Routledge Religion in the Context of Globalization: Essays on Concept, Form, and Political Implication (Routledge Studies in Religion and Politics)

Peter Beyer has been a central figure in the debate about religion and globalization for many years, this volume is a collection of essays on the relation between religion and globalization with special emphasis on the concept of religion, its modern forms and on the relation of religion to the state. Featuring a newly written introduction and conclusion which frame the volume and offer the reader guidance on how the arguments fit together, this book brings together ten previously published pieces which focus on the institutional forms and concept of religion in the context of globalizing and modern society. The guiding theme that they all share is the idea that religion and globalization are historically, conceptually, and institutionally related. What has come to constitute religion and what social roles religion plays are not manifestations of a timeless essence, called religion, or even a requirement of human societies. In concept and institutional form, religion is an expression of the historical process of globalization, above all during modern centuries. What religion has become is one of the outcomes of the successive transformations and developments that have brought about contemporary global society. Including some of the most important theoretical work in the field of religion and globalization, this collection provokes the reader to consider paths for future research in the area, and will be of great interest to students and scholars of religion and politics, globalization and religion and sociology. Review Despite its global significance to both politics and culture, religion has not always been on the research agenda of academics studying globalization. However, over the last two decades, Peter Beyer has made a remarkably consistent contribution to the analysis of global religions and religion in globalization. This timely collection pulls together his principal publications, re-affirming his intellectual importance to the field. The result is an impressive assembly of ideas and insights that offers an essential overview of what is at stake. Bryan S. Turner, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, USA. Written in crystal-clear language, these ten exciting essays by Peter Beyer invite the reader to an insider's tour of his theoretical observatory. As a result, one gets a new sense of what counts as ‘religion’ in the context of globalization. Michael Stausberg, Professor of Religion, University of Bergen, Norway. About the Author Peter Beyer is Professor in the Department of Classics and Religious Studies at the University of Ottawa, Canada.