The slimness of Comparative Historical and Interpretative Study of Religions belies its contents and it is a truly historical and interpretative study of religions in human history. It is specially designed for students in tertiary institutions. Although the topics reflect the current National University Commission (NUC) undergraduate programme in Religious Studies in Nigeria, the work provides a thorough methodological discussion and more on specific themes, historical figures and movements in study of religions. --Book Jacket.

This book deals with Islamic studies and with the question how the scholarly study of religion can contribute to the study of Islam. The author advocates studying Islamic phenomena as signs and symbols interpreted and applied in diverse ways in existing traditions. He stresses the role of Muslims as actors in the ongoing debate about the articulation of Islamic ways of life and construction of Islam as a religion. A careful study of this debate should steer clear of political, religious, and ideological interests. Research in this area by Muslims and non-Muslim scholars alike should address the question of what Muslims have made of their Islam in specific circumstances. Current political contexts have created an unhealthy climate for pursuing an “open” approach to Islam based on reading, observing, listening and reflecting. Yet, precisely nowadays we need to look anew at ways of Muslim thinking and acting that refer to Islam and to avoid certain schemes of interpreting Muslim realities that are no longer adequate for present-day Muslim life situations. Muslim recourses to Islam can be studied as human constructions of value and meaning, and relations between Muslims and others can be seen in terms of human interaction, without blame always falling on Islam as such.

A comprehensive new collection covering the principal traditionsand critical contemporary issues of social theory. Builds on the success of The Blackwell Companion to SocialTheory, second edition with substantial revisions, entirely newcontributions, and a fresh editorial direction Explores contemporary areas such as actor network theory,social constructionism, human rights and cosmopolitanism Includes chapters on demography, science and technologystudies, and genetics and social theory Emphasizes key areas of sociology which have had an importantimpact in shaping the discipline as a whole

This Book Covers The Syllabi Prescribed By Indian Universities At Undergraduate And Postgraduate Level In Sociology In The Paper Concerned With Sociological Methods And Techniques, Social Survey And Research. After Analysing The Nature Of Sociology And Social Phenomena; Fact, Theory And Concept, The Book Describes, Discusses And Evaluates Sociological Data; Social Research; Historical Method And Techniques Of Sociological Research Including Observation; Experiment; Case Study; Social Survey; Mailed Questionnaire; The Schedule; Rating Scales And Sociometry And Calling Interview. In Social Research Separate Chapters Have Been Devoted To Identification Of Problem Of Research; Review Of Related Literature; Formulation Of Hypothesis; Research Design And Investigation; Sampling And Census Investigation. In The End, There Are Chapters On Content Analysis; Formulation Of Generalisations; Objectivity In Social Research; The Research Report; Inter-Disciplinary Approach; Social Research, Survey And Book-Keeping In India And Statistics In Sociology. While Each Chapter Has Been Written In An Analytical Style, Matter Has Been Drawn From Standard Books. Questions Actually Asked In University Examinations Have Been Given At The End Of Each Chapter For Exercise For Examinations. An Attempt Has Been Made To Use Simple Language Avoiding Technical Jargon As Much As Possible. Tables And Figures Have Been Used To Facilitate Understanding. Thus, The Author Has Left No Stone Unturned To Make This Book An Ideal Textbook For The Students And Reference Work For The Teachers.

Failure and Nerve in the Academic Study of Religion presents a provocative critique of the unwillingness of modern scholars to publically distinguish research into comparative religion from confessional studies written within denominationally-affiliated institutions. The book offers the 19th Century founders of the study of religion as a bracing corrective to contemporary timidity. The issue was analysed and documented by Wiebe a quarter of a century ago. Here, marking Wiebe's work, a wide range of contributors reassess the methodology and ambition of contemporary religious research. The book argues that conceptualizing religion as part of the world of human action and experience is the first requirement of the study of religion.

A COMPANION TO GLOBAL HISTORICAL THOUGHT A Companion to Global Historical Thought provides an overview of the development of historical thinking from the earliest times to the present, directly addressing issues of historiography in a globalized context. Questions concerning the global dissemination of historical writing and the relationship between historiography and other ways of representing the past have become important not only in the academic study of history, but also in public arenas in many countries. With contributions from leading international scholars, the book considers the problem of “the global” – in the multiplicity of traditions of narrating the past; in the global dissemination of modern historical writing; and of “the global” as a concept animating historical imaginations. It explores the different intellectual approaches that have shaped the discipline of history, and the challenges posed by modernity and globalization, while illustrating the shifts in thinking about time and the emergence of historical thought. Complementing A Companion to Western Historical Thought, this book places non-Western perspectives on historiography at the center of discussion, helping scholars and students alike make sense of the discipline at the start of the twenty-first century.

"Over time, more psychologists have become contributors to cognitive science of religion (CSR), but when are they doing CSR and when are they doing psychology of religion? Does it matter? In this chapter, contemporary scientific reflections on notions of death and the afterlife are sketched to illustrate the subtle differences between CSR and psychology of religion. These kindred scientific approaches overlap considerably, but attention to their central differences will assist scholars in finding complementarity, thereby improving both schools of inquiry and their contributions to each other. After developing this thesis, this chapter introduces the organization and flow of the volume as a whole. Beginning with general theoretical and methodological foundations, the volume then considers specific applications of CSR to substantive topics such as beliefs in gods, sacred texts, sacred objects, and ritualized behaviors, before turning to how these domains of cultural expression are sometimes joined (or not) into religious systems. The volume ends with comparisons between CSR and two other neighboring approaches (evolutionary studies of religion and neuroscience of religion) and, finally, implications of CSR for philosophy of religion, religious education, and theology"--