Genealogies of Religion by Talal Asad

Genealogies of Religion by Talal Asad

In "Geneologies of Religion", Talal Asad explores how religion as a historical category emerged in the West and has come to be applied as a universal concept. The idea that religion has undergone a radical change since the Christian Reformation-from totalitarian and socially repressive to private and relatively benign-is a familiar part of the story of secularization. It is often invokved to explain and justify the liberal politics and world view of modernity. And it leads to the view that "politicized religions" threaten both reason and liberty. Asad's essays explore and question all these assumptions. He argues that "religion" is a construction of European modernity, a construction that authorizes-for Westerners and non-Westerners alike-particular forms of "history making".

This eloquent, lucid, and complex work is the product of remarkable intelligence and erudition; it is a profound contribution to the understanding of the cultural hegemony of the West-- Ralph M. Coury Religious Studies Review All articles are extremely well written, exhibit impressive scholarship, and are thoughtful and are thoughtful and stimulating. Asad's criticisms are neither judgmental nor self-righteous but are generally driven by the will to understand. -- James R. Wood Contemporary Sociology

Talal Asad is a professor of anthropology at the Johns Hopkins University.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780801846328
ISBN 10	0801846323
Title	Genealogies of Religion
Author	Talal Asad
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Johns Hopkins University Press
Year published	1993-10-13
Number of pages	344
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable