Religious engineering: exploring projects of transformation from a relational perspective
This introduction presents the concept of religious engineering, offering a new perspective on a field of research which deals with the interrelations of religion and international development. The concept, we propose, allows for an analysis of a wide array of projects of transformation without pres...
| Authors: | ; |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2021
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| In: |
Religion
Year: 2021, Volume: 51, Issue: 1, Pages: 1-18 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Development research
/ Religion
|
| RelBib Classification: | AA Study of religion AB Philosophy of religion; criticism of religion; atheism ZB Sociology |
| Further subjects: | B
Secularity
B Religion B Development B Relationality B Religious engineering B Transformation (motif) |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | This introduction presents the concept of religious engineering, offering a new perspective on a field of research which deals with the interrelations of religion and international development. The concept, we propose, allows for an analysis of a wide array of projects of transformation without presupposing religion, secularity and development as different given spheres or concepts. Following criticisms of the instrumental use of a sui generis concept of religion and a narrow definition of development, we suggest a focus on the relational, on-going constitution of development and religion through transformative practices of religious engineering. This refers to ways of working on the future shape of a society, group or individual, where the ‘engineers’ allude to what they understand as religious traditions and practices. At the same time, the concept accesses purposeful transformations of religious traditions and self-understandings that are spurred on by such projects of societal and/or individual improvement. |
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| ISSN: | 1096-1151 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/0048721X.2020.1792053 |
