' Jeffrey C. Alexander, Lillian Chavenson Saden Professor of Sociology, Yale University, Connecticut'An excellent book, meticulously researched, clearly written, and theoretically path-breaking.' David A. Palmer, author of Qigong Fever: Body, Science and Utopia in China'The book is methodologically solid, empirically nuanced, and theoretically provocative. Each page is an intellectually rewarding experience.' Rongbin Han, MobilizationTable of ContentsPart I. Thinking Comparatively: 1. Protest made in global China; 2. Comparing Falun Gong and Minyun as movements; 3. The forgotten importance of Falun Gong; Part II. The Cases: 4. Falun Gong: Qigong fad, new religion, protest movement; 5. Falun Gong's history of 'stepping forward'; 6. Overseas Minyun: democracy through bureaucracy, factionalism, and asylum brokering; Part III. Making Social Movements in Diaspora; 7. Publics, proselytizing, and protest: tactical repertoires compared; 8. Clarifying truth and saving souls; 9. Conclusion.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDoes religion influence political participation? This book takes up this pressing debate using Christianity in sub-Saharan Africa as its empirical base to demonstrate that religious teachings communicated in sermons can influence both the degree and the form of citizens'' political participation. McClendon and Riedl document some of the current diversity of sermon content in contemporary Christian houses of worship and then use a combination of laboratory experiments, observational survey data, focus groups, and case comparisons in Zambia, Uganda, and Kenya to interrogate the impact of sermon exposure on political participation and the longevity of that impact. Pews to Politics in Africa leverages the pluralism of sermons in sub-Saharan Africa to gain insight into the content of cultural influences and their consequences for how ordinary citizens participate in politics.Trade Review'This deeply insightful, empirically rigorous, persuasive analysis demonstrates the influence of Christian sermons in Anglophone Africa. These teachings differ by denomination and context, serving as distinct interpretative maps that diagnose political problems - and suggest very different solutions.' Anna Grzymala-Busse, Stanford University, California'McClendon and Riedl have written an excellent and innovative book, in which they set out to discover whether religious teachings - even when not overtly political - shape political behavior. The authors' deep knowledge of context and cases, combined with careful data and methods, show that religious ideas do have political effects, with implications for the culture of democracy.' Melani Cammett, Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs, Harvard University, Massachusetts'In this masterful account, McClendon and Riedl achieve something of the holy grail in religion and politics research … Scholars new and old will learn a tremendous amount from this important work, and work going forward will have to grapple with its lessons.' Paul Djupe, Denison University, Ohio'Religious messages are ubiquitous in Africa, yet little is known about how exposure to religious messages shapes political behavior. McClendon and Riedl fill this gap with an insightful and deeply illuminating analysis of the impact of this exposure. From Pews to Politics is a great book: theoretically grounded, empirically rich, and methodologically sophisticated.' Daniel N. Posner, James S. Coleman Professor of International Development, University of California, Los Angeles'From Pews to Politics makes an outstanding contribution to research on religion and politics. By meticulously applying an impressive array of empirical approaches, [it] convincingly demonstrates that Christian denominations' differing emphasis on individual agency affects adherents' willingness to participate in politics and to seek structural change.' Kimuli Kasara, Columbia University, New York'In this powerfully argued and creative book, McClendon and Riedl unpack how Christian sermons shape political life in contemporary Africa … Even if mainly about personal or family topics, sermons give parishioners analytic frameworks for understanding events in the world and how change is possible … These different worldviews carry over into how their parishioners seek political change. The book is a must-read for those interested in contemporary Africa, the role of religion in politics, or the ongoing rise of evangelical and Pentecostal Christianity across the developing world.' Noah Nathan, Foreign Affairs'McClendon and Riedl have written a brilliant book that offers a solid model of both methodological and topical sophistication. The authors take seriously the fact that 90 percent or more of Africans claim a religious affiliation, and the obvious implications of that fact for political action. I can't recommend it highly enough.' Laura Seay, The Washington Post'From Pews to Politics exemplifies comparative politics scholarship at its best. Through a rare combination of conceptual acuity, methodological dexterity, and conscientious contextual grounding, the authors develop powerful insights into an old question: To what extent do religious ideas influence the content, mode, and degree of individuals' political engagement? …' Elizabeth Sheridan Sperber, Perspectives on PoliticsTable of Contents1. Religion as metaphysical instruction, and its influence on political participation; 2. Christianity and politics in Africa; 3. Differences in contemporary Christian sermon content; 4. Effects of sermons on citizens: evidence from the lab; 5. Recharging sermon influence: evidence from surveys and focus groups; 6. Group-level political engagement; 7. Implications and conclusions.