Unbridled

Reviews / Votes

"Unbridled is a kaleidoscopic book that poses questions and gets one's theoretical imagination working." * History of Religions * "William Robert?s Unbridled: Studying Religion in Performance is both an interdisciplinary work and a novel return to basics. Examining the methodology of studying religions through the lens of dramaturgy, performance studies, and other relational disciplines, the novelty of Robert?s book lies in using the performance of a single play-Peter Schaffer?s Equus-to help shed light on how religions could be studied." * Reading Religion * "Unbridled treats Equus as a prism through which to reimagine the study of religion, asking urgent questions and inviting us to critically rethink methods as openings. With an inviting mix of confidence and humility, Robert reinvigorates pedagogical discussions, delivering insights about the difference between reverence and devotion, the meaning of critique, and the nature of literature. Every page provokes thoughts about how we teach and think about religion, and how we might do it otherwise." -- Constance M. Furey, coauthor of Devotion: Three Inquiries in Religion, Literature, and Political Imagination "Unbridled is a compelling, engaging, sophisticated provocation for how the study of religion might be done differently. Keeping his eyes fixed on Equus, Robert touches on themes central to the study of religion-performance, ritual, embodiment, sacrifice, image, worship, sexuality, violence-while also defamiliarizing the operation of these terms by following what Equus prompts us to think about them." -- Kent Brintnall, author of Ecce Homo: The Male-Body-in-Pain as Redemptive Figure