Description
Book SynopsisReligion and Secularity traces the history of the conceptual binary of religion and secularity in Europe and the repercussions it had in other regions and cultures of the Eurasian continent during the age of imperialism and beyond. Twelve authors from a wide range of disciplines, deal in their contributions with the trajectory, the concepts of „religion“ and „secularity/secularization“ took, as well as with the corresponding re-configurations of the religious field in a variety of cultures in Europe, the Near and Middle East, South Asia and East Asia. Taken together, these in-depth studies provide a broad comparative perspective on a penomenon that has been crucial for the development of globalized modernity and its regional interpretations.
Trade Review"The book certainly demonstrates how weak the arguments are of those who see concepts such as ‘religion’ and the ‘secular’ simply as Western constructions imposed on other cultures. It also, importantly, shows that secularism was not necessarily seen by proponents as something ‘anti-religious’ so much as it served as a means of protecting religions." Ian Reader, Lancaster University, Journal of Religion in Europe, Vol. 8 "This volume of case studies is a rich contribution to the discussion of religion and secularity, and it reminds us of the importance of steering away from universalizing our thinking regarding the process of secularization." Courtney Bruntz, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Religion, 45:1 "The book presents a wide range of empirical studies, with geographical and historical variability, aiming successfully at clarifying concepts and their fluctuating meanings." Carolina Ivanescu, Amsterdam, Comparative Sociology, Vol. 15 "The editors of this useful and readable volume intend to furnish an ongoing debate on secularization with “historical and semantic reference points.” Barbara Hendrischke, University of Sydney, Religious Studies Review, Vol. 40, No. 1