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe history of the Indonesian Revolution has been dominated by depictions of grassroots fighters and elite politicians who thought of it as a nationalistic or class-based war. In this major new study, Kevin W. Fogg rethinks the Indonesian Revolution (194549) as an Islamic struggle, in which pious Muslims, who made up almost half the population, fought and organized in religious ways. Muslims fighting on the ground were convinced by their leaders'' proclamations that they were fighting for a holy cause. In the political sphere, however, national leaders failed to write Islam into Indonesia''s founding documents - but did create revolutionary precedents that continue to impact the country to this day. This study of a war of decolonization in the world''s most populous Muslim country points to the ways in which Islam has functioned as a revolutionary ideology in the modern era.Trade Review'Indonesia's Islamic Revolution offers a fine analysis of the distinct place of the Muslim elites and grassroot activists in the Indonesia's revolution - an alternative to the conventional secular and leftist narratives, and not only sheds a fresh light on how and why religious aspiration hardly dies in contemporary Indonesian politics but also significantly contributes to a comparative study of religion and revolution in the modern societies.' Muhamad Ali, University of California, Riverside'Bringing his subject alive with beautifully illuminating vignettes and acute observations, Kevin W. Fogg presents a powerful new interpretation of Indonesia's revolution that is also a pleasure to read. Indonesia's Islamic Revolution is a major work of social and political history that casts new light on the Islamic origins of modern Indonesia.' Edward Aspinall, Australian National University'Indonesia's Islamic Revolution is a good place to start, with an interesting bibliography that combines Western and Indonesian publications, and a narrative made more intriguing by excerpts from oral interviews.' Chiara Formichi, South East Asia ResearchTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Islam in Indonesia before the Revolution; 1.1 Islam in Indonesia at the turn of the twentieth century; 1.2 Divisions within the Muslim community; 1.3 Trends in the early twentieth century; 1.4 Japanese occupation; Part I. Islam in Indonesia's War of Independence: 2. Islamic calls to action; 2.1 The reasons for the revolutionary struggle; 2.2 Early Fatwas; 2.3 A flood of Fatwas; 2.4 A manifesto for the Islamic revolution: M. Arsjad Thalib Lubis's Toentoenan Perang Sabil; 2.5 Attacks on Islam as calls for action; 2.6 Conclusion; 3. Ulama, Islamic organizations, and Islamic militias; 3.1 Ulama as revolutionary leaders; 3.2 The mobilization of Islamic organizations; 3.3 Sabilillah and Hizbullah; 3.4 Islamic militias in battle; 3.5 Conclusion; 4. Magic, amulets and trances; 4.1 Tradition of Islamic magic; 4.2 Prayers and incantations; 4.3 Amulets and spells; 4.4 Martial arts and trances; 4.5 Consequences of Islamic magic: fearlessness and high casualties; 4.6 Conclusions; 5. Social revolution; 5.1 Meaning of social revolution; 5.2 Out with the old; 5.3 In with the new (and Islamic); 5.4 Social revolution in Aceh: the Cumbok War; 5.5 Madiun affair as competing social revolutions; 5.6 Staying power of social revolution; 5.7 Conclusion; 6. Darul Islam; 6.1 Sequence of events leading Kartosuwirjo into rebellion; 6.2 The Darul Islam movement within the Islamic spectrum; 6.3 Exceptional factor: Kartosuwirjo; 6.4 Conclusion; Part II. Islam in Indonesia's Political Revolution: 7. The Jakarta Charter controversy; 7.1 Creation of the investigatory board; 7.2 The creation of Pancasila and the Jakarta Charter; 7.3 Removal of the Jakarta charter from the constitution; 7.4 Implications of the elimination of the Jakarta Charter; 8. The creation of Masjumi; 8.1 The evolving state in 1945; 8.2 Founding an Islamic political party: Masjumi; 8.3 Extraordinary members; 8.4 Masjumi leadership in 1945; 8.5 Conclusions; 9. The ministry of religion; 9.1 Colonial precedents; 9.2 Establishing a ministry; 9.3 The ministry of religion in action; 9.4 Conclusions: importance of the ministry; 10. Rise of Islamic socialists; 10.1 Background of the Islamic socialists; 10.2 Rise in government and the party; 10.3 Islamic socialists and the Masjumi platform; 10.4 Conclusions; 11. Regional Islamic parties; 11.1 Masjumi's geographic expansion; 11.2 Persatuan Tarbiyah Islamiyah (Perti); 11.3 Regional political Islam facing federalism; 11.4 Conclusion; 12. The exit of PSII and the first fracture of Masjumi; 12.1 Standard narrative of PSII's exit: central power play; 12.2 PSII's own narrative: regional initiative; 12.3 Weighing personal versus regional interests in PSII's rebirth; 12.4 Conclusions: the implications of PSII's exit for Islamic politics; 13. Islamic diplomacy; 13.1 Grassroots Islamic diplomacy; 13.2 Success with the Arab League; 13.3 Diplomatic milestones; 13.4 Conclusions; Conclusion.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPost 1857, colonial India witnessed the emergence of numerous new forms of Muslim identities, some emerging as new Islamic 'sects' (maslaks), and others based on educational priorities. This book critically examines, how a feeling of utter humiliation - zillat - acted as an agentive force allowing Muslims to remake their many identities.Table of ContentsPreface: The Making of this Book; Introduction; 1. Who is a Muslim?: Identities of Exclusion; 2. Zillat, apne hathoṅ se; 3. Main majbūr hu'ā: Print Matters; 4. Performativity, and Orality in Print; Conclusions; Bibliography; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn times of extreme violence, what explains peace in some places? This book investigates geographic variation in Hindu-Muslim violence in Gujarat in 2002, an event witnessed closely by the author. It compares peaceful and violent towns, villages, and neighbourhoods to study how political violence spreads. A combination of statistical and ethnographic methods unpack the mechanisms of crowd behaviour, intergroup relations, and political incentives. Macro-level risk factors that led to the violence are analysed to provide a close understanding of the behaviour of people who participated in the violence, were targeted by it and, often, compelled to carry on living alongside their perpetrators. Findings systematically demonstrate the implicit political logic of the violence. Most of all, by moving up close to the people caught in the middle of violence; findings highlight the interplay between politics, the spatial environment, and the cognitive decision-making processes of individuals.Table of ContentsList of tables; List of images; List of figures; Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Explaining variation in violence: an introduction; 2. Peace and violence: concepts and theory; 3. The political logic of violence: anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat; 4. Ahmedabad; 5. Spatial configuration: variation in violence across neighbourhoods; 6. Monitoring and control in two peaceful neighbourhoods; 7. So near, and yet so far: group relations between victims and perpetrators of violence; 8. BJP's Muslim supporters in Ahmedabad; 9. Ethnic violence: connecting the macro with the micro; Bibliography; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book captures the Indian state''s difficult dialogue with divorce, mediated largely through