Synopses & Reviews
The Bloomsbury Reader in Religion and Popular Culture is the classroom resource the field has been waiting for. It provides key readings as well as new approaches and cutting-edge work, encouraging a broader methodological and historical understanding. It is the first anthology to a trace broader themes of religion and popular culture across time and across very different types of media.
With a combined teaching experience of over 30 years dedicated to teaching undergraduates, Lisle Dalton and Eric Mazur have ensured that the pedagogical features and structure of the volume are valuable to both students and their professors:
- Divided into a number of units based on common semester syllabi
- Provides a blend of materials focussed on method with materials focussed on subject
- Each unit contains an introduction to the texts
- Each unit is followed by questions designed to encourage or enhance post-reading reflection and classroom discussion
- A glossary of terms from the unit's readings is provided, as well as suggestions for further reading and investigation
- Online resource provides guidance on accessing some of the most useful interesting resources available online
The Reader is suitable as the foundational textbook for any undergraduate course on religion and popular culture.
Synopsis
This is the first anthology to trace broader themes of religion and popular culture across time and theoretical methods. It provides key readings as well as new approaches and cutting-edge work, encouraging a broader methodological and historical understanding.
With a combined teaching experience of over 30 years dedicated to teaching undergraduates, Richard J. Callahan, Jr., Lisle W. Dalton, and Eric Michael Mazur have ensured that the pedagogical features and structure of the volume are valuable to both students and their professors. The book:
- is divided into a number of units based on common semester syllabi
- provides a blend of materials focused on method with materials focused on subject
- begins with an introduction to the texts for each unit
- follows each unit with questions designed to encourage and enhance post-reading reflection and classroom discussion
- has a glossary of terms from the unit's readings, as well as suggestions for further reading and investigation.
The Reader is suitable as the foundational textbook for any undergraduate course on religion and popular culture, as well as theory in the study of religion.
About the Author
Lisle W. Dalton is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Hartwick College, USA.
Eric Michael Mazur is Gloria & David Furman Professor of Judaic Studies, Professor of Religious Studies, and Director of American Studies, at Virginia Wesleyan College, USA.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. The Study of Religion & Popular Culture
Part I. Disciplines for Evaluating Religion & Popular Culture
2. Anthropology: Clifford Geertz
3. Sociology: Emile Durkheim
4. History of Religions: Mircea Eliade
5. Psychology: Rene Girard
Part II. Dimensions of Phenomena in Religion & Popular Culture
6. Myth
7. Ritual
8. Sacred Text
9. Sacred Space & Time
10. Heroes & Saints
11. Pilgrimage & Epic
12. Parables & Lessons
13. Conclusions
Bibliography
Index