The Bloomsbury Reader in the Study of Religion and Popular Culture

My professorial heartbeat literally quickened as I read this volume. This is THE religion and popular culture text I have been waiting for. How thrilling to have now at our fingertips what is sure to become an indispensable benchmark in the field by which others will be measured. The 'pyramid' structuring of the book's content, accompanied by the connections and typologies section, is highly innovative and sure to be emulated in successive works. This is a meticulously and richly layered exploration of religion and popular culture. It is not only theoretically substantive and insightful, but its approach is as fresh as it is accessible. I could not help but binge read this volume. The book's explication of the definitional problem of religion, accompanied by the common-sense reminder that religion is indeed a popular term routinely used in the real world, was one of the best treatments I have read on the subject. Most intriguing is the book's third section, in which the authors explore religion through durable forms, case studies, and a series of five open-ended questions. From saints and superheroes to vampires and zombies, students will be enthralled every step of the way in this book that is as engaging as it is erudite.

Préface
Providing classic and cutting-edge readings in Religion and Popular Culture, this anthology is designed for the classroom with critical introductions, discussion questions and a glossary.

Auteur
Lisle W. Dalton is Professor of Religious Studies at Hartwick College, USA. Eric Michael Mazur is Gloria & David Furman Professor of Judaic Studies at Virginia Wesleyan University, USA. Eric Michael Mazur is associate professor of religious studies and holds the Gloria & David Furman Chair of Judaic Studies at Virginia Wesleyan College, Norfolk, VA.Richard J. Callahan, Jr. is Lecturer in Religious Studies at Gonzaga University, USA

Texte du rabat
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. Whereas existing texts are organised around case studies of contemporary or relatively recent popular culture phenomena only and minimise the historical dimensions, Reader in Religion and Popular Culture addresses the need for an anthology which traces 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 lecturers: - It is divided into a number of units based on common semester syllabi- Provides a blend of materials focussed on method with materials focussed on subject, enabling students to see the difference, and providing them with the tools necessary for future intellectual investigation- Each unit contains an introduction to the texts providing the necessary context- 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 access some of the most useful and most interesting resources available online The Reader is suitable as the foundational textbook for any undergraduate course on religion and popular culture taught.

Résumé
This is the first anthology to trace broader themes of religion and popular culture across time and theoretical methods. It provides key readings, encouraging a broader methodological and historical understanding. With a combined experience of over 30 years dedicated to teaching undergraduates, Lisle W. Dalton, Eric Michael Mazur, and Richard J. Callahan, Jr. have ensured that the pedagogical features and structure of the volume are valuable to both students and their professors. Features include: - A number of units based on common semester syllabi - A blend of materials focused on method with materials focused on subject - An introduction to the texts for each unit - Questions designed to encourage and enhance post-reading reflection and classroom discussion - 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.

Contenu
Acknowledgments Introduction Unit I. The Study of Religion and Popular Culture Introduction to Unit I 1. Charles Long, Popular Religion (2005) and David Chidester, Planet Hollywood (2005) Connections: Typologies Unit II. Foundational Texts in the Study of Religion & Popular Culture Introduction to Unit II 2. Sigmund Freud: On Dreams (1904) and The Psychopathology of Everyday Life (1911) Connections: Freud, Psychoanalysis, and the Fairy Tale Connections: Freud, Cultural Critique, Self-Help, and Religionized Therapy 3. Emile Durkheim: Origins of These Beliefs (1915) Connections: Durkheim, Memorial Day, and Civil Religion Connections: Durkheim and Totemism at the Stadium 4. Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno: The Culture Industry (1944) Connections: Horkheimer, Adorno, Religion, Consumer Culture, and Advertising Connections: Horkheimer, Adorno, and Selling Religion 5. Paul Tillich: Aspects of a Religious Analysis of Culture (1959) Connections: Tillich, Theology, and Culture Connections: Tillich and The Gospel According to 6. Roland Barthes: Myth Today (1957) Connections: Barthes, Poaching, and Fandom Connections: Barthes and Religion as Critique 7. Victor Turner: Betwixt and Between (1967) Connections: Turner and Liminal Raving Connections: Turner, Religion, Sports, and Digital Gaming 8. Mircea Eliade: The Myths of the Modern World (1967) Connections: Eliade and the Monomyth Connections: Eliade, Myth, and the Buddy Genre 9. Peter Berger: Religion and World Construction (1967) Connections: Berger and McDonald's as Sacrament of Modernity Connections: Berger and Monsters of Chaos 10. Clifford Geertz: Religion as a Cultural System (1973) Connections: Geertz at the Movies Connections: Geertz and the American Flag as a Sacred Symbol 11. Edward Said: Introduction from Orientalism (1978) Connections: Said, Race, & Religion Connections: Said's Orientalism, Religion, and Pop Culture 12. Stuart Hall: Notes on Deconstructing 'the Popular' (1981) Connections: Hall, Race, Identity, and Popular Music Connections: Hall, Dominance, and Resistance through Popular Culture 13. Elaine Showalter: Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness (1981) Connections: Showalter and the Long Arc of Joan Connections: Showalter and the Varieties of Gender Experience 14. Catherine Bell: Characteristics of Ritual-Like Activities (1997) Connections: Bell, Religion, and Nationalism Connections: Bell and Parades Unit III. Durable Forms in the Study of Religion & Popular Culture Introduction to Unit III 15. Who We Are: Saints, Heroes, and Monsters 16. Where We Are: Sacred Space 17. What We Know: Myths and Sacred Texts 18. Where We Go: Pilgrimages 19. What We Do: Public Ritual, Carnivals, and Parades Bibliography Index