religion. By mapping the trajectories of marriage and divorce laws of Hindu, Muslim, and Christian communities in post-colonial India, it explores the dynamic interplay between law, religion, family, minority rights and gender in Indian politics. It demonstrates that the binary frameworks of the private-public divide, individuals versus group rights, and universal rights versus legal pluralism collapse before the peculiarities of religious personal law. Historicizing the legislative and judicial response to decades of public debates and activism on the question of personal law, it suggests that the sustained negotiations over family life within and across the legal landscape provoked a unique and deeply contextual evolution of both, secularism and religion in India''s constitutional order. Personal law, therefore, played a key role in defining the place of religion and determining the conteTable of ContentsAcknowledgements; List of abbreviations; Glossary; Introduction: law as a dialogue; 1. Personal law and the making of modern religion 1946–1956; 2. Committees, codes and customs: renegotiating personal law 1957–1969; 3. Social movements, national emergency, and the custody of the Constitution 1967–1979; 4. Muslim law, Hindu nationalism: secularism of community and gender 1980–1992; 5. The court in context 1992-2000s; 6. From the court room to the courtyard: the public life of personal law 2000–present; Conclusion; Bibliography.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTracing the centrality of women in the definition of Turkish secularism, this study investigates the 2003 decision to increase the number of women officers employed by the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet). It explores how, as professional religious officers, the female Diyanet preachers epitomize a pious, modern and highly educated woman whose role in society has been raised to prominence. Based on extensive fieldwork in Turkey, and drawing on a rich ethnography of the activities conducted by Diyanet women preachers in Istanbul, Chiara Maritato disentangles the state''s attempt to standardize a multifaceted female religious participation. In using the feminization of the Diyanet as a prism through which to understand the significance of a renewed presence of Islam in the Turkish public realm, she casts light on a broader reformulation of religious services for women and families in Turkey, and pinpoints how this pervasive moral support has been able to penetrate and reshape even secular spaces.Trade Review'Combining detailed ethnographic observations with an impressive number of in-depth interviews, Maritato's analysis provides insights into the complex dynamics of the feminization of the religious sphere in Turkey and shows how a discourse on modern and learned female religiosity can go hand in hand with policies reinforcing Islamization in the daily work of the female preachers of the Diyanet.' Sevgi Adak, Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilizations, The Aga Khan University'Maritato provides a fascinating and insightful analysis of the role of female preachers of Diyanet in reconstructing the relation between the state and religion in contemporary Turkey. This book is an invaluable resource for those interested in multifaceted relationships between women, religion and state in Turkey.' Hakkı Gűrkaş, Department of History and Philosophy, Kennesaw State University'A fascinating analysis of religion as bureaucracy and the professionalization of traditional religious activity. Turkey's female preachers are civil servants in a state agency that historically managed religion in order to protect secularism, but now insinuates Islamisation from above. Yet in their everyday activities, the female preachers are forging a new religious identity, one that combines piety with a modern working life and redefines the boundaries between state and religion. A must read for anyone who wishes to understand recent enormous changes in Turkish society.' Jenny White, Institute for Turkish Studies, Stockholm University'This is a must-read work on religion, religiosity, society, and the state in contemporary Turkey. Maritato (Univ. of Turin, Italy) provides unique insight into these complex dynamics through in-depth interviews and observations. Highly recommended.' B. A. Yesilada, ChoiceTable of Contents1. Introduction; Part I. Transitivities: Women, Religion and Turkish Secularism: 2. Religion, a state affair; 3. Pious women and the secular state; Part II. Women in the Diyanet: Forms and Meanings: 4. The Diyanet's policies towards women; 5. Vaizeler's invitation: the mosque as a place for women; 6. Achieving public piety through the Vaizeler's sessions; 7. Religious counselling and moral support for women and families; Part III. Reassessing Women, Religion and the State: 8. Listen to the battlefield: female preachers within a secular state; 9. Concluding remarks.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisReligious freedom is a cherished American value, universal human right, and a Trump administration foreign policy priority. As reported in chapter 1, the State Department has designated Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act for engaging in or tolerating systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom. The other countries so designated are Eritrea, Sudan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Burma, China, and Vietnam. In India's Freedom of Religion Acts or "anti-conversion" laws are state-level statutes that have been enacted to regulate religious conversions. All of the laws seek to prevent any person from converting or attempting to convert, either directly or otherwise, another person through "forcible" or "fraudulent" means, or by "allurement" or "inducement." Despite criticism of India's anti-conversion laws, some human rights bodies have acknowledged that these laws have resulted in few arrests and no convictions. However, some observers note that the laws create a hostile, and on occasion violent, environment for religious minority communities because they do not require any evidence to support accusations of wrongdoing as discussed in chapter 2. Chapter 3 provides an overview of religious freedom issues in India, beginning with a brief review of U.S.-India relations and India's human rights setting broadly, then discussing the country's religious demographics, religious freedom protections, and conceptions of Hindu nationalism and its key institutional proponents in Indian society. