African Traditions in the Study of Religion, Diaspora and Gendered Societies [Hardcover]

The historiography of African religions and religions in Africa presents a remarkable shift from the study of 'Africa as Object' to 'Africa as Subject', thus translating the subject from obscurity into the global community of the academic study of religion. This book presents a unique multidisciplinary exploration of African Traditions in the Study of Religion, Diaspora, and Gendered Societies. The book is structured under two main sections. The first provides insights into the interface between Religion and Society. The second features African Diaspora together with Youth and Gender which have not yet featured prominently in studies on religion in Africa. Contributors drawn from diverse African and global contexts situate current scholarly traditions of the study of African religions within the purview of academic encounter and exchanges with non-African scholars and non-African contexts. African scholars enrich the study of religions from their respective academic and methodological orientations. Jacob Kehinde Olupona stands out as a pioneer in the socio-scientific interpretation of African indigenous religion and religions in Africa and the new African Diaspora. This book honours his immense contribution to an emerging field of study and research.Contents: Preface, Ulrich Berner; Introduction: African traditions in the study of religion in Africa: contending with gender, the vitality of indigenous religions and diaspora, Ezra Chitando, Afe Adogame and Bolaji Bateye; Part I Religion and Society, Religion in Society: Approaches to peacemaking in Africa: Obuntu perspectives from Western Kenya, Lucas Nandih Shamala; Religious pluralism and secularization in the Nigerian religious sphere, Danoye Oguntola Laguda; Faith, spiritualism and materialism: understanding the interfaces of religion and the economy in Nigeria, Olutayo Adesina; Towards a civil religion in Nigeria, Musa Barnabas Gaiya; The implications of ancestral veneration manifesting in national symbols for lC.