Sacred Realms Readings in the Anthropology of Religion

9780195341324

0195341325

This comprehensive and engaging introduction to the anthropology ofreligion brings together a rich and balanced collection of classic andcontemporary readings. Ideal for courses in the anthropology of religion orcomparative religion, this exceptional anthology not only gives students thetools to analyze and comprehend religion but also enables them to considerreligion's major role in contemporary world affairs. Organized topically, Sacred Realms: Readings in the Anthropology ofReligion, Second Edition, covers twelve major areas in faith, religion, andbelief. Demonstrating the breadth and variety of human religious experience, theessays are written by authors from diverse ethnic and national backgrounds andinclude vivid ethnographic examples drawn from field studies around the world.The readings range from classic contributions by Bronislaw Malinowski, HoraceMiner, and Anthony F. C. Wallace to more recent selections including one on theRajneeshee by Charles Lindholm and articles on Sufism, witches, and Americanraves. The volume concludes with a unique section by the editors that describesthe basic facets of five of the world's most influential religions: Hinduism,Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The editors also provide helpful background material throughout; theirgeneral introduction encourages students to approach religion as an objectivehuman experience rather than from the perspective of their own upbringings,while overviews to each of the text's six parts place subjects in context andhighlight key issues. Essay introductions identify the author's perspective, thearticle's major points, and the questions the essay raises. New to the second edition of Sacred Realms is a section on theintersection of religion and politics, which includes a classic article byRaymond Firth as well as recent articles on issues in Korea and the Middle East.This edition also features a world map at the front of the book--referencinglocations in each essay, by number--and a glossary of terms at the end of thebook. An Instructor's Manual on CD is available to adopters.