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Religion and politics: taking African epistemologies seriously

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 July 2007

Stephen Ellis  and
Gerrie ter Haar
Stephen Ellis*
Affiliation:
Afrika-Studiecentrum, POB 9555, 2300 RB Leiden, Netherlands
Gerrie ter Haar
Affiliation:
Institute of Social Studies, PO Box 29776, 2502 LT The Hague, Netherlands
*
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
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Abstract

Religious modes of thinking about the world are widespread in Africa, and have a pervasive influence on politics in the broadest sense. We have published elsewhere a theoretical model as to how the relationship between politics and religion may be understood, with potential benefits for observers not just of Africa, but also of other parts of the world where new combinations of religion and politics are emerging. Application of this theoretical model requires researchers to rethink some familiar categories of social science.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Modern African Studies , Volume 45 , Issue 3 , September 2007 , pp. 385 - 401
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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