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  3. Key Thinkers in the Study of Religion

A series of compact introductions to the life and work of major figures in the study of religion. Each volume includes a brief biography, analysis of key works, evaluation of criticism and of overall impact on the field, and discussion of the work of later scholars who have appropriated or extended each key thinker's approach.

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6 results in Key Thinkers in the Study of Religion

Ernesto de Martino on Religion
  • The Crisis and the Presence
  • Fabrizio M. Ferrari
  • Published by:
    Acumen Publishing
    Published online:
    05 April 2014
    Print publication:
    30 June 2012
  • Ernesto de Martino was a major critical thinker in the study of vernacular religions, producing innovative analyses of key concepts such as 'folklore', 'magic' and 'ritual'. His methodology stemmed from his training under the philosopher Benedetto Croce whilst his philosophical approach to anthropology borrowed from Marx and Gramsci. Widely celebrated in continental Europe, de Martino's contribution to the study of religion has not been fully understood in the Anglophone world though some of his works - Primitive Magic: the Psychic Powers of Shamans and Sorcerers and The Land of Remorse: a Study of Southern Italian Tarantism - have been translated. This volume presents a comprehensive overview of de Martino's life and work, the thinkers and theories which informed his writings, his contribution to the study of religions and the potential of his methodology for contemporary scholarship.

Derrida on Religion
  • Thinker of Differance
  • Dawne McCance
  • Published by:
    Acumen Publishing
    Published online:
    05 May 2014
    Print publication:
    31 December 2008
  • Jacques Derrida is widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of the twentieth century. His thinking has radically transformed scholarship and critical practice across the Humanities and Social Sciences. Derrida on Religion offers students an overview of Derrida's many influential writings on religion and also explores the potential of Derrida's methodologies for the study of religion. This is an essential textbook for any student who wants to explore the impact of Derrida's critical theory and practice on the study of religion.

Dumont on Religion
  • Difference, Comparison, Transgression
  • Ivan Strenski
  • Published by:
    Acumen Publishing
    Published online:
    05 May 2014
    Print publication:
    30 November 2008
  • Louis Dumont was a prominent anthropologist and sociologist whose work - notably on Indian society - influenced the study of religion. Dumont on Religion introduces Dumont's work on kinship studies, structural theory, and his views on idealism. Subjects of particular interest to students of religion are highlighted, including Dumont's concepts of the sacred and profane, pure and impure, transcendence, values and hierarchy. The book also presents the ethical implications of Dumont's ideas and his comparison between the world views of modern and traditional societies.

Bastide on Religion
  • The Invention of Candomblé
  • Michel Despland
  • Published by:
    Acumen Publishing
    Published online:
    05 June 2014
    Print publication:
    30 November 2008
  • Roger Bastide developed the theory of acculturation which provides a framework for understanding contact between different cultures and beliefs. Bastide on Religion offers a clear introduction to the life and work of this influential scholar. The volume focuses on Bastide's study of Afro-Brazilian religions, in particular his study of Candomblé, a religion born from the contact between African and Brazilian cultures. The book outlines Bastide's work on acculturation, his concept of the relationship between religion and culture, and his challenge to many dominant approaches to economic development.

Lévi-Strauss on Religion
  • The Structuring Mind
  • Paul-François Tremlett
  • Published by:
    Acumen Publishing
    Published online:
    05 May 2014
    Print publication:
    30 November 2008
  • Lévi-Strauss, the 'father of modern anthropology', is one of the most influential thinkers of the Twentieth Century. His development of 'structuralism' - the identification of patterns of human cognition and behaviour - greatly influenced Althusser, Lacan, Foucault and Derrida. Levi-Strauss on Religion presents one of the only examinations of the importance of Levi-Strauss' thought and work to the study of religion. The book examines his methodology as well as his contributions to the study of kinship, totemism, and myth. The issues raised by Levi-Strauss' anthropological, political and philosophical texts are placed alongside contemporary debates in religious studies and the student is introduced to the thinkers and theories that informed his writings. This book will be invaluable to students of the anthropology and phenomenology of religion.

Bourdieu on Religion
  • Imposing Faith and Legitimacy
  • Terry Rey
  • Published by:
    Acumen Publishing
    Published online:
    05 June 2014
    Print publication:
    30 November 2007
  • Pierre Bourdieu was one of the most influential social theorists of our time. He developed a series of concepts to uncover the way society works and to challenge assumptions about what society is. His ideas illuminate how individuals and groups find value and meaning and so have rapidly come to be seen as hugely productive in analysing how religion works in society. Bourdieu on Religion introduces students to Bourdieu's key concepts: cultural, social and symbolic capital; habitus and field; and his challenge to the structures of social inequality. This study will be invaluable to any student interested in the relationships between religion, class and social power.