Sarah J. Bloesch – författare

This is the first reader to gather primary sources from influential theorists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries in one place, presenting the wide-ranging and nuanced theoretical debates occurring in the field of religious studies. Each chapter focuses on a major theorist and contains:· an introduction contextualizing their key ideas· one or two selections representative of the theorist’s innovative methodological approach(es)· discussion questions to extend and deepen reader engagementDivided in three sections, the first part includes foundational comparative debates:· Mary Douglas’s articulation of purity and impurity· Phyllis Trible’s methods of reading sacred texts· Wendy Doniger’s comparative mythology · Catherine Bell’s reimagining of religious and secular ritualThe second part focuses on methodological particularity: · Alice Walker's use of narrative · Charles Long’s critique of Eurocentricism· Caroline Walker Bynum’s emphasis on gender and materialityThe third section focuses on expanding boundaries:· Gloria Anzaldúa’s work on borders and languages· Judith Butler’s critique of gender and sex norms· Saba Mahmood’s expansion on the critique of colonialism’s secularizing demandsReflecting the cultural turn and extending the existing canon, this is the anthology instructors have been waiting for.For further detail on the theorists discussed, please consult Cultural Approaches to Studying Religion: An Introduction to Theories and Methods, edited by Sarah J. Bloesch and Meredith Minister.

This is the first reader to gather primary sources from influential theorists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries in one place, presenting the wide-ranging and nuanced theoretical debates occurring in the field of religious studies. Each chapter focuses on a major theorist and contains:· an introduction contextualizing their key ideas· one or two selections representative of the theorist’s innovative methodological approach(es)· discussion questions to extend and deepen reader engagementDivided in three sections, the first part includes foundational comparative debates:· Mary Douglas’s articulation of purity and impurity· Phyllis Trible’s methods of reading sacred texts· Wendy Doniger’s comparative mythology · Catherine Bell’s reimagining of religious and secular ritualThe second part focuses on methodological particularity: · Alice Walker's use of narrative · Charles Long’s critique of Eurocentricism· Caroline Walker Bynum’s emphasis on gender and materialityThe third section focuses on expanding boundaries:· Gloria Anzaldúa’s work on borders and languages· Judith Butler’s critique of gender and sex norms· Saba Mahmood’s expansion on the critique of colonialism’s secularizing demandsReflecting the cultural turn and extending the existing canon, this is the anthology instructors have been waiting for.For further detail on the theorists discussed, please consult Cultural Approaches to Studying Religion: An Introduction to Theories and Methods, edited by Sarah J. Bloesch and Meredith Minister.

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.