Collectivistic Religions draws upon empirical studies of Christianity in Europe to address questions of religion and collective identity, religion and nationalism, religion and public life, and religion and conflict. It moves beyond the attempts to tackle such questions in terms of 'choice' and 'religious nationalism' by introducing the notion of 'collectivistic religions' to contemporary debates surrounding public religions.
Using a comparison of several case studies, this book challenges the modernist bias in understanding of collectivistic religions as reducible to national identities. A significant contribution to both the study of religious change in contemporary Europe and the theoretical debates that surround religion and secularization, it will be of key interest to scholars across a range of disciplines, including sociology, political science, religious studies, and geography.
Contents: Introduction: when religion is not a choice; Religion and identity: theoretical considerations; Bosnian, Croatian, and Slovenian Catholicisms in contemporary Europe; Bosnian, Croatian, and Slovenian Catholicisms: narratives, legacies, and collective identities; Collectivistic Christianities in the European context; Conclusion; Index.
About the Author: Slavica Jakelic is Research Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and Co-director of the Program on Religion, Culture, and Democracy at the University of Virginia, USA
Reviews: 'Sociology is at its strongest when it is combined with history and Jakelic’s new book is one of the best examples of historical sociology in recent times. The idea of collectivistic religions is a fruitful one for illuminating the link between religion, nationalism, identity and politics. It is impressive in its scholarship and thoroughly persuasive.'
John D. Brewer, University of Aberdeen, UK
'This is an important new work on religious identity, theoretically rich, lucidly written and laden with fascinating examples from the Balkans and beyond. It is firmly in the camp of religion matters, tackling the ethno-centric consensus with gusto. Anybody interested in religion and belonging in modern societies needs to read this book.'
Claire Mitchell, Queens' University Belfast, UK
'Fully-conversant in both the conceptual and genealogical developments in religious studies, and with the full range of social-scientific theories of religion, identity and social order Jakelic asks a simple but oft-unasked question: why, when scholars are increasingly focused on choice in religion, do so many people feel that they have no choices to make? A significant conceptual advance; this is a brave, fiercely independently-minded, and powerfully argued book.'
Charles Mathewes, University of Virginia, USA
Source:
http://www.ashgate.com/default.aspx?page=637&calcTitle=1&title_id=9461&edition_id=12513 Full contents list:
http://www.ashgate.com/pdf/SamplePages/Collectivistic_Religions_Cont.pdfIntroduction:http://www.ashgate.com/pdf/SamplePages/Collectivistic_Religions_Intro.pdfIndex:
http://www.ashgate.com/pdf/SamplePages/Collectivistic_Religions_Index.pdf
A response to Slavica Jakelic’s "When Religion is Not a Choice:http://divinity.uchicago.edu/martycenter/publications/webforum/112010/Davie%20Response%20to%20Jakelic.pdf Formatted for CROWN by Marko Puljić
Distributed by www.Croatia.org This message is intended for Croatian Associations / Institutions and their Friends in Croatia and in the World. The opinions / articles expressed on this list do not reflect personal opinions of the moderator. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, please delete or destroy all copies of this communication and please, let us know! Or simply...enjoy and spread the word and good vibrations.