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, and it has long been known for its moderate interpretations of Islam. Yet, in recent years, there have been numerous acts of religious intolerance directed against minority religious groups in the country, including Ahmadis, a Muslim sect as reported in chapter 4. United States Commission on International Religious Freedom began reporting on China in the very first annual report, and has continued to do so every year since, because of that country's systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom. As discussed in chapter 5, President Xi Jinping has personally launched efforts to sinicize religion, and the Central Government has issued commands to each Provincial Party Secretary making them responsible to bring religion in line with Communist Party ideology. Chapter 6 examines the right to hold different theological and different ethical and moral positions, even when they go against the prevailing spirit of our age. So long as these views are held and advanced peacefully and do not advocate physical violence that would violate human dignity. Chapter 7 is a copy of the Combating European Anti-Semitism Act of 2017. Chapters 8-12 discuss Supreme Court cases and decisions pertaining to religious freedom.Table of ContentsPrefaceReligious Freedom Violations in the OSCE RegionState Anti-conversion Laws in IndiaIndia: Religious Freedom IssuesReligious Intolerance in IndonesiaChinas War on Christianity and Other Religious FaithsBeyond Tolerance: Faith in the Public SquareCombating European Anti-Semitism Act Of 2017Supreme Court May Reconsider Establishment Clause Jurisprudence in Challenge to Cross Display: Part OneSupreme Court May Reconsider Establishment Clause Jurisprudence in Challenge to Cross Display: Part TwoMasterpiece Cakeshop: Proving Government Hostility to ReligionSupreme Court Vacates Another Opinion Applying Antidiscrimination Laws to Religious ObjectorsNo More Lemon Law? Supreme Court Rethinks Religious Establishment AnalysisIndex.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor a secular age, we have a lot of religious politicians.Theresa May, Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, even Donald Trump all profess Christianity, as did Obama, Brown, Sarkozy, Bush and Blair before them. Indeed, it is striking how many Christian Presidents and Prime Ministers have assumed the global stage over recent years. In spite of Alastair Campbell's oft- (and mis-) quoted line, 'We don't do God', it seems like we definitely do.But how sincere is this faith? Is not much of it simply window-dressing for the electorate, paste-on haloes to calm the moral majority? Conversely, how dangerous is it? If we elect our politicians to do our democratic will, do we really want them praying to God for advice?The Mighty and the Almighty looks at some of the biggest political figures of the past forty years - from Thatcher and Reagan, through Mandela and Clinton, to May and Trump - and looks at how they 'did God'. Did their faith actually shape their politics, and if so, how? Or did their politics shape their faith? And does it matter if it did?In an age when religion is more important on the global stage than anyone would have predicted fifty years ago, this book will tell you everything you want to know, and some things you won't, about how the Mighty get on with the Almighty.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Arab revolutions of 2011 were a transformative moment in the modern history of the Middle East, as people rose up against long-standing autocrats throughout the region to call for 'bread, freedom and dignity'. With the passage of time, results have been decidedly mixed, with initial success stories like Tunisia contrasting with the emergence of even more repressive dictatorships in places like Egypt, with the backing of several Gulf states. Focusing primarily on Egypt, this book considers a relatively understudied dimension of these revolutions: the role of prominent religious scholars. While pro-revolutionary ulama have justified activism against authoritarian regimes, counter-revolutionary scholars have provided religious backing for repression, and in some cases the mass murder of unarmed protestors. Usaama al-Azami traces the public engagements and religious pronouncements of several prominent ulama in the region, including Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Ali Gomaa and Abdullah bin Bayyah, to explore their role in either championing the Arab revolutions or supporting their repression. He concludes that while a minority of noted scholars have enthusiastically endorsed the counter-revolutions, their approach is attributable less to premodern theology and more to their distinctly modern commitment to the authoritarian state.Trade Review‘[An] important study, the first comprehensive account of its kind’ -- Asian Affairs‘Compelling.’ -- Middle East Policy'Ten years after the Arab Spring, little attention has been given to the important role of religious scholars. Al-Azami's excellent book provides an extensive analysis of a myriad of discourses and political alliances. A must-read for researchers of modern Islam and Middle East studies.' -- Heba Raouf Ezzat, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Ibn Haldun University'Literature on the Arab Spring is vast, but a novel perspective and original dimension is rare. Al-Azami's book accomplishes both. He succinctly illustrates that the Arab Revolutions were also an epistemological battle, in which the ulama played a pivotal role. A quintessential read.' -- Wadah Khanfar, former director general of Al Jazeera Media Network and President of the Al Sharq Forum'A comprehensive account and analysis of how the events of the Arab Spring unfolded among the ranks of the ulama. Indispensable for anyone wanting to understand the fault lines which will dominate the Muslim world for years to come.' -- Jonathan A. C. Brown, Professor of Islamic Civilization, Georgetown University

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisReligion plays a central role in a variety of social movements, including many that are not explicitly faith-based. This book provides the first systematic analysis of the ways religion contributes to diverse movements for social change. It draws on a variety of case studies, from the US and globally, to build an argument about religion's distinctive capacity to provide logistical support, to inspire and legitimize activist practices, to connect different spatial scales, and to link big ideas to everyday experiences. The book's analysis rests on three foundational arguments. First and most fundamentally, it is impossible to understand movements for social change without analyzing the multiple ways that religion shapes their ideas, communities, and practices. Second, religion is always in mutually transformative interaction with social and political forces and can never be entirely separated from them. In social movements and in the public sphere more generally, people interpret polit

