A Companion to the Anthropology of Religion

A Companion to the Anthropology of Religion presents a collection of original, ethnographically–informed essays that explore the wide variety of beliefs, practices, and religious experience in the contemporary world and how to think about religion as an object of inquiry. Leading scholars in the field engage deeply with the concept of religion and its myriad social entailments, and reveal the most up–to–date research and critical thinking in the field.

Amongst the broad range of topics addressed are the latest thoughts on the perspectivism debate, reflections on religion and the new media; issues of religion relating to person, self, and gender; how ordinary life transcends religious differences; and many others. Original, thought–provoking, and provocative, A Companion to the Anthropology of Religion adds immeasurable insights into our understanding of the complex relationships between religion, culture, society, and the individual in today s world.

Janice Boddy is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Toronto. Her books include Wombs and Alien Spirits: Women, Men and the Zar Cult in Northern Sudan (1989); Aman: The Story of a Somali Girl (1994); and Civilizing Women: British Crusades in Colonial Sudan (2007).

Michael Lambek is Professor of Anthropology and Canada Research Chair at the University of Toronto Scarborough. His books include  Human Spirits (1981, 2009);  Knowledge and Practice in Mayotte: Local Discourses of Islam, Sorcery, and Spirit Possession (1993);  The Weight of the Past (2002); and  Ordinary Ethics (2010). He is also the editor of  A Reader in the Anthropology of Religion (Wiley–Blackwell, 2008).