A Practical Guide to Critical Religion
Will be published approx. on 2. April 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
288 pages
978-1-350-25647-7 (ISBN)
Description
This book makes critical theory on religion more accessible to both undergraduates and skeptics, showcasing its practical relevance and usefulness to research and teaching on contemporary subjects, and highlighting the importance of decolonial approaches to the study of religion.
The book begins with a 'toolkit for doing Critical Religion', which provides an introductory overview of the field and explains key terms and concepts including discourse, genealogy, and coloniality. Part 1 offers five influential theorists' perspectives on what it means to be critical in practical terms, including chapters from Russell McCutcheon and Aaron Hughes. Part 2 offers case studies from six researchers' hands-on experience of applying critical approaches in the field, including a wide range of contexts such as Jewish, Japanese, European, and indigenous cultures. Each one highlights ways in which critical perspectives have enriched their empirical work, providing tools with which to achieve new insights and create new knowledge in different disciplines and global contexts.
With chapters from several of the leading critical theorists working in Religious Studies departments in Europe, North America and Africa, as well as a selection of scholars who are pioneering critical approaches to 'religion' in various fields of empirical research as anthropologists, sociologists or political scientists, this book is an important classroom resource for explaining why theory matters for religion.
The book begins with a 'toolkit for doing Critical Religion', which provides an introductory overview of the field and explains key terms and concepts including discourse, genealogy, and coloniality. Part 1 offers five influential theorists' perspectives on what it means to be critical in practical terms, including chapters from Russell McCutcheon and Aaron Hughes. Part 2 offers case studies from six researchers' hands-on experience of applying critical approaches in the field, including a wide range of contexts such as Jewish, Japanese, European, and indigenous cultures. Each one highlights ways in which critical perspectives have enriched their empirical work, providing tools with which to achieve new insights and create new knowledge in different disciplines and global contexts.
With chapters from several of the leading critical theorists working in Religious Studies departments in Europe, North America and Africa, as well as a selection of scholars who are pioneering critical approaches to 'religion' in various fields of empirical research as anthropologists, sociologists or political scientists, this book is an important classroom resource for explaining why theory matters for religion.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 232 mm
Width: 153 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
322 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-350-25647-7 (9781350256477)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Alexander Henley
A Practical Guide to Critical Religion
E-Book
03/2026
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Academic
€23.99
Available for download
Alexander Henley
A Practical Guide to Critical Religion
E-Book
03/2026
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Academic
€23.99
Available for download
Person
Alexander Henley is Graduate Programme Leader for Islamic Studies at the Institute of Islamic Studies in London, UK. He is also an Associate Researcher at Oxford University, UK.
Lauren Morry is a DPhil candidate at Oxford University, UK.
Lauren Morry is a DPhil candidate at Oxford University, UK.
Content
Preface: 'Critical religion' and the purpose of this book, Alexander Henley (Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK)
Notes on Contributors
Acknowledgements
Part 1: Introducing critical religion: A toolkit of critiques, methods and trajectories
1. What is wrong with the category 'religion' and what can we do about it?, Alexander Henley (Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK)
2. What is critical religion? Past, present and future of critical scholarship, Alexander Henley (Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK)
Part 2: Perspectives on being critical about 'religion' and the 'secular'
3. The Reluctant Genealogist: Why it matters where our terms come from, Aaron W. Hughes (University of Rochester, UK)
4. Classification matters: Why you should care about scholarship on the category religion, Russell T. McCutcheon (University of Alabama, USA)
5. The Ideology of Religious Studies then and now: The author's view, Timothy Fitzgerald (University of Kent, UK)
Part 3: Applying critical approaches in the field
6. The projection of 'religion' upon Japan by the United States since the 1850s, Mitsutoshi Horii (Shumei University, Japan)
7. Religionization of minorities and culturalization of Christianity in Europe: How to study boundary cases?, Teemu Taira (University of Helsinki, Finland)
8. Researching 'religion' in Indigenous cultures, Suzanne Owen (Leeds Trinity University, UK)
9. Managing 'faith' in a late modern state: 'Time for Reflection' in the Scottish Parliament, Steven J. Sutcliffe (University of Edinburgh, UK)
10. Thinking outside of the 'religion and politics' duality: The Jewish-Israeli case, Yaacov Yadgar (University of Oxford, UK)
11. The category of religion in the technology of governance: An argument for understanding religions as vestigial states, Naomi Goldenberg (University of Ottawa, Canada)
12. The implications of critical religion for (gendered) Religious Education,
Alison Jasper (Independent scholar, UK) and John I'Anson (University of Stirling, UK)
Index
Notes on Contributors
Acknowledgements
Part 1: Introducing critical religion: A toolkit of critiques, methods and trajectories
1. What is wrong with the category 'religion' and what can we do about it?, Alexander Henley (Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK)
2. What is critical religion? Past, present and future of critical scholarship, Alexander Henley (Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK)
Part 2: Perspectives on being critical about 'religion' and the 'secular'
3. The Reluctant Genealogist: Why it matters where our terms come from, Aaron W. Hughes (University of Rochester, UK)
4. Classification matters: Why you should care about scholarship on the category religion, Russell T. McCutcheon (University of Alabama, USA)
5. The Ideology of Religious Studies then and now: The author's view, Timothy Fitzgerald (University of Kent, UK)
Part 3: Applying critical approaches in the field
6. The projection of 'religion' upon Japan by the United States since the 1850s, Mitsutoshi Horii (Shumei University, Japan)
7. Religionization of minorities and culturalization of Christianity in Europe: How to study boundary cases?, Teemu Taira (University of Helsinki, Finland)
8. Researching 'religion' in Indigenous cultures, Suzanne Owen (Leeds Trinity University, UK)
9. Managing 'faith' in a late modern state: 'Time for Reflection' in the Scottish Parliament, Steven J. Sutcliffe (University of Edinburgh, UK)
10. Thinking outside of the 'religion and politics' duality: The Jewish-Israeli case, Yaacov Yadgar (University of Oxford, UK)
11. The category of religion in the technology of governance: An argument for understanding religions as vestigial states, Naomi Goldenberg (University of Ottawa, Canada)
12. The implications of critical religion for (gendered) Religious Education,
Alison Jasper (Independent scholar, UK) and John I'Anson (University of Stirling, UK)
Index