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe role of religious identity in social communities has gained importance in the past few years, as many questions about individual and collective identity have been brought up in the fields of science and everyday life. Religion, despite the process of secularisation, remains an important component of human identity. Increasingly, religion is also becoming an object of political influence. This volume argues that religion actually determinates various phenomena in the political sphere today.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe 2010s saw an introduction of legislative acts about religion, sexuality, and culture in Russia, which caused an uproar of protests. They politicised areas of life commonly perceived as private and expected to be free of the state's control. As a result, political activism and radical grassroots movements engaged many Russians in controversies about religion and culture and polarised popular opinion in the capitals and regions alike. This volume presents seven case studies which probe into the politics of religion and culture in today's Russia. The contributions highlight the diversity of Russia's religious communities and cultural practices by analysing Hasidic Jewish identities, popular culture sponsored by the Orthodox Church, literary mobilisation of the National Bolshevik Party, cinematic narratives of the Chechen wars, militarisation of political Orthodoxy, and moral debates caused by opera as well as film productions. The authors draw on a variety of theoretical approaches and methodologies, including opinion surveys, ethnological fieldwork, narrative analysis, Foucault's conceptualisation of biopower, catachrestic politics, and sociological theories of desecularisation. The volumes contributors are Sanna Turoma, Kaarina Aitamurto, Tomi Huttunen, Susan Ikonen, Boris Knorre, Irina Kotkina, Jussi Lassila, Andrey Makarychev, Elena Ostrovskaya, and Mikhail Suslov.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFreedom of religious expression and assembly has never been under greater threat in post-Soviet Russia. The infamous Yarovaya Law of 2016 has made good on previous legislative endeavours to curtail the activities of undesirable religious entities. Behind the curtain, the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church looms large over state policy and the decline in religious liberties and pluralism. Lincoln E. Flake explains the churchs hostility to non-traditional groups as a consequence of historical-structural factors arising from its Soviet experience and immediate-strategic factors arising from its experience in the post-Soviet religious free market. It was not until the 2014 annexation of Crimea that church-state interests coincided to produce unprecedented collusion. The Church, which had previously only served symbolic purposes for domestic political advantage, was now required for more meaningful active measures in Russias all-of-government approach to advancing its national security strategy. Reciprocation produced the Yarovaya Law and further quid pro quos account for the relapse into religious intolerance. This study contextualizes the churchs present-day posture on religious pluralism by appealing both to historical experience and insights that Rational Choice Theory offers to the study of religious actors and religious behaviour.Trade Review"Defending the Faith challenges the assumption that the present antipathy of the Russian Orthodox Church toward religious pluralism and the Churchs close ties with the Putin government were inevitable. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Church found itself divided over how to handle the wave of well-financed and organized missionaries from the West. This perceived threat led to ever increasing ties with the state culminating in the 2016 Yarovaya laws. The book analyzes this development by contrasting the responses of the Russian Orthodox Church to post-Soviet religious pluralism with other regional churches. Most compellingly, the book analyzes scores of interviews with religious clerics from these churches to gauge the clerics conflicting evaluations of the Soviet past and the debate over the seriousness of the threat of religious pluralism. This book is a must-read for those interested in understanding the actions of the Russian Orthodox Church after 1991. -- Rodney Bohac, Emeritus Professor of History, Brigham Young University, UtahTable of ContentsForeword by Peter Martland; Acknowledgments; The Path of Protectionism: Church, State, and an Oppressive Institutional Design for Religion; Legacies of Sovietism: Structural-Historical Constraints; Post-Soviet Market Features: The Immediate-Strategic Context; The Georgian Orthodox Church: A Case Study in Authoritarianism; The Lithuanian Catholic Church: A Case Study in Indifference; The Russian Orthodox Church: Finding Its Voice at the Expense of Others; Regional Findings and Methodological Implications; Collusion That Matters: Church-State Symbiosis After Crimea; Bibliography; Appendix: Interview/Questionnaire Questions.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Politics of Hate, noted scholars-experts on the subject and the region-discuss their research on the role of the media and political leaders in deploying hatred for political advantage, covering developments in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisRob Bell's highly-praised third book, Jesus Wants to Save Christians, is his most political yet. Published as part of the Rob Bell Classics relaunch, this is an inspiring call-to-arms for Christians to tackle poverty, inequality and oppression.There is a church not too far from us that recently added a $25 million addition to their building,' writes Rob Bell. Our local newspaper ran a front-page story not too long ago about a study revealing that one in five people in our city lives in poverty. This is a book about those two numbers.'Jesus Wants to Save Christians is a book about faith and fear, wealth and war, poverty, power, safety, terror, Bibles, bombs, and homeland insecurity.Trade Review‘The author of Velvet Elvis and Sex God teams up with fellow pastor Golden to write a manifesto that packs as much sociopolitical zing as rhetorical punch. If Americans today miss the central message of the Bible, say the authors, the reason is that the United States is an empire like those described in Scripture that build powerful armies and seek to protect what they accumulate rather than promote justice and mercy. Chapter titles such as "Swollen-bellied black babies, soccer moms on Prozac, and the mark of the beast" will provoke many readers. Likely to get a bigger rise is the suggestion that when the Bible says enemies will one day worship together, that includes today's enemies, the Taliban and al-Qaeda… This dramatic book is politically charged but not party-bent, bearing a message evangelicals need: that Jesus didn't come just to save people for heaven someday but to transform his followers and the physical world now.’ (Publishers Weekly) ‘Bell fights every impulse in our culture to domesticate Jesus [and] challenges the reader to be open to surprise, mystery and all of the unanswerables… Bell has given theologically suspicious Christians new courage to bet their life on Jesus Christ.’ (Christian Century) ‘Claiming that some versions of Jesus should be rejected, particularly those used to intimidate and inspire fear or hatred, Bell persuasively interprets the Bible as a message of love and redemption. . . . His style is characteristically concise and oral, his tone passionate and unabashedly positive.’ (Publishers Weekly) ‘One of the nation’s rock-star-popular young pastors, Rob Bell, has stuck a pitchfork in how Christians talk about damnation.’ (USA Today)

Read more less

Book SynopsisInstant New York Times BestsellerOne of Barack Obama''s Favorite Books of the YearAn Economist and Air Mail Best Book of the YearBrave and absorbing. -- New York Times?Alberta is not just a thorough and responsible reporter but a vibrant writer, capable of rendering a farcical scene in vivid hues.? -- Washington Post?An astonishingly clear-eyed look at a murky movement.? -- Los Angeles TimesEvangelical Christians are perhaps the most polarizing?and least understood?people living in Americatoday. In his seminal new book,The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, journalist Tim Alberta, himself a practicing Christian and the son of an evangelical pastor, paints an expansive and profoundly troubling portrait of the American evangelical movement. Through the eyes of televangelists and small-town preachers, celebrity revivalists and everyday churchgoers, Alberta tells the story of a faith cheapened by ephemeral fear, a promise corrupted by partisan subterfuge, and a reputation stained by perpetual scandal.For millions of conservative Christians, America is their kingdom?a land set apart, a nation uniquely blessed, a people in special covenant with God. This love of country, however, has given way to right-wing nationalist fervor, a reckless blood-and-soil idolatry thattrivializes the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Alberta retraces the arc of the modern evangelical movement, placing political and cultural inflection points in the context of church teachings and traditions, explaining how Donald Trump''s presidency and the COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated historical trends that long pointed toward disaster. Reporting from half-empty sanctuaries and standing-room-only convention halls across the country, the author documents a growing fracture inside American Christianity and journeys with readers through this strange new environment in which loving your enemies is woke and owning the libs is the answer to WWJD.Accessing the highest echelons of the American evangelical movement, Alberta investigates the ways in which conservative Christians have pursued, exercised, and often abused power in the name of securing this earthly kingdom. He highlights the battles evangelicals are fighting?and the weapons of their warfare?to demonstrate the disconnect from scripture: Contra the dictates of the New Testament, today''s believers are struggling mightily against flesh and blood, eyes fixed on the here and now, desperate for a power that is frivolous and fleeting. Lingering at the intersection of real cultural displacement and perceived religious persecution, Alberta portrays a rapidly secularizing America that has come to distrust the evangelical church, and weaves together present-day narratives of individual pastors and their churches as they confront the twin challenges of lost status and diminished standing.Sifting through the wreckage?pastors broken, congregations battered, believers losing their religion because of sex scandals and political schemes?Alberta asks: If the American evangelical movement has ceased to glorify God, what is its purpose?

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFeaturing numerous case studies from various contexts and traditions, The Oxford Handbook of Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding brings together a diverse array of scholars to grapple with the tension between theory and practice, cultural theory, and the legacy of the liberal peace paradigm. This innovative Handbook offers provocative, elastic, and context-specific insights for strategic peacebuilding processes.Trade ReviewThis Handbook in a masterful way introduces the past, present and future issues involved in religion, conflict and peacebuilding * Christoph Stenschke, University of South Africa, Journal of Early Christian History *In expanding the focus to economic, racial, gender, and ethnic justice, the book broadens the concept of violence beyond direct physical violence to the structural and psychological. Included is an interesting discussion of secularism and whether it provides a neutral context for peacemaking or is an exclusivist world view that contributes to violence and Western cultural hegemony. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsPreface Atalia Omer Part One: Mapping the Field 1. Atalia Omer, "Religious Peacebuilding: The Exotic, the Good, and the Theatrical" 2. R. Scott Appleby, "Religious Violence: The Strong, the Weak, and the Pathological" Part Two: The Historical and the Historicist 3. David Little, "Religion, Peace, and the Origins of Nationalism" 4. Scott Hibbard, "Religion, Nationalism, and the Politics of Secularism" 5. Slavica Jakelic, "Secular-Religious Encounters as Peacebuilding" 6. Jason Springs, "Structural and Cultural Violence in Religion and Peacebuilding" Part Three: Contested Issues 7. R. Scott Appleby, "The New Name for Peace? Religion and Development as Partners in Strategic Peacebuilding" 8. Patrick Mason, "Violent and Nonviolent Religious Militancy" 9. Rashied Omar, "Religious Violence and State Violence" 10. John Kelsay, "Peacebuilding and the Comparative Study of Ethics" 11. W. Cole Durham, Jr. and Elizabeth A. Clark, "The Place of Religious Freedom in the Structure of Peacebuilding" 12. Susan Hayward, "Women, Religion, and Peacebuilding" Part Four: Peacebuilding in Practice: Strategies, Resources, Critique 13. Daniel Philpott, "Reconciliation, Politics, and Transitional Justice" 14. Marc Gopin, "Negotiating Secular and Religious Contributions to Social Change and Peacebuilding" 15. Tim Shah, "Secular Militancy as an Obstacle to Peacebuilding" 16. Peter van der Veer, Tam Ngo, and Dan Smyer Yu, "Religion and Peace in Asia" 17. S. Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana, "Peacebuilding in the Muslim World" 18. Eboo Patel and Cassie Meyer, "Youth and Interfaith Conflict Transformation" 19. Peter Ochs, "The Possibilities and Limits of Interreligious Dialogue" 20. Lisa Schirch, "Ritual, Religion, and Peacebuilding" 21. John Paul Lederach, "Spirituality and Religious Peacebuilding" 22. Heather M. DuBois and Janna Hunter-Bowman, "The Intersection of Christian Theology and Peacebuilding" 23. Cecilia Lynch, "Religious Communities and Possibilities for Justpeace" 24. Atalia Omer, "Religion, Nationalism, and Solidarity Activism" Part Five: The Growing Edge of the Conversation 25. Atalia Omer "Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: Synthetic Remarks" Index

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvery year, there are several hundred attacks on India''s Christians. These attacks are carried out by violent anti-minority activists, many of them provoked by what they perceive to be Christians'' propensity for aggressive proselytization, and/or by rumored or real conversions to the faith. In this violence, Pentecostal Christians are disproportionately targeted.Bauman finds that the violence against Pentecostals and Pentecostalized Evangelicals in India is not just a matter of current social, cultural, political, and interreligious dynamics internal to India, but is rather related to identifiable historical trends, as well as to historical and contemporary transnational flows of people, power, and ideas.Based on extensive interviews and ethnographic work, and drawing upon the vast scholarly literature on interreligious violence, Hindu nationalism, and Christianity in India, this volume accounts for this disproportionate targeting through a detailed analysis of Indian Christian histoTrade ReviewWithin India's multi-faith and multi-cultural society, any conversion or change of faith is fraught with danger. This is especially so where any agency claims to represent a permanent and immutable 'majority' of all institutions, as is done by the forces of Hindutva. Chad Bauman is to be commended for having interrogated the intricacies of this extremely difficult subject. He adroitly challenges understandings of anti-Christian violence. * Robert Eric Frykenberg, Professor of History and South Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison *It presents deep insights into the complicated and controversial subjects of the anti-Christian violence in the contemporary India's political history ... I strongly recommend this scholarly book for the church personnel, social and human rights activists, politicians and public servants to know where the vibrant democratic India is heading in terms of anti-Christian violence. * P. R. John, S.J., Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ; Abbreviations ; Map ; Introduction ; 1. Who are India's Pentecostals?: History, Definitions, Deliberations ; 2. Pentecostalism in the Context of Indian History and Politics ; 3. Where the Spirit (of Violence) Leads: The Disproportionate Targeting of Indian Pentecostals ; 4. Force, Fraud, and Inducement?: Recuperative Conversions and the Growth of Indian Christianity ; 5. Missions and the Pentecostalization of Indian Christianity ; Conclusion ; Works Cited

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn The Middle Path of Moderation in Islam, leading Islamic law expert Mohammad Hashim Kamali examines the concept of wasatiyyah, or moderation, arguing that scholars, religious communities, and policy circles alike must have access to this governing principle that drives the silent majority of Muslims, rather than focusing on the extremist fringe. Kamali explores wasatiyyah in both historical/conceptual terms and in contemporary/practical terms. Tracing the definition and scope of the concept from the foundational sources of Islam, the Qu''ran and Hadith, he demonstrates that wasatiyyah has a long and well-developed history in Islamic law and applies the concept to contemporary issues of global policy, such as justice, women''s rights, environmental and financial balance, and globalization. Framing his work as an open dialogue against a now-decades long formulation of the arguably destructive Huntingtonian clash of civilizations thesis as well as the public rhetoric of fear of Muslim eTrade Reviewinvaluable ... Kamali makes a crucial set of observations about how moderate Islamic traditions go beyond just dealing tolerantly with other religions ... A culmination of his decades of scholarship on Islamic law and jurisprudence, this book should serve as an important reference for years to come. * I. Blumi, CHOICE *This scholarly book is a major addition to works that deal with 'moderate' Islam, still the Islam of the majority of Muslims, which is also traditional Islam. Drawing from a wide range of sources and many notable voices, Kamali presents an extensive range of issues from social justice to the environmental crisis, from spirituality to relation with other religions, all seen from the perspective of moderation or wasaIiyyah, which is the authentic Islamic perspective. Kamali is to be congratulated for writing a much needed work on normative and genuine Islam at a time when so many strident forces and voices, both the non-Islamic and nominally Islamic, are seeking to eclipse in the eyes of many the authentic image of the Islamic religion. * Seyyed Hossein Nasr, University Professor of Islamic Studies, The George Washington University *an essential addition to the body of knowledge after more than forty years of uninterrupted contribution to the study of Islamic studies. * Alhagi Manta Drammeh, The Islamic Quarterly *Table of ContentsForeword ; I. Introduction ; Part One: Conceptual Analysis ; II. Definition and Scope of Wasatiyyah ; III. Review of the Source Evidence ; IV. A Round-up of Modern Opinion ; V. Hallmarks of Extremism ; VI. Manifestations of Wasatiyyah ; VII. Identification of Wasatiyyah ; VIII. Institutional Developments ; Part Two: Thematic Perspectives ; IX. Moderation and Justice ; X. Moderation in Religiosity ; XI. The Moderating Role of Ikhtilaf (Reasoned Disagreement) ; XII. Between Spirituality and Legalism: The Moderating Influence of Sufism ; XIII. Harm (Darar) Must Be Eliminated ; XIV. Forbearance, Bringing Ease and Removing Hardship ; XV. Environmental Imbalance ; XVI. Financial Imbalance, Extravagance and Waste ; XVII. Moderation in Jihad ; XVIII. Character and Lifestyle ; XIX. Wasatiyyah and Women's Rights ; XX. Wasatiyyah and Globalisation ; XXI. Islam between Antiquity and the Modern World ; XXII. Continuity and Change: An Analysis of Tajdid and Islah (Renewal and Reform) in Islam ; XXIII. Conclusion and Recommendations ; Glossary ; Bibliography ; Index of Qur'anic Verses and Hadith ; General Index

