Orientalism and Religion: Postcolonial Theory, India and "the Mystic East" » (1st Edition)

Orientalism and Religion offers us a timely discussion of the implications of contemporary post-colonial theory for the study of religion. Richard King examines the way in which notions such as mysticism, religion, Hinduism and Buddhism are taken for granted. He shows us how religion needs to be reinterpreted along the lines of cultural studies. Drawing on a variety of post-structuralist and post-colonial thinkers, such as Foucault, Gadamer, Said, and Spivak, King provides us with a challenging series of reflections on the nature of Religious Studies and Indology.

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Discusses the implications of contemporary postcolonial theory for the study of religion. Examines the way in which notions such as "mysticism," "religion," "Hinduism," and "Buddhism" are taken for granted, and shows how "religion" might be redescribed in terms of cultural studies, drawing on a variety of post-structuralist and postcolonial thinkers including Foucault, Gadamer, Said, and Spivak. The author is a reader in religious studies at the University of Stirling, Scotland. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)