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJonathan Z. Smith (1938-2017) was perhaps the most influential theorist of religion of the last half century. In this book, four interviews and a previously unpublished essay display something of the dynamic, thinking-on-his feet liveliness that Smith brought to questions about the study of religion, his theoretical preferences, and his methods of teaching.Trade ReviewMy initial reaction to see this book was that it could not hold much of interest to one who has already read Smith's essays, but I was wrong. This is a book well worth reading, no matter what level of familiarity one has with his work. * Brian Collins, Ohio University, Religious Studies Review *Reading J. Z. Smith is an easily accessible primer of sorts, both on the man and his work. It would be comprehensible for undergraduates as well as more established scholars who are already familiar with Smith's work and those who are not. * Benjamin D. Crace, Nova Religio *provides a glimpse into the mind of a giant in the field, nearing the end of his career and the end of his life, reflecting on his legacy and on the field that he played no small part in creating. * Richard Kent Evans, Reading Religion *Scholars of religion today have learned to recognize, and to take seriously, that 'religion' is an idea native to nowhere but the modern West, and that the academy was its nursery. In a series of conversations and expository talks, J. Z. Smith demonstrates through his own example how prodigiously productive this recognition can be to the study of religion. A parting gift of a great scholar. * Tomoko Masuzawa, Professor of History and Comparative Literature, University of Michigan *The recently departed J. Z. Smith was the most original theoretician of religion of the past fifty years, in addition to being a larger-than-life character. This collection reveals both in vivid technicolor. Braun and McCutcheon are to be congratulated for bringing an overlooked Smith, the dialogical one, to our attention, thereby ensuring that his important legacy will not be forgotten. This volume will surely be required reading for anyone interested in the continued and necessary illumination of Smith's work. * Aaron W. Hughes, Philip S. Bernstein Chair of Religion, University of Rochester *I have read everything and anything Jonathan Z. Smith wrote during his long and fruitful academic career. The sheer range of materials is staggering. But J.Z. Smith is infinitely better 'in his own words' and this volume is such a wonderful window into just that-not just Smith but Smith on Smith! Nothing could be better, either for one who has never read Smith and will be inspired to do so, or one who has followed him deeply over many decades and can now pause and listen as he relates the various stages of his own unfolding as a human being and a scholar. We owe the editors a debt of gratitude. A must have for anyone who works in the history of religions-or just Humanities for that matter! * James D. Tabor, Professor of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina, Charlotte *Table of ContentsIntroduction Interviews The Chicago Maroon: Interview with Jonathan Z. Smith (2008) The American Scholars of Religion Video Project: Interview with Jonathan Z. Smith (1999) Asdiwal: Revue genevoise d'histoire des religions: Interview with Jonathan Z. Smith (2010) The Devil in Mr. Smith: A Conversation with Jonathan Z. Smith (2012) The Dean's Craft of Teaching Seminar (2013) Essay 154. Reading Religion: A Life in Scholarship (introduction by Ann Taves)

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhether America was founded as a Christian nation or as a secular republic is one of the most fiercely debated questions in American history. Historians Matthew Harris and Thomas Kidd offer an authoritative examination of the essential documents needed to understand this debate. The texts included in this volume - writings and speeches from both well-known and obscure early American thinkers - show that religion played a prominent yet fractious role in the era of the American Revolution. In their personal beliefs, the Founders ranged from profound skeptics like Thomas Paine to traditional Christians like Patrick Henry. Nevertheless, most of the Founding Fathers rallied around certain crucial religious principles, including the idea that people were created equal, the belief that religious freedom required the disestablishment of state-backed denominations, the necessity of virtue in a republic, and the role of Providence in guiding the affairs of nations. Harris and Kidd show that thrTrade ReviewMatthew L. Harris and Thomas S. Kidd have assembled a fine collection of primary documents that will serve as a useful guide for scholars, teachers, and students interested in the Christian America debate. * John Fea, author of Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?: A Historical Introduction *Harris and Kidd have crafted a work that is at once readable and informative. Indeed, even non-specialists who read their book will be able to comprehend the key questions about the place of religion in American life without feeling overwhelmed. * Renewing Minds *This brief treatment illustrates complexities with which the US and its leaders continue to struggle. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Founding Fathers and Religion ; Chapter 1: Religion and the Continental Congress ; Chapter 2: Religion and State ; Chapter 3: Constitution and Ratification ; Chapter 4: Religion and the Federal Government ; Chapter 5: Disestablishment and the Separation of Church and State ; Chapter 6: The Founding Fathers' Own Views on Religion ; Select Bibliography

Read more less